<p>I did check summer program, but I don't really know what it is.
Enroll early? 6 weeks early ? what ahppen when other students come in later (fall)? What's different for second year?</p>
<p>You go for a six-week term during the summer. The major advantages: you can get six credits under your belt quickly, and you get accustomed to the campus when it’s not as crowded as it is in fall. Also, if you do LEAP, the same small group of students will be in both of your classes, which makes it a little easier to make friends. </p>
<p>As far as the fall, you just proceed as normal. You move into your new dorm along with everyone else, and take a normal class load. However, you are several credits ahead of most other freshmen, which means you’ll be able to register for your spring courses a few days early.</p>
<p>momwriter: Then why PSU said if choose summer program, will get more chance to get in? Seems no difference after fall?</p>
<p>If your stats aren’t good enough to make the cutoff for fall admission, you will then be considered for summer (if you checked summer). Otherwise, if you don’t check summer and don’t make the cut for fall, you will be offered a branch campus and will have to wait two years to go to U Park. So it kind of gives you an extra shot at getting into U Park as a freshman. Many people think it’s well worth giving up six weeks in the summer if it means you can get into U Park as opposed to a branch campus.</p>
<p>momwriter: so start college life 6 weeks early is just to make you stronger to compete with other students come in fall?</p>
<p>Well, I guess its to give you a leg up and help you to ease into it. According to my parents though, part of it is just a moneymaker for PSU :-). They are open year round anyway, so why not entice some more kids to attend summer to cover some of their costs. I’m OOS and it costs over $8000 for 6 credits, with the room and board. It doesn’t really give you enough to graduate a semester early, so it is really just added cost for my degree.</p>
<p>Summer is good though; I’m glad I did it. Most people seem to really like it. and you get to feel a little ‘smug’ in the fall when all the new freshman come.</p>
<p>Just fisrt year ? When will it start? July ?</p>
<p>Read this.</p>
<p>[LEAP:</a> Learning Edge Academic Program, University Park](<a href=“http://www.leap.psu.edu/]LEAP:”>http://www.leap.psu.edu/)</p>
<p>Dear tonyecc,
My son did the LEAP program this year. I believe he had to be at school by June 27. His classes started two days later. Although he really hated the idea of starting college 3 days after his high school graduation and giving up his whole summer- you only have 1 week in between when the LEAP program ends and fall starts-he is glad he did it. For one thing it got him onto the school and campus he wanted. He also made some great friends because you are together with the same people for six weeks. Also you get to get six credits. Putting down summer does give you a little bit of an edge. I wish you good luck.</p>
<p>LTMREM:
My son HS graduation day will be June 26,2010. Giving up his summer is difficult choice for him. But I believe it should be better for him. BTW, summer program was your son’s first choice?</p>
<p>Arrival date for summer 10 is June 27, classes start June 30. I don’t think most people WANT to give up their summer, but are willing to to attend UPark.</p>
<p>Dear tonyecc,
No- doing the summer program was not his first choice. As a matter of fact when he first heard from Penn State they told him that he was being offered a branch campus. He called the school and asked to speak to an admissions person. He explained his passion and desire to go to PSU. The admission person pulled his application and said he would look it over. He said that with a lot of application it was in that 50% ballpark back and forth between being accepted to UP and being offered a branch campus. That is when they offered him the summer and it was a very hard choice for him_ but he even agrees now that it was for the best</p>
<p>LTMREM:
My son will meet the similar situation like your son. His stats is on the edge and he also desire to go to PSU UP. That’s why he checked the summer program. I just want to know more about “when he first heard from Penn State they told him that he was being offered a branch campus”, how did he know? PSU called him? Sent email? Or show in application status? How about “He said that with a lot of application it was in that 50% ballpark back and forth between being accepted to UP and being offered a branch campus.”, PSU will discuss with applicants regrading campus selection?</p>
<p>tonyecc: my son found out first by the change in his application status which was followed by a letter in the mail. He didn’t hear until january. The person that he spoke to said that because of the large amounts of applicants-some students who might have been accepted in prior years were now being offered a branch campus- which is what happened to my son. He said that anyone can have their application looked at again and reviewed but that there is never a guarantee that you will be offered admission. It really seems like such a random thing. My son was quite surprsed when they offered him the summer. All I can think of is that different people who look at these applications can make different decisions at different times. In any case if your son really wants PSU-have him put that he will do the LEAP program and hope for the best- i wish him good luck and even if for some reason they just offer him a branch campus-have him call the admissions office and really explain why PSU is where he really wants to be. It can’t hurt and in my sons case he did get in. Once again good luck</p>
<p>LTMREM:
Thanks a lot. Two quick quick questions: did your son chose other campus in his application? did he check the summer program in the application?</p>
<p>tonyecc : He did not put down summer or a branch campus</p>
<p>You have to indicate a second choice on this year’s application.</p>
<p>My son let the second choice blank on his application. But check the summer program.</p>
<p>It wouldn’t accept my application if I didn’t indicate a second choice.</p>
<p>Actually, at first I thought you had to put in a second choice, but then if you didn’t, and pressed continue two times, it bypassed that and left the second choice blank. The summer question was separate.</p>