Anonymous
Post 02/15/2026 09:55     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why are most of the students in these programs Chinese and Indian? It makes the programs very isolating if you are not a part of their cliques.


Because those students have the stats to get in and probably perform the best once they get there.


VIPER (SEAS+CAS) freshman parent: this is the first year in many that the internationals account for under half of the 25 cohort. It is an incredible program, as all of the duals are. The benefits especially paid summer research for two years is amazing


Another VIPER parent! Super hard admit, very few spots and tends to have close to 100% yield for RD other than the visa issues this past cycle. Viper is the engineering/research based dual, M&T is engineering/business. MBB recruit on campus from both groups, for tech/stem consulting, and both get into top phD quite commonly. MBB also recruit from Huntsman (CAS/Wharton) but for different roles.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 17:10     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:It’s insanely selective comparable to HYPS if not more. So don’t pin all ur hopes on
It. General upenn is significantly easier
I don’t think general UPenn is significantly easier.
Many students are aspiring to get in. Its acceptance rate is single digit.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 16:41     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
It’s insanely selective comparable to HYPS if not more. So don’t pin all ur hopes on
It. General upenn is significantly easier
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 16:19     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is in the Huntsman program at Penn (dual degree CAS/Wharton). I do not have info about acceptance rates, but it is a very small program with approx 50 kids selected per year. Half is intentionally international - so approx 25 spots for us/domestic kids. Because it is so small/competitive, you can select the dual degree on the app, and also have the option of selecting a single school if you don't get into Huntsman. For ex, my kid applied to Huntsman and selected CAS as their second preference. My kid is very happy at Penn/Huntsman. Program is a perfect fit for their interests. Kids live together freshman year, take a special freshman seminar, and have specific foreign language requirements - but otherwise fully integrated into the general Penn community. There are many opportunities/resources for kids, but your kid has to pursue them.


PP, if you see this would you mind giving some basic stats on your child, esp ecs? mine is very interested in the huntsman program. academics, test score, language fluency are all top notch but it’s all the rest that’s hard to game out. seems like ed is the way to go wrt penn and it’s not lost on us that you get a shot at huntsman and then at wharton or cas if you’re not accepted.

Kid had a 3.8 at a rigorous private school without weighted gpa/courses and 35 act. EC were primarily related to foreign language and international studies. My kid has an authentic and strong fit for the program. I think selection is intentional and focused on the program mission. I also get the sense that interest and commitment is more important than fluency. My kid was accepted ED. Gave it a shot despite low expectations. I have heard CAS is easier but still very competitive. Penn takes a few kids from our hs every year so there is data. You should review penn's acceptance/defer/deny history at your particular high school to better understand the odds.

thank you! this is extremely helpful. my child is a junior at a school mentioned often on the private school forum w similar stats. our school also has a few penn admits every year and will get specific stats at upcoming meeting w college guidance. they will def apply next year just thinking about ed choices and where to visit etc. appreciate the response.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 14:32     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is in the Huntsman program at Penn (dual degree CAS/Wharton). I do not have info about acceptance rates, but it is a very small program with approx 50 kids selected per year. Half is intentionally international - so approx 25 spots for us/domestic kids. Because it is so small/competitive, you can select the dual degree on the app, and also have the option of selecting a single school if you don't get into Huntsman. For ex, my kid applied to Huntsman and selected CAS as their second preference. My kid is very happy at Penn/Huntsman. Program is a perfect fit for their interests. Kids live together freshman year, take a special freshman seminar, and have specific foreign language requirements - but otherwise fully integrated into the general Penn community. There are many opportunities/resources for kids, but your kid has to pursue them.


PP, if you see this would you mind giving some basic stats on your child, esp ecs? mine is very interested in the huntsman program. academics, test score, language fluency are all top notch but it’s all the rest that’s hard to game out. seems like ed is the way to go wrt penn and it’s not lost on us that you get a shot at huntsman and then at wharton or cas if you’re not accepted.

