<p>Applied in early September...no word.
Do they just tend to get back to borderline applicants later?
When should I expect a decision? My online status has said "we have received your app" for ages now.</p>
<p>Hopefully I can hear back before March because if I get in I wanna visit over spring break!!</p>
<p>I'm in the same hole except i applied augest 1st... at 6 am. havnt heard anything yet, ive heard alot of things about whats going on up there. idk whats true or not, but we should hear by jan 31st no matter what.</p>
<p>I'm sharing the hole with FrankBob. What IS oing on up there? I don't care if it's true or not. Tell me. It will help pass the time beteeen logging in and seeing the dreaded "We have recieved... blah blah blah"</p>
<p>haha.. yeah... i checked the site and saw some long message and I got really excited until I read it. It was just a notice that no more decisions will be issued until january 2nd. bummer</p>
<p>I just checked the website too. Santa will bring them lumps of coal. COAL I say! In lumps. Yeah-lumps. I'm about to be waitlisted aren't I?</p>
<p>ahah so u guys cant wait to hear anything from psu too? they should make a group for sick ppl like us. lol. what ive heard is all rumors such as 1) more ppl applied to psu this year then any college in North america ever... (lil extreme) 2) they are cutting apps by 1000 kids (they had a flux from last year with the good football season) 3) that they do have alot of apps this year and they are waiting awile before accepting the bulk so they weed some of the maybs out to other colleges and get a solid average sized class. (this seems most reasonable) i remind you these are all rumors picked up around the grape vine. also if i get in im going psu and most likly summer session. </p>
<p>we are... hopfully penn state</p>
<ol>
<li>This is true. Over 94K in 2006 frosh pool. Generally, PSU has been among the top 2 or 3 in apps received since they won their 1st national championship back in '82. 2. This is also true. PSU, and especially Main, blew their admissions formula for UP and over-subscribed by nearly 3K frosh (8K total). Study lounges are now boudoirs. Ensuing classes beginning for 2007 will pay the price for that with fewer admits, tougher standards. 3. This is true. It's merely demographics. Apps are peaking for the next 2-3 years due to the "rebound" of the baby boom, i.e. their kids. Starting about 2014 or so, it'll begin to drop, too late for this group though. Nearly every school in the country is at record levels of applicants because of this AND that students are applying to MORE schools as well. Sorry, but it's a sellers' market right now. And of course that all impacts negatively on financial aid for admits. </li>
</ol>
<p>The good news? There's room @ the campuses, and for a great many, they're a better option. I'm not sure what the current retention rate is for UP from frosh to soph year, but historically it's not been good. And it's NOT because matriculants are "stupid." Unfortunately, undergrads have become the unattended cash cows @ Moo U. imo. :(</p>
<p>Has UP sent out any rejections at all to UP fall 2007 apps? S is in the same boat as you guys...waiting.....good luck to all of you....</p>
<p>My S told me that a couple of students from his school have received acceptances to commonwealths although their 1rst choice on application was UP</p>
<p>I got a bulk e-mail today stating that the Office of Admissions was closed for the holidays and to check back starting on January 3. They said a decision would be made by January 31 for people who appllied by 11/30/06.</p>
<p>To enhance my sense of anxiety and alienation: the greeting on the e-mail was "Dear". Not "Dear John" or "Dear Steve" just "Dear". It doesn't get any more up close and personal than that.</p>
<p>reddogarchie: My daughter got the same email plus a general newswire email stating the following:</p>
<p>"PENN STATE AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR CHOICE</p>
<p>With nearly 40,000 first-year student applications received by Nov. 30, Penn State continues to be a popular choice for students graduating from high school in 2007 -- and new applications are coming in every day."</p>
<p>Sorry to add to your sense of anxiety and alientation. If it helps any, you are not alone, my daughter is in the same boat.</p>
<p>Hehe okay so I'm not the only one...!
