<p>What ucb said… Penn St and Pitt are likely to be higher in cost than many other options the OP could get, esp if they qualify for need based aid.</p>
<p>Pitt does offer some significant merit aid awards, but the bottom score for merit aid (as per an admissions group session) is 33 on the ACT. For higher awards, you want higher.</p>
<p>Penn St has given out a little more merit aid recently from what I’ve seen, but still nowhere near Pitt and nowhere near making things truly affordable for most in state students with need. At both schools, the need based aid is rather lacking (to say the least). Our true state schools cost less, but also aren’t all that great with aid and don’t offer merit aid.</p>
<p>With a 32 ACT, I suggest looking elsewhere, esp if needing aid. </p>
<p>For engineering, I’d still recommend Penn St. For pre-med, nursing, or neuro types of majors, I’d still recommend Pitt. You never know what will happen in the financial aid office, but don’t count on them as safeties.</p>
<p>I can’t recommend western schools as I’ve never looked at any and we have few students from here going to any of them (so no personal feedback for me to draw upon). In PA I do suggest Dickinson as before. The OP could also try Franklin & Marshall if looking for need-based aid - they don’t give merit aid. I’ve heard good things about Wooster (regarding aid and academics).</p>