<p>Hi, I am trying to decide between RIT and Penn state university park for engineering. I visited both schools and i liked them both. I feel that at RIT the students play a lot of video games and did not seem as social as the students from Penn State. At penn state i feel that the 200-700 people lectures would make it hard to learn. Can someone please discuss these issues as well as reputation, job placement, and alumni presence. Thank You</p>
<p>I am not even gonna provide facts to compare these two since its a pretty clear choice. Penn State is better for every factors you listed and it is better overall. The one advantage of RIT is that people tend to get it confused with RPI(a highly regarded engineering school).</p>
<p>Can’t comment much on RIT. But even though some classes are large, not all are large. I was worried about the large lectures as well when I first started but I feet that some classes worked really well as large lectures and, the courses that would benefit from smaller class sizes generally were smaller or had a recitation, which was smaller. I wouldn’t let the class sizes deter you. </p>
<p>Penn State has a pretty good reputation although the recent scandal has taken it down a few notches. It also has a very large alumni network and our engineering department does an excellent job of finding internship/employment for students. Although, I do believe RIT has a good reputation as well. At two of my internships I met a whole lot of RIT students. At both companies they hired far more RIT students than PSU for what its worth.</p>
<p>The scandal didn’t change how professors teach engineering. It didn’t change the course offerings. It didn’t change anything academic. </p>
<p>Any major where PSU had a good rep a few years ago, it still would now. Do you really think employers are going to think the quality of the program suddenly dropped?</p>
<p>@SansSerif you’re kidding me right? After the scandal many donors withdrew their money from the university, I literally had to fight with the financial aid office just to get my scholarship money that I was awarded the year before because of it. In addition to that I even heard from faculty members that some companies withdrew their support to hire interns at the university because of the scandal. Clearly it hasn’t affected you directly but it MOST certainly affected the university.</p>
<p>yupper, I have to disagree with some of your statements.</p>
<p>1) “donors withdrew their money”
=> THON raised $12,374,034.46 in 2013 vs. $10,686,924.83 in 2012 – pretty impressive increase. Remember, this is entirely student-run.</p>
<p>=> During the past fiscal year (2011-2012, note 2012-2013 is still in progress), the University received $208.7 million in support from alumni and friends, the second highest gift total in its history. Donors did set all-time records with 191,712 supporters providing 323,271 gifts. </p>
<p>While Penn State did report $223.7 million in total commitments (in 2010-2011), a 37 percent decline, a drop was expected due to an $88 million commitment provided last year, the largest single pledge in its history, to establish the Pegula Ice Arena and an NCAA Division I ice hockey program. </p>
<p>source: [Giving</a> to Penn State - Penn State Announces Fiscal Year Fundraising Results](<a href=“http://giveto.psu.edu/s/1218/base-template.aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=3657&ecid=3657&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=752]Giving”>http://giveto.psu.edu/s/1218/base-template.aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=3657&ecid=3657&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=752)</p>
<p>2) “companies withdrew their support”</p>
<p>=> Employer attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days
With more employers in attendance this year than last many making the University a regular stop for recruiting future personnel Penn States Spring Career Days 2013 offers graduates careers and students internships and summer jobs.</p>
<p>source: [Employer</a> attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days | Penn State University](<a href=“Page Not Found | Penn State.”>Employer attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days | Penn State University)</p>
<p>You may have had to fight financial aid, but that may be for entirely different reasons, but your simplistic ones above aren’t proven by the facts.</p>
<p>The misinformation on this site is at times amazing.
What is the source of your information about donors withholding money or asking for returns? In fact, there was an uptick right after the scandal. A “call to arms” from those who support the university.
