Financial Aid/Scholarships At UP?

I am in state and have well above average stats for PSU. My GPA is a 4.0, most rigorous course load, and expecting a 1400+ on the new SAT. I know Penn State doesn’t give much in FA or scholarships, but is it possible to get a few thousand? I know Schreyers gives 4.5k/year which would be great but that’s very competitive to get into. Is almost everyone in state paying full price or is there a chance to get at least a few thousand off? Penn State is right on the border of being affordable and not being affordable so anything would help. I would apply to Smeal(Business) if that matters.

@class0f2017 I would imagine. I got accepted to Smeal for finance this year, and received a $4,000 a year provost scholarship. 3.8 GPA, 1320 math/verbal SAT. I think as long as your SAT scores are up there, you will definitely be a good candidate for a scholarship. Just make sure you apply as early as possible! I applied in November of my senior year.

@DrDingle23 Yeah I plan on applying as early as I can. Were you instate or out of state?

@class0f2017 In state

My niece has similar stats and was accepted with about 8k a year in aid. In state student. So they don’t give a lot of aid, but they do give some to very qualified applicants.

@jlhpsu Wow was that financial aid or a scholarship? Also are you instate or out of state? Is it easier to get scholarships if you are in state?

@class0f2017 That was a scholarship. One 4k that is for each year, and another 4k that is for freshman year. So 8k freshman year, 4k each year thereafter. She is an in state student but I don’t think it matters. She is an exceptional student, but didn’t get into Schreyers. If she had, that would have been another few thousand. But she is happy with her package and she has accepted her admission.

@jlhpsu So if she got into Schreyer, they would’ve stacked the scholarships? I thought they would just give u the 4.5k/year

@class0f2017 I’m honestly not really sure how that works. I think Schreyers is a completely different scholarship. But I’m not sure. My daughter is there now but didn’t get anything so I’m not really well versed on the aid other than what I know my niece got.

they definitely stack the scholarships. There are some college specific scholarships (academic college, not SHC) that cap the amount allowed up to tuition, room and board. If the total of all of your scholarships (outside, scholarships like NMS for example and PSU scholarships combined) exceed this, the college specific scholarship may be reduced. Its rare, but happens. A few students have more scholarship money than expenses. I know of at least three students who had a college scholarship reduced, one very well. I guess that’s fair to some extent. Why should someone “get paid” to attend.

@luvthej Oh yeah I definetly agree with that, no reason to get scholarships over the COA. I just didn’t know if the Schreyer honors college was just the “top level” academic scholarship. I didn’t know they were separate. I searched for some PSU scholarships and the only ones I found were Provost and SHC scholarship. Am I missing any, especially any business specific ones?

My S got some state grants and about 2500 in scholarships for a commonwealth campus. Asked if there was any more, tried but no avail. Stafford loans options included. The kicker is the honors dorm + board is about 12k a year. S is very excited to be apart of the PSU life!