The stated reason for some people having to do summer is to allow for “borderline” students to have a smoother transition to college work/life. By starting out with 6 credits, typically smaller classes, opportunity to meet some people and learn the physical campus before there are 40k students on campus, etc. In my opinion, the real reason is for PSU to make money by filling their otherwise empty dorms. I do not feel as though someone with a 3.72 is borderline and needing transition help. Especially when you see them accepting a ton of 3.5 directly to Fall semester.
There is generally a week between the end of summer session and the beginning of Fall (Google the calendar). You will be in a different dorm for each of those sessions, but they will allow you to store your stuff or move it to your new dorm room…so you don’t have to take it home and bring it back a week later.
If you are accepted for Summer, you are accepted to the school. You are there as long as you remain eligible. It is not some sort of trial period.
You can apply to Smeal at the end of your sophomore year if you have met the “entrance to major requirements”. Essentially a set of core courses with GPA requirements. (Google them). People accepted directly to Smeal still have to meet the exact same requirements to actually get into Smeal after their sophomore. The main difference is you will have a DUS counselor and they will have a Smeal counselor.
If you were accepted for summer it is highly unlikely you can start in the fall instead. They have essentially already evaluated you for the fall and determined you need this “transition help” and must start in the summer. You can call Admissions and ask, but doubt it will be a fruitful call.
Hope that helps. Good luck. Enjoy.
I’m surprised with those stats that they are making you take the summer session. Any chance you have missed requirements that they want you to complete before beginning in the fall?
It is my understanding that if you take the summer session you are automatically enrolled in the fall. However, I think you should send them an email to confirm this. Maybe you can ask if there is an option for you to take classes at your local community college instead. $10,000 is a lot of money added onto that first year of college, especially if you have to work to afford it.
Your mistake is in thinking of summer term as equivalent to hs summer school. It’s not a punishment, it’s another term. Just as some people start in January, or transfer in then, or graduate in December, some people start school in June. It’s just another term. Penn State runs year-round. There is graduation in Dec, May and August – one at the end of every term. Many upperclassmen will be here for summer term as well, but only freshmen can do LEAP.
Yes, you’ve been admitted to Penn State just as the fall admits. If you need to work, you can find a summer job here. If that’s not enough, you should not have said you’d accept a summer offer. DUS is just different advising. As you have read in other threads, nobody is “in” a major until the end of sophomore year. You will take classes both to fulfill the bazillion general education crdits and your presumed major, just as Smeal students will.
You can’t take classes elsewhere instead. That would be deferring your admission date, and you need permission to do that (which admissions is unlikely to give) BUT there’s no harm in calling.
@greenbutton I just said something similar on another thread pointing out that summer starts often have just as high stats as fall admits. Summer is not “less than”. I’m surprised at the number of people surprised they didn’t get in for summer when they were borderline. Candidates anyway.
@PennsyDad good question. The overall average is slightly less than fall, but I see a lot of overlap. My daughter haD a 3.5. Solidly summer candidate and average. But, I’ve seen quite a number of 3.5’s that got in for fall. That was my point. Summer isn’t an ‘anyone can get in option’ as some think. You still need decent stats for summer. That bring said, what puts one kid in summer and the other in fall with similar stats? Just another PSU mystery…
@PennsyDad Besides grade and test score, I think early candidate tends to get a spot in Fall versus a late applicant. Admissions starts filling out roster for freshman class in October.
@frank6215 My daughter applied September 2nd last year and still got summer. While several who applied after her with same stats got in for fall. I don’t think time of application, as long as prior to priority deadline, matters much.
The cost of attending Penn State Main first year, starting in Summer 2016 is north of $40,000, and that is just old figure for 2015-2016. With Penn State’s notorious reputation for stingy financial aid, the excitement of admission news melts away quickly. Anybody has experience with first year tuition bill including Summer?
For in state, summer, fall and spring this year, we will pay $33k. Not cheap. We paid approx 13k per sem plus 7k for summer. We felt summer was well worth it but not everyone does. @frank6215