Kid had a 3.8 at a rigorous private school without weighted gpa/courses and 35 act. EC were primarily related to foreign language and international studies. My kid has an authentic and strong fit for the program. I think selection is intentional and focused on the program mission. I also get the sense that interest and commitment is more important than fluency. My kid was accepted ED. Gave it a shot despite low expectations. I have heard CAS is easier but still very competitive. Penn takes a few kids from our hs every year so there is data. You should review penn's acceptance/defer/deny history at your particular high school to better understand the odds.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 13:44     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:My kid is in the Huntsman program at Penn (dual degree CAS/Wharton). I do not have info about acceptance rates, but it is a very small program with approx 50 kids selected per year. Half is intentionally international - so approx 25 spots for us/domestic kids. Because it is so small/competitive, you can select the dual degree on the app, and also have the option of selecting a single school if you don't get into Huntsman. For ex, my kid applied to Huntsman and selected CAS as their second preference. My kid is very happy at Penn/Huntsman. Program is a perfect fit for their interests. Kids live together freshman year, take a special freshman seminar, and have specific foreign language requirements - but otherwise fully integrated into the general Penn community. There are many opportunities/resources for kids, but your kid has to pursue them.


PP, if you see this would you mind giving some basic stats on your child, esp ecs? mine is very interested in the huntsman program. academics, test score, language fluency are all top notch but it’s all the rest that’s hard to game out. seems like ed is the way to go wrt penn and it’s not lost on us that you get a shot at huntsman and then at wharton or cas if you’re not accepted.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 20:32     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why are most of the students in these programs Chinese and Indian? It makes the programs very isolating if you are not a part of their cliques.


Because those students have the stats to get in and probably perform the best once they get there.


VIPER (SEAS+CAS) freshman parent: this is the first year in many that the internationals account for under half of the 25 cohort. It is an incredible program, as all of the duals are. The benefits especially paid summer research for two years is amazing
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 20:31     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:does anyone have info about how good these programs are. My nephew is engineering CS and interested in M&T and my son is interetsed in Huntsman program next year. They are juniors in MCPS magnet. Do you know anyone who has done these, how competetive are these ( presumably extremely competetive comparable to HYPMS ) and how are the outcomes. are they worth the 90K tag? shud they apply to Upenn CAS and SEAS instead for better chances of admit


M&T and Huntsman should NOT be part of your consideration. You can apply to them, don't count on it too much.

These are dual degree programs. Fine if you got in. But you can double major at anything you want once you got in Penn, which is the critical part. You can double major at SEAS and CAS for example. I doubt it if there is any difference from these formal dual degree programs. Chill.


You can't double major across schools at Penn, you have to do the dual degree, and be admitted to the 2nd school. It is a competitive process to be admitted as a student into Wharton or SEAS even once you are on campus. You don't have to do the named programs like M&T or Huntsman, but they actually make graduating easier because of the course scheduling. If you try to do it on your own, each school has their own rigorous core requirements, so plan to take 5+ years to finish.



You are right.

What I meant is that you can easily double major at CAS: Computer Science at CAS + Econ at CAS.
Biological Science + Econ at CAS.
etc.

CAS itself offers tons of majors for the purpose of double major. There is no need to do it across different schools.


You must not be a penn parent.
Computer science is not in CAS, it is in SEAS, either the BSE or BAS. You would have to do a dual degree uncooordinated/on own: very tough to get approved for a separate degree in SEAS if one is already getting a degree in CAS.

Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 20:20     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Both of these are incredible programs. Apply to those
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:58     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
Anonymous wrote:Why are most of the students in these programs Chinese and Indian? It makes the programs very isolating if you are not a part of their cliques.


Because those students have the stats to get in and probably perform the best once they get there.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2026 13:09     Subject: upenn M&T and Huntsman program
My kid is in the Huntsman program at Penn (dual degree CAS/Wharton). I do not have info about acceptance rates, but it is a very small program with approx 50 kids selected per year. Half is intentionally international - so approx 25 spots for us/domestic kids. Because it is so small/competitive, you can select the dual degree on the app, and also have the option of selecting a single school if you don't get into Huntsman. For ex, my kid applied to Huntsman and selected CAS as their second preference. My kid is very happy at Penn/Huntsman. Program is a perfect fit for their interests. Kids live together freshman year, take a special freshman seminar, and have specific foreign language requirements - but otherwise fully integrated into the general Penn community. There are many opportunities/resources for kids, but your kid has to pursue them.