What if They Say "No"?
...and Other Admissions Decisions

The Admissions Office will send you the decision information regarding your application. Please visit the Admissions Timetable website to see when decisions will be notified.

You will be notified by regular mail, or you can review your decision online.

What if I have questions once I receive my decision letter from Penn?

[Click link to expand/collapse answer.]

What if I am admitted?

1. What must a student do after being admitted?

Students admitted during Early Decision are expected to withdraw all applications which they may have submitted to other colleges or universities, in accordance with the Early Decision agreement.

Students admitted during Regular Decision must notify the Office of Admissions by May 1 (Candidates' Common Reply Date) with a non-refundable deposit in order to reserve their space in the class.

Along with the official decision letter, admitted students receive lots of information and specific instructions. Specific questions about these should be directed to the Office of Admissions.

2. How does a student apply for housing?

All admitted students, including Early Decision admits, will receive a College House brochure and housing application forms in April. They should follow all instructions provided, and be sure to meet all deadlines.

3. Who may a student contact regarding financial aid?

If the student applied for financial aid, they may view their eligibility online with the admission decision. It will also be sent via US mail. They should review this information carefully.

For reference, here are some documents that should have been completed and submitted to Student Financial Services (www.sfs.upenn.edu/finaid):


i. College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile Form
ii. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
iii. Penn Financial Aid Supplement Form (PFAS)

If the student has other questions about financing a Penn education, they may contact Penn Student Financial Services:


Telephone: (215) 898-1988
Fax: (215) 573-5428
Email: sfsmail@sfs.upenn.edu
URL: www.sfs.upenn.edu

4. How does a student get credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or College Courses?

Have AP test results or IB Higher Level Exam Results sent directly to Penn. Scores must be received by Penn directly if credit is to be granted. Penn's ETS School Code is #2926 and IB Higher Level Exam Results should be sent by the IBO organization directly to the Office of Transfer Credit. For more detailed information regarding the University's Advanced Placement policies, a student may contact the Office of Transfer Credit and Advanced Placement:
Telephone: 215.898.7507
Email: info@admissions.upenn.edu

5. Can the student visit campus again before school starts?

Absolutely! They may even attend a class during the spring or fall sessions. Students may use the Admissions web site www.admissions.upenn.edu/visiting/other.php to select classes for the day.

All admitted students will be invited to visit the campus for a day in April during "Penn Preview" days. The program will include tours and informational meetings, and the invitation will specify the dates this program is available.

Students may contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (215-898-7507) or the Alumni Council on Admissions (215-898-6888) with any questions.

What if I am denied?

1. How does the University of Pennsylvania make its decisions?

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions reviews all applications carefully, and all decisions are made by the Admissions Committee. An applicant’s academic profile (transcripts, grades and standardized testing), letters of recommendation (Secondary School Report and two Teacher Recommendations) and personal inventory (essays, extracurricular and co-curricular activities) are considered. While a student’s academic profile and extracurricular achievements are important, there is no formula for admission.

2. How can a student be sure that every component of the application was considered? (e.g. an extra letter of recommendation, the latest SAT scores, teacher recommendations)

An application will only be reviewed if all required pieces of the application have been received, and the Admissions Office evaluates all additional pieces that are submitted. Each application receives a very thorough review.

3. Was the applicant’s legacy status considered?

Yes. Legacies are given maximum consideration during Early Decision, but family affiliation with Penn is noted in all undergraduate applications - Early Decision, Regular Decision, and Transfer.

4. Can an applicant learn why he or she was not admitted?

Please note that the staff of the Alumni Council on Admissions does not make admissions decisions and therefore, we are not privy as to why one application may be accepted over another. Given the size and selectivity of the applicant pool, it is not always feasible for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to provide feedback to students. In most cases, there is nothing “wrong” with a candidate’s application. Approximately 80% of all applicants are “qualified for Penn,” with outstanding academic and non-academic credentials. With a limited number of spaces in the class, the Admissions Office is forced to make some very difficult decisions.

5. Why wasn’t the application deferred or waitlisted?

The Admissions Committee always considers these options, but they prefer to give a final decision to applicants as soon as possible. Historically, a low percentage of deferred or waitlisted applicants are ultimately admitted. While a clear decision of “deny” is difficult to receive, it does allow the student to focus efforts on other colleges and universities.

