Do I have to be in the Benjamin Franklin Scholars program in order to enroll in a BFS class?
No, any undergraduate at Penn can request a seat in a BFS seminar. BFS seminars generally have 2/3 of the seats reserved for program participants, and 1/3 for general enrollment. Some BFS seminars may have seats reserved for majors in that department (for example, history usually has some seats for their majors). Some BFS seminars may require a permit for all students, whether they are in the BFS program or not.
I wasn’t invited to Benjamin Franklin Scholars as a high school senior; can I apply on campus?
Yes, 2nd semester freshmen and all sophomores may apply to the program. See the Prospective Students section for instructions. Applications are not accepted later than 2nd semester sophomore year. Students enrolled in the Wharton school who apply as 2nd semester freshmen may also be considered for the Joseph Wharton Scholars program. JWS does not accept applications past the freshman year.
I’m a Benjamin Franklin Scholar; can I count Joseph Wharton Scholars courses toward my BFS requirement?
No, there are many excellent courses on Penn’s campus that are academically challenging (JWS courses, honors seminars offered by departments, etc.) but only courses offered by the BFS program will fulfill the BFS requirement.
Can Benjamin Franklin Scholars influence my financial aid?
No, All aid from Student Financial Services is need based; there are no merit based scholarships administered by Penn’s Student Financial Services
I’m interested in applying to Benjamin Franklin Scholars but I plan to go abroad my junior year. Is this a problem?
In theory this should not be a problem. Students can “bank” courses in advance, so if you have completed 3 BFS seminars by the end of your sophomore year, you can go abroad all of junior year and take your fourth BFS seminar senior year. If, however, you haven’t taken any BFS seminars by the end of your sophomore year and plan to be abroad all of junior year, it is not realistic to expect to take 4 BFs seminars as a senior.
I’m interested in applying to Benjamin Franklin Scholars, but I’m already in a joint degree/dual degree program (i.e. Huntsman, Vagelos, M&T, LSM, etc.) Can I do both?
It takes careful planning to incorporate Benjamin Franklin Scholars seminars with the well defined curriculum associated with joint degree programs. Students may apply to Benjamin Franklin Scholars if the BFS seminars will be an active part of their education.
What’s the difference between graduating as a Benjamin Franklin Scholar and receiving the Benjamin Franklin Scholars certificate?
Students will graduate as a Benjamin Franklin Scholar as long as they have successfully completed 4 BFS seminars for a grade, have at least a 3.4 GPA and have behaved in a collegial manner. Students will receive a Benjamin Franklin Scholars certificate if they have successfully completed 7 BFS seminars for a grade with at least a 3.0 GPA in those seminars and have completed and presented research for which they have received a grade.