Some expressed in the media that they were putting a brief “hold” on new donations until things settled out. But even those, from the reports I read, are not backing away from existing pledges. It’s hard to judge the effect right now. Seems that those who expressed concerns about new pledges are people who tend to donate to the football/athletic programs. People like the Huck’s, Schreyers, and yes, the Paternos, who support academic programs are standing firm and are doing so vocally. </p>
<p>Financial based aid is affected hardly at all by donor choices. The vast majority give to specific items like buildings or NAMED, prestigious scholarships, not FA (unfortunately). Any reduction in FA is more tied to the huge cut PSU took in that budget year. That was the year the Gov wanted to cut higher education 30%. I think it turned out to be less (about 10%), but tuition only went up 3%. </p>
<p>Worth reposting. Attendance at career fair increases. Yeah, I guess companies are staying away from PSU! </p>
<p>Employer attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days
With more employers in attendance this year than last — many making the University a regular stop for recruiting future personnel — Penn State’s Spring Career Days 2013 offers graduates careers and students internships and summer jobs.</p>
<p>[Employer</a> attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days | Penn State University](<a href=“Page Not Found | Penn State.”>Employer attendance up for 2013 Spring Career Days | Penn State University)</p>
<p>Contrary to what XtremePower believes, RIT is a well respected school for engineering and you could do well with a degree from either place. The cultures of the schools are different. There is a higher percentage of techie kids and fewer clubs and other social activities at RIT. There are twice as many male undergrads as female (which could explain why the students are spending a lot of time gaming). While there are some very large classes at PSU they are typically for introductory classes or those that satisfy gen ed requirements. Once you get into the upper level courses the classes will be smaller.</p>
<p>One caveat-- Half of the majors in Penn State’s College of Engineering have enrollment caps which means there are minimum GPAs to be guaranteed admittance. If you are a strong student or are interested in one of the other departments that shouldn’t be an issue. Typically most of the students get into the program they desire.</p>
<p>
Nobody said RIT is not well respected…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Reputation and alumni presence= Penn State. Job Placement=tie. So, PSU wins, must be a surprise</p>
<p>@SansSerif - First THON has NOTHING to do with donations to the university, supporting THON is an entirely different situation altogether. To even lump them together is completely ignorant. </p>
<p>The spring career fair attendance does not disprove what I said at all. You are comparing the attendance to the previous year which was the year when the scandal broke. It does not disprove the fact that employers did back away from the university after the scandal broke, it does not prove nor does disprove whether or not the companies HIRED many PSU students. Quite frankly your argument holds no value in the discussion because if you take the time to read my original post I never said that there were not employers still looking for PSU students. I even said that the engineering dept. does an “EXCELLENT” job at finding jobs for students despite the scandal. </p>
<p>@luvthej - I received a scholarship! My scholarship was not awarded by FA it was awarded via merit. So it had nothing to do with budget cuts!</p>
<p>Honestly I can’t even believe i’m arguing with anyone as to whether PSU took a hit as a result of the scandal you would have to live under a rock to not recognize this fact. I never said that the scandal destroyed the entire university but it certainly did affect them. I don’t care how much you LOVE the university you can’t deny that the scandal had negative consequences on their reputation.</p>
<p>I’m done with arguing this point I generally try to avoid even having conversations like this with people associated with the university because for some reason you people get so defensive its ridiculous. The PSU Cult mentality.</p>
<p><<my scholarship="" was="" not="" awarded="" by="" fa="" it="" via="" merit.="" so="" had="" nothing="" to="" do="" with="" budget="" cuts!="">> </my></p>
<p>Where do you think the money for merit awards comes from?</p>
<p>@1moremom - Donors. Financial Aid handles the dispersement of funds. Although, some merit scholarships are awarded to students by FA mine were not.</p>
<p>I don’t see the value in this question but as I mentioned earlier i’m over this discussion. So for all of you, PSU is a wonderful, perfect school with a reputation that rivals the likes of Harvard and Yale.</p>
<p>Yupper - first, lucyvp responded with the thon comments, etc., not me. </p>
<p>I agree that THON is not the same as other donations. However, lucyvp’s explanation of the donation decline - the one time commitment of $88 million for the ice arena makes sense to me. Not sure why it doesn’t make sense to you. </p>
<p>How is it a “fact” that employers have backed away from PSU because of the scandal? Others have provided facts and figues showing that this hasn’t happened. The things I would be concerned about that were affected by the scandal are PSU’s financial situation, due to the money they have and will have to spend regarding lawsuits, etc. Also, the board of trustees, the admin - their reputation has certainly taken a hit.</p>
<p>But when an employer decides which universities are the places to go for well trained employees that learn quickly, are prepared for working world, etc. - I’m sorry, I just don’t see where this scandal has any effect. Did professors quit en masse because of their outrage? Did students suddenly get stupid and forget everything they learned? Did the course catalog change? This has nothing to do with how I feel about PSU. I just don’t get the reasoning involved with thinking that PSU’s academic reputation has taken a hit because of the scandal.</p>
<p>You have some hearsay about internships. Others here are giving facts and figures. I don’t see any solid facts or figures from you.</p>
<p>Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean they have a “cult mentality”. You’re so sure of yourself, then back up your claims.</p>
<p>@yupper, while THON is slightly different than regular fund-raising, when you write a check to support THON, it goes to Penn State (albeit pediatric cancer). It may not support student scholarships, but it absolutely is tied to Penn State. It was just one example of how donors ARE supporting Penn State.</p>
<p>With regard to your merit scholarship, there are some new (incremental) programs out there that require funding. For all we know, you didn’t make the GPA requirement to keep your merit scholarship and that has more to do with losing your individual funding than anything else. There are any million of reasons. Many merit scholarships are endowed - and only spend the interest generated and keep the principle intact. (So, if investments earned lower interest, they will spend less money on scholarships). Some have a specific requirement to go to different students every year because they believe helping 4 different people over 4 years is better use of their money than 1 person all 4 years. You are taking very small sampling and applying it broadly to all. </p>
<p>Anecdotally, my firm hired MORE Penn Staters this year because those of us on the hiring committee don’t want students to suffer and we believe in our alma mater. So, does that mean that all firms are hiring more Penn Staters? No, of course not. There are many layers to Penn State, to financial decisions, and even to this scandal. Does the scandal affect students, alumni, and donors? Of course it does. Does it mean people are running from Penn State in fear? Of course not.</p>
<p>Back to the original topic? I think both school have many great things to offer. Ultimately, where do you feel comfortable? Where do you see yourself? Trust your instinct - it is usually right. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>@SansSerif - I never said ANYTHING about the school’s academic reputation. I was referring to the school as a whole. Their reputation did take a hit. No one has proven any facts that dispute what I said which I stated in my previous posts. All anyone did was throw out numbers about employers who came to the university and once again as I said this does not prove how many students were HIRED! </p>
<p>It has nothing to do with me agreeing or disagreeing. The cult mentality is the fact that anytime anyone says something that paints PSU in a less than flattering light it immediately becomes an argument. The fact that I said the school’s reputation took a hit has some how become an argument. As much as the university was trashed over the riots, and the accusations of using money to cover up the scandal and not handling Sandusky appropriately is proof that their reputation as a university is not where it once was. Its like we are arguing two different things. At this point I don’t even care, if you wish to believe that everything is rose colored and wonderful good for you but that does not change others’ opinions on the university.</p>
<p>@lucyvp Now I feel like we are sort of the same page. I think you took my comment WAAY out of context. Obviously the fact that the university and yourself has been making efforts to prevent students from suffering as a result of the scandal proves that you are aware that the scandal has had potentially negative affects on students. I never said the entire university was falling apart I just said that their reputation took a HIT.</p>
<p>In regards to THON, supporting THON is supporting THON its not the university. Heck THON is a student run organization. And my GPA was over 3.9, it had nothing to do with my qualifications. But I do believe we are now somewhat on the same page so good day to you!</p>
<p>About “academic reputation” - to me, when you say companies withdrew their support to hire interns, that has to do with academic reputation. Isn’t the decision to focus on particular universities for interns due to their academic reputation for producing interns that are prepared, educated, etc? All of the things you mention - a few hundred students rioting, accusations of money being used for a coverup (haven’t seen any charges pertaining to this - maybe I missed it) - have NOTHING to do with the quality of potential interns/employees.</p>
<p>No one has said everything is rose colored. And it seems you are the one in a huff. I’m simply disagreeing with you. (How dare I???) I don’t think PSU is perfect. And anyone is free to paint it in less than a flattering light if they back up their claims. You can yell about “cult mentality” all you want, but it seems you just can’t take anyone disagreeing with you.</p>
<p>And as for the OP, both are excellent schools. I agree that you have to decide which atmosphere is the best fit, and that will be the tie-breaker.</p>
<p>@SansSerif
I’m starting to feel like a broken record because I keep repeating the same thing to you again and again!</p>
<p>Lets start with a simple definition:
Reputation - The BELIEFS or OPINIONS that are generally held about someone or something.</p>
<p>Ok, now lets analyze that for a second. A belief or opinion is subjective it does not have to be based in any fact or reality. Factually you are right the level/quality of education has not changed since before the scandal broke. However, a reputation does not have to be based on fact. If someones opinion toward the university has changed because of the scandal it does not matter whether or not anything factually changed about the university. A reputation is based on OPINION and BELIEF!!! This is why I am saying that you and I are arguing two entirely different things.</p>
<p>You are the one who is all in a huff because you are concerned that someone dared to insult your precious university. Which in all honesty wasn’t an insult since I never spoke badly about the university itself.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This. You summed it up in a way that nobody can deny.</p>
<p>Yupper, you’re right about one thing - we are both repeating ourselves at this point. And it’s not worth it. I’ll just say you’re reading a lot into my answer that isn’t there. I really don’t care if someone dared “insult my precious university”. I was just disagreeing. People are going to disagree with you throughout your life. And it might be good if you find a way to discuss things without insulting them or assuming things about their intentions.</p>