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Kolly was built and calibrated on hundreds of thousands of essays from students who actually got into University of Pennsylvania and the rest of the T20.
Penn essay prompts for 2025-26
Copy the prompt you are answering into the prompt field above, then paste your draft, so the readers grade the answer against the question it has to answer.
These are the most recent Penn prompts Kolly has verified, checked . Penn may have updated them since, so check University of Pennsylvania admissions before you submit.
Why College of Arts & Sciences
The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences' curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences?
200 words max · Required
Why M&T Program — Essay 1
Explain how you will use the M&T program to explore your interest in business, engineering, and the intersection of the two.
650 words max · Required
Why LSM (Life Sciences & Management)
Your response should go beyond how LSM might advance your career and instead focus on the ideas, values, or issues that animate your interest in the program. Please ensure that this essay is distinct from your single-degree application.
650 words max · Required
Why Penn Engineering (SEAS)
Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics with depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.
200 words max · Required
Huntsman Program — Target Language
Tell us about your background and interest in the target language you selected.
125 words max · Required
Why Nursing & Business Dual Degree
Discuss your interest in nursing and health care management. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in nursing and business help you meet your goals?
650 words max · Required
Why Wharton
Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.
200 words max · Required
Why Digital Media Design (DMD)
Discuss how your interests align with the Digital Media Design (DMD) program at the University of Pennsylvania?
650 words max · Required
Why M&T Program — Essay 2
Describe a problem that you solved that showed leadership and creativity.
250 words max · Required
Why VIPER — Energy Research
How do you envision your participation in VIPER furthering your interests in energy science and technology? Please include any past experiences (ex. academic, research, or extracurricular) that have led to your interest in the program. Additionally, please indicate why you are interested in pursuing dual degrees in the VIPER majors listed above.
650 words max · Required
Thank-You Note (First-Year)
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 max · Required
Community at Penn
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 max · Required
Why Nursing
Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science. Why have you decided to apply to Nursing? Where do you see yourself professionally in the future and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?
Required
Why Penn / Program Fit
What excites you about your specific Penn academic program? Why are Penn and that program the best fit for your aspirations?
200 words max · Required
School-Specific Interests
Considering the specific undergraduate school you have selected, describe how you intend to explore your academic and intellectual interests at the University of Pennsylvania.
300 words max · Required
All Penn supplemental essays, with word limits and the published source.
How Kolly grades a Penn essay
The grade covers the same six dimensions as every Kolly read: hook, theme, detail, authenticity, reflection, and writing, each scored from 0 to 5. The big number is a percentile that shows where your draft lands among accepted essays of the same type from top US schools. Penn readers, like their counterparts at peer schools, read fast and form an impression in the first paragraph. The verdict quotes the line that lands and names the weakest moment, so you know what to fix first.
Why Kolly instead of a ChatGPT read
ChatGPT and other general models grade against writing in general, which is not what Penn readers do. Kolly grades against essays that got in, and four readers argue over the draft before they vote, so a polished answer that says nothing specific gets called out instead of praised. The quick read is free without an account. A free Kolly account adds the full review: a stronger scoring model, notes on each paragraph, and a fix-it plan.
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