<p>I just found out Penn State gives out the same diploma for everyone within their university system, even though University Park is much harder to get admitted than all the regional campuses(3.57-3.97GPA compare to 2,96-3.46, 1750-1990 SAT to 1470-1720 SAT etc. A LARGE difference) and academically more rigorous. Unlike all other state colleges with multiple campuses(Purdue, U Maryland, UCs, UI, U Washington etc...)The diploma doesn't mention which campus you started in or graduated in. Even though the curriculum in UP is more rigorous than the regional campuses, everyone gets the same diploma saying just Penn State. Also, the 2+2 program basically let everyone into University Park for the last two years of college, even the ill prepared ones. Even if they aren't allowed into University Park for the last two years due to academical performance, they'll still get the SAME DIPLOMA.</p>
<p>I just think this is not fair at all and make me lean toward my other choices. However, I'll still possibly attend PSU as it has been one of my top choice schools for years. </p>
<p>Why would they do that? I think that is absurd as well. I am glad I didn’t apply now. How would you be able to prove in future years that you graduated from a certain campus?</p>
<p>The reason you’d want to go to the University Park campus is because it’s a better education. Besides, employers won’t see your diploma itself anyway. It may seem unfair, but in the end it won’t hurt you, and you’ll be at your dream school. It’s just a piece of paper, after all.</p>
<p>It would be hard to prove that to your employers. I guess they have to call the college to figure out which campus you entered as a freshmen in college, which I doubt they will. People with 1400s SAT and 3.0 can basically get accepted and graduate with the same diploma as a person with 2000 and 3.7. Plus, University Park tuition is also more expensive. The whole thing is just ridiculous in my opinion.</p>
<p>Edit: It actually could hurt you, if both persons are trying to find a job, a person from a satellite campus with mostly As and a few Bs will most likely to be accepted than another person from UP with As Bs and few Cs due to more rigorous academics. The employer would have no idea who is from where because they would think both are graduated from UP. However it would be a complete different case if the second person is competing with someone from let’s say West Virginia University(which has basically same stats as PSU regional campuses). This is similar to the standardized tests, you take it to overcome the regional education differences. The college you go would be a great indicator of who is more prepared for the job.</p>
<p>I got a diploma from a school you might consider more academically rigorous than Penn State (any campus). You know what? I haven’t seen it for decades. It’s probably in a box up in the attic. No employer (or anyone else) has ever asked to see it. </p>
<p>If I happened to notice “Pennsylvania State University” on your diploma, I’d probably just assume it was the State College campus. If it’s in Latin, it might be mistaken for UPenn. To remove all doubt, just place a mug with appropriate insignia on the credenza below.</p>
<p>It would be more about fairness in my opinion. If you graduated from UC Berkeley you certainly don’t want your diploma just say University of California. Then there will be no difference between Berkeley and Merced, who would still want to get 1900+ and apply to a flagship UC when a 1600 is more than enough for Merced honors program, which is better than some of the regular programs offered in Davis, Irvine.</p>
<p>You are getting carried away over nothing. It doesn’t matter what it says on your diploma. In all my years of employment I’ve never had any employers ask to see mine. What matters is what it says on your transcript. Employers do often look at those, especially when you are getting that first job.</p>
<p>I haven’t seen a Penn State transcript, but it very likely says at which campus the classes were taken and from which campuses your degree(s) were earned. If nothing else the employer can see from which campus the transcrpt was mailed or which campus they had to write to or call in order to request a copy of the transcript. It will be obvious to the employer whether the transcript was issued by and sent to them from the University Park campus. </p>
<p>Think about it. When you apply to college, the colleges don’t ask to look at your high school diploma. They want to see your official high school transcript. It will be the same with employers when you come out of college. The transcript is the key document, not the diploma. The diploma is just something you hang on your wall for bragging purposes. Or is that what you are really outraged out? That people who graduated from say the Brandywine or Beaver campuses will have the same bragging document on their wall that you do?</p>
<p>The only time this would have any relevance is in applying to a graduate program, and they will know based on your transcripts what campus you were based. Employers who want a BA/BS simply want to know that you achieved that degree. Employers who recruit from the Ivies are perhaps a different breed, but that doesn’t apply to other universities. If you like Penn State, apply and be happy about it. Once you are in no one, and I mean no one cares about your SAT scores or your high school gpa.
It also doesn’t matter that some students on campus started out at different campuses for their first two years, unless you believe all in life should be based on a SAT score and a high school gpa.</p>
<p>I’ve seen transcripts samples on Google image. From what I know, all transcripts are sent from office of the university register in UP, where most students graduate. There is also nothing indicating where the class is taken, basically everyone gets the same piece of paper with different names, address, class names and grades.</p>
<p>I’m just saying all this because PSU is the only school in the country doing this, if it makes no difference why don’t other schools do it as well.</p>
<p>Coureur, jym and tk are completely correct. Unless you are a doctor (a field in which it’s common to frame a diploma) no one will ever see it. Who cares?</p>
<p>How do you know the transcripts you have googled aren’t all graduates of that campus?<br>
The fact that this bothers you so much, and that you are devoting so much time to it, is kind of odd. Feel free to state to your future employers that you are an actual graduate not some mere graduate from another campus, and that you had perfect SAT scores, and an excellent high school gpa; state that all right up front at your first interviews. No worries then if they are comparing you to another PSU student who hails from those lesser campuses.
Yes, I am being sarcastic. Apply and accept an admission based on the school you love; worrying about this non-issue is a waste of time.</p>
<p>The OPs very screen name says that he thinks it’s of utmost importance to wear one’s credentials on one’s sleeve. Maybe you should tattoo the 800 on your forehead to make sure no one confuses you with the lesser people who get 700s or 600s.</p>
<p>WARNING I went to google to look at some PSU images and got a trojan virus. Fortunately my virus protection caught it and deleted it. Move on from this silly topic. I repeat-- it is much ado about nothing.</p>
<p>It’s not me that is concerning that I have 800s, 4.0, all perfect stats(which I don’t). It might be that all other schools are looking down on their regional campuses because they label what campus someone graduated from. Maybe they do it because more people will enroll and they can get enough money to keep the school nice(which is good). If trying harder in high school would only mean graduating from the same campus, then no one would try. If all diplomas are looked upon equally, then no one would apply to out of state schools because of the price, then everyone would have same diploma, then all private schools can go bankruptcy, then capitalism can die and the society successfully transfer into communism(sarcasm). </p>
<p>Anyways, you keep your opinions and I keep mine,I never thought this thread would become so smokey. This talk can stop.</p>
<p>I’ve never mentioned anything about diploma on my last post. Since you can transfer to main campus after 2 years, even if it mentioned where you graduated from, it would make no difference. </p>
<p>Plus I already said stop , I don’t want see any more flames.</p>
<p>If you want posters to stop responding to silly nonsense, its probably best to discontinue posting it. </p>
<p>People transfer from lower level schools to higher ranked schools, or from cc’s to 4 year colleges all the time. Yes, their degree comes from the final institution they attended, as it should. Their academic history will show on their transcript, but the diploma (FWIW, and who cares) will come from the graduating institution. Get over it.</p>