<p>I was looking at the form for housing for my son and saw that you have to also choose your meal plan when you put in the request for the dorm. I did the point value grid and it seemed like either level 5 or 6 would be best, but I wasn't sure about the "points" they want you to add for other meals or if I was allowing for too many meals in the cafeteria. How does the point system work? Are meals in the cafeteria charged as items per point (if I remember that's the way they do it at Univ. of Md) If you go to eat at a non-cafeteria option on campus, ie the HUb eateries, are the meals/items shown in point units? Also, do most kids tend to eat in those places over the regular cafeteria? When I was there way back when, we only had one choice (cafeteria) for one set price, so this is all a bit new and confusing to us. I'd appreciate it if someone can give some insight or suggestions from their own experience.</p>
<p>All the dining commons (Pollock, Redifer, Simmons, Waring, and Findlay) offer "All-You-Can-Eat" meaning for one set price you can eat as much as you like. If you eat at a non-dining commons area such as the HUB, the prices are usually much more expensive (you pay per item) but you get a 10% discount. For other areas such as City Grill, the pizza shop, sandwich place, (in Redifer) and some places in Findlay you get a 65% discount if you have a meal plan. All the prices you see in the HUB, or where ever you go will show the price in U.S. dollars. But if you buy from there with a meal plane, they give you a discount. Also, 100 meal points = 1 US dollar.</p>
<p>For me, I've always gotten plan 6 (which is the highest one they offer, I believe). Usually it isn't enough for me, and I end up adding like $200/semester because I use my points to buy bottled water and other snacks for my dorm. By the way, Sbarro and Panda Express in the HUB kills my points.</p>
<p>I have gone with plan 4 and it has worked for me so far.</p>
<p>You just need to watch where you are eating. The places in the HUB don't give you the big discount so if you like to get nice coffee everyday at the places in the HUB, you will be going thorugh points like crazy. I make my own coffee and breakfast in the a.m. and tend to only eat lunch and dinner out at the commons/4-the road places so I get the point discount. However, if you think you are going to be eating at the fast food places in the HUB alot then go for the bigger plan.</p>
<p>I signed my soon-to-be-freshman D up for Plan 5</p>
<p>Don't agonize too much over the meal plan. You can add or subtract to it as the semester progresses. You have up to two weeks before the end of semester to make changes/additions. You can check the exact timing on eLiving. If you have too much left, you can reduce your plan and a refund gets deposited into your bursar account. If you need more, you can just add in a dollar amount.</p>
<p>Points not used during fall semester get rolled into spring semester. However, whatever is not used or removed in spring semester gets forfeited. Be sure not to have too much left in the fall semester because you can end up in a situation in spring semester where reducing your plan to meal plan 1 will still leave you with money (points) left.</p>
<p>Here is the link with all the info pertaining to meal plans:</p>
<p>Penn</a> State Food Services</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. This info has been very helpful.</p>
<p>Also, 100 meal points = 1 US dollar.</p>
<hr>
<p>That's not true. You are not paying 1 cent per point.</p>
<p>There is an added base fee that goes along with the point cost.</p>
<p>For example, for Plan 6, for 88,500 points you are actually paying $2,080 instead of $850</p>
<p>Penn</a> State Food Services</p>
<p>So for Plan 6, 100 meal points = $2.35</p>
<p>So for a lunch (325 points), you are actually paying $7.63</p>
<p>Yes, you are correct lil wayne, however the "base fee" is the same ($1,195) no matter what meal plan you choose. So it is still "cheaper" per meal to get the larger meal plan, if you think you are going to use it, since the base fee is spread out over a larger base.</p>
<p>For example, Plan 1 costs $1,650 for 45,500 points which equals $.036 per point.
Plan 6 costs $2,080 for 88,500 points or $.023 per point.</p>
<p>But like karp said, don't agonize over it too much. You can add or subtract as needed.</p>
<p>G Dad, Am I correct in thinking that the cost would be the same whether one went for the larger meal plan or for a smaller meal and added points (to bring it up to the same total)? The advantages to this could be threefold-- PSU wouldn't be sitting on your money all semester, you might be less likely to get stuck with a balance at the end of the term and you can add points with a credit card (earning rebate money, in my case) while you cannot pay room and board charges with a credit card. It only takes a few minutes to add points with a cc.</p>
<p>G_Dad:</p>
<p>I was simply trying to say that 1 dollar does not equal 100 points</p>
<p>Meaning the food at Penn State is EXTREMELY expensive</p>
<p>And if you buy things inside the school stores using points, it's a HUGE ripoff</p>
<p>Think about how much you are being ripped off</p>
<p>For example, for a bottled drink that costs $1.40 (140 points), you are actually paying over 3 bucks in real money for it</p>
<p>1moremom - I don't know because I've never added to the meal plan so I don't know if they tack on an administrative fee for using a credit card like they do at my S2's HS and like they do at PSU if you try to pay tuition with a credit card. But I like your thinking!</p>
<p>No, there is no extra fee. I burned through my plan 4 last semester (was eating at the HUB too much, aka no discount). I was able to add $200, no fees attached.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, 100 meal points = 1 US dollar.</p>
<hr>
<p>That's not true. You are not paying 1 cent per point.</p>
<p>There is an added base fee that goes along with the point cost.</p>
<p>For example, for Plan 6, for 88,500 points you are actually paying $2,080 instead of $850</p>
<p>Penn State Food Services</p>
<p>So for Plan 6, 100 meal points = $2.35</p>
<p>So for a lunch (325 points), you are actually paying $7.63
[/quote]
I meant to say without the base fare, it's true that 100 points = 1 US Dollar. This is paying for the cost of food only. The base fare pays for service/labor/clearning.</p>
<p>about 2014 meal plan.
“the base fee” is $1315 now.
And if u spend more than $2122 per semester only for prepared food and dinning hall, buy meal plan, otherwise, paying with lion cash is cheaper way. </p>
<p>If you live in the dorms you have to select a meal plan.</p>
<p>You can increase it or decrease it as needed each semester before a certain date so I wouldn’t worry too much about what plan you initially choose. You can also add money to the account if you find you are running out of money with a few days left for example. Just keep your eyes posted on it each month. </p>
<p>I’m not sure about the decreasing part, but we’ve always gone with the middle and added to it as needed with a credit card (no extra fees). If you get more than you need for Fall it carries over to Spring, but If you have extra in the Spring it doesn’t carry over and you can’t get a refund. My D always called at the end of Spring and asked if we wanted some Penn State ice cream and used up her extra money that way. PSU gets enough of our money, I don’t want to give them meal money, too :)</p>
<p>^^^no kidding! Another dollar just makes me squirm"</p>
<p>Are you sure about the CC fee? I swear everytime we have used the CC for anything PSU, we have been charged a 2.5% chArge for using the CC. Bugs me so much! For example, my son wanted extra study help for a calculus class but it required a $40 charge for the study guide or for this tutor class/ session. It was last minute, so I just had my son put it on the CC. Later, I noticed an extra charge for te use of the CC. Btw, he said the help was very very helpful.</p>
<p>He just texted me today and he needed money for laundry. He needed us to add some money to lion cash. Of course, he told this last minute, I said just add it from our CC. Guaranteed the extra charge will show up.</p>
<p>The meal plan can be changed up or down throughout the semester. The middle seems to be te best plan for our child.</p>