10 Reasons Why You Should Participate in the PennApps Hackathon

If you have a knack for coding and engineering, love competition, and have strong problem-solving skills, a hackathon is a great way to test these abilities. Hackathons (hack+marathon) are multi-day events that bring together engineers, programmers, software developers, and others to create projects relating to applications, websites, hardware solutions, and more. 


Hackathons, while fun, are seriously competitive! You have to brainstorm, ideate, design, and execute your plan in a limited amount of time, usually 24-72 hours. They will test your ability to problem-solve, analyze, apply your knowledge, stay calm, and work in a team. If this sounds like you, then consider registering for a hackathon near you. One great hackathon to consider is the PennApps Hackathon.


What is the PennApps Hackathon?


PennApps, founded in 2009, is the U.S.’s first college-run hackathon. Students from Penn Engineering, the University of Pennsylvania’s engineering department, organize the event. PennApps takes place over a weekend — usually in the fall — and sees participants from around the world. Students work in teams of up to four people and tackle tasks related to web development and design, mobile applications, drone programming, and more.


PennApps holds two hackathons annually — a smaller spring event and a flagship fall hackathon that sees global participation. The hackathon is part of Major League Hacking, a global student hackathon league.        


Is PenApps prestigious?


The hackathon is highly competitive and prestigious. While the number of applicants is not known, it is one of the oldest hackathons and over 1,000 students participate in the flagship event annually to rank among the best. 


Who is eligible to participate?


All high school, college, and university students aged 15 and over can apply. First-time and experienced hackers are welcome to apply — you do not need prior coding experience. 


PennApps offers a diversity fellowship if you are a first-generation learner, come from a low-income household, or belong to a historically underrepresented group. Apart from getting travel and stay covered, diversity fellows gain free access to skill-building workshops hosted by PennApps organizers to prepare participants for the event. 


What does PennApps cost?


There is no registration fee, and organizers cover food and stay during the event days. PennApps even offers to reimburse your travel costs, subject to a cost cap.


What are the important dates?


The PennApps spring event is usually held in March. For the flagship Fall hackathon, the application deadline is normally July, and the event is held in September. The exact dates for the 2024 hackathon will be updated on the website.



What is the application process like?


PennApps receives thousands of applicants each year and selects participants based on responses in the application form. Questions in the form can vary annually. Generally, students are selected based on academic and personal background, interest, and skill level. You need to show samples of projects you’ve worked on related to the hackathon and tell the organizers why you should be a part of PennApps! Former participant projects include an AI drone controlled by voice commands. You can use this link to apply to PennApps once applications open. 


If you are a UPenn student, you are automatically accepted into the hackathon once you submit your application.


What prizes can you win at PennApps?


There are trophies for the first, second, and third-placed teams. A panel of judges chooses the best projects based on technical difficulty, creativity, and usefulness. Top teams receive an unspecified cash prize as well as goodies from the event’s sponsors. 


Previous editions have seen prizes worth over $40,000, which can include gifts like Nintendo devices, Oculus Rift headsets, and more, depending on the sponsors. Some event sponsors also offer prizes for specific categories. Winning teams have received Apple pencils, Logitech keyboards and headsets, JBL speakers, and Fujifilm cameras.


What do winning projects look like?


In 2023, the winning projects included CharactAR, an interactive augmented reality webpage that lets you use voice inputs to create a character and their personality; Eco-Harvest, a software that tells farmers where and how to plant crops for maximum profit, taking into account factors like weather, nutrients in the soil, and precipitation; and Studyhedge, a software that helps students organize due dates by compiling a list of assignments and comparing it with other commitments to recommend how many assignments to complete in a day. You can view more winning projects here.  


Thinking of applying to PennApps? Here are 10 reasons you should do so:


1. You get to participate in a prestigious event

Unlike some other hackathons, PennApps is selective about the students who apply and you need to prove that you deserve to participate. PennApps is one of the oldest hackathons and the first in the U.S. to be run by college students.

 

2. You don’t have to pay to register

PennApps does not charge students to register and even compensates part (or all) of your travel costs. Stay and meals are included as well. 


3.
You can apply as a diversity fellow if you come from an economically disadvantaged family or underrepresented community

Diversity fellows, in addition to having their travel, stay, and meals covered, also get exclusive access to workshops held by UPenn students to help you ace the hackathon!


4. You will build useful skills

Hackathons like PennApps are a great way to improve your problem-solving and teamwork skills and showcase how analytical you can be while solving real-world problems


5. You are guaranteed a spot if you are a UPenn student

All UPenn students can participate in the hackathon. All you have to do is apply!


6. You get to tackle issues relevant to today’s problems

PennApps organizers make sure that the problems you get have real-life implications. Past participants have created software that helps farmers plant crops more efficiently, more organized study schedules for students, streamlined applying for financial aid, and devised new mental health aids.


7. You get to travel to Philadelphia and connect with peers from across the U.S. and the world

PennApps brings together 1,000+ students for a 24-hour hackathon. You can’t form a team before so you need to network and find people with complementary skills. You will get to meet other U.S. and international students who will open your eyes to different ways of approaching problems. Not to mention, you’ll also make new friends!


8. You can network with corporate sponsors

Sponsors of previous editions include Apple, Bloomberg, Logitech, NordVPN, Aleo, Capital One, and other leading companies. You can meet with company representatives on the sidelines of the hackathon and learn more about the work they do, and maybe even score an internship opportunity!


9. You can win some cool prizes

Prizes for the winning teams are a mix of cash and gifts from sponsors. Combined, there are prizes worth over $40,000 up for grabs! Gifts include Apple pencils, Oculus Rift headsets, state-of-the-art Logitech gaming keyboards, JBL speakers, and more.


10. You can build a strong portfolio

If you’re in high school and thinking about college applications, participating in — and even winning — a prestigious hackathon like PennApps can help you stand out for your ability to problem-solve, be analytical, work well with others, and deliver under pressure.




If you’re looking to build unique projects in the field of AI/ML, consider applying to Veritas AI! 


Veritas AI was founded by Harvard graduate students, and through the programs, you get a chance to learn the fundamentals of AI and computer science while collaborating on real-world projects. You can also work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn data science and AI with us. You can apply here!



Image Source - PennApps Logo

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