Out-of-State? Stay Far Away from PSU!

Colleges & Universities A-Z Penn State
1

<p>As a current senior at PSU-UP, I feel obligated to warn prospective students, stay away from PSU. If you're in-state, I understand that going to school here makes sense, so this isn't directed at you so much as it as at out-of-state students.</p>

<p>I'm going to run through a brief list of reasons why you should go anywhere else besides PSU.</p>

<p>SOCIAL LIFE/PARTY SCENE
1. In-state students will come to school with approximately 70% of their high school social group. They will stick to that group and will not attempt to expand their social circle or welcome outsiders into the group. I did a summer semester immediately following HS graduation, and I thought that I made some really close friends during that time. But as soon as Fall semester started and all of their hometown friends joined them here, it was like I was an afterthought; a hanger-on. </p>

<p>Their hometown friends just considered me "Matt and Steve's friend", and several of them seemed to want nothing to do with me even though I'd never struggled to make friends in the past. </p>

<ol>
<li>The party scene is really quite terrible, despite what you'd think. All of the downtown bars are INCREDIBLY strict when it comes to IDs, so don't expect to be able to get into any bars until your Junior or Senior year. If you try to use a fake, they don't just turn you away, they detain you and call the police.</li>
</ol>

<p>The frat parties are downright repulsive. When I first got to PSU I thought frat parties were cool because I'd never been to a party with so many people, but after the first 10 frat parties you go to, you will realize that they really suck. </p>

<ol>
<li>Xenophobia, homophobia and racism run rampant here. The 2008 election really brought it out to the fullest. I can't believe how many acquaintances at the time I heard saying things like "no way am I voting for that n****<em>". This past year, at least one of the PSU fraternities celebrated Martin Luther King day by holding an all-day malt liquor, fried chicken and watermelon party. I have known NUMEROUS people here at PSU who refer to homosexuals EXCLUSIVELY as "f</em>gs"</li>
</ol>

<p>(I'm white and straight btw, so I'm more disgusted than offended)</p>

<ol>
<li>You know those "Drug Free Zones" around K-12 schools that make it so there are extremely heavy penalties even for simple possession? Well, some ingenious lawmaker in PA decided that those zones shouldn't just be for K-12 schools, but for colleges and universities as well. So if you get caught on campus with a joint, you may be looking at felony charges. </li>
</ol>

<p>CLASSES
1. Probably about 1/3 of the classes that you take at PSU will be taught by a graduate student rather than an actual professor. In many cases these grad students are not native English speakers and have difficulty communicating effectively with the students.</p>

<ol>
<li>The actual professors are often not any better. Some of them are clearly just here to do their research and they only teach because they have to. They have no teaching knowledge, and therefore cannot effectively communicate the subject matter to students despite their degree of expertise.</li>
</ol>

<p>I'll continue the list tomorrow...</p>

2

<p>I don’t know where you have been going to school but this does not really describe Penn State at all.</p>

3

<p>Do you really think your list of “complaints” is any different at any other large state university? Or for that matter, any different than many private schools?</p>

<p>Social life/Party Scene -

  1. This is true at any large in-state school. Do you think it’s much different at UT-Austin, UNC, LSU, VaTech, Tennessee, Auburn, Purdue, Clemson, etc?<br>
  2. Not everyone cares about partying. And the downtown bars SHOULD be strict about IDs. It’s their business on the line. As for frats - some people love them, some don’t. No one is forcing you to join or go to a party. It’s a choice.
  3. You’re going to run into ignorant people all throughout life. They live/go to school/work everywhere. Get used to it.
  4. Whether you agree or not, drugs are illegal. Period.</p>

<p>Classes -

  1. Common place at most large universities. As a grad student, my DH taught the intro geology classes at Duke. And this is more common with the lower level/introductory classes, not with the upper level/major specific classes.
  2. Again, very common. They need the research (and publications) to keep their jobs and advance. And having a PhD does not mean someone knows how to teach. Some can - and do it brilliantly (treasure those folks!). And some are just plain awful. So, you can sit and complain about it OR you can figure out how to make the situation work - because you are likely to have bosses in the future with the same problem (some can lead, some can’t).</p>

<p>Now, just a piece of advice - you might want to rethink things a little before “continuing” your list. So far, you’ve listed nothing that is unique or different about PSU. And if I were a graduate school adcom person or a prospective employer - I would not be impressed with with your “list” or your attitude.</p>

