An Introduction to Penn

Mr. Hillyer and I took a look around town. The streets in Philadelphia are completely linear; I haven't seen a single hill. I'm slightly relieved that there aren't that many hills, or else our run would have been dreadful. I've never seen a city with streets that were so straightforward! Also, I rarely saw trash - Philadelphia is so clean! The morning definitely brightened the day! I'm beginning to get to know the area better and better.

We thought that this was Independence Hall. It was actually several blocks ahead.

The actual Independence Hall.

The Addams Family's house was based
on this building.

While we were exploring the UPENN campus, I couldn't help but admire the beautiful architecture. Most of the buildings are made of brick, and the designs are classy. The symmetry of the structures really pulls the viewer in. I can't help but impulsively gaze at every building. After strolling around, we went to the actual Campus Visit. This visit was quintessential, I learned important information for those who are interested in applying for an undergraduate degree at UPENN.

I'm interested in the College of Engineering. They offer two degrees for undergraduates - a Bachelor for Engineering and  a Bachelor for Applied Sciences. The first degree is more for an engineering job while the other is for any other job that uses concepts of engineering. My dream is to work as a chemical engineer for twenty years and later teach at a college while being a scholar. I'm most likely going to change, but I'm definitely going to be involved with science. There was an engineer alumni who built a machine to organize green M&Ms from the other colors because he was allergic to green M&Ms. Forrest, the company that owns M&M, heard of his machine and apparently, the machine was more efficient than most of the ones that they owned. Forrest offered the student money for a patent; naturally, he accepted. 

There's a funny story behind this button. It is believed that Benjamin Franklin's button rolled down Locust Walk and split into two. I'm not sure if the origin of this story is true, but it sure is simplistic. I was enlightened to hear the many myths of the campus, but the button is my favorite. Ben, the guide for the campus visit, told us that the split represents the split between Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.

After an exhausting trip, we rested for two hours and head out for dinner. Dyana So, several admissions officers, and other Penn students came to the dinner. I sat with Dyana and Frank, an admissions officer. Their conversation skills made it much easier for me to interact with them. They told me advantageous advice for the future. Like many of my peers, we are always worried about test scores. So I asked Kevin how heavy they weighed test scores. Scores are important, but they do not weigh heavily at all. To the admission officers, it's just a number on a piece of paper. It tells nothing of the person and the scores are not examined equally for all applicants. Test score differences are often a result of equity differences. It's simply because they have access to more resources than those who cannot afford them. After hearing it from Kevin, my mind has been reassured. Dyana, an alumni from my school, told me of the changes that she's gone through since she's graduated. She says that she has emotionally matured from college - being away from home helped her open up to her friends. College changes anyone, and everyone. I wonder what change I will go through, whether it be a change in interests or a change in personality. Both of them have greatly enlightened me and I'm increasingly becoming more interested in Penn. The campus, people, and sights have been the highlights of the trip thus far.