@AllMyRelations …thank you for the insight into IUP. Funny on here how IUP and PASSHE schools get bashed(yes expensive and underfunded but some are really good opportunities). I was on the IUP campus this fall and was very impressed. Can you provide other insight? How was the town(it was cute, lots of stores)? Did having a degree hamper you in anyway? What would you tell a hs senior that hears IUP negativity? Did you make life time friends? Did you have friends at PSU/Pitt…and do see any actual difference in outcomes? Thanks for posting…we need someone with experience to post…also feel free to tell us about grad school.
Yes, @AllMyRelations, it was nice to have an in depth review. We are all trying to find an affordable education and this PA state school thread is a real outlier here on CC, but has value, I think, so value your contribution.
As for IUP, we considered it, but it does have a terrible reputation in our school district, why…who knows. The main reason I didn’t have D18 pursue is the drive. It didn’t seem to offer anything more to her, degree wise, than West Chester or Bloom, both of which cut the drive in half.
I, also, agree w/ @Gatormama, the prolific use of smart phones & social media is actually killing the social interaction of this young generation. I have driven car pools to school where no one ever spoke! How sad.
Thanks @AllMyRelations ! IUP looks great to me but it is too far away for my son.
My college had suite-style housing 30 years ago. Still does. And that set-up actually gave us more space to socialize as we had dedicated-yet-semi-private common areas to do so. We all had living rooms and eat-in kitchen areas in our apartments. So it was easy to spend evenings hanging out with people coming and going. I loved it.
Here’s something that blew my mind. Millersville honors housing has full-size beds instead of twin! Trying not think about how much easier that makes “socializing” between students. If they can put down their phones down long enough. LOL!
I completed my undergraduate at IUP in 2012 and currently back for my masters in 2018. I chose IUP over my hometown schools (Edinboro, Mercyhurst and Gannon) primarily because of cost and campus atmosphere and prestige of education- initially I attended a small private school but after seeing the first trimester tuition bill of around 8 grand and multiplying that by 3 I knew I’d be over 20k in debt per year. And I was and still am fully paying my own way through school. IUP was very generous with grants and I’m currently getting a full Graduate assistant tuition waiver. Ended up with about 10 to 15k in debt from my bachelors, moved back in with family and pursued work semi related to my career (nonprofit/communication) and paid it off within five years. My review of IUP and advice is if they have your program of interest than I’d consider it. Super easy to get around campus, lots within walking distance and a free bus system. Plenty of student clubs and organizations to get involved with, which to me is thee most important factor cause it shows the College administration is Student focused. Major red flag if a school has a weak student clubs scene because it shows they don’t care about the full student experience. Pretty campus, lots of nature, plethora of dining options etc. as for the cons, unfortunately all you parents who see suite style housing as the prime important factor, I believe that’s what has contributed to the major decline in social atmosphere at IUP. Students are now reclused to their amenities and stay in their rooms, whereas old style dorms it was easier for students to leave doors open and or hangout outside more compared to the newer ones which usually resemble an old folks home Or assisted living space lol. I believe this was intentional from admistration to change the negative I Usually Party reputation that IUP is still known for , but unless you’re connected to the Greek life, it’s very difficult to get into the partying scene since they’ve cracked down so much. Which is a shame because it used to be thriving here. With that said, your student may have a hard time making friends and fitting in because of the difficulty of a hindered social scene but if they focus on academics and get involved in clubs they will do better.
I completed my undergraduate at IUP in 2012 and currently back for my masters in 2018. I chose IUP over my hometown schools (Edinboro, Mercyhurst and Gannon) primarily because of cost and campus atmosphere and prestige of education- initially I attended a small private school but after seeing the first trimester tuition bill of around 8 grand and multiplying that by 3 I knew I’d be over 20k in debt per year. And I was and still am fully paying my own way through school. IUP was very generous with grants and I’m currently getting a full Graduate assistant tuition waiver. Ended up with about 10 to 15k in debt from my bachelors, moved back in with family and pursued work semi related to my career (nonprofit/communication) and paid it off within five years. My review of IUP and advice is if they have your program of interest than I’d consider it. Super easy to get around campus, lots within walking distance and a free bus system. Plenty of student clubs and organizations to get involved with, which to me is thee most important factor cause it shows the College administration is Student focused. Major red flag if a school has a weak student clubs scene because it shows they don’t care about the full student experience. Pretty campus, lots of nature, plethora of dining options etc. as for the cons, unfortunately all you parents who see suite style housing as the prime important factor, I believe that’s what has contributed to the major decline in social atmosphere at IUP. Students are now reclused to their amenities and stay in their rooms, whereas old style dorms it was easier for students to leave doors open and or hangout outside more compared to the newer ones which usually resemble an old folks home Or assisted living space lol. I believe this was intentional from admistration to change the negative I Usually Party reputation that IUP is still known for , but unless you’re connected to the Greek life, it’s very difficult to get into the partying scene since they’ve cracked down so much. Which is a shame because it used to be thriving here. With that said, your student may have a hard time making friends and fitting in because of the difficulty of a hindered social scene but if they focus on academics and get involved in clubs they will do better.
Growing number of Pennsylvania colleges adding food pantries for hungry students…
@AllMyRelations …weird that your same post keeps popping up…it almost seems computer generated…are you out there?
Edinboro is taking Cal U’s lead, and promoting the strength of their online offerings (only graduate programs in this release however):
http://www.edinboro.edu/news/detail.html?inode=63d17888-7fe9-4c6d-9d63-0fddb2f37103
Yes, @AllMyRelations only shows 3 posts and they are all probably the 3 that are here. Strange.
Out of curiosity I was doing quick calculations for the Cal U of PA online undergraduate degree tuition and fees. From what I can tell, you could complete the whole degree for around 35K as a PA resident (the entire BA/BS).
I think this may actually be less than Western Governor’s U or Southern New Hampshire, or at least in the tuition ballpark. I wonder how many (if any) students have done the whole degree this way. Of course there are very few students who could do it all online, or would choose to do it all online, but it intrigues me.
New tuition plans in the works at some Pa. state universities
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/01/new_tuition_plans_in_the_works.html#incart_river_mobile_home
Maybe I spoke too soon.
U.S. NEWS RANKS ONLINE BACHELOR’S PROGRAM NO. 6
http://www.calu.edu/news/press-releases/2017/01/us-news-ranks-online-bachelors-program-no-6.mobhtm
Slippery Rock has a fairly new degree offered in Industrial and Systems Engineering. It is not ABET accredited yet but I assume they will be moving in that direction and that would be something to ask about.
https://www.sru.edu/news/040716e
https://www.sru.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/industrial-and-systems-engineering
@sevmom, you may want to also mention this on that Pitt and Ship engineering thread. Lots of talk over there on engineering in PA schools.
Thanks, @Portercat I just posted on the other thread .
It is nice to see the PASSHE schools adding engineering programs.
I know they won’t be ranked highly over other schools, but it is a great start for the many PA students who don’t have the financial option of Pitt, PSU, or Temple.
Tuition effort wise for state universities…
http://m.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/tuition-effort-wise-for-state-universities-1.2289472
Pennsylvania university system searches for new chancellor
Who in this group had seniors this year (sorry I forget)? Any with PASSHE schools in the running as top choices?