Penn First Plus
Penn is a place for firsts, and Penn First Plus serves as Penn’s hub for making campus more inclusive for first generation students and/or students who come from modest financial means.
The Penn First Plus (P1P) initiative is dedicated to supporting the needs of students who are the first in their families to pursue a four-year undergraduate degree or come from financially under-resourced communities. You may have heard the term FGLI (pronounced FIG-lee) used to refer to students who may identify as first-generation to college and/or limited-income.
At Penn, we expand this definition to acknowledge students of all backgrounds who have limited familiarity with highly selective, well-resourced institutions like Penn. Regardless of your pathway to Penn, you deserve to thrive, and Penn First Plus can serve as your advocate as you navigate both finances and academics in college.
Penn First Plus students enjoying time together on campus.
P1P collaborates with several student organizations like QuestBridge Scholars, campus offices like our Cultural Resource Centers, Financial Aid Office, and International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS), and even our alumni communities. P1P aims to make all aspects of college life more accessible to meet the needs of our students.
Part of Penn First Plus, the Pre-First Year Program (PFP) is an intensive four-week summer program preceding New Student Orientation (NSO) where nominated students receive comprehensive academic and social support preparing them for their time at Penn. PFP participants then receive year-round academic support through a dedicated College Achievement Program counselor and peer mentor.
With two office locations, three mentorship programs, and weekly opportunities to connect to other students and faculty/staff, there’s support for you at Penn First Plus! Be sure to check out our website and Instagram for more information about this vibrant and growing community of undergraduates and the resources you can access through our programs and offices.