<p>Adding - my son is a freshman at PSU (OOS). He loves it. He showed up on campus not knowing a soul, but now has tons of friends. He doesn’t like to party, never joined a frat, but is involved, happy, doing well, and has no doubt that PSU was the right choice for him.</p>

4

<p>Wow, you joined CC just to trash PSU?</p>

5

<p>^^^
That’s what I was thinking, sax! 6 posts and all trashing PSU. Not very impressive.</p>

6

<p>PSU named the number 1 party school in the country last year, still remain the number tailgating experience in the country, but yes the party scene must be “quite terrible.”</p>

<p>My brother went to PSU oos knowing NOBODY…he came out with friends he will have for life, many from Pennsylvania</p>

<p>As Grcxx covered, the educational difficulties are found at any large public school and you just have to deal with them…there are still manyyy good teachers at Penn State.</p>

<p>Im sorry you had a crappy 4 years at psu because everyone I know that went there cant stand the fact that they graduated and can never go back to being a student there.</p>

7

<p>I’ve only heard amazing stories from OOS Penn Staters. I met some at a OOS reception, and they all LOVED PSU. No bad experiences.
They also didn’t complain at all about huge classes/teachers assisstants.</p>

8

<p>I’m sorry you have had such a miserable time. When you look around and see thousands of students enjoying their college experience do you ever wonder if maybe it’s you, not the school? The majority of the students from my son’s high school attend Penn State. In his four years at PSU he has never lived with one of his old high school friends; he got out and made new ones. He has friends from classes and clubs, dated girls from his dorm and college. However, with your attitude, perhaps that would be difficult for you.</p>

9

<p>This is just pure blasphemy. Please no one take this seriously.</p>

10

<p><<please no=“” one=“” take=“” this=“” seriously.=“”>></please></p>

<p>No worries! As 1moremom commented, I believe it is quite clear that the problems are with the poster, not PSU.</p>

11

<p>@grcxx3</p>

<ol>
<li>No, I don’t think that that particular issue would be different at other large state schools, but I thought that it was something that some incoming freshmen might not expect and should be warned about. I, for example, assumed before coming here that in college people would be looking to expand outside of their high school bubble. I wish someone had told me at the time that the majority of in-state student are perfectly content to stick with the people from their high school.</li>
</ol>

<p>2.The reason I mention the strictness of the bars with fake IDs is that I believe many prospective students don’t realize that the entire bar scene of State College will be inaccessible to them for at least their first 2yrs of school. The first week of Fall semester freshman year, at least 4 people just on my floor of the dorm got arrested for trying to get into a bar with their fake IDs. Therefore I feel that this is something incoming freshmen should be aware of.</p>

<ol>
<li>Of course there are ignorant people everywhere. Just saying that most people don’t realize that the geography of Pennsylvania is this:</li>
</ol>

<p>Pittsburgh in the East, Philadelphia in the West, and in-between you have the state of Alabama.</p>

<p>It’s not just the horrible things that I’ve heard people say, it’s the fact that they say those things casually when there are lots of people around like they don’t even realize that it’s wrong because apparently when you grow-up in central PA, nobody ever tells you that it’s wrong to give voice to your racist thoughts.</p>

<p>3.Of course drugs are illegal, but well over 50% of American college students have at least tried marijuana and more pragmatic universities deal with it accordingly. For example, at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, the school simply issues a small fine for simple possession on campus and does not contact the police. At Ithaca College in New York, possession on campus will get you a written warning the first 2 times that it happens (if you manage to get caught 3x, you deserve what you get). At PSU…felony charges. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Again, I know that this is an issue at many large universities, but it’s something that they don’t tell you about during the tours and it’s a very frustrating experience.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m aware that many schools have professors who are just there for the research and not to really teach, but it is unbelievably frustrating to be taking a subject that you are really interested in and want to learn more about and to have a professor who is clearly just going through the motions.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>BTW, my parents thought I loved it at PSU because I couldn’t admit what a huge mistake I’d made and didn’t want them to feel that their money was being wasted. Not saying by any means that that’s the case with your son. I’m just saying that my parents could have written that same posting 4 years ago.</p>

12

<p>Yep. Just wanted to tell incoming freshmen the things that I wish someone had told me</p>

13

<p>@bww155</p>

<p>Rankings don’t mean a thing. Especially when they’re based on online polls. </p>

<p>Tailgating here is a great experience, I won’t argue that. </p>

<p>Have you ever been to a Penn State party. I have. Lots of them. I’ve also been to plenty of parties at schools where I’ve visited friends and while studying abroad I partied my face off.</p>

