Pennsylvania State University
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Pennsylvania State University - Comments and Student Experiences | |||||||||||||||||||
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Positives: Academically, it seems good to quite strong. The Schreyer Honors Program in particular is excellent. They set up honors classes to be more like graduate seminars. Also, because there aren't many students in the Schreyer Program (at least in English) it helps to create a fairly close-knit academic environment. The other students in Schreyer are smart. Taking classes with intellectually curious students is a real blessing. Also, professors are helpful, though demanding (at least in Schreyer).
The campus is attractive, especially the older part of campus around the Old Main building. The library is fantastic, with more resources than you'd ever be able to make use of.
You'll have no trouble finding a part-time job. Since there are so many students, employers in State College are quite flexible with scheduling, etc.
Negatives: State College is quite isolated. It's about 2 1/2 hours from Pittsburgh and about 3-3 1/2 hours from Philadelphia. Which means once you leave State College, there's nothing for miles and miles except Pennsylvania farmland, trees, and mountains. If that's your thing, though, you might not mind it so much. It depends on what you're looking for. I grew up in rural PA, and was looking for a change of scenery, and some more stimulation from my environment. I didn't really find it. The town itself is comprised largely of bars and student apartment buildings. There is an overprice mall and surrounding shopping centers about ten minutes away.
The student body (generally speaking) are not very academically focused. It's difficult to meet people interested in intellectual or artistic things. Also, it's difficult to meet interesting people in general. Students here drink. A lot. If you don't drink much, or it makes you uncomfortable to think of alcohol as a basis for one's lifestyle, you'll find it even more difficult to meet people.
Football is a big, big, deal. Everyone here is an obsessive Penn State football fan. Students sometimes riot in the streets out of sheer exuberance. If you don't care so much for that, you're probably going to feel overwhelmingly out of place (as I often have), particularly during game weekends, when it seems everyone is a blue-clad Nittany Lions fanatic.
The weather is often poor. In the fall, many, if not most, days are overcast. A cloud of gloom often hangs over "Happy Valley." It also gets numbingly cold here in the winter, and the winds tend to sweep off the surrounding mountains.
Financial aid isn't very good. I'm lucky in that my parents don't make much money, so my federal Pell grant and PHEAA state grant covered half the tuition for the semester. Despite a nearly flawless GPA, though, I only recieved a one-time gift award of $1000. Bottom line: don't expect much financial help, unless it's loans, from Penn State (at least University Park campus).
To sum up my experience: I spent a lot of time here alone, feeling alienated and frustrated. Luckily, my mind was kept fairly busy with a part-time job and schoolwork. But it has been a difficult semester. I found it difficult in the extreme to meet like-minded people. You can't come here and expect to make friends overnight, at least if you're an artistic/intellectual type like me. There just aren't many people here like that. I also live off campus, about a ten-minute walk away, and perhaps that affected my ability to meet people more than I think.
People who love football and sports in general, don't mind the ridiculous alcohol consumption of nearly everyone around them, don't feel stifled by rural PA lanscapes, aren't affected psychologically by poor weather, and aren't as academically focused may have a very different experience than I did. Just make sure you visit PSU several times if you really want to attend. Visit in the winter to make sure you can take the cold. If you can, stay for a weekend, and just walk around by yourself and talk to people rather than sticking to official university tours and activities. And really examine yourself and ask yourself if you are the type of person who will thrive in this type of environment.
If you enjoy reading literature in your spare time, listening or playing music other than top-40 stuff, having intelligent conversation, are largely uninterested in sports, spend more time on weekends sober than drunk, or are looking for the mental stimulation of a larger urban area, you'll be hopelessly and cruelly disappointed. Don't come here. In my opinion, there are better places to go to learn and better ways to spend tens of thousands of dollars.
