High School Preparation

Every Penn student gains a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and can take classes in all four schools. Therefore, we encourage you to consistently take classes in core academic areas—English, social studies, math, science, and foreign language—throughout your four years of high school. We hope that every student who applies to Penn will challenge themselves in high school based on the opportunities offered at their school. 

We also understand that every high school is different, so we will review your school’s profile to best understand the types of courses available to you, your school’s grading scale, and the ways you can challenge yourself with extracurricular or post-secondary activities. 

COVID-19 Update: Your academic engagement and work during this time matters to us. We will assess your academic opportunity and achievements with sensitivity to any changes (such as pass/fail grades, abbreviated semesters, remote instruction, etc.) brought about by COVID-19. 

When reviewing your transcript, our Admissions Committee is asking the following questions to determine whether you will be academically successful on our campus: 

• Are you taking advantage of rigorous courses available in your high school? 
• Are you getting good grades in the coursework that will be preparing you for pursuing a specific academic program?  
• Do you seem like a good fit for the major or program you are applying for? 

Please keep in mind the following guidance about academically preparing for each undergraduate school at Penn: