My daughter is likely deciding between these two schools (unless her first choice Clemson comes in). We are headed back to both schools to visit soon. We are from Virginia. Attending UTK would be significantly less expensive with her scholarship offer so they already have an edge there. However removing the financial aspect… I wondered if anyone out there has significant knowledge of both schools to compare. She is attracted to both for their school spirit and cheering on her team. She likes a college town but we really liked Knoxville even though it’s not considered a college town. She is admitted to the Graphic Design foundations program at both schools. Both seem to be highly regarded. She is interested in greek life. She wants to travel abroad.
“Attending UTK would be significantly less expensive with her scholarship offer so they already have an edge there.” Then Penn State needs to offer something truly stupendous to overcome the financial difference.
I am familiar with both Knoxville (Happykid is a grad student there) and State College (family members live there), and I’d choose Knoxville over State College hands down. Yes, it isn’t a classic “college town”, but you can make Knoxville as big or as small as you feel like, and the neighborhoods adjacent to the UT campus have a college town feel to them.
Where in VA do you live? How hideous would multiple trips at all seasons of the year between your home and either of those campuses be?
We also live in Virginia, Northern Virginia, and for some reason, UTK has become the hot out-of-state school. It feels like every fifth kid in my S20 class is applying there, including my son. I think one reason for this is that UTK participates in the Common Market. So for a kid who wants a larger school with sports, in a traditional college town feel, it’s a great option. UVA is virtually impossible to get in to from our high school as SO many kids from there, and every other high school in our town, apply.
As for the OP’s question, I think there are two big differences between UTK and PSU. I am from Pennsylvania and have lived in northern and western PA, as well as in between. Other than within 30 miles of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, even in many of the other college towns in the state, the entire state lives and breathes all things Penn State. Some of their most ardent supporters have no affiliation to the University. In some areas it is a parent’s biggest dream for their child to attend, and there are many multi-generational students. Penn State is a sort of Mecca for most Pennsylvanians.
The town of State college exists almost entirely for, and/ or in support of the University. It would be challenging to find a business, professional or otherwise, or a residence, without something supporting PSU on display somewhere.
Greek life is big, but the University has really come down hard of fraternities since the frat related deaths of two students in the past few years. A lot of greek life has moved off campus, “underground.”
As an aside, Penn State also has the largest number of alumni in the country.
At UTK, there is a great downtown feel and the area is very supportive of the school. But, like many places in TN, it’s more Nashville or country “proud.” You are much more likely to find people in the surrounding area who did not attend UTK, and who really don’t care one way or the other that it is in their back yard. The pro to this is the tight knit University itself (and immediate area to an extent) community. It’s just no where near the size of the armies of PSU supporters, and it lacks that old time home town, go-State feel.
Greek life is big, fraternity and sorority houses are huge and a chapter usually has well over 200 members. Maybe half of the sororities seem to take only legacies or girls (usually from Tennessee or at least from the south) who have personal, written recommendations. Many girls (in these particular sororities) come from wealthy, well-connected families, who are often UTK legacies, and have been hand picked long before recruitment. This kind of thing happens in a lot of places and is nothing new. We have found that one of the consequences of it is that many of the girls from our area end up in the same handful of sororities. They may be great sororities, even the ones that they would have chosen if they had their pick of all of them. But they end up joining with a bunch of people they know from home, and find members already in the sorority from their high school and home town. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on the girl. Personally, my oldest daughter was excited to go to a school where she didn’t know anyone. My son could care less if he has to room with someone he grew up with.
Good luck to you and your daughter. In a few weeks, I will have three kids down and only one left to go (but not for 6 more years…)
@dollydelta and @happymomof1 thanks for this reply. I think UTK is coming on the radar at our high school in Charlottesville area but most other schools like USC, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama and Clemson have been the more popular OOS schools … I think this year several kids are applying to UTK more so than prior years. But we don’t know anyone well who has attended recently … or maybe a handful of people… so we don’t have those specific references. We liked Penn State and UTK on our first visit. I think it’s likely going to be a win for UTK but we still have to revisit. I can tell that’s how she is leaning. But who knows. Anything helpful on freshman dorm considerations for UTK is also appreciated.
It’s been a long time since I was a student at UT (class of 94) but the freshman dorm to avoid is Hess Hall. It is nicknamed “the zoo” for a reason. Humes Hall was much nicer and a female only dorm. If Carrack Hall is still there it is a decent co-ed dorm as well.
Knoxville is a great City and the mountains are about a 45 min drive away. School spirit is very strong and athletic events are a ton of fun to attend. Lots of things to do in Knoxville and the surrounding areas.
Hmmm. Looks like Humes may no longer be there. As I said it’s been a long time since I have been on campus as I now live in Florida.
https://renascentinc.com/demolition-projects/university-of-tennessee-humes-hall-demolition-knoxville
@katcap, we are also from Virginia (Southeastern) and my S18 is a sophomore at UTK. Son got in state tuition thru the Academic Common Market and is loving his time both at the school at in the city of Knoxville. Great school spirit, plenty to do both on and off campus and plenty of off campus apartment options that are walkable to campus.
He lived in Reese dorm freshman year and while my DH and I thought it old and depressing, he loved every minute of it.
Funny enough, outside of UVA and VT, most kids at his school tend to head to the Southern ‘big name’ schools vs Northern.