Applied to through a school
Penn says you apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Statistics and Data Science sits in the Wharton School.
Undergraduate · Penn Wharton
Penn Statistics and Data Science: a Wharton route for data and decisions
Penn says applicants apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. The catalogue lists Statistics and Data Science, BS under the Wharton School, with Wharton BS requirements and a senior capstone, so an applicant is choosing a business school as well as a subject. This guide sets out what the catalogue says and what it leaves unsaid.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Statistics and Data Science
Taken from Penn's University Catalog entry for Statistics and Data Science, BS and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Penn's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Listed under Wharton
The catalogue entry carries Wharton BS requirements and a senior capstone.
Data for managers
The catalogue frames the field around interpreting data to answer business questions.
33 course units
The catalogue lists a total of 33 course units.
The SAT or ACT is required
Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Official sources
- Penn Admissions: The Four Schoolsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn University Catalog: Statistics and Data Science, BScatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Penn's University Catalog entry for Statistics and Data Science, BS and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The department's own pages, the course descriptions, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The programme
What the catalogue says the programme is
Penn's catalogue entry says a key challenge for managers is interpreting the vast amount of data computing systems generate, and that statistics and data science courses develop the skills to use quantitative methods, select and apply techniques and communicate results, with exposure to computer software. The entry sits under the Wharton School and lists Wharton BS requirements, a senior capstone and 33 course units. The page is dated as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later. This guide does not list individual courses.
Is it the right route?
Statistics and Data Science in Wharton beside other Penn routes
Penn describes these as separate schools and programmes, so the choice is made at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
The Wharton programme fits if
you want statistics and data science inside a business-school degree.
Mathematical Economics fits if
you want economic theory in the College. Avandy's Penn Mathematical Economics guide covers it.
Computer Science fits if
you want computing as the main subject. Avandy's Penn Computer Science guide covers it.
Admission and testing
The Wharton School, an SAT or ACT and predicted grades
Penn requires applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, with a waiver for hardship. It has no explicit course requirements or minimum test score requirements, and it asks schools to provide predicted scores if final exams are not yet available. Statistics and Data Science is not a separate application: the application is to the Wharton School. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Penn's.
Do you want a business-school setting for data science?
The programme sits in Wharton.
Is a senior capstone appealing?
Wharton requires one.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Penn requires one of them from applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Penn's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Penn's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The curriculum on the Penn catalogue page read on 1 November 2026, which describes itself as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Penn has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any updated curriculum for the 2028 cohort: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Penn for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the catalogue entry and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with the University of Pennsylvania. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Penn Statistics and Data Science?
You apply to the Wharton School, one of four undergraduate schools. Penn says you do not technically apply to Penn itself.
Which school grants it?
The catalogue lists the programme under the Wharton School.
How many units?
The catalogue lists 33.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Does Penn name specific A levels or IB subjects?
Penn says it has no explicit course requirements for admittance.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Penn's wording with no entry-year label. Check Penn's pages again when Penn publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Penn Statistics and Data Science
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, how they weigh a Wharton statistics route against College or Engineering routes and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.