Need insight because I haven’t seen this on cc. Son applied to Smeal with no alternative campus ( not interested ) and unable to start in Summer bc my daughter is getting married and we are OOS. His decision last night was changed to " we are unable to offer you your campus AND/ OR major. Please call or email admissions if you are interested in another campus and/or major. What the heck dies that mean? We are bargaining now? And who makes the decision? I know at Univ of Maryland if they reject you at Smith, they automatically consider you for DUS. He has 3.85 unweighted, 12 honors AP. 1840 SAT ( 740 Math). Help! And of course this happens on a weekend…ugh
They’re saying you have to change your major to stay at UP (changing to DUS) or change to a branch campus. So call Monday and see if they’ll accept him for DUS Fall at UP.
@sansserif thank you, but does anyone have definite experience with this? Is it a crap shoot for Fall / DUS.
^^ poster above gave the appropriate advice Call them to discuss.
I know some students this happened to last year, and they were accepted the next day (after phone call) into an alternate program. For example one student wanted business, but since he got the same letter as your son, he switched to economics. Penn State said he would be “pre-business.” Stay calm; things will work out.
@cbpmom… Exactly right… When we applied, we did the same thing… Directly to Smeal, no alt branch, no summer option… I was worried it was risky, but we were told from admissions (I called months ago for advice) that if my D met the standards for acceptance to UP, but maybe not quite for Smeal, she would have the opportunity to either request a different major and/or branch… I thought we might get that exact update that you son did, and I was mentally preparing for it… I truly believe he will be accepted if you request reevaluation for fall DUS. Good luck!
I think it was economics he switched to…it could have been something else similar. But they definitely called it pre-business and said if he did well, he could later apply to be a business major. At least, that is what the parents told me.
Your son’s stats did not qualify him for admission to his desired program. Accept an alternate program of go to another university.
At least this explains the confusion over why some people who were initially rejected last year were able to switch to DUS and be admitted right over the phone. It appears that PSU sends out different types of denial responses - one offers you the chance to be admitted under another program (DUS) with a phone call or email and the other does not. The application should include a checkbox to indicate a desire to be considered for DUS if an applicant can’t be admitted to his first choice. Just like you can indicate summer start as a second choice, or a branch campus as a second choice. That would eliminate a lot of back and forth emails/phone calls at this crazy time.
A family wedding and being OOS does not seem like a reason to not start in the summer if that option were offered (but I can’t see that it was). He takes off Thursday night to attend rehearsal activities on Friday, wedding over the weekend, back on Sunday night. Takes the bus/train/plane if no one has time to drive him.
@greatwhiteway … Yes, I agree. It would be a lot easier if the application had a “second choice major option”.
Thanks to all with the info. Wasn’t really looking for a lashing TomSrof Boston. As for the wedding, it is much more than a one day event not to mention that his graduation and prom lead right up to the first day so he would have to miss move in, and two days the second week. Not a great start. We believe if you can’t give it your all, don’t do it as it was not meant to be.
He could take classes in summer session 2.
^^ Summer session for freshmen is the second session. Arrival day is 6/28.
cbpmom…you ask if it’s a crapshoot to ask…isn’t this whole process a crapshoot? If your son still wants to go to PSU UP, then ask for DUS. What’s there to lose?
If he doesn’t then consider other options. At some point, we are all compelled to make a decision. That’s part of the process.
Hope this helps clarify your son’s choices…and no dis-respect intended.
We are in the same boat! Does anyone have experience in how to reapply? Success rate so doing so? D heart set on penn state but willing to consider another major? Are there really 2 types of rejections? D does not meet the half credit trig requirement so we are speculating that is one of reasons. Any guidance or info you can share is greatly appreciated.
@cowman @perplexD 6/28 doesn’t work. He graduates 6/26. Rehearsal dinner 6/28. Prom 6/29- yes, after graduation and weddin is Friday 7/3,! Knocks out the entire week. Thanks again all and good luck. Will keep everyone posted!
Wow! That is one late graduation. Good luck!
From what I’ve heard there are very few downsides to entering as DUS. You have access to almost all of the same classes, as if you entered in the major, and you are at no disadvantage when it comes time to apply to major.
If you ask for reconsideration for DUS, they will re-evaluate your son AFTER all priority applicants have been notified. It has worked for many, but the reeval process only starts after priority decisions have been made. They don’t put you in front of the other applicants who applied DUS and/or summer at the start. They are simply asking you if you want to look into more options…which I think is nicer than a straight out denial anyway. What your status is saying is that your son only selected one campus and starting session for his major and that he didn’t qualify for that. If you’d be willing to change his major, his starting campus or his starting semester, they can re-evaluate. I don’t think there are different rejections…only different wording depending on what you applied for in the first place. If your stats aren’t good enough for Main regardless of the major, then they aren’t going to offer that.
As someone pointed out, summer session for freshmen begins 6/28. All of our kids have prom and graduation etc…unless your son’s school goes much later in the summer than normal, he will have about 3 weeks or more at the end of school to the beginning of summer session…missing a couple days for a wedding shouldn’t deter him from a 6 week session. I know you are upset, but maybe rethink that option if it’s his only one.
The school offers first and second choice campuses, as well as first and second choice starting semesters…but they don’t offer first and second choice majors…probably because of the time constraints. It would make it nicer if they did, but there are so many things I wish they did differently in this process! I guess in the end, you just have to decide if it’s worth it or not to try for a different major. Engineering and Business majors are very competitive at Penn State obviously, because your son’s stats are impressive. I wish you the best of luck!