Regional interviews continue for Penn Undergraduate Admissions

http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/imgs/special.jpgThere is a group of Penn alumni volunteers known as the Secondary School Committee (SSC), managed by the Office of Admissions.  SSC members attempt to personally contact Penn applicants in or near their hometown.  Alumni interviewers provide interesting and meaningful feedback about the Penn applicants they meet.  Their comments are a welcome addition to the student's application.

While this is a wonderful alumni effort which personalizes the application process for many high school seniors, this meeting is not required by Penn Admissions.  Don’t be concerned if you are not contacted by an alumnus in your region.  The SSC is unable to reach every applicant, so the Admissions Office encourages you to rely upon the application for admission as a forum for presenting the many unique aspects of your candidacy. If you do not have the opportunity for an alumni interview, you may submit a supplemental letter of recommendation.

The School of Nursing seeks to interview all first-year and transfer applicants on campus. If you are considering an application to the School of Nursing, please call 215-898-4271 to arrange an appointment.

What happened to "Legacy Interviews" conducted in the Alumni Office?

The Alumni Council on Admissions (ACA) previously offered "interviews" for legacy applicants.  While this was a nice way to personalize the campus visit and offer advice to legacies, we had a few concerns which led us to discontinue personal interviews in favor of our new Legacy Advising Sessions:

  • As Penn's application numbers have increased, the ACA has found it impossible to grant an interview to every legacy applicant.  The ACA seeks to provide a meaningful service, which is equally accessible to all interested alumni.

  • An “interview” or a “personal appointment” was most often perceived as part of the selection process.  In reality, an interview is not required for Penn, and our office does not participate in the selection process.

  • Since our schedule was booked with high school seniors, we were unable to meet students earlier in the college search process.  We feel our advice is actually more meaningful to students earlier in the college search.

  • With an “interview,” the alumni/parents were not being included in the discussion.  We relied heavily on the students to interpret, remember and discuss any advice we offered.

Although personal interviews are no longer available in the ACA, our Legacy Advising Sessions assure that all alumni will have full access to ACA information, and that alumni will receive the appropriate attention and recognition during the undergraduate application process.


The Evolution of Legacy Advising Sessions
Beginning in 2003, in an attempt to accommodate more alumni, the ACA began to offer frequent Question & Answer Sessions, where alumni could visit without reservations and openly discuss the application process.  These sessions gradually adopted more advanced content and grew in popularity with our alumni.  We began to offer them with more frequency, and they evolved into what we now call “Legacy Advising Sessions.”

Legacy Advising Sessions remain informal discussions that allow prospective legacy applicants and alumni to understand more about the ACA, Penn's application process, and the college search process in general.  Our Advising Sessions are available throughout the year, and reservations are never required.  Remember that our advice is most helpful before an application has been submitted to Penn.

Please click here to learn more about attending an advising session.

The Value of a Legacy Advising Session
If you would like to visit the ACA, we encourage you to do so well in advance of application deadlines and before you submit your application, so we may offer helpful advice about preparing the application.

  • Everyone is included!  Our current schedule of Legacy Advising Sessions accommodates ALL interested alumni, at any stage of the college search.  A student may seek our advice whenever they begin college exploration: as a high school junior, as a sophomore, or even earlier if they choose.  Visitors will never be turned away from the alumni office.  Alumni may plan a visit at short notice, and they may arrive without reservations.

  • Parents, join the discussion!  Many parents are intrigued by how much the admissions climate has changed since they applied to college.  They love hearing our advice, so they may better guide their child.

  • Still small & personal!  One of our goals is to personalize the campus visit for alumni. We host Legacy Advising Sessions so frequently that we usually have only a few families in attendance.  On popular high school holidays, we add extra sessions in an attempt to keep each one small and personable.  (To date, 85 percent of our Legacy Advising Sessions have had 3 families or fewer in attendance.)

  • No pressure!  Prospective students do not feel the pressures associated with an interview setting.  Instead they enjoy a collegial exchange of thoughts and advice, which may broaden their perspectives in the college search and application process.

  • They’ll know you’re a legacy whether you visit or not.  For ALL legacies, whether they visit our office or not, we prepare a brief memo to the Admissions Office, confirming the alumni relationship.


“I’m not sure I can attend.”
If your travel plans conflict with a scheduled Legacy Advising Session, please contact us.  We may have other sessions open on the date of your visit.

If you can't make it to campus, no problem! ACA staff are also accessible by phone and email to
answer your questions and offer advice.

More information: