Penn State Class of 2027 Official Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z Penn State
1401

Are you talking about Penn or Penn State in your posts? Penn does not offer any merit awards.

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1402

She would be non-stem. Thanks for checking!

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1403

Has anyone been informed yet on a decision after a reconsideration?

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1404

The title of the thread is Penn State and what college i was referring to.

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1405

@Mashinations “Penn” refers to University of Pennsylvania, which is an Ivy in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania State University, main campus located in State College, PA is called Penn State. It’s a common error. :slight_smile:

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1406

Not sure about Penn, but Penn State isn’t big on merit awards.

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1407

Has the school confirmed that they will be test optional? The last I heard it was only through this application year and they would decide “soon” about next year.

1408

We haven’t heard yet

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1409

Pick the major based on GPA + High School Course Strength + SAT. But in general, 1310 is within the range for many courses in Penn State UP. I have seen students with 1300 range get admitted.

You can always retake SAT to boost the Score. Consider retaking the SAT exam with additional training. BTW: Penn does not super score.

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1410

Due to “Test Optional”, colleges are seeing more applications. They are able to boost their acceptance rate. They are seeing an increase in international and OOS applications. I won’t surprise if Penn State goes test optional next year.

I wish they go either test blind or test required. Test optional does not provide transparency, creates confusion, and allows some people to play the system.

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1411

We are still waiting - sent email 4-5 weeks ago so hoping soon to hear something

1412

Still waiting for reconsideration here too. Sent email 6 weeks ago. I think I’ve only seen 1 person post they heard about reconsideration. Hopefully we all here soon!

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1413

@simple0920 @Lsmollin3 I just realized what I had seen didn’t look at the admissions of SAT scores. It compared test optional (TO) students against students who submitted a test score and how they did freshman year. So it was done fairly recently using 2021 admissions cycle data and freshman performance.

It states in January 2023 they would announce test requirements for 2024 and beyond.

It also has further recommendations:

  • extend TO for 2024 and 2025 admissions
  • develop new models for TO admissions students to predict performance.
    (ie. increase predictive power of their evaluation index)
  • continue TO analysis as new data becomes available.

For 2021 admission cycle:

  • 62% of applicants applied TO

  • 60% of admitted applied TO

  • 61% of enrolled applied TO

  • notable TO application differences observed across colleges, campuses, ethnicity and parent education

  • they broke analysis into non-science and science majors. Science majors include Engineering, Science, IST, and EMS)

  • science (I believe this is admitted students) was 51.3% / 48.7% (with/TO)

  • non- science were 32.4% / 67.6% (with/TO)

The analysis then looked at first-year GPA 
 as freshmen at Penn State.

In general (and this is me trying to summarize a lot of data):

  • TO HS GPA (incoming) - was about .15 lower than with test applicants
  • freshman GPA at Penn State - was about .15 lower for TO than with test applicants.

=> freshman GPA for TO vs. with test was about .3 lower (this is a big quick eyeball summary of much data).

observations:

  • applicants with highest test scores and GPAs chose to have tests used in admissions
  • as a result, those students (with test) performed better in first year
  • upcoming Supreme Court rulings will likely change best and permissable practices.

my takeaway? (my opinion only and trying to get into the minds of Admissions is notoriously difficult)
Admissions will be reviewing those who are TO closer and with a more critical eye - with a consideration for their major. So, if you apply Engineering, and many applicants apply with test, it you are “in the middle” , it might be worth it to submit your test score than apply TO.

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1414

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a decision if you applied by December 1st? I know it’s rolling, but what’s the longest it will take?

1415

@fingerscrossed83 If your application was complete by December 1st (and that includes SRAR and test scores received), you should hear by January 31st.

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1416

We are still waiting as well. We made our reconsideration request on 12/17.

1417

Hi- does anyone know when you would find out of you get an interview for millenium scholars?

1418

thank you!

1419

good luck!

1420

Good luck to you too :)!

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