Skip to content
Back

University of Pennsylvania

For the Class of 2028, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) received 65,236 applications and admitted 3,508 students, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 5.4%. While the university has not released specific numbers for Early Decision admits, it’s estimated that roughly 50% of the incoming class was admitted through the Early Decision process—highlighting the strategic advantage of applying early. 

Standardized Testing

Academically, the admitted students performed at an extremely high level on standardized tests. Among those who submitted SAT scores, 95% scored between 700–800 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and an impressive 99% reached that range in Math. ACT scores were equally strong, with 100% of admitted students scoring between 30–36, and none scoring below 30. These numbers underscore Penn’s continued commitment to academic excellence and the competitiveness of its admissions process.

Demographic Diversity

Penn’s commitment to diversity is reflected in the composition of the Class of 2028:​

  • Geographical Representation: Students hail from 92 countries and 47 U.S. states, including Washington D.C., military addresses, and U.S. territories. Notably, 15% of the class has home addresses outside the United States, and 6% are from Philadelphia.​admissions.upenn.edu
  • First-Generation Students: 19% are the first in their families to attend college.​
  • Students of Color: 57% identify as students of color, with 23% from backgrounds historically underrepresented in higher education.​admissions.upenn.edu
  • Gender Distribution: 53% identify as female.​
Class of 2028Overall Acceptance RateEarly Decision Acceptance RateTotal Number of Applications ReceivedTotal Number of Applications AcceptedNumber of Students Admitted Early DecisionPercentage of the Class Admitted Early Decision
Penn5.4N/A652363508N/A~50%







SAT Score Ranges for First-Year Admitted Students SAT Evidence Based Reading and WritingSAT Math



700-80095.00%99.00%



600-6995.00%1.00%










ACT Composite Score Ranges for First-Year Admitted Students 





30-36100%




24-290%





Latest Posts

Show all

5 Things that Every Sophomore Should Be Doing Right Now!

If you are in the spring of your sophomore year, this is the time to begin thinking strategically. Junior year will be the most critical academic year in high school, and laying the groundwork now will make the college application process significantly smoother. Here are the top five things every 10th grader should prioritize right … Continued

High School Research for College Admissions

Why is Research so Important? Many of the most competitive universities in the United States are also conducting high levels of research. All of the Ivy League universities as well as selective schools like Duke University, Cal Tech, MIT, and Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University fall into this category. Some large public universities such … Continued

Applying to Oxford or Cambridge as an American High School Student

Oxford and Cambridge offer very unique experiences that can be appealing to American students looking for international exposure during college. The universities are academically rigorous and will have professors who are academics at the top of their fields. Oxford and Cambridge are repeatedly ranked among the top research universities in the world, which would give … Continued

GMAT News: Introducing the GMAT Focus Edition

The Graduate Management Admission Council has announced that they will be introducing a completely revamped GMAT, called the GMAT Focus Edition, later this year. The current GMAT exam will be retired in early 2024. The new GMAT Focus Edition will eliminate Sentence Correction questions, geometry questions, and the AWA section. There will be three sections, … Continued

Sign up for our newsletter