<p>I recently have been accepted to the Ph.D. program in Engineering at Penn State. I have not visited the school yet but will be doing so in about a month, though I was hoping to get some answers prior to that.</p>
<p>I know that Penn State has some of the best school spirit in the country, mainly it seems due to sports. I'm not a huge sports fan but I think I could get behind cheering for my school is everyone else was! I also know it's a big party school, not saying that is good or bad, just making a statement.</p>
<p>As a fairly mature graduate student in his late 20's living alone and not knowing anyone. I was curious what the campus culture is like for us. I come from a small/mid sized state school where everyone feels like they are "passing through". People complain about the school, about half are commuters (I'm guilty here), and there isn't much school pride it seems.</p>
<p>I really want the big university feel! I know the program has the academics I want. I never have lived on campus so I'm going to be making Penn State my home for the next 4-5 years I wonder if it is a good fit. I'm 29 and want to make new friends and form bonds, but no offense teenagers are not most likely not ideal. So I'm hoping to meet some graduate students in my age range.</p>
<p>So current/former students, could you comment on the Graduate student culture specifically? I know we are generally a little more "serious" minded students as compared to undergrads.</p>
<ol>
<li>Is there a big sense of academic pride? Or are people just there to finish the degree and leave? Do many graduate students go to football games, local hangouts, etc? </li>
<li>Are graduate students involved on other campus events? </li>
<li>How does Penn State (admin/faculty) regard there graduate students, are we well respected or do they care more for the undergraduates on campus?</li>
</ol>
<p>I just hope to mingle and meet other students. I feel like it is hard to have campus pride if you are stuck alone in a lab all day, and most engineering students (not me) are rather unsocial.</p>
<p>Most of the parents and students who post on this forum are interested in undergrad issues. I’ll give this a shot.</p>
<p>Grad students do many of the same things undergrads do. They go to bars to drink or out to listen to music. They go to football games. They play on IM teams. They participate in grad student government. They participate in THON. Many belong to international student groups that sponsor events. Many department have grad student associations that sponsor social and other activities ([Haunted</a> Helicopter Lab provides family-friendly thrill - The Daily Collegian Online](<a href=“http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/10/31/helicopter_lab_to_celebrate_halloween.aspx]Haunted”>http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/10/31/helicopter_lab_to_celebrate_halloween.aspx)). They grow veggies in the grad housing community gardens. The list goes on and on. Some students are very involved, some not so much. It’s up to you.</p>
Yes, there is academic pride, often much more so than at the undergraduate level - many PSU undergrads go there for reasons of convenience or cost, whereas most grad students are applying specifically because of the strength of their graduate department.</p>
<p>That having been said, grad students are generally ambitious people, so most do not dawdle. You get the degree and leave, but that does not mean that you dislike being there nor that you avoid fun. And grad students absolutely attend football games, local hangouts, etc - probably less so than the undergraduate population, but it is a slightly different demographic. There are very few such activities without at least some grad students in attendence.</p>
<p>
Absolutely. Again, depending on the event the proportion of grad students may be lower, but realize that it is a different set of students at different stages of their lives. But grad students can and do get involved with just about everything.</p>
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Varies between departments and even between faculty. For the most part grad students occupy a weird little niche that combines student, employee, and junior peer. Depending on the circumstances you may see the respect or you may feel that they are spending more time on undergrads. Ultimately, it is no different than other schools.</p>