I am so overwhelmed with all of the stuff on PSU website. Just want to make sure I have done what I need to. I have sent in deposit. We are almost ready with roommate. Am I supposed to set up meeting with advisor yet for fall semester? I don’t like not knowing what to do and feel so incompetent…
Go to your portal where you checked your status. It should acknowledge receipt of your deposit along with date received. This is important for your rank in the housing queue.
A few paragraphs below that, it should say something about NSO (new student orientation.). Follow that link for info and to complete a brief Educational Planning survey.
Beginning around March 1, you can access the ALEKS assessment. (Not sure if you will be contacted with info to begin assessment or if you can just try to access beginning March 1.)
Once you have completed the needed assessments, you will be sent info about the Orientation at Penn State. This is when you will meet with an advisor. This is also when you schedule your Fall classes. It’s a good idea to become familiar with your course requirements before NSO. You should be able to find this info on the College website, including the Sample/Recommended Academic Plan. I just google rather than navigate the PSU website. “Penn state college of engineering sample academic plan” takes you to a grid for all campuses/majors in CoE.
@cowman thx so much!! I need “PSU for Dummies” handbook. My university was so much smaller (Fairfield U) !!
I agree with @defndr11, @cowman. An excellent cliff notes version to get the process rolling. Thanks.
Just committed! Now I’m looking for a roommate! So hard to find one on Facebook haha
@brucemag. My daughter changed to DUS Fall. We are NJ as well. I hope your son has a great start!
@Nikki1079 My daughter is still looking for a roommate on that facebook group too and she’s said it’s very difficult!
@jlhps…Probably still many kids that have not even started looking for a roommate. We have to wait until my D hears from UConn…so I feel bad holding a spot at PSU…her #2 school, and we cannot start the roommate search! My D is kinda quiet and is not at all into the party scene…so I am kinda worried it will get harder the longer we wait. From what I read on CC Pollack sounds like a good place for a kid that wants a quieter dorm…
I see so many people who have accepted their admission and are ready to pick housing/roommate. But i’m not even ready to accept my admission yet. I really hope it won’t too late by the time i’m ready. This is so stressful!!
@TLD1267 Yes, I think Pollock is a better section of dorms for quieter kids. It has the second most freshman in that area vs. East Halls which is only freshmen. My D doesn’t know which one she wants. On one hand she likes the idea of being with all freshmen, and on the other she likes the location of Pollock.
The reason it’s difficult on the 2019 facebook group to find a roommate is that literally every girl sounds the same. Some variation of “I like Netflix, I like to go out, but my studies are important to me, I want to go to the gym and work out, I’m 100% rushing a sorority and I’m really easy going”. Every…single…one! (With the exception of the few that outrightly say they plan to get drunk every weekend.). My D has been messaging with a dozen or more girls. It’s like internet dating. She’s comfortable with a couple of them but doesn’t want to rush things in asking them to room together too soon.
My D is pretty quiet compared to her friends who are all loud and very outgoing…so she’s kind of used to anything. I’m sure she will go to parties, but she is not a partier, if that makes sense. She’s pretty middle of the road and she’s trying to find a roommate that is also middle of the road. But it’s so hard to figure out who people are via the facebook group. So she’s just been messaging and getting the twitter and instagram info for them so she can see if what they write matches up with what they post!
We are seeing the same thing on the UConn FB page…sorority talk and party talk…totally makes sense…my D will go out but isn’t a partier either and doesn’t even want to consider rushing. She spent 2 weeks at UMAss this summer for a college credit Summer Program. She met a great group of girls and they spent most nights just hanging out eating junk food …playing Cards vs Humanity, watching TV…in the lounge with their RA…they would walk into town for snacks or dinner 1 night…She has been following people as well on FB or Instagram…and you can get a pretty good idea by their pics! I am sure if she ends up at PSU I would prefer she get into Pollack.
Many, many, many kids just accept the random roommate assignment for campus housing. Is there a risk you won’t get along? Yep, but your roommate doesn’t have to be your bestie, just someone you can comfortably share a room with. If it’s a real problem, you can request a transfer. There are opportunities to meet other kids, like activities arranged for the floor by the RA. Parents , don’t worry, the partying isn’t as rampant as you might fear. There are LOTS of students at PSU that work very hard at their studies and enjoy non-alcohol related socializing and activities and most non-drinkers don’t feel they are ostracized. One of the great things about Penn State is that, whatever your style, you can find other people like you - one of the benefits of a large university. BTW, there is not that big a difference between East and Pollock, just that Pollock has more upperclassmen and is closer to downtown. Greater sorority presence there due to proximity to South.