This year, the University maintained the practice of releasing sparse information on the racial breakdown of its admitted classes.
Credit: Bamelak DukiThe overturning of affirmative action in 2023 has continued to impact Penn’s admissions processes throughout the past year.
In 2024, Penn saw a change in the racial makeup of its student body with a decrease in the percentage of students from historically underrepresented groups in higher education. The University also maintained the practice, first implemented for the Class of 2026, of releasing sparse information on the racial breakdown of its admitted classes.
Jan. 18 — The United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights began an investigation into Penn’s legacy admission policies after a complaint was filed by education activist Justin Samuels.
March 6 — Penn announced that it would be extending its test-optional policy to the Class of 2029 as other Ivy League universities reinstated their standardized testing requirements.
March 28 — The Daily Pennsylvanian analyzed text messages and emails between President Joe Biden and former Penn President Amy Gutmann, which suggested that Biden consulted University administrators about his granddaughter’s application to Penn.
March 28 — Penn released limited admissions statistics for the Class of 2028’s regular decision pool, but omitted acceptance rate data and racial demographics.
April 11 — The Wharton School returned to the top spot in this year's U.S. News & World Report rankings of MBA programs after it ranked No. 3 the previous year.
June 14 — Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule presented admissions statistics for the Class of 2028 to the University Board of Trustees. Out of a pool of 65,235 applicants, 3,508 students were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 5.4%. The Class of 2028 consisted of 2,400 students from 47 states and 95 countries. Legacy students constituted 14% of the class.
July 18 — A DP analysis of Penn’s Common Data Sets found that 72% fewer students were admitted off the waitlist for the Class of 2027 than during the Class of 2026’s admissions cycle. Other notable changes included the reporting of in-state acceptance rates for the first time and a shift in the “relative importance” of factors influencing admissions.
Sept. 10 — Penn dropped to No. 10 in the U.S. News annual Best National University rankings, marking its lowest position since 1997.
Sept. 8 — Demographic data breakdowns for the Class of 2028 revealed a two percentage point decline in admits from historically underrepresented minorities from the previous admissions cycle.
Oct. 2 — Wharton’s undergraduate program saw a 13-point decrease in the percentage of students of color between the admitted Class of 2027 to the Class of 2028. The percentage of admits from historically underrepresented races and ethnicities in higher education dropped from 31% to 22%.
Oct. 31 — 2013 Engineering graduate and Pennsylvania state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) told the DP that “Penn should think about what it can do to be more supportive of low-income students of color.”
Nov. 19 — Wharton removed demographic information from its undergraduate class profiles, citing inconsistencies in methodology between the Class of 2027 and Class of 2028.
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