Penn State

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3 51196

Penn State at a Glance

Location:
University Park, PA
Control:
Public
In-State Tuition:
$15,250
Out-of-State Tuition:
$25,946
Room & Board:
$9,054
Average Financial Aid:
$9,698
Full-Time Undergrads:
36,749
Part-Time Undergrads:
1,239
More statistics . . .
School Website:
www.psu.edu
Admissions Website:
admissions.psu.edu
Financial Aid Website:
www.psu.edu/studentaid
Application Deadline:
Rolling
Acceptance Rate:
52 %
Admission Difficulty:
Average
Average SAT Scores:
1630–1940
Average ACT Scores:
25–29

Best Things

  • Academics balanced with partying
  • Enormous school spirit
  • Penn State football: “The Greatest Show in College Sports” – Sports Illustrated
  • The beautiful central Pennsylvania surroundings
  • More best things . . .

Worst Things

  • Isolated rural location
  • Sparse, expensive, and difficult parking
  • Frigid winters
  • Lack of diversity
  • More worst things . . .

Most Popular Majors

  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences & Liberal Arts
  • Communications
  • More majors . . .

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Despite common reservations about the location and climate, most Penn State students are fiercely loyal to their alma mater. Penn State boasts one of the largest alumni populations in the United States; graduates are proud of their degrees, and employers recognize the University’s name immediately. Although the campus is located in a very rural area, school is technologically up-to-date and on the cutting-edge of current research.

Aside from academics, PSU is also known for its social scene, especially in relation to sports and parties. Nittany Lion football—home of the 2008 Big Ten Champions—is a national draw and a point of pride for both the University and the town of State College. For anyone interested in playing or watching varsity sports, PSU is a top choice. Penn State has also been ranked highly by many polls and “party school” surveys as one of the top party schools in the nation. While it certainly isn’t the wildest town, these rankings are definitely accurate. The small-town setting and large-school atmosphere makes for little else in the way of entertainment, so it can be hard to avoid encountering the party scene during your time as a student. Still, the mix of work and leisure seems to work well for most of the student body, and academic standards at Penn State remain relatively high. It’s easy to spend four years at Penn State as an ever-serious student, focused completely on whatever you choose to study. With so many opportunities to relax nearby, balance and moderation are some of the best skills to learn from your four years in college.

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Penn State Campus Tour Video

Penn State Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Weather at Penn State

nxs5192

'13

Criminal Justice and Corrections

4.2
A-

Weather

The weather in Northeastern Pa is bizarre at times. It could be sunny, rain, and snow all in one day. But for the most part campus is pretty cold because the campus is located in the woods. We also have a problem with flash floods in the area but not specifically on campus. During the summer and the weather is beautiful, students will be playing sports on the fields or reading books in the grass.

Feb 06, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Penn State

nxs5192

'13

Criminal Justice and Corrections

4.6
A

You Won't Get Bored

This branch campus of Penn State is located in Dallas, Pa. Dallas has a huge lake which is the main attraction in the warm weather season. Often times students enjoy free time hunting, fishing, and also shopping at the local malls. There are plenty of places to eat out at and enjoy a night on the town.

Feb 06, 2012

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Academics at Penn State

nxs5192

'13

Criminal Justice and Corrections

5.0
A+

Best Education for You

I am a Criminal Justice student at Penn State University and am very pleased with the education I have recieved so far. My professors are experienced in the field of study and therefore can present real world examples. Each student has a specific program attached to them in order to complete school with out taking unneccesary courses.

Feb 06, 2012

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Buy The Guidebook

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at PSU

Name: James Bunting

Hometown: Whitehall, PA

Major: Journalism

see all student author bios > Become a student author to help update the guide for this school