<p>Penn State’s football first culture covered up a child sex abuse scandal and when Joe Pa was fired their students rioted, flipped news vans, but most students just hit the streets to check out the fun. Happy Valley riots much more often than its peers. The current PSU culture is good? Parents encouraging their kids to apply since it could be easier because of the bad press fits right in with an amoral culture.</p>
<p>I graduated from PSU, albeit quite a while ago. I attended 2 football games in total, and somehow, I still managed to appreciate my time there. Contrary to how ESPN, Fox Sports and the rest of the media has portrayed Penn Staters, we weren’t all “football first”. I didn’t attend the school for football, and many of my fellow Pennsylvanians did not go there for football either. Since it was my state school, it was one of my only choices for financial reasons. We went there because the in-state tuition was reasonable and the academics were very good. I received an excellent education at Penn State, and I have had an successful career as an engineer because of that education. I had dedicated professors who cared about their students. Never once did I discuss football with a professor. I felt no connection to football. Despite this, it was a wonderful place to be. Penn State is an academic institution first; that is its reason for being. And in all the years I and other family members spent there, we never experienced a riot.</p>
<p>I can see choosing not to go to Penn State because of the horrific events. It’s so awful and heartbreaking, and wanting to distance oneself from it is absolutely understandable. I love my alma mater but I am not proud of what happened there. I can understand choosing not to attend Penn State because of concerns about about the financial strength of the school and the eventual effect on tuition. However, people should understand that Penn State is about so much more than football.</p>
<p>It’s mainly because students believe that they have an easier chance of being accepted to PSU. These students probably had PSU as a reach or weren’t really interested in it till they realized how easy it is to get in.</p>
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<p>What does a scandal involving the coaches on the football team (it doesn’t even involve the student-athletes) have to do with the academics? Answer: zilch. </p>
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<p>That’s a very limited world view. There aren’t only two types of students–nerdy types and football fans. I would think the majority of students at a university the size of PSU-UP are neither nerds nor football fanatics. They’re just kids happy to be at a strong academic public school that was rated the favorite school, public or private, by corporate recruiters, according to The Wall Street Journal. Great place to get a degree and get a job afterwards.</p>
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<p>Easy to get in? Where’s the PROOF that leads you to that conclusion?</p>
<p>This video may be of interest to this thread (and relates as well to post 19):</p>
<p>[Video</a> - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com](<a href=“Video News - CNN”>Video News - CNN)
^^Penn State is on a preemptive strike to keep potential students interested in attending the university.</p>
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<p>nerds have a sense of ethics, too.</p>
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<p>uhh PSU’s SAT average is 200 points lower than my school.</p>
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<p>Hi Sally -
I’m one of many parents in my district with academically-oriented seniors who would have applied to Penn State, but who are now taking a pass. I thought I’d give you a parent’s perspective. </p>
<p>Although the university is naturally thinking in terms of public relations, publicity and damage control, we’re trying to look past all that. We’re thinking about the complete university experience that we’ll be purchasing during the next four years for our young adults. As you know, that’s an association that we all carry for life. The problem for Penn State is that the overall package has been greatly damaged, and in ways that we won’t even be able to ascertain for years.</p>
<p>In normal times, we generally like Penn State academics, although for many of us that’s a recent discovery; PSU has chosen to brand itself in terms of football, and it takes some effort to look past that. We parents vary quite a bit in our opinions regarding the PSU culture - for some, the football is a big plus, but for others it’s tolerable, even if a bit over-the-top and cult-like. All in all, we see PSU as a solid school. But normal times are gone, and they won’t be coming back for quite awhile.</p>
<p>Today, we’re all concerned with an actual negative situation that is still unfolding, that will dominate the university experience over the next four years, and will continue to play out beyond that. We’re still in the very early stages. The next year should be very volatile, as new pieces of news come out, and the system thrashes its way towards some new form of equilibrium.</p>
<p>Even if Penn State were to approach this transparently and competently (which they’re not), the situation won’t be going away anytime soon; it’s simply too huge. Even for those who really like Penn State, there’s not even enough runway to feel confident that the leadership understands their problem fully, let alone that they’ll find the right track. </p>
<p>Anyway, this will be a defining aspect of Penn State for decades. As you say, this is “black hole” territory. Many of us without deep ties to the university don’t see the point of picking up this unhealthy baggage. </p>
