Penn State Reviews

The facilities are very nice. Penn...

The facilities are very nice. Penn State has a huge library with many quiet places to study. The student union building is very nice with many places to eat and relax. The athletic buildings and gyms are very nice for IM sports or working out. The gym gets really crowded, but it's very nice.

The athletic facilities are...

The athletic facilities are top-of-the-line, and the library is a great place to study. The HUB is a great student hangout that offers plenty of good food and seating—a great place to go between classes.

The CATA buses are extremely...

The CATA buses are extremely convenient. They come to the stops about every eight minutes. There are two loops that go through campus and downtown, and then there are buses to take you off campus to Wal-Mart or the mall.

I feel safer at Penn State than I...

I feel safer at Penn State than I do anywhere else. Being a female, I have walked home at 4 a.m. by myself and felt 100 percent safe. It's a college town, so it's mostly only students who roam the streets at night.

Bringing your own computer would...

Bringing your own computer would be best. The computer labs are plentiful, but the ones closest to the dorms are usually being used. If you absolutely need to use one, the wait shouldn't be that long. Things do get very hectic around finals week.

I always feel safe on campus, even...

I always feel safe on campus, even at night. PSU has emergency call stations in many parts of the campus for any assistance, plus there is an escort service if you're out late and walking by yourself.

They are adding more organic...

They are adding more organic selections to the on-campus stores, great resources in the library, and awesome gyms—although they usually pretty packed. The walkway between life science and chemistry buildings is a really cool place to hang out, and the Cybertorium is a good place to get computer work done after class.

Some of the professors are...

Some of the professors are obviously dedicated to teaching students and making a difference in their lives. Others seem like they just need a paycheck and don't really care. The workload varies depending on major or the time in the semester.

State College is a little city,...

State College is a little city, big town. No other place is better to meet college friends that you will have for now and years to come. There's a reason why they call this place Happy Valley.

The town is great. Everyone is...

The town is great. Everyone is there for Penn State. There is a lot of pride in being a Nittany Lion. On the down side, University Park is in the middle of nowhere. Pittsburgh and Philly are both about three hours away; New York City is about five.

Food on campus varies. If you room...

Food on campus varies. If you room in East Halls, stay away from the food; it’s cheap, but you get what you pay for. The HUB, where all the students hang out, has really good food, but it’s expensive.

Considering all the parts of...

Considering all the parts of campus that are constantly being built or remodeled, facilities here vary greatly. Some of the dorms (West and parts of South) are like hotels. Nittany apartments are quite nice, but they’re hard to get into if you aren’t an athlete. Rooms in East, North, Pollock, and parts of South are made of standard concrete block that’s not really big enough for two people to live in. Still, that’s what college is all about. South is full of sororities, East is all freshmen, and West is stereotypicallyanti-social.

There are a lot of good-looking...

There are a lot of good-looking girls here, and it’s always nice to see how the girls go out to filthy house parties in their skimpiest attire. It’s kind of funny also.

The club scene, a.k.a. Indigo, has...

The club scene, a.k.a. Indigo, has a happening atmosphere that’s great for dancing and has good drink specials. And there are plenty of bars that are all diverse enough to attract a particular crowd of students. The bars with the type of atmosphere I like (dance music, spacious, don’t smell like an ashtray, and more upscale) are the Gingerbread Man, the Big Easy, and Café 210 West.

Penn State is not very diverse...

Penn State is not very diverse racially. There is an equal distribution of men and women, though. There are some minorities, but the vast majority of Penn State students are white, and you can see the lack of diversity when you take a walk through campus.

Basically there’s football, then...

Basically there’s football, then there’s everything else. Football seems to have a stranglehold on Penn State, which may be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Other varsity sports are overshadowed by it, but are, by no means, non-existent. IM sports are pretty big in that there are tons played all over campus all year long.

The frats are huge (the buildings,...

The frats are huge (the buildings, not the numbers). Frats usually keep to themselves and try to lure in freshmen girls. Otherwise, you would hardly notice they even exist, unless you are into that type of thing.

Greek life is big but not...

Greek life is big but not overbearing. I got sick of it halfway through my freshman year, and it never really bothered me since then—except for having to deal with the occasional dumb frat boy.

Greek life is present definitely,...

Greek life is present definitely, especially during Homecoming and THON. There is plenty to do here if you aren’t in a frat or sorority. I’ve been to my share of frat parties, and, honestly, I would always find myself wanting to be at an apartment party. There’s more alcohol and music, and less scary people.

Penn State has a reputation for...

Penn State has a reputation for being a Greek school, but I definitely don’t think that Greek life is the social scene. I am in a fraternity, and I have just as many friends that are not Greek as I do that are. Either way, you can definitely find fun things to do every night. I also think that once you are old enough to go to the bars, Greek life also isn’t as big.

If you are involved in the drug...

If you are involved in the drug scene, it can get quite large. But when you are out of the loop, it’s hard to know what’s really going down.

I would never dream about going...

I would never dream about going anywhere else. This has been the best three years and counting of my life, so far. I’ve learned more and experienced more than I would have ever dreamed. Penn State was the best decision I’ve made in my life.

Penn State has something for...

Penn State has something for everyone, I think. Penn State is alright. Try to get a car if you can because it gets boring, but that can happen anywhere. I mean after living somewhere for a while, you do everything and then start looking for new options. Overall, this school is great, and the best part is the football games. Even if you don’t like the sport, the games are fun, and almost every student has tons of spirit.

I love Penn State. I wish to be...

I love Penn State. I wish to be nowhere else. The atmosphere is relaxed, and it is a nationally-recognized Big Ten school. There are lots of ways to get involved in different organizations, and the school spirit is tremendous.

The police are definitely out to...

The police are definitely out to make the campus safe and not to bust students.