Penn State - Parking

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Parking is one of students’ biggest complaints and arguably the most ignored. Despite construction on campus, no new lots are being built, and existing lots are all located on the outskirts of campus. Parking has also gotten more expensive over the last few years. For freshmen, there’s no reason to worry about parking. Students can’t bring a car until after their first year. Many students feel that it’s easier to rely on walking and public transportation, rather than dealing with cost and hard-to-find parking spaces. State College isn’t difficult to navigate without a vehicle. Everything you need in town is within walking distance, and there is public transportation that goes directly to the major shopping areas across town.

Given the largeness of central Pennsylvania, having your own car gives students the opportunity to explore rustic state parks and neighboring towns on weekends. If you want to get the most out of the local area, having a car is something to consider in your later years at the University. This is especially true if you end up living off campus, because parking around most apartments and townhouses is much better. Downtown State College has metered parking, so be sure to have plenty of quarters handy. In addition to these areas, there are several parking garages downtown that are convenient and generally have space available—the exception, of course, being football weekends. Most metered lots aren’t checked on Sundays, and during the holiday season, the State College borough offers free garage parking and increased shuttle service.

Free Profile Tools

Do I Stand A Chance?

Calculate YOUR chances of admission at every school CP covers!

__%

Personality Match

Calculate YOUR personality match with every school CP covers!

__%

What'll It Cost Me?

Estimate your out-of-pocket costs at every school CP covers!

$__,___

Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

If you could find a place to park... If you could find a place to park a skateboard on campus, I’d be impressed. They ticket people for just thinking of parking on campus. Walk or ride the campus loop service. 12345 Parking Report

Anonymous says:

Ha! There is no parking here. At... Ha! There is no parking here. At least not close enough that you would hike to your car unless you really need it. Freshmen cannot even have cars on campus. 12345 Parking Report

Anonymous says:

Parking is bad. One of the... Parking is bad. One of the over-reaching goals of the administration is to eliminate on-campus driving and parking, so you can probably imagine what it would be like. 12345 Parking Report

Anonymous says:

Parking sucks at PSU! If you have... Parking sucks at PSU! If you have a parking pass, good luck finding a spot that is within a mile of your quarters. If you don’t have a parking pass, good luck finding an open meter, and prepare to be ticketed. 12345 Parking Report

Anonymous says:

Parking is horrible. It’s worse... Parking is horrible. It’s worse than NYC and Washington DC combined. 12345 Parking Report

Did You Know?

Best Place to Find a Parking Spot:
Residence halls have small, reserved (permit) lots for students, but these are generally packed. Parking on the outer edges of campus is your best bet, though even this is unreliable at best.

Good Luck Getting a Parking Spot Here!
Anywhere that is remotely convenient. Most on-campus lots are reserved for faculty and staff, and non-permit lots are nearly always full.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: James Bunting
Hometown: Whitehall, PA
Major: Journalism

James's favorite activity is traveling. He's been to Disney World three times and the Caribbean twice, and he spent three weeks in Europe.

Contributing Author Internship

College Prowler is actively seeking talented students to be "Contributing Authors," and assist with updating the College Prowler guide to their school. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain internship experience, be a part of a nationally recognized company, gain tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college. Read more about the internship.