<p>So here's the deal I've been accepted to a branch campus at Penn State. I just received my financial aid packages from both AU and PSU. Penn State is offering to cover most of my cost of attendance while AU is only going to cover half. I also received merit aid from PSU. My question is I really want to work in Politics and in Washington, DC to be specific. By going to American University I'll be in the center of it all access to internships, the federal government, everything. While at Penn State-Abington I'm farther away and it'll be harder to network and make connections compared to if I were in DC itself for college.</p>
<p>So what should I do? Take the almost full ride to Penn State or go into a lot of debt by attending AU in Washington. The positives for American are that I will be living in the city in which I want to work in after graduation and have opportunities that I would probably not have if I stay in PA.</p>
<p>While Penn State's positives are that even though I'm starting at a branch campus I can transfer to Main with no problems in a year or two, and I also received a GOOD financial aid package.</p>
<p>The money makes this tough, but Penn State has two major strikes against it: first, you would be spending two years at a branch campus, which has nowhere near the opportunities, educational quality, selection of courses, or even social life that main campus does. Secondly, you want to do politics and you have the option to attend a school in Washington.</p>
<p>If you were talking about main campus vs. American, I would probably say go to PSU and find some good summer internships to make up for being in State College as opposed to Washington. In your situation, however, I would personally go for American.</p>
<p>American is certainly chock-full of politico wannabes, and is situated in an ideal location for this. If money were NOT a significant issue, I would state that AU is certainly a better school for that career. HOWEVER, the vast majority of movers and shakers in US politics have law degrees or other advanced degree. Incurring “a lot of debt” for your undergraduate degree is going to severely constrain your options for going on to graduate or law school in the future.</p>
<p>First of all, I’m not sure how you were accepted to American, but not to University Park, as American was more selective this year, and PSU can accept so many more qualified students. Secondly, psubmb makes a good point, a branch campus is no where near the educational quality as UP, but that shouldn’t deter you. </p>
<p>According to rankings I looked at recently from U.S. News 2009 rankings (the latest available) of political science undergraduate programs. Penn State was ranked much higher than American. Quiettype is right. American is “chock-full of politico wannabes,” a reason you should avoid such a school. You might not stand out in a school like American where everyone and there mother wants to be on Capitol Hill. At Penn State, you will have a GREAT deal of undergrad major diversity, so you may be able to flourish to a greater degree.</p>
<p>I don’t know why I didn’t get main campus either. I’m a transfer student and I have a 3.40 gpa at my current community college. </p>
<p>I’m also an URM - AA male; so your guess is as good as mine. Although I did receive a scholarship from PSU. Maybe if I played for the Basketball or Football team I would’ve had a better chance of getting in at main campus…j/k</p>
<p>so you are a transfer student - Penn State main campus is hard to get in as a transfer student from community college. Since you’ve already done two years at community college (I’m assuming- since that’s a requirement to transfer to main campus) I would definitely go for the change of pace and head to American.</p>
<p>Yes they offer a Bachelor’s in American Studies that’s what they have my major listed as. I may end up at Temple or another state school that I got accepted to (IUP) if I can’t find a way to afford American. I don’t think I wanna go to a PSU branch campus. I am also looking at law school (Georgetown) so I definitely cannot incur a lot of debt at this point in my collegiate education. Thanks to everyone who responded.</p>
<p>Temple is a much better choice for you than either Penn State branch or American U. IUP has a reputation as a party school with mediocre academics.</p>
<p>An update to the original post: The reason I was offered the branch campus was because I’m only a sophomore transfer student with less than the required 60 needed credits to get into University Park. This changes things a little for me in that I would only have to do a year at PSU-Abington and transfer to main for my junior year. </p>
<p>Still though American, Temple, & IUP remain on the table as options. What should I do??? I’m so conflicted.</p>
<p>I agree with Pamom59…Temple is the best choice and cost would be less or about the same. They have solid programs in most any major, and excellent ones in many fields. Good Luck.</p>