Our admissions process has always relied on what we call “whole person review:” the practice of considering each student’s individual context and environment as we learn through their applications about their lived experiences, their achievements, and the academic and personal contributions they have made in their respective communities. This philosophy will continue in the age of COVID-19.
Please see below for answers to some of our frequently asked questions.
Am I required to report a letter grade for courses taken under a pass/fail or credit/fail basis due a grading policy change at my institution?
Due to COVID-19 grading changes, various colleges and universities implemented pass/fail grading to accommodate the challenges of online learning. If your current institution has a policy where pass grades are awarded for a C- or lower, then they will need to reveal those grades prior to enrolling at Penn in order to earn credit.
Will we require official test scores for transfer applicants?
Due to the impact of COVID-19, standardized testing is not required through the 2024-2025 transfer application process. While official test scores are optional, applicants may still decide to submit them as part of their application. Please refer to our Transfer Admission: Checklist and Deadline page for more information. For more information, please see our Testing page and our revised testing policy for students planning to apply during the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.
Will we accept unofficial transcripts (high school and/or college) from transfer applicants?
No, we will not be able to accept unofficial transcripts. All admitted students must submit official documents prior to enrolling at the university. Penn reserves the right to rescind admission in the case of applicant misrepresentation including discrepancies between unofficial and official transcripts.
Will we accept unofficial/self-reported mid-term reports from transfer applicants?
You will be permitted to submit mid-term reports without professors’ signatures based on your current grades in the class if you are not able to obtain these signatures. Please upload these documents through the Upload Materials section of your Penn Applicant Portal. Your checklist will still indicate official documents are missing until official documents are received. All admitted students must submit official documents prior to enrolling at the university. Penn reserves the right to rescind admission in the case of applicant misrepresentation including discrepancies between unofficial and official mid-term reports and transcripts.
Will we accept an unofficial/self-reported college report from transfer applicants?
All applicants are required to have a college report. We require these reports come directly from your current or most recent institution via a sealed envelope or from an email directly from a school employee. You can direct your school official to send these to documents@admissions.upenn.edu.
I am applying as a transfer applicant. Is it ok if my recommendation letters are not submitted by the deadline?
We understand that your recommendation letters may be delayed and will be flexible regarding receipt of these materials. Please have your recommenders submit their recommendations as soon as possible via the application systems or via email to us at documents@admissions.upenn.edu. Note that a significant delay may lead to your application being reviewed without this information.