University of Pennsylvania
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Talent Search Program The University of Pennsylvania's Talent Search Program is a federally-funded TRIO Program designed to help eligible students complete high school and enroll in postsecondary school. The Program provides 600 students at West Phildelphia's Beeber Middle School and Overbrook High School with support services that instill within them a college-going culture and promote the academic and personal development necessary for entry into higher education institutions. The Talent Search Program offers a full range of activities and interventions to reduce the gap in college access, including goal setting and decision making; career exploration and academic planning; college selection and scholarship searches; and financial aid information. Students also gain exposure to college life by visiting colleges and universities. Middle school students receive instruction that includes academic counseling and advising; educational workshops; and career exploration activities. High school students receive group and individual advising; assistance with researching colleges; and assistance with completing college, financial aid, and scholarship applications. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program The University of Pennsylvania is proud to be the first Ivy League institution to host the prestigious Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. This project, also known as the McNair Scholars Program and named in honor of deceased NASA astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair, identifies and prepares eligible students for graduate studies leading to the Ph.D. by providing research training and early scholarly experiences to high-achieving undergraduate Penn students. Students apply to the McNair Scholars Program during their sophomore year. The program comprises four modules: the Summer Research Institute, the Junior Academic Year Activities, a Summer Internship, and the Senior Year Graduate School Preparatory. McNair Scholars participate in research training and scholarly experiences through each of the four modules, as well as through other related activities, including performing research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, presenting their research at national academic conferences, and publishing their work in the Penn McNair Research Journal. PENNCAP PENNCAP (Pennsylvania College Achievement Program) works closely with academically talented students, many from low-income or first-generation backgrounds, to support their success during their entire four years at Penn, from matriculation to graduation. Professional staff provide coaching, counseling, academic support, cultural enrichment, and assistance in developing meaningful personal and educational goals. PENNCAP assists students with important life issues, such as identifying personal life priorities, clarifying career objectives, developing a financial budgeting plan, and maximizing their success at Penn. PENNCAP students generally, but not always, begin the program by participating in the Pre-Freshman Program (PFP), a four-week academic experience augmented by counseling, academic coaching, and cultural activities. In PFP, students make personal connections with faculty, staff and fellow students, become familiar with the institution, experience first-hand the academic culture of the University, and set the stage for their next four years at Penn. Upward Bound The University of Pennsylvania High School Upward Bound Program is a college preparatory program designed to motivate and prepare students in the program for the successful pursuit of a four-year college education. The goal of the program is to increase the rate at which low-income, first-generation-to-college students enroll in and graduate from a college or university with a bachelor's degree. The mission of the program is to provide high school students in grades 9th – 12th, at the identified high schools, with academic, career and cultural enrichment resources and programming to assist students to graduate from high school and increase the rate at which low income, first generation college students matriculate and graduate from post secondary institutions. Only students from Lamberton, Motivation, Overbrook, Parkway - West, Sayre, Strawberry Mansion, and West Philadelphia public high schools are eligible to apply. Upward Bound Math Science Upward Bound Math Science works to help low-income and first-generation-to-college high school students recognize and develop their potential to excel in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Upward Bound Math and Science program services include: summer programs with intensive math, science, writing and language training; year-round counseling, advisement and academic support services; exposure to research; education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students; and assistance with application to competitive post-secondary institutions leading to bachelor's degree in a STEM related discipline. Students from University City High and Overbrook High are eligible to apply. The TRIO Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program at the University of Pennsylvania is a FREE, non-credited, non-profit, pre-college program federally funded with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The primary goal of TRIO VUB is to prepare eligible veterans to enter college, be successful in college, and to graduate from college. In order for students to be fully prepared for college, TRIO VUB emulates the college experience. High expectations are placed on students while attending TRIO VUB in order to support their success in the Program and later in college. TRIO VUB provides 160 students annually with academic instruction and support services. Students come to TRIO VUB from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania and Camden County in New Jersey.

Financial aid is awarded on the basis of financial need, which is the difference between Penn’s cost of attendance and the amount one's family is expected to pay. This year, 46 percent of Penn’s undergraduate students received need-based grants from the University. Most undergraduates from families with incomes of less than $175,000 are receiving grant assistance, and the typical student with family income of less than $40,000 receives grant aid that covers full tuition, room and board.

The Vice Provost for University Life's (VPUL) Equity and Access Programs nurture the academic aspirations of hundreds of local community members each year, from middle school through graduate study. Youth-based programs such as the previously mentioned Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math Science help to guide promising local middle and high school students toward college. Adult-based programs, including the Educational Opportunity Center and Veterans Upward Bound, assist adult community members seeking to return to education or extend their current educational experiences. With support services that help students enhance learning in core academic subjects, manage time, find financial aid, meet mentors, and feel more confident about their abilities, Equity and Access Programs provide community members a pipeline of opportunities for educational success. The Provost Summer Mentorship Program The Provost Summer Mentorship Program is an innovative four-week program geared to inspire first generation underrepresented students in Philadelphia to view higher education as an achievable goal. Students attending this program will have the opportunity to participate in Penn's five professional schools (Dental Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, Medicine, and Law). Over the course of the program, high school students gain first hand exposure to an academic discipline and the opportunity to explore a variety of career opportunities.

All scholarships are need-based, so students must complete the financial aid process. Student Financial Services selects recipients based on the scholarship's criteria; no separate application is necessary. These scholarships are provided through direct gifts to the University and privately endowed funds established by alumni and friends. Named scholarships enable Penn to continue its two-fold commitment to admit students solely on the basis of academic merit, and to meet 100% of a student's financial need.

See the TRIO programs and Provost Summer Mentorship Program mentioned above.

Penn practices need-blind admissions for citizens and permanent residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which means admissions decisions are not affected by a family’s ability to pay.

All Penn aid is need-based. Penn, like all other Ivy League institutions, does not award merit-based or athletic scholarships. Instead, all aid is devoted to helping families who need financial assistance to afford Penn. Penn financial aid packages do not include loans, which means students are able to graduate debt-free. Penn commits to meeting full demonstrated need throughout the undergraduate years. If a family’s circumstances remain stable, financial aid remains relatively constant; if circumstances change during the year (such as a parent losing a job), a financial aid package will be adjusted. There is no maximum income cutoff for eligibility for University financial aid. Factors such as family size, student income and assets, parent income and assets (including home equity but not retirement accounts), the number of children in college, and extenuating family circumstances (such as illness or loss of employment) are important considerations in determining financial need.

Financial Aid Information 2012-13 http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/publications/financial-aid.php Penn Admissions and Financial Aid http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/costs-financial-aid/financial-aid-at-penn Penn Student Registration & Financial Services, 2013-14 Financial Aid and Budget Announcement http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/announcements/tuition2013FINALFINAL.pdf Penn Student Registration & Financial Services, Paying for a Penn Education http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/paying/paying-pro.htm The Penn Compact, Engaging Locally Fact Sheet http://www.upenn.edu/president/engaging-locally-fact-sheet Netter Center for Community Partnerships https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/index.php Vice Provost for University Life http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/