As an engineer, there are only two Ivy League schools that I would ever consider, and they have non-engineering admissions requirements that would be daunting for many genuinely talented engineering prospects. Plus, as a large school PSU offers many specializations and opportunities that a smaller school, no matter how prestigious, cannot offer. So…</p>
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Perhaps because you like the fish more, or because the levels of mercury in servable fish is less dangerous to you than whatever fat and hormones and other fun stuff is in that steak. Or perhaps just because the cost difference is greater than any gap in health or enjoyability - no well-designed trade study devolves to any single attribute.</p>
<p>For in-state students, Pitt is a great option - and Pitt will still have a football program that is vibrant (note that Pitt will be moving from the Big East to the ACC in 2013). I think that the Penn State situation is likely to cause more in-state students to consider Pitt. Pitt has become increasingly selective in admissions and will probably become more so now.</p>
<p>Some students (particularly from central PA) will likely still prefer the non-urban campus of Penn State to the alternatives like Pitt and Temple.</p>
<p>For out of state students, there are many more choices for large public unis with football programs so I do think that Penn State will have increased competition for OOS students as a result of NCAA sanctions.</p>
<p>Cosmic, a student interested in enginneering who was accepted into any Ivy would likely also have a choice of many excellent non-Ivy engineering schools, some with football, some not.</p>
Quite possibly - I was not disputing that there were not alternatives to PSU, I was disputing the statement that choosing PSU over “Ivy League schools and other top universities” was “moronic” when selection of a school is a very individual choice. I am definitely not trying to say that the average Ivy League admittee has the same enrollment options as the average PSU admittee - as you noted, someone with the GPA, SAT’s, and other qualifications to get into Harvard or Stanford or MIT has a lot of options open to them, and I think that if some of them decide that PSU is their best choice then that is probably a decision that they weighed heavily and considered very carefully, and that calling them names is incredibly unjust.</p>
<p>HAHAHAHAHAHA. Get your facts straight. Time Magazine rated Penn State #1 in Academics for college-athletes. Not #1 for students overall. So unless your kid is a football player, “#1 in academics” means nothing to him. </p>
<p>"Penn States clout in the financial world has been dealt a setback.
Moodys Investors Service last week placed Penn State on review for a possible credit downgrade from Aa1, its second-highest rating while it asserts credit risks emanating from the scandal.
These include potential lawsuits and settlements, weaker student demand, declines in philanthropic support, changes in state relationship, and significant changes in management or governance, Moodys spokesman David Jacobson said in a written statement.
A story in its Nov. 21 Weekly Credit Outlook cites language that leaves little doubt of the state of the Penn State brand at the moment: All the developments highlight the reputational damage and elevated financial risk facing Penn State, the article states.</p>
<p>While employer recruiting may be unaffected, prospective students may still be concerned about the financial impact on the university. There is no guarantee that academic programs or non-revenue producing athletics can be maintained as before given the significant reduction of revenue/fines/lawsuit settlements.</p>
<p>No disrespect to Penn State, but it’s probably a better choice to choose Pitt since the school reputation is so damaged. And I think in comparison to UVA, UNC, Maryland and Rutgers, Penn State has the highest tuition already, which is only going to increase after the football program does not generate much money in the coming years, plus a $60 million fine, plus another $13 million fine from the Big Ten.</p>
<p>My daughter is attending Penn State to get a top rated education - not because of the football program. I don’t believe anyone can dispute Penn State’s academic reputation. There is a reason Wall Street Journal ranked PSU as the number one recruited school in the country. Enough said.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that the people calling Penn State a place of “top rate education” or “stellar academics” are the parents who are sending their kids there. Is it so wrong to admit your kids may have made a questionable decision?</p>
<p>MrBladder - why are you even participating on this forum? Don’t you have neighborhood cats to kick or something? Oh, and NO, my child made the absolutely RIGHT decision.</p>
<p>You can’t turn a blind eye to the facts that when Penn State is compared to the other universities in Pennsylvania, it plays third-fiddle to PENN and Carnegie Mellon. Mr. Bladder is speaking the truth… don’t hate the messanger.</p>
Oh, and NO, my child made the absolutely RIGHT decision.</p>