University of Pennsylvania Reviews

"UPenn's Teacher Education Program is a one-year Grad program to get your Master's Degree in Education. It is a rigorous year but completely rewarding. Before the program, I had zero classroom teaching experience. Just a week shy of graduation and I now feel completely prepared for running my own classroom."

"Studying at Penn Graduate School of Education was overall a great experience. I was in the Teacher Education Program, which gets a little less attention and support than the rest of the programs in GSE. The focus of TEP is urban education, and our classes and full-year teaching placements do as much as any school possibly could to prepare you for the realities of the profession. It's a small cohort with pretty great people, so my experience was definitely a positive one."

"Fantastic alumni network. The social and networking experience is the primary draw. Quality of class depends wholly on individual instructors and has generally been under whelming. The school attracts top tier employers, although career services for my particular industry has not been particularly helpful."

"I love Wharton. It's a very inclusive community in which people of all backgrounds support each other's academic and professional endeavors. There is also non-grade disclosure so that students can learn alongside each other without competing. The main cons are the enormous price tag and the large classrooms."

"I believe that an education in dental medicine from the University of Pennsylvania is an invaluable experience; the students and faculty are all extraordinarily diverse and friendly, pushing me to study and perform at my peak each and every day. Additionally, it is located right in Philadelphia, a very young and food-friendly city. However, it is one of the more expensive dental programs in the country, making it the only drawback of the program."

"My experience with the MSW program at UPenn has been very positive. I appreciate that first year students are able to gain ample experience in their field placement. Additionally, students have the academic support needed to reinforce what they are learned in the field with what they are learning in the classroom. I also value the flexible that students have to pursuing variety in their graduate education."

"The strength of UPenn is it's extensive network, both in the city of Philadelphia and perhaps even more so in New York City. The professors are at the forefront of their field and are excited about educating the next generation of thinkers. The school as an overall system however, could use some streamlining and modernization. Outside the academics the way the school is run can feel a little disorganized and outdated at times."

"Pros: Overall, the Masters BE program at Penn is great, and I would highly recommend it. Faculty are supportive and willing to help. Research opportunities are expansive. Program is malleable to one's interests. Career services is excellent and will go the extra mile to aid you in preparing and finding employment. The graduate student organizations often have happy hours, parties, and other events, providing an accessible social scene (including inter-college mixing). Students are generally fun and sociable outside of academic demands. Never felt unsafe on campus, there are safety patrollers throughout nearly 24/7. Plenty of valuable networking opportunities. Large diversity in student body, a number of international students and students from all over the country with differing backgrounds. Cons: Cost of living can be high. Some students can be competitive, although I would say the majority are collaborative. No financial aid for Masters students, but it is possible to find a paying research position. Workload can be demanding, but that is expected in a graduate program.Read Less"

"The professors are extremely knowledgeable and will challenge you. The quality of education is absolutely superb and a degree from Penn will make very employable, but it's incredibly expensive. The campus itself is beautiful, but can be dangerous directly off campus/at certain hours of the evening."

"I have had a great opportunity working with a diverse set of faculty and students. I am challenged academically to dissect the issues facing the field of Education and to develop creative solutions to address these issues."

"Pros: Amazing peer support Very credible professors Very inviting culture Cons: Cost Low amount of scholarship/grant money"

"It varies highly depending on your advisor. The course load is quite manageable if you're not in the Clinical department. Not very geared towards developing teachers, more about the research component."

"Definitely a hefty investment but worth the cost in the end. Career Services is immensely helpful at securing you summer jobs and permanent employment after graduation."

"My program is very effective at teaching students about the basics of the graphics industry, but fails to train students for very specific roles, which leaves us to do a lot of extra work outside class. However, there are lots of alumni willing to help. Also, the curriculum is lots of fun!"

"Best Graduate Nursing Program in the country. The students work hard and are eager to develop into leaders that change the world! Staff are approachable and really care about their students. Financial aid is ok, but the toughest part is that they don't communicate that well with students, especially via email. Overall, I've had an amazing experience at Penn Nursing!"

"It is a great academic program and for urban planning, the city offers a very enriching experience. The workload is quite tough and I wish there was more emphasis on international planning. That being said, I would definitely recommend the program to anyone interested in the field!"

"Great program with many diverse, intelligent people with amazing backgrounds. Major drawback is lack of financial aid."

"Wharton has a wonderful network of students, alumni, and faculty!"

"The Master of Architecture program at Penn dovetails together a remarkable number of ideas and provocations pertaining to the fields of architecture and design, while simultaneously providing a comprehensive practical base of information. In particular, the program emphasizes digital fabrication, and appears to seek to be on the avant-garde of design methodologies. However, the time commitment to the program is significant, and the costs of software and other materials necessary for project completion can present a financial burden.Read Less"

"I have found the program to be excellent in both research opportunities and coursework. Moreover, I am impressed by level of interest and mentoring that the faculty have for their students. All of the faculty that I have met thus far have been incredibly supportive and willing to give advice. The atmosphere is highly collaborative, and, most importantly, the quality of the science is top-notch. Students work very hard but quality of life is good, and there are lots of opportunities to interact with graduate students from other programs. Overall, I am very pleased with my decision to attend the University of Pennsylvania for my graduate degree.Read Less"