University of Pennsylvania supplemental essays, 2026-27

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!)

What it asks for: values and character.

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.

What it asks for: community you belong to.

Please explain your reasons for transferring from your current institution and what you hope to gain by transferring to another institution.

What it asks for: personal story.

Why are you applying to Nursing, where do you see yourself professionally in the future, and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?

What it asks for: why this school.

Describe something you are curious about—something you'd like to learn more about or find a new approach to—and how you might pursue that curiosity in the College.

What it asks for: intellectual curiosity.

Discuss a current issue of importance to you and how you hope a Wharton education would help you explore it.

What it asks for: personal story.

Describe how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.

What it asks for: why this major.

Describe your experience with the target language you selected. You may wish to share the length of time you've studied or used this language, how you've learned it, the skills you've acquired, and/or the skills you still wish to develop. Please also explain why you are interested in studying this language and the region(s) of the world where it is spoken.

What it asks for: why this school.

The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally-minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and around the world. What draws you to a dual degree in international studies and business, and how would you use what you learn to address a global issue where these two domains intersect?

What it asks for: open or creative.

What questions, problems, or opportunities would you hope to explore through LSM, and how might the integration of life sciences and management shape your approach to them? Focus on the ideas, values, or questions that draw you to this intersection, rather than how LSM might advance your career, and make sure this essay is distinct from your single-degree application.

What it asks for: values and character.

Explain how you will use the M&T program to pursue problems or opportunities that require both engineering and business perspectives.

What it asks for: personal story.

Describe something you created, designed, improved, or built. What motivated you, and what did you learn from the process?

What it asks for: personal story.

1. 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!) (200 words) 2. 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. (200 words) 3. Please explain your reasons for transferring from your current institution and what you hope to gain by transferring to another institution. (400 words) 4. Why are you applying to Nursing, where do you see yourself professionally in the future, and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare? (200 words) 5. Describe something you are curious about—something you'd like to learn more about or find a new approach to—and how you might pursue that curiosity in the College. (200 words) 6. Discuss a current issue of importance to you and how you hope a Wharton education would help you explore it. (200 words) 7. Describe how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected. (200 words) 8. Describe your experience with the target language you selected. You may wish to share the length of time you've studied or used this language, how you've learned it, the skills you've acquired, and/or the skills you still wish to develop. Please also explain why you are interested in studying this language and the region(s) of the world where it is spoken. (200 words) 9. The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally-minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and around the world. What draws you to a dual degree in international studies and business, and how would you use what you learn to address a global issue where these two domains intersect? (400 words) 10. What questions, problems, or opportunities would you hope to explore through LSM, and how might the integration of life sciences and management shape your approach to them? Focus on the ideas, values, or questions that draw you to this intersection, rather than how LSM might advance your career, and make sure this essay is distinct from your single-degree application. (400 words) 11. Explain how you will use the M&T program to pursue problems or opportunities that require both engineering and business perspectives. (400 words) 12. Describe something you created, designed, improved, or built. What motivated you, and what did you learn from the process? (200 words)

Prompts for All Applicants: 200 words; Prompts for All Applicants: 200 words; Transfer Essay: 400 words; School of Nursing: 200 words; College of Arts and Sciences: 200 words; The Wharton School: 200 words; Penn Engineering: 200 words; Huntsman: Target Language Experience: 200 words; Huntsman: Global Issue: 400 words; LSM: 400 words; M&T: 400 words; M&T: 200 words.

These prompts ask about values and character, community you belong to, personal story, why this school, intellectual curiosity, why this major, open or creative. The why-this-school answer must be written for this school. Answers about a community, a challenge or an activity often adapt from drafts for other schools; My Schools maps which of your drafts fits which prompt.