Summer does not count in their statistics that they have to provide to college data collection agencies. Therefore, they can let kids in with lower statistics without affecting their ranking.
If that’s true then they are being disingenuous in how they represent their stats.
son received his acceptance packet in the mail today!!
@Fe2021 @julierob Actually, that’s not true. On the Common Data set, which is where admissions ranking come from, PSU lists their data as including the summer cohort.
“First-time, first-year (freshman) students: Provide the number of degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled (full- or part-time) in Fall 2016. Include early decision, early action, and students who began studies during summer in this cohort.”
http://budget.psu.edu/CDSRedesign/cds.aspx?reportindicator=FreshAdmn&Location=UP&AY=20162017
Also, on their main admission page, they clearly state that the admission statistics are for both fall and summer:
http://admissions.psu.edu/apply/statistics/
To answer your question @Fe2021 The idea is to allow those with borderline stats a little bit of a buffer and a chance to acclimate into the college before beginning the rigorous fall semester. The LEAP program includes many options for learning study skills, smaller class sizes to get used to college classes, the ability to learn with the same group of people so that you can begin the process of learning to socialize in college, etc…There are many benefits to LEAP. My daughter felt it very well prepared her for the fall semester and she had a couple of months to acclimate for which she was grateful for. It is an extra cost and only each family can decide if that cost is worth it to them. For us, it was.
@jlhpsu thanks for the insight
All schools do it. For example, USC and Miami allows in tons of spring admits.
@julierob spring is a different story it implies there was no room in the fall and they are expecting spaces to open with students not returning after the fall semester. That is not the same case with Penn State who makes someone start in the summer when there is an available slot for them in the fall
@julierob that may be true, but the common data set that EVERY University uses to report enrollment etc is uniform. They are to include the fall and summer admits. Across the board at every school. So even if USC and Miami do spring admits, that data is not in the Common Data Set that creates the admission rankings.
The reason for summer admits have nothing to do with rankings or admission stats. It could be argued that it has everything to do with money, and that argument has been made many times. But like with everything, something is worth what you are willing to pay for it. I’d never pay 60k + for a private school or even PSU out of state. But PLENTY do. I was willing to pay an extra 8k for my daughter to start at UP in the summer. My son isn’t interested in starting at UP so we are going a less expensive route and starting at Altoona next year.
Summer can also be offered to kids who may benefit, not necessarily academically*, but socially - ie., from OOS, from small high schools… The Summer session offers an opportunity to make friends quickly because you have class with them every single day, and you’re all discovering life on campus together. It helps with the adjustement, not just to college, but to a campus that you need a bus to cross, where you need 15 mn between classes to get from one building to the other, where at some times there are literally 10,000 students sharing sidewalks with you. In the summer, you get to adjust to the size, without the crowds.
- the classes are as academically demanding as regular semester classes and they're twice faster-paced, they are not easier" or "lite". However, there's not 100's of students in them making it easier to participate and talk to the instructor, AND they're not weed-out (weedout classes are classes where a given percentage of students will not receive the grade necessary to continue in the major, on purpose, no matter how hard everyone tries.) Also, you're only taking two of them which helps in balancing everything, but the atmosphere is more relaxed because, after all, it's summer! For these reasons, summer is excellent for kids who plan on being premed or prelaw, because they "frontload" their GPA with good grades, assuming they're good students and do the work seriously. For example, premeds who can take Math 140 and/or Bio 110 or Chem 110 in the summer have a serious headstart, for example.
Comment on summer session - the consensus here that summer session kids might have borderline stats isn’t necessarily the case. My son was accepted to Summer 2016 because he indicated on his app that he would be willing to start during the summer. BUT, he was accepted into Smeal UP as an undecided Business Major. If Smeal (from reading posts above) is the hardest college to get into with only 11% accepted last year, that would contradict the idea that summer admits have lower stats. He really appreciates now that he did summer as it was a great opportunity to start off with a good grades. Still cannot figure out the rhyme or reason behind many decisions.
Hey guys,
I got Accepted!!!
My letter was dated a week ago, but I checked it today.
Program: Material Science and Engineering (University Park)
ACT: 30
SAT II: Math 2 800 and Chemistry 710
IB Predictive: 39/45
Recommendation: It looks like they were good.
Essay: Attempted one, activities.
Decision: still waiting for more colleges.
Congratulation to all who got in!!
@onedown I think it’s borderline for the college they applied to. My son would not have been borderline for DUS, 4.0 uw gpa and 1290 (math,reading on SAT) but he was borderline for Smeal. @myo1634 love your insights. My son said summer was not easier but because fewer kids in his class he had a lot of help when needed from professors. Ended up with a 3.9 gpa which gave him a great start to his gpa requirements for Smeal. He and I, really recommend summer session.
Don’t think you can miss days. My son was accepted summer. Thought briefly about asking for Fall, but in long run it’s a wonderful ADVANTAGE. Know many to do summer and everyone loves it. Have 2 daughters that went Fall. They have a friend who was accepted summer and asked to go fall for work reasons. They approved, but looking back he would have kept summer.
Wouldn’t say no problem…each major has a certain gap a student must have to declare…that gap changes every year depending on demand. She needs to work for it!
From experience the best major to switch TO SMEAL is from DUS. Those advisers know what needs to be done…other major advisors know “their” major and not necessarily others…I would strongly consider DUS. waste less time with DUS as far as classes go.
A friend’s son went 2 years Berk’s. Went 3rd at UP and heading back to Berk’s for his final year.
@jlhpsu Thanks. I was surprised because the GPA range is only for the middle 50%, so I thought he’d make it. He’s totally happy about it, and I’m actually very happy too. It will be a great experience for him.
Nothing. Argggghhhhh
@PSUMamasita well, it looks like it will be monday at midnight
Status update Accepted DUS Fall UP! 48 hour decision turn around. Thank you everyone for all your insight and advise.