A guide to Penn acronyms!

With a name like the “University of Pennsylvania”, it’s no wonder why Penn likes to shorten things up a bit! Here are just a few of the Penn-isms you’ll need to know before heading to campus:

VP

“Van Pelt”: Penn’s largest library. Home to many all-nighters and midterm cram sessions. 

SABS

“See and be seen”: a very typical Penn pastime where students sit in highly visible areas (steps of College Hall, anywhere on Locust Walk, etc.) in order to be observed and people watch

Steiny D

“Steinberg Dietrich”: one of the Wharton buildings. This one is known for its fancy, Grecian columns and its cafe (Joe’s)!

ACK, DAC, TAC-e, SMAC, SAC, PAC

“Performing arts groups”: Yes! They really do all rhyme! These “arts councils” are home to a lot of talent! If you ever go to a student performance on campus, you’re sure to see these acronyms plastered everywhere

DRL

“David Rittenhouse Laboratories”: the math building where pretty much every student has a class at least once. Located on the far east side of campus, it is typically used in sentences like “I’m going to be late since I’m coming from my class in DRL”

HSOC (pronounced H-Sock)

“History and Sociology of Science”: one of many interdisciplinary majors at Penn, the HSOC major explores public health and medicine from a sociological perspective

WilCafe

“Williams Cafe”: a student-run coffee shop in Williams Hall known for its quirky vibes and unique delicacies (goat cheese croissant, anyone?)

NSO

“New Student Orientation”: The week between move in and the first day of classes. Expect: lots of free Penn merch, campus tours, and awkward ice breakers!

CURF

“Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships”: The hub for student research. It even has a super helpful directory listing all of the current research projects seeking student assistance!

M&T

“Management and Technology”: a super cool dual degree program housed in Wharton and the School of Engineering. Bonus tip: pretty much every dual degree or special program has an acronym (BFS, LSM, JWS…)

You are now well-versed in Penn-speak, but be forewarned, you could fill a whole dictionary with the full list of Penn acronyms! Don’t worry, though, you’ll catch on fast once you’re on campus!

- Jules P.