Summer Discovery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, offers students a wide range of academic and social activities designed to help students transition from high school to college. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is the oldest university in the United States of America. Stroll through the tree-lined walkways among the historic and contemporary buildings on campus, and be a part of both the Ivy League tradition and the cutting-edge academics that define Penn. For the past decade, students from the United States and around the world have experienced their first taste of college life through summer academic programs at the University of Pennsylvania. Last year high school students from 31 states and 26 countries attended Summer Discovery @ Penn.  Penn is an Ivy League university and world-class research institution with a history of innovation in education. You’ll also find an architecturally stunning campus amidst a vibrant city. Penn’s students reflect the spirit of its founder, Benjamin Franklin: entrepreneurship, innovation, invention, outreach, and a pragmatic love of knowledge.

Penn is home to a diverse undergraduate student body of approximately 10,000, who come from all 50 states and all around the world. Another 10,000 students are enrolled in Penn’s 12 graduate and professional schools, which are national leaders in their fields. Penn consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. An educational leader since its inception, the School of Arts & Sciences boasts a faculty which includes Nobel laureates, Guggenheim fellows, Pulitzer Prize winners, and Fulbright and Rhodes Scholars. The School of Arts & Sciences, the Wharton School of Business, Graduate School of Education, Law School, School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Annenberg School for Communication all rank among the top 10 schools in their fields. 

Rich in culture and history, Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House. Among the many museums in the area are the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences are prominent educational institutions, as is our nation’s first library, the Free Library of Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the second-largest metropolitan center on the East Coast, and just a few hours from New York City, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, and close to the rolling hills of Amish country and the Pocono Mountains. Penn’s 280-acre urban campus is located in the Philadelphia neighborhood known as University City, just across the Schuylkill River from Center City.  In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in several activities and excursions including trips to New York City, Washington D.C., Ocean City, New Jersey and much more.