I thought maybe it meant I was rejected or something but if this many people who applied early still haven't heard back then I guess we can't make much sense of it.</p>
<p>Yeah I got the email as well, so guess we'll find out in Jan!</p>
<p>BTW Since I live in IL I haven't had the chance to visit PSU, but what can people who have visited or who go there tell me about the campus?</p>
<p>It's a very attractive campus in a prototypical "college town." Make that college city. State College is booming. It's become a huge retirement relocation, with seemingly every graying Nit wanting to get back to Happy Valley. On the tech, job, growth front, SC is a literal oasis in the wilderness. Lots happening there, and had the PA politicos run the high speed train there 15 years ago ... vs. arguing for Altoona ... it might be a budding next Research Triangle. It's not. </p>
<p>Pres. Graham Spanier should be given credit for DRAMATICALLY upgrading the campus and its appearance. Penn State LOOKS like a Big 11 U, with lots of big trees (used to have a gazillion elms, but Dutch elm disease has eradicated them) and overgrown shrubs. It's in a very pretty valley where several Allegheny mountain ridges converge. (While not like the Rockies, these are pretty BIG hills of steep slope. There's a continually bankrupt ski slope on the outskirts of town. Probly good place for kids from Naperville to take lessons. ;) ) Mt. Nittany, where Princess Nit-a-neah ... or something like that ... is mythologically buried. BTW, despite many arguments among PA's million or so hunters, there are NO NATIVE NITTANY LIONS anymore, altho the area was indigenous to mountain lions a 150 years back. It's one of the few U's where one minute one can be in the middle of a huge campus amidst 50 or 60K students and profs, then alone on top of a mountain 15 minutes later. Undoubtedly, the most significant happening over the past 15 years or so has been joining the Big 10. Many see this as merely an athletic gig, but that's probly the least of it. It has transformed the U and its overall academic focus, going from being a feeder to these and many more prestige U's to being the feedee. Unfortunately, despite alot of talk and effort, some of that has not been good in the opinion of many as it has become a tail-wagging-the-dog story. Research is THE game of the day, and in the absence of lots of tenure and promotion, profs increasingly understand that while teaching is given good lip service, if you're not publishing in academic refereed journals, you're either not gonna get tenure ... or you'll be given every crappy assignment in the department. There are MANY devoted to teaching and are good at it. They just don't appear to get rewarded and touted as the model for assistant profs. </p>
<p>All that aside, the party scene is chronic and robust. Beer flows like few places on the planet. Lots and lots of boutiques and eateries, most of which would fail to survive on their merits were it not for a built in market place of 50K starving students with lots of cash from their parents who also need a place to eat on football weekends. Said briefly, lots of restaurants, very few of which have genuinely great food. Oh well, it's just one meal among many.</p>
<p>Tons of TA's who can't speak English and students pay the price. Alot depends upon one's area of study tho. Classes can be huge. Ask someone about engineering, general sciences, or accounting 101. On the latter, I believe they had something like 15 classrooms and auditoriums wired up for this one. Now, if you're into French lit, you're golden. I've heard lots of complaints about engineering where you have a gazillion EEs and more, and that even senior seminars are massive and impersonal. With 10K EE majors ... or accounting ... well, students better be prepared to learn quick. Conversely, students will tell you they enjoyed/liked xyz class. Most have vitrually no relationship with any senior prof and don't expect to be invited over for dinner, unless it's a buffet @ Beaver Stadium.</p>
<p>The football experience is like none other. Great even when JoePa's losing. Look for this to become THE premiere program once again in a few years. The transition won't be as painful as most suspect, eased by the past decade of so-so football. In history though, Joe's reign will be seen as THE most successful and important stint of any college football coach in the history of the game, bar none. So if you're a history major, well there's a thesis topic ... But of course you'll not be writing a thesis unless you're in the Honors College which is a very good effort to enhance the undergrad learning experience for the top dogs. It's a great showcase, but is the proverbial drop in the bucket.</p>
<p>If you're into agriculture, this place is 2nd to none. Spectacular, lots of resources, smaller classes, great profs, lots of $$. One of the best. The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is very unique and strong as well. Meterorology, mining, materials engineering. Superb. Logistics in biz school is among the finest in the world, altho the B school poo poos it because it's often viewed as a "trade school" program. No matter as the grads all get great jobs. The Big 2 or 3 or 8 or whatever accounting firms all hire TONS of PSU kids. They need bodies and lots of them with 30% attrition annually, and PSU can and does deliver.</p>
<p>All in all, a very attractive place with lots of good things and lots of not-so-good things. It's greatest plus is being THE lone really big show ala Big 10-type U within driving distance of the East Coast and the nation's centers of population, you know, where all those Al Gore voters showed up. ;) </p>
<p>The greatest mystery about PSU? And it's not really. Why can't they field a basketball team? Oh, everyone tells you it's because the Bryce Jordan Center's located at Moo U in the middle of the mountain range, and that's not lost. But it's way more than that. There simply is not sufficient room for all the egos and "stuff" that would compete with another major sport there. </p>
<p>One last thought about another area where the U constantly takes heat. Minority recruitment. It is tough in large part because of that. It's large. Huge in fact, so it makes the #s game tough to win, especially when one looks @ percentages. The pie is simply too big, the standards tough, the geography uncompromising. </p>
<p>Having said this allow one more thought: Penn State has done more for enabling minority learners to gain access to higher education than any university in history. Penn State was seeking and accepting minority students LOOOOONG before the Harvards, Princetons, etc. every thought about it. There are thousands of minority alumni, the vast majority of whom have been highly successful. So let me repeat that ... PSU has done more for minority education than any school in the world! The others are johnny come latelies.</p>
<p>So, that's my thoughts about a great university.</p>
<p>The class sizes actually arent as bad as you would think for engineers. The only really big classes are Chem and econ (each of which I dont have to take.) I havent had any really big classes yet and those that started out fairly large...trickled down as people began to drop out. About EE....it isnt a controlled major for a reason, many ppl end up dropping out of that major(though not the school entirely).
