<p>1) can you have a car while on campus? </p>
<p>2) after your freshman year would you recommond staying in dorms or getting your own place and rent that out. </p>
<p>3) anything else a future student should know?</p>
<p>4) would you recommend a dual major?
it would be computer science and computer engineering…is that even possible. Thanks</p>
<p>I believe they had told us that freshmen are not allowed to have cars on campus. </p>
<p>Even for non-freshmen, though, I think it is more trouble (and expense) than it is worth. A parking permit is expensive, and most likely you will not get a spot in a convenient area. Parking on or near campus in general can be a real headache. </p>
<p>As for whether to stay on or off campus, everyone will probably have a different opinion because it really is a matter of personal preference and what’s most important to you. Our sons wanted to stay on campus, even though we could have found something off campus that would have been cheaper. But many students are eager to get off campus so they don’t need to abide by PSU housing rules.</p>
<p>thanks anything else your kids think a futre student should know?</p>
<p>I lived my first two years in the dorms, then lived by my self in a studio for two years, and then a house with a bunch of friends. Here is what I can tell you…</p>
<p>The freshman year roommate experience is either a complete home run, or a complete disaster. Both of my experiences were of the second type, one with a random roommate, one with an old friend. Considering that, I would recommend two things:</p>
<p>First, keep expectations low. I see a lot of kids posting on facebook about how they want their roommate to be their best friend, but chances are at one point or another you find yourself complaining about your roommate (even if its regarding stupid little stuff), and having another close friend to vent too will keep you from exploding on your roommate and/or making life really tense in your room.</p>
<p>Second, learn to work out your differences. I lived alone for two years because I hated having to deal with a roommate, only to end up moving in with 4 of my closest friends for my “super” senior year. At that point, we were all mature enough to work out our differences, and all of us had gone through some bad experiences, and knew what stuff we could let slide, and what we couldn’t.</p>
<p>As far as moving off campus, I do recommend it at some point, but I think it takes some careful planning, and most freshman will have to start doing this ASAP in the fall (planning for next year’s housing) so securing a housing contract might be easier. But the experience of renting an apartment (and finding one) definitely applied to real life, and will prepare you for life after college.</p>
<p>In terms of what a future student should know, it is really based on what questions you have. We can help answer them, and there are plenty of threads on here that may have already done so. Feel free to post you’re questions here, or browse other threads. We are here to help. </p>
<p>P.S. I’m and Alumni (class of 2007)</p>
<p>“freshmen are not allowed to have cars on campus” is true, in that they won’t give you a parking permit if you’re a freshman</p>
<p>Nothing stops you from going on craigslist and finding an off-campus parking spot if you really want your car as a freshman, though.</p>
<p>thanks so much!</p>
<p>Actually, its possible to get a freshman ‘waiver’ and have a car on campus,as I was able to get one for my second semester freshman year. You need to have a very good reason though, and my mom had to send in a notarized form documenting the reason.</p>
<p>Also, if you move off campus, but only need your car occasionally, you can get an on-campus spot (in the far lot) which is far cheaper than a spot downtown, which run about $100/month</p>
<p>My boyfriend is a computer engineer and his roommate is a computer scientist. The majors are almost identical except Computer engineering also requires electrical engineering classes, while computer science requires a foreign language class. It’s very strange, but computers engineers are much more well rounded. Computer engineers can do everything computer scientists can do, but computer scientists cannot do everything a computer engineer can. Don’t double major ;just do comp eng and you’ll have the best of both worlds and be more well rounded. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>
<p>Thanks! Just to let you know apparently you can even dual major with the college of engineering. CE it is!</p>
<p>1) As a freshman no, as a non-freshman yes. Regardless it is a pain in some ways and a big help in others.</p>
<p>2) Some people love the dorms - they are close to campus, they come furnished, and meal plans keep you fed without having to cook. One the downside they are cramped, uncomfortable, expensive, and lacking in freedoms and amenities. Personally, I recommend vacating the dorms as fast as possible, but it is an individual decision.</p>
<p>3) Yes.</p>
<p>4) As another mentioned, just go Comp Eng. Double majoring is really only worthwhile when you either are unsure of what profession you desire or else if you are so passionate about some particular field as to spend that extra time and money on it. Double majors do not generally make it much easier to find employment nor to raise your salary.</p>
<p>My daughter transferred in from out of state this year. By the time she made her decision, dorms were full. We found an apartment and roommates from the PSU off-campus housing website, and got really lucky. Her apartment is one block from the campus and is furnished. She ended up loving it. The only problem is if you decide to live off-campus your soph. year, you will have to start looking for a place almost right away in your freshman year- probably Oct.- as housing goes fast. That means you really don’t know anyone that well yet, so it’s hard to commit to future roommates at that point. </p>
<p>As far as the car, you can get off-campus parking, but you really don’t need a car- the buses are good.</p>
<p>Go to the PSU housing website and check out the Nittany Apartments. Each of four students who share the apartment have their own room but share the common areas a (kitchen, living room, bathrooms). They have the option of having a meal plan or no meal plan. Once you are in, you can stay until you graduate. Unlike the dorms, during breaks you can leave when you want, come back when you want or stay in the apartment if you want. Also, parking permits are available to park close to the apartments and are cheaper than renting a space in town.</p>
<p>S lived there for 3 1/2 years (he was a super senior when he graduated) and it seemed to be the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Note: students must be sophomores to apply to Nittany.</p>
<p>Nittany apartments is very hard to get into, just FYI. They are incredibly popular (thanks to the location and the dorm amenities) but there are few openings and it has always been rumored that they are assigned preferentially to certain subgroups on campus (like scholarship athletes, especially football players) - I don’t think that has ever been officially stated but I have never heard of a football player NOT living there…</p>
<p>Yes, it does seem that the football players do have dibbs on Nittany. However, there are also a lot of non football players living there. What S did was…got a housing contract for sophomore year in the dorms and went on the waitlist for Nittany. Also put in an application for an apartment in town for junior year that would refund the deposit up to the first week in December. He was notified that he got into Nittany off the waitlist for second semester (mid year graduates) sophomore year at the end of November. He pulled his apartment application and got his deposit back. He moved into Nittany after the holidays and stayed for junior, senior, and super senior year.</p>