Thousands of students crowded campus on Wednesday with red and blue lanyards, juggling brochures, schedules and Penn merchandise. The “baby quakers” are here.
Quaker Days, which take place on Wednesday and Thursday this week, attract over a thousand regular decision admits deciding which university to attend each year. The admissions office organized a series of information sessions and activities designed to entice prospective freshmen to choose Penn.
Most of the admitted students interviewed by The Daily Pennsylvanian said they like the architecture on campus and characterized Penn students as “welcoming” and “eager to help.”
Prospective student Danielle Miles-Langaigne said she found a community of like-minded students at Makuu, Penn’s Black Cultural Center.
“We were around people of color, and they were describing their experiences here and how they’ve worked very hard to advocate for themselves and learn more about themselves through their major,” Miles-Langaigne said. “I saw myself being in that community.”
Admitted student Valentina Amate Perez arrived on campus a day early — on Tuesday — to participate in the Multicultural Scholars Program.
“We had the Multicultural Scholars Program first, so it was nice to see everyone that looked like me and people I’ve been around my entire life here before I get the culture shock,” Perez said.
High school senior Jessica Moore, who arrived on Penn’s campus Wednesday morning, said she already feels a part of the family at Penn.
“I just remember seeing one of my friends from a summer program that I did a while back,” Moore said. “I saw her and we just ran towards each other and hugged and were like ‘Are you committed?’ ‘I’m committed!’ and we’re going to be here for four years. This is the place for me.”
Class of 2021 admit Neelu Paleti said she’s impressed with the passion that Penn students have towards their studies.
“I went over to the physics table, and I’m not even interested in physics,” Paleti said. “But seeing their enthusiasm really made me want to do something in that field.”
Prospective Quakers Lauren Payton and Alicia Lu both took part in College Palooza on Wednesday afternoon, where nearly 50 academic departments set up booths on College Green and informed the students about their respective disciplines.
“It was nice to have those people right in front of me so I could ask them direct questions and not have any ambiguity about what it would be like,” Payton said.
“Being here at College Palooza really helped me expand my interests, because I went to so many different booths,” Lu said. “Everybody talked about what was interesting about their major and how that might be something I’d be interested in.”
While Quaker Days ends today, admitted students still have items they want to cross off their bucket lists while they’re here.
“I’m also a jazz musician, so I’m looking forward to the jazz concert tomorrow,” Class of 2021 admit Vincent Le said.
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