@kvallu5274 , Congratulations! As to your other question, I will be shocked if anyone reports back that they received merit money as Penn State is notoriously known not to award it. I believe the Honors College gives $5,000 but those acceptances won’t be sent out just yet.
Checked this morning and I’m in
sat: 1320
GPA: 3.85 W
Extra: Varsity football, vp of politics club,
state: CA
Ethnicity: white
Gender: male
Applied date: 10/5
EA?: Yes
Decision date: 12/9
Major/ college: Econ/ liberal arts
Campus: UP
Thanks so much OceanIsle. Yes, she opened the letter and got accepted. I wasn’t sure if PSU gave any money or not, but thanks for the heads up. Good luck to all of those still waiting to hear.
@kvallu5274 my son’s have yet to get their acceptance packages and they were accepted via portal before Thanksgiving. I will also state that we have received many mailings from PSU since (one of which we thought was the true acceptance). I really hope the package your daughter received is her acceptance!
@skibunny2 , I wonder what is going on there. Are you OOS? We are in state and my son’s acceptance letter was dated 12/4, showed up in the portal on the midnight update for 12/5, and the big envelope arrived yesterday. Something seems off about the mail there for you, but maybe it will arrive this week! Otherwise, maybe call admissions if it’s not there soon. Good luck!
Yes skibunny2, it was an acceptance letter. It was a big, thick package with the “We Are Penn State/ I AM Penn State” banner inside as well as a bunch of other documents. And “Congratulations, you’ve been accepted blah blah blah”. And then of course they want our deposit money ASAP. It’s not my daughter’s top choice though. She’s hoping to get accepted to a school that will offer her some scholarship money. My wife and I (and my daughter) decided that she’s too smart to not be rewarded with some money. And schools are just too damn expensive to pay full tuition 
@OceanIsle and @kvallu5274 first congratulations and as I typed that response I realized that it was odd they have not received the envelope (we had received a letter per day from PSU though). I called Admissions and they sent the day prior to posting (they reprinted and will mail). I have since found out that we have a new mail carrier- after speaking with several neighbors (there are four Hs seniors on the block) and all of us missing some large envelopes- the post office is looking into the situation. So I’m glad I posted that! Truth be told we did get a large envelope from Penn State saying congratulations but inside it stated congratulations on submitting your application- oh the amount of college mail we have received over the last two years!
It seems like there has been a lull in decisions these past couple days… Any ideas or estimates as to when the next batch will roll out? Just curious, I’m still waiting to hear back and getting nervous.
Are people beginning to be rejected yet? Also, what time of day are people being admitted?
@bcpsu34 people have been saying around midnight they have been getting accepted.
Early Action Applicant
Out Of State
GPA 3.64
SAT 1310
A few extracurriculars, a lot of volunteering hours and 2 jobs.
Moved to the United States junior year of high school.
Accepted on Monday as an Economics major.
My son got accepted for Accounting in the Smeal Business School but for the 2 for 2 program at Berks campus, which he is not interested in. Two questions; can you get on a wait list for University Park and/or can you be added to possibly attending in the summer to improve you chances for the main campus? Thanks much!
@Harding He could request that he be considered for summer session at UP. Better yet, request that he be considered for DUS (undecided major) and summer session. DUS students can take the same entrance to major courses that (pre)Smeal admits can and have the same opportunities to be admitted to Smeal. No one is actually in Smeal until junior year.
Very helpful, thanks so much. First kid going through this process so appreciate the insight!
@Harding I would have him ask to be reconsidered for summer and DUS.
My son is a freshman and started in the summer- hands down it was the best decision ever. He chose PSU because of the summer session. Wanted to get the lay of the land, etc. When he came home for Thanksgiving, he told me that the 2 classes he took over the summer (English and Public Speaking) helped him immensely this semester.
Best of luck to your son.
A caveat about asking to reconsider — you are essentially getting back in line, and as the months pass, entrance gets progressively more difficult. You wouldn’t lose your spot at a branch campus, but you will wait indefinitely and most likely get the same answer. DUS was once a sure thing, but now it is also quite competitive. 2+2 guarantees a spot at UP as a junior.
You can’t be added to a waitlist for UP. Any waitlist is generated from their end and many years there isn’t one. If there is, you are invited to choose that as an option and at any point you can have that branch campus. I imagine this year there won’t be a waitlist after the blowback from all those deferrals last year.
I applied 10/1 to UP with second choice campus at Berks for Smeal.
W GPA 3.9
SAT: 1280
ACT:28
EC: volunteer 40+ hours at kitten rescue, National Honor Society, Leo Club, stage crew, marching band, jazz band, concert band, community band, have worked a part time seasonal job for the past 5 years, had a part time job over the summer, currently working my seasonal job as well as additional part time job
I have also completed two courses at Penn State Lehigh as dual enrollment my junior year. Penn State is my top choice, but I do not want to do 2+2. If I don’t get accepted to UP I was planning on changing to DUS. I didn’t put summer option down on my original application and am debating doing it if I get deffered or am offered 2+2. Obsessive Portal Checking is getting the best of me!
has anyone heard back from the Communications School?
Has anyone been rejected? I see acceptances and acceptances to the 2 + 2 option which my son won’t do. He’s already been accepted to Pitt. If PSU doesn’t accept him, off we go to Pittsburgh!
@Ohoh1221 , I don’t think PSU sends out too many rejections. Most kids can at least be offered the 2+2 from what I understand. Congratulations on Pitt abc hope you get good news from PSU soon!