<p>I had to drop some high-ranked schools (UMich + UVa) to come to this decision.</p>
<p>I want a great college experience, but outstanding academics as well. It's a battle between the best environment (OSU) vs the best academics (PSU) in my opinion.</p>
<p>Can anyone offer any advice? I know it'll make people take sides, but I want an honest opinion on this matter.</p>
<p>PSU honors is clearly superior to OSU honors. I don’t know why you dropped UMich since its one of the best for aerospace engineering.</p>
<p>Do you have an AFROTC scholarship?</p>
<p>@XtremePower - UMich just costs way too much, even after financial aid. If money wasn’t an issue, I’d go there in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>@PackMom - No scholarship</p>
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<p>@XtremePower, How so?</p>
<p>*Ohio State’s incoming Honors class for 2013-2014, average ACT 32.5, top upper 1%. TOSU’s overall student body is also more selective than Penn State based on ACT score: <a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theact/a/big-ten-act-scores.htm[/url]”>http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theact/a/big-ten-act-scores.htm</a></p>
<p>As a matter of fact, I don’t think there is a great deal of differences in terms of undergrad engineering (aerospace) education between PSU & tOSU. As a whole however, tOSU is clearly on the rise academically, while Penn State is certainly not.</p>
<p>$20 Million Donation for Space Research</p>
<p><a href=“http://mae.osu.edu/news/2012/08/20-million-donation-space-research[/url]”>http://mae.osu.edu/news/2012/08/20-million-donation-space-research</a></p>
<p>P.S. Ohio State owns and operates its own airport for both commercial and student training purposes. <a href=“http://www.osuairport.org/[/url]”>http://www.osuairport.org/</a></p>
<p>Are you instate for either OSU or PSU? If so, that’s the one I would choose.</p>
<p>Also consider the setting. OSU is in a city. PSU is in the middle of nowhere, although they claim they are their own city.</p>
<p>In fact, Sandusky Scandal or not, Penn State’s total applications has dropped 12.7% while Ohio State has risen 25.6% this year. </p>
<p>[Drop</a> in Penn State applications might not have anything to do with Sandusky scandal | PennLive.com](<a href=“http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/12/penn_state_admission.html]Drop”>Drop in Penn State applications might not have anything to do with Sandusky scandal - pennlive.com)</p>
<p>[Colleges</a> see jump in number of applications | The Columbus Dispatch](<a href=“http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/02/05/colleges-see-jump-in-number-of-applications.html]Colleges”>http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/02/05/colleges-see-jump-in-number-of-applications.html)</p>
<p>Out-of-state applicants top in-state at Ohio State </p>
<p>[Out-of-state</a> applicants top in-state at Ohio State - FOX19.com-Cincinnati News, Weather & Sports](<a href=“http://www.fox19.com/story/21901228/out-of-state-applicants-top-in-state-at-ohio-state]Out-of-state”>http://www.fox19.com/story/21901228/out-of-state-applicants-top-in-state-at-ohio-state)</p>
<p>Bump (10char)</p>
<p>Sparkeye looks like you aren’t aware of the honors college at Penn State. It is one of the best honors college in US similar to Barret at Arizona State. Ohio State’s honors is just based on stats like GPA and SAT whereas for PSU, everything is taken into consideration and there is a different application. Honors college is another college inside the university. You have to write 4 essays and your extra activities are taken into consideration. PSU honors students receive much more perks than Ohio State honors students. </p>
<p>[Why</a> choose the SHC?: Schreyer Honors College](<a href=“http://www.shc.psu.edu/future/whychoose.cfm]Why”>404 Error: Page Not Found - Schreyer Honors College (SHC) at Penn State University)
<a href=“http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/honors/visitapply.aspx[/url]”>http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/honors/visitapply.aspx</a></p>
<p>Note: I am not affiliated with PSU and its honors program in any way.</p>
<p>^^ With all due respect, I am aware of Penn State’s great honors program having been on CC for awhile. Please also read up on tOSU’s honors program if you could besides what I had alluded above, XtremePower.</p>
<p>In short, honors or not, it is my opinion that Penn State is in a hole right now and the impact of Sandusky will linger on for at least a decade both in terms of academics and finance. I for one would certainly not be sending my kid(s) to PSU unless I am in-state after following up on the updates of the scandal. </p>
<p>[Penn</a> State’s Jerry Sandusky scandal costs top $43 million, including NCAA fine payment | PennLive.com](<a href=“http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/04/penn_states_jerry_sandusky_sca.html]Penn”>Penn State's Jerry Sandusky scandal costs top $43 million, including NCAA fine payment - pennlive.com)</p>
<p>[Sandusky</a> Victim Count Could be as High as 30 - Onward State](<a href=“http://onwardstate.com/2013/02/12/penn-state-weighing-sandusky-settlement-offers/]Sandusky”>Sandusky Victim Count Could be as High as 30 | Onward State)</p>
<p>Furthermore, the Feds / Department of Education might be pulling additional educational aid(s) and research funding(s) away from Penn State as it had certainly violated the Clery Act on top of fines. </p>
<p>[US</a> judge: Insurer not obliged to cover Sandusky - College Football - Rivals.com](<a href=“http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-pennstate-abuse]US”>http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-pennstate-abuse)</p>
<p>Above all, nope, the insurance companies won’t pay for the damage. I sure hope that the students won’t have to either. IMHO,there is a little chance that the students won’t be affected by the impact of hundreds of millions of dollars that the school is expected to pay up down the road.</p>
<p>“UMich just costs way too much, even after financial aid. If money wasn’t an issue, I’d go there in a heartbeat.”</p>
<p>Good answer! ;-)</p>