Jul 28, 2026
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by Justin Neiman, Former Ivy League Admissions Officer
If you’re applying to the University of Pennsylvania during the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, the Penn-specific essays will be an important part of your application. These responses give you an opportunity to show Penn how you think about gratitude, community, and your academic direction.
By sharing specific, authentic, and meaningful responses, you can help the admissions committee imagine the kind of classmate, community member, and contributor you would be as part of the Class of 2031.
Penn has not yet labeled its questions as the official 2026–2027 prompts. The questions below are from the 2025–2026 application and are included for planning purposes. We will update this page when Penn confirms the new prompts.
The following questions are from Penn’s 2025–2026 first-year application. We will update them when the 2026–2027 prompts are released.
Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!)
Word limit: 150–200 words
How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.
Word limit: 150–200 words
The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences?
Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues. Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.
Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics with depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.
Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science. Why have you decided to apply to Nursing? Where do you see yourself professionally in the future and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?
Word limit for each school-specific response: 150–200 words
Penn’s short responses are designed to reveal how you consider others, participate in community, and pursue your academic interests.
Use concrete experiences and details. Generic praise of Penn will not help the admissions committee understand you.
Treat each response as an opportunity to reveal something new rather than repeating your personal statement or activities list.
The community essay asks both how Penn will shape you and how you will shape Penn. The school-specific response asks why your chosen undergraduate school fits your interests.
Specific references can strengthen your response, but they should connect naturally to your goals rather than read like a list.
Your essays should contribute to a clear understanding of what drives you. Read our application narrative guide.
Short essays require precise language. Review every sentence for clarity and unnecessary repetition.
Penn’s supplemental essays may be short, but they provide an important opportunity to show gratitude, intellectual direction, and a genuine interest in community. Strong responses are specific, reflective, and complementary.
Use the latest available prompts to begin planning, but confirm the official 2026–2027 wording before submitting.
Selective Admissions provides personalized admissions strategy, narrative development, and essay support for students applying to Penn and other highly selective universities.
Contact Selective Admissions to learn more.
If you’re applying to the University of Pennsylvania during the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, the Penn-specific essays will be an important part of your application. These responses give you an opportunity to show Penn how you think about gratitude, community, and your academic direction.
By sharing specific, authentic, and meaningful responses, you can help the admissions committee imagine the kind of classmate, community member, and contributor you would be as part of the Class of 2031.
Penn has not yet labeled its questions as the official 2026–2027 prompts. The questions below are from the 2025–2026 application and are included for planning purposes. We will update this page when Penn confirms the new prompts.
The following questions are from Penn’s 2025–2026 first-year application. We will update them when the 2026–2027 prompts are released.
Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!)
Word limit: 150–200 words
How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.
Word limit: 150–200 words
The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences?
Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues. Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.
Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics with depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.
Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science. Why have you decided to apply to Nursing? Where do you see yourself professionally in the future and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?
Word limit for each school-specific response: 150–200 words
Penn’s short responses are designed to reveal how you consider others, participate in community, and pursue your academic interests.
Use concrete experiences and details. Generic praise of Penn will not help the admissions committee understand you.
Treat each response as an opportunity to reveal something new rather than repeating your personal statement or activities list.
The community essay asks both how Penn will shape you and how you will shape Penn. The school-specific response asks why your chosen undergraduate school fits your interests.
Specific references can strengthen your response, but they should connect naturally to your goals rather than read like a list.
Your essays should contribute to a clear understanding of what drives you. Read our application narrative guide.
Short essays require precise language. Review every sentence for clarity and unnecessary repetition.
Penn’s supplemental essays may be short, but they provide an important opportunity to show gratitude, intellectual direction, and a genuine interest in community. Strong responses are specific, reflective, and complementary.
Use the latest available prompts to begin planning, but confirm the official 2026–2027 wording before submitting.
Selective Admissions provides personalized admissions strategy, narrative development, and essay support for students applying to Penn and other highly selective universities.
Contact Selective Admissions to learn more.
Former Admissions Officer, Harvard University
Former Assistant Dean, Stanford University
I’m a college admissions counselor and the founder of Selective Admissions. I help students navigate the college application process and position themselves as competitive applicants to top universities.
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