<p>The financial question also enters into the picture. As you know, Penn State has chosen to price itself as the most expensive state flagship in the nation. It’s fairly easy to find a quality education elsewhere at a much better price, even for in-state students. For good students with choices, it’s hard to see how Penn State will even enter consideration; PSU offers very little in the way of merit dollars, so there are numerous options that deliver a superior education for much less money.</p>
<p>I am a current Penn State student and I can say that while the scandal was terrible. It has absolutely nothing to do with the academics of the school. Furthermore, even the athletics of the school are still at the same level they were six months ago. Many people forget that it wasn’t the football team or even Joe Pa that was the problem, but Sandusky who quit working at Penn State in the late 90’s (I think it’s 1999). Even in the wake of the media’s attention on the scandal, Penn State isn’t any easier to get into, and the enrollment numbers are rising because Penn State is still a great school academically and athletically.</p>
<p>Evita, what Ivy League are you attending that the SAT score average is 200 points higher than this?</p>
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<a href=“http://i42.■■■■■■■.com/295r9zp.png[/IMG]”>http://i42.■■■■■■■.com/295r9zp.png
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<p>I meant the aggregate score, btw.</p>
<p>[College</a> Search - University of Virginia - UVA - SAT®, AP®, CLEP®](<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board)</p>
<p>I’m usually a Jeffersonian and an antielitist but I am afraid I must intervene when those from Penn State ridicule those not of their “calibre”</p>
<p>^^^
IOW, you are only “Jeffersonian and anti-elitist” when your standing as part of “the elite” is threatened ;)</p>
<p>lol, love the stereotypical Jefferson uva interjection… I’m sure TJ was so egalitarian on top of Monticello with his slaves (c.f. notes on the state of virginia)</p>
<p>Anyways…someone who claims caliber superiority solely on ‘averaged’ test scores is not really thinking critically</p>
<p>[Job</a> Recruiters Prefer State Universities Over Ivy League Colleges - WSJ.com](<a href=“Job Recruiters Prefer State Universities Over Ivy League Colleges - WSJ”>Job Recruiters Prefer State Universities Over Ivy League Colleges - WSJ)</p>
<p>Even before this scandal, as a Penn Student myself, I would highly discourage current high school seniors from applying.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this scandal does impact the education and students not just the football program. What occurred is evident of the management of the school and being entangled in this mess for many future years will have debilitating effect on the staff and students. The lawsuits have not yet begun and the story will continue. My son is an OOS student whose two older brothers were born in PA. We have a close affinity for the state and the people. We talked about applying to Penn States engineering program prior but decided against it. Glad we don’t have to have the discussion should he have gotten in at a very exciting time in his life.</p>
<p>“It’s fairly easy to find a quality education elsewhere at a much better price, even for in-state students. For good students with choices, it’s hard to see how Penn State will even enter consideration”</p>
<p>Just wanted to respond to this. Many people who don’t live in Pa. are approaching this as if Penn State is just another choice along with private colleges. But many students go there because it is the best in-state public school for Pa. residents. Yes, there are Pitt and Temple, along with the smaller state schools such as Slippery Rock or West Chester, but Pitt and Temple are city schools, and the smaller ones don’t offer the same range of classes and majors as PSU. Most students DON’T go to PSU for the football; they go there because it’s the best state school in their state. </p>
<p>Despite the horrific events that unfolded, and the presence of the football culture, there are still amazing academics, unique majors often not available at many other schools (e.g., architectural engineering), and a dedicated faculty. One of my kids may end up going there, not because it’s the best school around…just because it has the best to offer for what we can afford.</p>
<p>I applied before the scandal and received my acceptance letter during the Thanksgiving holiday. I didn’t realize how expensive Penn is and I am not impressed with the financial aid package offered.
One scandal does not make or break a school, but a scandal of this nature will not be forgotten any time soon…</p>
<p>Just curious about how one doesn’t realize how expensive a school is before applying. Isn’t that something you would look into before sending in an application?</p>
<p>Maggiedog, you are quite fortunate to have so many quality schools in PA at the state level. Penn State has a very respected engineering program and that was the reason why we considered it. It’s OOS tuition is very high and a factor in our decision knowing the caliber of its students and merit scholarship would need to be awarded but did not feel it would be enough. I agree that practicality is required when investing your dollars, good economy or bad, and I would probably approach it the same as you considering affordability if I were in state. That being said, you have to feel a sense of sadness for your son/daughter if you go there. The black cloud will follow the school and dim the bright light that should be shining on them at this exciting time in their life. Your love and support will be on overdrive! Good luck</p>
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<p>Financial aid can make a very expensive school the best deal in the end. You have to apply to find out. Not all financial aid packages are created equally. For a full-pay family, knowing the cost upfront would be expected.</p>
<p>Daredevil,</p>
<p>Thank you for your compassionate perspective.</p>