Penn State - University Park offers Early Action for freshman admissions.
The Early Action (EA) deadline for Fall 2022 admission at Penn State is November 1.
All early action applicants should receive an admissions decision by December 24. For more information visit the Penn State - University Park page on College Confidential.
See updates and discuss results with other Penn State applicants.
Are you planning to apply early to Penn State - University Park? Why Penn State? What questions do you have about applying early? Comment in the thread below.
Have more information about Penn State Early Action?
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What types of posts? D22 had applied, but there was nothing to post about.
But since I’m posting, it seems dumb to use the Common App and then a SRAR, when all the grade info can be collected in the Common App. How many people will file the Common App just by the Nov. 1 deadline, only to then find the SRAR also needs to be completed by Nov. 1 for priority consideration.
Stuff like “what should I write down for my 2nd campus”, “which major is less competitive”, “chance me”, plus just general chatter.
I’m guessing the SRAR will be used in their system rather than the transcripts, because it’ll be standardized (unlike transcripts, which each HS does their own way) and thus easier to process? But yes, they should use one or the other, not both. (I don’t like the SRAR either!)
quick question, if I need to change minor course info (Honor Eco. to AP Eco.) can I update the SRAR directly or I need to call college admission’s office?
Call the Admissions Office if you’ve already submitted your application, otherwise you can just update before you submit. @jlhpsu may have further guidance?
Yes, it is.
Whether it’s wise depends on your status:
It makes sense to stick to UP if you’re applying from OOS but not if you’re from PA, because the 2+2 can be beneficial if you’re a B/B+ student, can commute, and don’t have the OOS extra costs.
Obviously if you’re denied for your major at UP, you can call and, rather than asking to switch to another major at UP or DUS, you can then (and only then) ask if you can switch to another campus.
What major are you applying for?
Smeal Business, OOS. Not sure we have done enough research to pick another campus. This question was more, whether it is possible to submit the application without specifying an alternate campus.
Hey, everyone! I have submitted my app., but I am worried that my GPA and/or class rank did not go through on the SRAR. I had to submit one for another school, and when I reviewed my submitted SRAR for that school, it said “school does not provide class rank” and “gpa not reported.” I know that I submitted my GPA for PSU but with the school, it said I didn’t when I thought I did.
I already contacted admissions to change my SRAR, and I fixed some things that I thought I messed up, but now I am worried that my GPA still didn’t go through, and I know GPA makes up 2/3 of admissions decision. It could be because I submitted my gpa as a decimal (106.445) and did not provide the “highest gpa one can receive at this school” because I did not know that information.
So, should I contact admissions again to see if my SRAR reported my GPA, ask to fix my SRAR again, or let it go and hope that it did submit. Please, let me know! Thank you.
No. You must select a second campus. You cannot leave the UP campus as your only option. My child asked this same question of the admissions office and this was what they were told.
Altoona, probably.
But since you’re OOS it wouldn’t make sense since you’d have similar options for much cheaper.
Note that the standard recommendation is to apply to Smeal if you have Sapphire stats (typically 3.8+uw, precalculus honors or calculus, AP/IB/DE/honors curriculum and, back in the olden days, 1400+SAT) OR apply DUS. Students aren’t in at Smeal till they’ve completed pre-reqs and have achieved a specific gpa (sth like 3.2 overall but 3.7 for finance) and there’s no difference for premajors and DUS students.
I just found that UIUC also requires SRAR. Neither PSU nor UIUC asks for anything that’s not in the Grades & Courses section of the Common App (which they accept), as far as I can tell.
(Though I think this may be UIUC’s first year on the CA).
A note for those still getting ready to apply - you may know these things, I didn’t.
After submitting the Common App, you’ll probably hear back in 2 days. It’s here that you’ll find you need to enter the SRAR. (which means creating a MyPennState account, and then a separate SRAR account).
The SRAR took us a day to enter and then review to be sure it was correct. After you “submit” it, you’ll find a note that “Your SRAR is ready to be sent to Pennsylvania State University.Records are typically sent within 1-3 days from the point they are submitted.”
D22’s portal still says “Missing” for the SRAR.
And the instructions say everything must be in place by 11/1 for Early Action consideration.
With the weekends, I’d suggest releasing the Common App by the 22nd to be safe.
If you are sure you won’t consider Penn State unless you are admitted to main campus then you can put any random campus down as your second choice. If you think you might still consider PSU then look at Altoona or Behrend campus. They offer the most residential experience and Altoona is not too far from U Park. Putting a second choice does not make you any less likely to get your first choice and you don’t need to accept admissions there if you don’t want to.
I’ve been checking in every so often but there are no posts asking for information - majors, application dates, chance me…nothing. So weird. Usually by now there are dozens of posts…
You must select a second campus - but you don’t have to go there if offered.
That said, be SURE to have the stats when applying to Smeal. Smeal is one of the absolute toughest colleges to gain acceptance to as a freshman. Considering that no one is actually IN a major until end of Sophomore year anyway, if in doubt at all, apply DUS (undecided). You won’t be behind at all. Lots of students apply Smeal without knowing this and get sent to a commonwealth campus. If denied, you can always call back and ask to be reconsidered for a different major but at the end of the day that reconsideration is coming after kids have already begun being accepted and spots taken. Better to apply to your best shot from the get go.