If you are reading this you were probably waitlisted by Penn, or are trying to plan ahead just in case that’s how things work out. Either way, we’re here to help. First, let’s break down how the waitlist has played out with Penn in recent years.

The University of Pennsylvania, or Penn, is one of the most sought after undergraduate acceptances in the world. The same holds true for transfers. They recently received nearly 4,000 applications from potential transfers, and went on to only accept 178 — or 4.6%.

So you didn’t get into Penn. It might feel like the end of the world, but we promise you: it isn’t. Getting rejected in the early round is admittedly a huge bummer, but application season isn’t over, and there is still time to turn it around for RD. It just takes a little work.

Getting deferred can be a real bummer. You worked hard on a great application to one of UPenn’s four undergraduate schools: The College, Wharton, Engineering, or Nursing. You took your time to research the school and write your essays. More importantly, you probably fell in love with Penn (at least, enough for it to be your early decision choice). For all that work to be met with a deferral letter feels really disappointing. However, we want to highlight the silver lining here: you weren’t rejected. You still have options here, and there are a few steps that you 100% should take.