Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State”) is a public research university. It is located in State College, Pennsylvania. The school was established in 1855, and is one of the 10 largest universities in the country. Penn State is made up of 24 campuses, and University Park is the largest one.
The student body at Penn State is made up of some very impressive numbers: 79,100 undergrads and 12,250 graduate students. Penn State is known for its Accounting, Finance, Information Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Psychology programs.
Programs & Majors
There are 11 academic Colleges at Penn State:
• College of Agricultural Sciences
• College of Arts and Architecture
• Smeal College of Business
• College of Communications
• College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Health and Human Development
• College of Information Sciences and Technology
• College of the Liberal Arts
• Eberly College of Science
Students who want to focus their studies in a particular field of study should enroll in the appropriate College and then consult with an academic advisor to choose a major and the courses required to reach their goal.
Admission Requirements
Prospective first-year students at Penn State who want to be considered for fall or summer admission need to have their completed application submitted by November 30. Penn State also offers a spring admission, and the deadline is November 1. Many students at Penn State spend the first two years of undergraduate study at one of the school’s 20 undergraduate campuses and complete their degree at another one. This is known as the “2 + 2 Plan.”
There is no standard GPA or test score that Penn State is looking when considering your application for admission. The GPA in high school counts for approximately two-thirds of the decision. Other factors include class rank, scores on standardized tests, they way you present yourself in your personal statement, and your activities list.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Going to Penn State will cost $13,014 for tuition alone. Room and board is an additional $7,670, with the cost of accommodation alone coming in at $4,110. Students at Penn State are also required to pay $692 in fees.
Sports at Penn State
Student athletes on most varsity teams at Penn State compete in the NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference. The Athletic program at Penn State have done very well, racking up 63 national collegiate championships in team sports. Individual athletes or club teams have racked up another 53 national championships.
The women’s soccer team at Penn State has won 11 consecutive titles, and the women’s volleyball team has done the same six time for their sport. The football team at Penn State attracts a large number of fans. Penn State’s football stadium, Beaver Field, can accommodate 107,282 people, which gives it the largest seating capacity in the nation.
Online Programs
The World Campus at Penn State offers distance learners the chance to work on an undergraduate degree, associate degree, or certificate from any location with an Internet connection. More than 60 degrees and certificate programs are offered. You can find out more by visiting the World Campus web site.
Rankings & Reviews
Pennsylvania State University is consistently included on lists of the top 50 liberal arts schools in the United States. Most online reviews of the school are very positive, and you can find some of them by clicking here:
http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU.html
http://istudy.iagora.com/Pennsylvania_State_University/reviews.html