Whistle was right about the campus...its absolutely beautiful up here. And the food isnt as bad as he/she makes it sound...the on campus eateries arent bad (Redifer having the best alacart and west having some great all u can eat.)</p>
<p>About Minorities. I am one so I fill fit to comment on how many are here etc. Its not the most diverse place, but its bearable. theres an org. called SMART which actively recruits minorities via Spend a Fall day and Achievers weekend (Both of which are free for the possible incoming students and both of which are very fun esp. achievers).</p>
<p>Overall yes PSU is a great Uni. Coming here has made me realize that it being ranked 48 (as opposes to the other school which I almost went to which was ranked higher) makes no difference as a university as it has a great rep, and the employers/grad schools luv u if you have a good GPA(the coop/internship office here is great).....You can easily get an internship if your a freshman who goes to the career fair with a well prepared resume. (Some of my friends are gonna be working for Air Products, GM, NASA, & Lutron Electronics this summer & they are all fresh)</p>
<p>Just a Great school :) if you get in....definately come up and visit and youll probably decide you wanna go here.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The class sizes actually arent as bad as you would think for engineers. The only really big classes are Chem and econ (each of which I dont have to take.) I havent had any really big classes yet and those that started out fairly large...trickled down as people began to drop out. About EE....it isnt a controlled major for a reason, many ppl end up dropping out of that major(though not the school entirely).
Whistle was right about the campus...its absolutely beautiful up here. And the food isnt as bad as he/she makes it sound...the on campus eateries arent bad (Redifer having the best alacart and west having some great all u can eat.)</p>
<p>About Minorities. I am one so I fill fit to comment on how many are here etc. Its not the most diverse place, but its bearable. theres an org. called SMART which actively recruits minorities via Spend a Fall day and Achievers weekend (Both of which are free for the possible incoming students and both of which are very fun esp. achievers).</p>
<p>Overall yes PSU is a great Uni. Coming here has made me realize that it being ranked 48 (as opposes to the other school which I almost went to which was ranked higher) makes no difference as a university as it has a great rep, and the employers/grad schools luv u if you have a good GPA(the coop/internship office here is great).....You can easily get an internship if your a freshman who goes to the career fair with a well prepared resume. (Some of my friends are gonna be working for Air Products, GM, NASA, & Lutron Electronics this summer & they are all fresh)</p>
<p>Just a Great school if you get in....definately come up and visit and youll probably decide you wanna go here.
[/quote]
How do you have a good resume if you're a freshman? I'm just wondering, because I want an internship/co-op during the summer after freshman year. But I will have nothing on my resume though.</p>
<p>Good grades in high school/college, consistent job and or volunteeering in high school/college helps. Some way to show you are a hard worker and not just interested in the cash. If it is in the field, great, but if not, that not a big deal.</p>
<p>Can I put clubs/hobbies on there too?</p>
<p>newdawn6: Today I got another bulk email from PSU. This one acknowledged leaving my name off the first bulk e-mail, apologized for the oversight and then repeated the original message.
I feel better.</p>
<p>i got the same as reddogarchie today</p>
<p>so did I, but when i went back to look at the other to see if they did indeed leave my name out, they didnt, it said dear matthew, good sign?</p>