Graduating in May. Been at main campus my entire time. Will honestly answer any questions prospective students have so I can help you make the right decision. Ask away!
MODERATOR’S NOTE: Anyone is free to ask or answer questions in this thread.
@PSU589 thanks for the offer. What can you tell us about Smeal Business and the social life (parties, other sources of entertainment, etc)? When, if ever, did the size of the school bother you? How did you make the school seem smaller?
Did you ever have a boyfriend/girlfriend that went to PSU with you? How often did you hang out with them? Were you able to get a lot of alone time?
@PSU589 What was your favorite thing about your 4 years? What was your favorite class? What would you change? Which was your least favorite class?
Ill start with carriebshopper- Smeal business school really is incredible. As a business student myself, I really couldn’t think of a better place to be. Now I know youre probably thinking what about wharton and other top tiers etc. But this school really has an amazing business program. The building itself, if you haven’t yet seen it, is top of the line and beautiful. Everytime I walk in there is something going on. Resume workshop, career guidance, opportunities for business clubs / greek organizations, interview workshops, and I can’t tell you how many companies come here to recruit from smeal. The opportunities are absolutely endless. The best thing about i think the entire school in general is job placement. This is important. I was a slacker and have a low GPA. But when it came time I really used the resources that the school provides for you to get a job and somehow I got an incredible job in a location I couldn’t be more excited about. It is actually true that people look to PSU for recruitment and that was evident for me. They have so much to offer in terms of helping you get a job, to not get one you would literally have to put in no effort. So y advice is take advantage of those resources!
I did not join a business frat but know several who have, and they are really great ways to make connections and meet new people without getting your a** hazed off. Like I stated previously, if you want to get involved in business activities and make friends through smeal, just walk into the business building. Someone will likely approach you about a club or organization if your inside the building.
How did i make the school seem smaller? I had a great group of friends and hung out with people I was interested in. The school can get “smaller” if you focus on hanging out with people in your major etc. But to be honest, thats one of the things I loved about the school and wouldn’t want to change. Its so huge I walk down the sidewalk everyday and don’t know a single soul. And to me thats a blessing because it means there are new people to meet everyday. The size of this school is like that. Its an opportunity to meet countless people and make so many friends. I really do love it, especially since I visited my friend at Gettysburg college (tiny school) and got sooooo many vibes of it being like a high school campus. If you like that then cool, but this place is just so big i had no desire to try to shrink it.
Mackintosh- I did not have a steady boyfriend or girlfriend at the school, but if you are looking for something like that and read my reply to carriebshopper above, you’ll get the idea that there are PLENTY of prospective partners to meet. As far as spending time with them, you really shouldn’t have too many issues. I didn’t have a steady bf/gf but i did have flings with people often. and we’d always find somewhere to hang out and enjoy ourselves. During freshman year it might be a bit more of a pain if the person’s roommate doesn’t want to be bothered which I ccan always respect, but after that its not really a problem. Most roommates are cool with giving you a little time and space anyway.
lucy van pelt- Favorite thing about my four years…hmm…besides like i said before the job placement is utterly incredible, living in east halls freshman year was sooooo much fun. they may be the crappiest dorms to live in, although lately theyve been making renovations, but this is where you live if you are social / want to be social. My entire floor was friends, we had a whole groupchat, we all hung out together. East halls is so much fun and I loved living there, I made so many friends from my floor who I still hang out with to this day. Favorite class? This might get me a lot of hate because people tend to get annoyed with this specific professor because he’s very enthusiastic, in your face, and has a strict no phone policy. But there is a professor, Ron Johnson who teaches Management301 and BA342, both required courses for business. And it is through these classes that you learn how to be a responsible adult and get your foot into the real world. I mean it, this guy does what he does VERY WELL. What i would change is going into freshman year with realistic expectations of my major. I thought i wanted to be a doctor until premed whooped my ass and i changed out of that first half of freshman year which happens to A LOT of people. Just be real with yourself, do you want to spend 8 years in school and can you handle high level chemistry, physics, and bio? if you really can then go for it and all the best to you. but if you can’t, just be realistic about what you CAN do. I cn’t even begin to explain the number of people who drop engineering/med/chem. They drop like flies.
Thank you PSU589. My daughter will start at Smeal (marketing major) n the fall. It’s good to know that there will be resources available to help her in this college experience. What was your freshman year like, if you don’t mind me asking? She will be living in Pollack halls, either Wolf or Ritner, which is required by a scholarship that she received. Do you have any info about these dorms?
I lived in pollock my freshman summer. I was not required to take summer freshman year but i chose to do it to get a head start on credits. Pollock is nice. The food is great (as far as dining hall food goes), there are a lot of international students and sports players too since many football and basketball players live right across pollock at nittany apartments. Pollock is nice though, both of those halls are fairly old but so were the ones i lived in and i still had a great experience. Pollock is more centrally located and much closer to classes and downtown. There are lots of benefits to living there, I just don’t know if the social scene is as crazy as east halls, but she will be fine. Freshman year was the most fun, and the most stressful both socially and academically. She will have to adapt to the college lifestyle and it may be tough or it may be easy, but she will surely have a great time doing it even if she hits some bumps along the way like i did.
Thanks, again, PSU589. I am looking forward to the visit during NSO in June. Congrats on your graduation, and good luck in your future endeavors. Are you continuing with grad school, or onto the work force?
No problem dygibbs. I will be going into the workforce I got a great job with an awesome company and I’m excited about that. Is your daughter doing summer session?
No, she’s not doing the summer session.
oh ok i wasnt sure because NSO in june is the same time summer session starts. Either way, youll have a good time, the school is at its best when its warm. I forgot to mention a huge part of the school. I dont know where you people are from but hell this place gets unimaginably cold. Like so bitter your cold to the bones and its cold all the time. september is warm. by october you need sweatshirts. by december your screwed and this winter just hasn’t left yet just snowed two days ago.
We live in Philly…and yes, with more snow to come on Saturday.
I grew up in that area. State college is worse. Believe me. Its hard to walk to class when its 5 degrees windchill feels like its -10.
Another question: How was your experience with roommates? I know that students are matched without the use of a roommate survey.
Well, if you’re in the philly area I’m sure she could find a roommate so it doesnt have to be random. Thats what I did. I know people who have made best friends from random roommates and people who havent been as lucky. Either way, she’ll be fine because she will have neighbors and friends to spend time with if she doesn’t love her roommate.
There were 2 students from her school who were also accepted into Penn State. D wasn’t sure that either would attend, nor did she consider them as roommates.
I’ve seen people have good and bad experiences both with random roommates and people they chose to live with. Really luck of the draw either way.
exactly^
My daughter is currently at PSU as a freshman pre-med student iving in East Halls. She is doing well but ur right classes are very tough. Thank you for sharing ur experiences!
@PSU589 I have D19 wanting to apply to Smeal business school but would ultimately like to work and live in CA. R there any companies from CA recruiting from PSU Smeal?