Pennsylvania State University

I see a lot of good things about Penn State posted on the internet. Had I read them better I would not feel as I do now, that these were posted by teachers themselves! I KNOW I am sharper tool in the shed. The classes are crap, especially Stat 200 with Wrobel or Hayford. Wrobel didn't want to help at all, and I had to report Hayford before he would assist. The fact I had to take a math test twice says it all. This from a person who passed Economics in high school. The classes are MADE to be harder than they have to be. All you end up with is confusion, and a crappy GPA. If I can find a school that will take me at this point I'm gone.

1st Year Female -- Class 2016

Faculty Accessibility: B+, Education Quality: F

I was fortunate enough to get out of PSU when I could, and now I'm here at USC (Southern California) and it's the best decision I've ever made. First of all, the film program is weak. I came in as a Business major, but I realized film was my ultimate passion through an intro film course, so props to PSU for that! But in comparison to the intro film course here, PSU doesn't even hold a candle. A lot of the PSU courses were so multiple-choice-heavy; while I did do well on the exams, I never felt I was learning anything except on how to work the system. However, I highly recommend anyone to take a class with Dirk Mateer.

This institution was simply not my fit. And while I've made some fantastic friends here who I keep in touch with, it wasn't enough to get me through another three years. Not to mention the outrageous out-of-state tuition price vs. USC's amazing financial aid package I received. Transferring eased a lot of money tension in my family, which was another huge reason.

My biggest issue about this school were the students' attitudes. Had I gone to a metropolitan school somewhere in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, maybe I wouldn't have been so jaded by the largely disproportionate narrow-minded student population. I'm also at a disadvantage as a gay minority. I've dealt with instances where I've been verbally assaulted walking home by drunk students. The style of clothing on campus is too casual, in my opinion. I come from a huge city on the west coast, so I'm used to wearing bright colors, different layers, and so forth. The standard outfit here is: PENN STATE shirt, with basketball shorts, and sneakers. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and be bold, you will get the most intimidating stares from your peers.

The downtown area of State College is a huge lackluster. While the walking distance is very convenient, the variety of restaurants, shops, banks, etc. are all very limited. But the one thing that irks me about the culture here is the fake holidays and the outrageous drinking/party scene. I get that State College is a quintessential college town and the experience, but it is way too out of control here (mainly due to its rural location). USC has a huge party scene too, but it is very easy to avoid and find a more creative outlet in film - I couldn't find this creative outlet at PSU.However, I did have great times with my friends there, hanging out at the HUB and around downtown area. The school itself didn't cater to my interests and I felt the location diminished my chances of gaining valuable experiences and sets of skills as an undergrad. I've already found an internship here at USC. The work feels much more intense and it fits my interest in film. I don't have any opinions about the recent football scandal, so I was not very influenced by that.

1st Year Male -- Class 2015

Perceived Campus Safety: A+, Surrounding City: D+

1st Year Female -- Class 2016

Campus Aesthetics: B, Faculty Accessibility: F