<p>Based on those experiences I’d say that AT BEST the party scene at PSU is “hugely overrated” and at worst it is “horrible and repetitive”.</p>

14

<p>@Jme462</p>

<p>The out of state students that you met were at and out-of-state PSU reception, correct?</p>

<p>There are a great many out-of-state students who do not like it here, but they’re not going to be the ones who are at PSU receptions to greet incoming students, are they?</p>

<p>That’s like saying, “I met a lot of young people at the Republican National Convention and all of them strongly disliked Obama’s policies, therefore most young people dislike Obama’s policies.”</p>

<p>In that sample group you’re referring to, it is totally unsurprising that you only hear about positive experiences.</p>

15

<p>My question would be: if you “H8” Penn State, why are you still here? Man up and transfer. And if you actually want to tell prospective students what it’s like here (for you), then title the thread something other than something that makes you look like a huge ■■■■■. No one is going to take your sweeping generalizations seriously.</p>

16

<p>I am not sure about this all. I am an international and I will apply to Penn-U Park as a Early Decision applicant. I think that is a very good choice.</p>

17

<p>If you cant’ have fun in Happy Valley…you can’t have fun.</p>

<p>From an OOS alum (NJ) married to OOS alum (NY), with MANY OOS and IS alum friends that we have stayed in contact with for over 25 years!!!</p>

<p>I think the reason no one wants to hang out with you is because you are a complete jerk.</p>

18

<p>@1moremom</p>

<p>also @grcxx3 since you agreed</p>

<p>Yes actually, at one point I did think that the problem was with me and not with PSU. </p>

<p>In high school I was a 4-year varsity athlete, captain of my school’s ice hockey team and president of my class. One of the reasons that I chose PSU was that I had a reputation as a heavy partier in high school and I was drawn to PSU’s rep as an awesome party school. Also, to that point in my life I had always made friends very easily, so I didn’t think twice about going to a school where I knew nobody. </p>

<p>But by my junior year, I was so miserable here that I thought that it was ME. I felt like a complete loser and figured that I would have been unhappy no matter where I’d gone to school. I saw all of the people who were enjoying college and wondered what was wrong with me that I hated it here while other people seemed to be having a great time.</p>

<p>Then I studied abroad and met a ton of amazing people and developed some incredible friendships. It was during my time abroad that I realized that outside of PSU I had no trouble making new friends and being happy. I also remembered what it was like to actually have a pretty girl throw herself at you (something that used to happen in high school but never did at PSU).</p>

<p>Since coming back to the U.S., I have visited many of my friends from abroad at their home universities and found the same thing. I have no trouble making friends, attracting girls and being happy in other environments.</p>

<p>Hence the bitterness. I was so beaten-down by my time at PSU that I had convinced myself that I was a complete loser who would’ve been unhappy anywhere. When I realized that it really was THIS PLACE and that I could have been very happy in a different environment, I came to hate this place for ever making me feel that way.</p>

19

<p>@Duke26</p>

<p>Why don’t I man up and transfer??</p>

<p>Funny that you should ask. I first contemplated transferring at the end of my Sophomore year, but I realized how many credits I would lose, and that this would mean that I wouldn’t be able to study abroad because of the need to catch-up on credits. So I figured, “it’s just 4 more semesters and I’ll be abroad for one of those.”</p>

<p>Read my post in response to 1moremom to hear about my abroad experience and how that influenced my outlook on PSU.</p>

<p>After returning from abroad, I ACTUALLY DID WITHDRAW FROM PSU.</p>

<p>I tried to transfer despite being a senior who needed less than 30 credits more to graduate. It was only after discovering how many credits I would lose that I realized that I had NO CHOICE but to return to PSU.</p>

20

<p>IH8PSU - It sounds like you were incredibly unprepared for the realities of college, have no respect for the law, are too interested in partying, and are incredibly rude, arrogant, and judgmental. Frankly, you remind me of my step-brother.</p>

<p>Most disturbing is the amount of your parent’s money that you have wasted because you were too immature to talk to them about the problems YOU (emphasis on you) were having at Penn State. It obviously was not a good fit for you, but you didn’t have the maturity, integrity, or strength to own up to the fact that you made a mistake. So, instead, you have to trash the school. </p>

<p>And now you say that you made the decision to go to PSU because of it’s “party reputation.” If that’s not a recipe for disaster, I don’t know what is. geez…</p>