6. Can the applicant appeal this decision?

No, all decisions are final.

7. May a student reapply to Penn for another program?

A student is permitted to apply to the University of Pennsylvania only once during an academic calendar year. If a student would like to re-apply, they may do so during the following academic year.

8. Does the University of Pennsylvania accept transfer students?

Yes, the University of Pennsylvania has a Transfer Admissions Application process. The University only permits fall entry for transfers and expects that students will have at least one year of college work completed prior to enrollment, but no more than two years of college work.

What if I am deferred?

1. What does it mean if an application has been “deferred”?

During Early Decision, the Admissions Committee may choose to defer a final decision on an application until Regular Decision deliberations. In these cases, the applicants are no longer bound by the Early Decision agreement. Historically, only 10-15% of deferred Early Decision applicants have been admitted during Regular Decision. While this may not sound encouraging, it is comparable to the acceptance rate for Regular Decision applicants in recent years.

2. Can a student learn why the application was deferred?

In most cases, there is nothing “wrong” with a candidate’s application. Approximately 80% of all applicants are “qualified for Penn,” with outstanding academic and nonacademic credentials. With a limited number of spaces in the class, the Admissions Office is forced to make some very difficult decisions.

3. What happens now?

The Admissions Committee will review the application again, and this time within the context of the Regular Decision applicant pool. At that time they will have the student’s mid-year grade report and any other information and testing the student chooses to provide.

4. What can the student do to express a continued interest in Penn? Should they send additional letters of recommendations or other supplementary materials?

If still interested in Penn, it is recommended that the student write a letter to the appropriate Regional Director of Admissions in late January. A list of Regional Directors can be found at www.admissions.upenn.edu/contact. This letter should reiterate the student’s interest in Penn and provide any new information since the application was submitted (awards, recent accomplishments, etc.).



The student should make sure their high school submits to Penn an updated transcript reflecting mid-year grades.




If the student feels an additional letter of recommendation or other material will shed new light on their candidacy, they may send it along, but it is also recommended that they be judicious in the amount of additional information they submit.

5. If admitted during Regular Decision, will the student still be considered for financial aid?

Yes. Penn’s admission policy is need-blind and Penn is committed to meeting the demonstrated need of all admitted candidates. If the student is admitted during Regular Decision and has applied for financial aid, they will learn of financial aid eligibility along with the admissions decision.

What if I am placed on the wait-list?

1. What does it mean if an application has been “waitlisted”?



During Regular Decision, some candidates are offered a spot on the “waitlist,” meaning they have not been denied, but they have not been admitted either. The Office of Admissions may later extend an offer to a waitlisted candidate, depending on how many admitted students decide to enroll at Penn. If a high number of admitted candidates choose to enroll, then very few or even none of the waitlist candidates may be offered a space in the class. It is important for a waitlisted candidate to place a deposit for enrollment at another University to which they have been accepted.

2. What should the student do?

A student offered a spot on the waitlist must reply in order to accept the waitlist spot. Some will decline this offer, and a few students will not reply at all. If the Admissions Office uses the waitlist, they will look at students who have replied positively regarding their waitlist status.



The student might also write a short note to their Regional Director of Admissions, briefly restating their interest in Penn. A list of Regional Directors can be found at www.admissions.upenn.edu/contact



3. Could the legacy status play a role in waitlist selections?

No. The waitlist is not ranked in any way, and the Admissions Office does not use legacy affiliation in selecting students.

4. Does the University of Pennsylvania accept transfer students?

Yes. To apply, students must complete the Transfer Admissions Application. The University only permits fall entry for transfers and expects that students will have at least one year of college work completed prior to enrollment, but no more than two years of college work.

The reality is that there are many highly qualified applicants, and schools like Penn are forced to select relatively few of them. This is true for legacies too, who undergo the same rigorous application process. In the past few years, Penn has admitted roughly one-third of the legacy applicants, which means about two-thirds were not admitted. We know it can be difficult for a student to receive anything less than an admit letter in the admissions process.

We welcome your calls and emails expressing any concerns you may have about the process. We do not know the details of any application, and we do not know the rationale behind any admissions decision, but we always welcome a dialogue with our alumni about their experiences. Please call (215-898-6888), email, or submit feedback anonymously through the ACA survey.