Three incoming freshmen share their paths to Penn

As the school year draws to an end, Penn’s Class of 2020 is preparing to transition to college life this fall. The Daily Pennsylvanian caught up with three incoming students to talk about how they decided to come to Penn.

Tyler Knox

In Sepember, Knox launched an online browser-based game called Kaylune, which he based on the popular gaming site Neopets. Though he describes the first two hours of the launch as a “disaster,” Knox continues to work on the site almost every day and is proud of its success.

Knox found out about his acceptance in December after applying early decision. Though he was not optimistic about getting into Wharton, he opened his portal while surrounded by his entire family.

Knox is also excited about Penn’s opportunities outside of class. “I’m very much excited to participate in a lot of Penn’s extracurriculars,” Knox said, mentioning the Undergraduate Healthcare Club and Penn Running Club as activities he’s interested in joining.

Sabrina DaSilva

DaSilva was at Duke University when the acceptances were released last month, but knew she wanted to come to Penn. She was on the bus with other students at Duke when she found out, and so she couldn’t show her excitement, but immediately texted her parents.

“I kind of knew as soon as I got accepted that I was going there [to Penn],” she said. In high school, DaSilva worked on creating an antibiotic to minimize bacterial resistance, a project she started freshman year in her honors biology class, and hopes to continue working on it in college.

At Penn, DaSilva is interested in studying neuroscience and biochemistry through the Roy and Diana Vagelos Scholars Program in the Molecular Life Sciences. Her career goal is to become a pediatric neurosurgeon.

Andy Nguyen

In high school, Nguyen ran a technology council, which advised the administration on technology ideas, in addition to filming all of his high school sports team’s videos. He also teamed up with Weidner Memorial School, a public school in North Philadelphia for students with disabilities. He presented his film of the school, named “Day in the Life of Weidner Memorial,” to the school board, and ended up winning the “Extraordinary Teen Award” from Pottery Barn Teen for his work.

Nguyen is excited to be able to choose his classes at Penn so he can learn things that actually interest him, and to meet new people next semester.

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