Having stated that I have only positive things to say about Penn State. I believe that I received an excellent education, and as a Schreyer Honors College scholar, I had many learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. I know that PSU has a party school rep, although I think that the same reputation could be hung on almost any school, with the exception of some small Christian colleges and BYU! If you want to party, then come to Penn State. However, if you want to work hard and learn in a world class educational environment, then come to Penn State! I had to maintain a higher GPA at PSU to remain in the SHC than any of my friends in their honors programs at other universities. I also had a graduation thesis requirement to satisfy. All those reviewers who comment on the poor work ethic of Penn State students might be reflecting on their own lack of effort, and perhaps that is why they were unsuccessful. Also, it amazes me that some students complain about the lack of diversity. What do they expect to find in a small college town in the middle of Pennsylvania? Seriously, if you want tons of diversity then choose a inner city college or university. Penn State attracts students from all over the world, but the majority of students come from the mid-Atlantic area, so the student body is only slightly diverse. However, there are clubs and organizations for many different groups of students. As with any school you will need to get involved, join organizations with like-minded people and you will find your peer group.
I had some really good professors and some not so good ones, but, again, I think this would be the same at any university. Penn State is a big school environment so choose to go elsewhere if you are not a self-starter, and still need some high school type hand-holding. Freshman year lecture classes seat hundreds of students, but if you sit in the front row then who cares how many others are in the same room seated behind you? I made some good friends, did some partying, went to some exciting sporting events (not just football), graduated in four years, landed a good job in my career field, and have some wonderful college memories. That's what it's all about! I would definitely choose Penn State all over again.
If you are in the top of your graduating class and plan on going here I strongly recommend that you apply to the Schreyer’s Honors College. This is the only way you will be challenged academically and the best way to meet other students who believe that the primary reason to attend college is to learn. If you have a passion for learning, like to work hard, want to feel that you have earned your grades, and view academic success as a priority be warned that you will be in the minority at this school.
Concerning academics, the professors are for the most part very well-versed in their particular subjects and express an enthusiasm for the material they teach. If you are the type of student who needs individual attention and likes to ask questions during a class and have it answered immediately you will not find that here, at least not in any general education classes. That is not to say that professors will not answer questions or work with you one-on-one. Most will gladly schedule a meeting time with you (though it may take a while) but you have to very proactive about making it happen. That is one thing you will learn very quickly here, if you don’t ask or do things for yourself you will be left out in the cold. Do not expect to be guided along or have anyone offer to help you – this is a do-it-yourself school. Also be aware that your general education classes will likely have 300 to upwards of 600 students.
As far as resources are concerned, Penn State offers a very diverse array of clubs, activities, and intramurals. There are also plenty of free concerts, seminars, and other entertainment-oriented events all the time so you should. Whatever your interests or hobbies are you will have no trouble finding other people who share them. Since it’s very easy to get lost in the sea of faces I recommend getting involved in clubs and activities early. The library is first rate, as good as any Ivy League library, and you will be able to find everything you could ever possibly want to know about whatever it is you are researching. This campus is all about up-to-date technology (just a reminder you will pay for this) so if that’s important to you Penn State will not disappoint. Although the IT help desk staff are not always the friendliest or most helpful. The career fairs are a great way to network and get internships and interviews. Due to the abundant number of Penn State Alumni in the workforce you will find a fellow Penn Stater in every field and industry imaginable, which is very advantageous after graduation.
Socially, if you are not a hard-core drinker or serious partier be warned that you will take a beating for this. Since almost everything in State College centers around drinking and partying every night of the week and all weekend your social prospects will be limited if you’re not into that whole scene. You have to be willing to put up with hoards of raucous drunken fools who only come to college for the alcohol. If you are female a word of advice for your own safety: you may want to consider other schools. This is by no means a female friendly campus. Things have happened to female students here that are atrocious so if you do come here please make an effort to look out for yourself.
Diversity is close to non-existent here. If you are a minority, as I am, know that you will be surrounded by a lot of closed-minded, prejudice, ignorant people. The campus does try to encourage unity and appreciation of cultural and ethnic diversity but for the most part everybody sticks to their own racial/ethnic groups. Basically if you want to be around open-minded, cultured, well-educated people go to a different school.
Overall, Penn State is not a good choice if you an in-state student looking to save money and get a decent education. Realize though, that you have to accept the reality that this school is a monolith so you will be treated like a number in the herd. Sugar coating aside, if you are an independent, go-getter, do-it-yourself kind of person or if you are someone who likes to go to a different party every night you will probably have a good Penn State experience (yes, it is an experience that you will never forget – good or bad). If your goal is to become part of learning community where students are treated as individuals and have a passion for knowledge Penn State is probably not the best choice for you.
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