<p>Yes, there is an automatic transfer provision for those kids in satellite campuses once they reach junior year status. They do not have to apply as transfers. It is an automatic. And, yes, the satellite campuses do offer some award money as they too compete for students. In the OP’s case, it appears that his son is a viable candidate for Penn State main campus and a number of other competitive schools. But there are limited seats in certain programs, and his program of choice is one of them. Once the seats are fulled, no one, EInstein, himself can get into such closed programs. With Penn State an early application is imperative for such limited seat programs, and in general, the date your application is received is a number just as important or more than your test scores and class rank. </p>
<p>The OP should inquire if there is anyway he can start in the summer. My SIL’s nephew did get summer entrance. It means he has to start college in the summer with no aid in order to do this which squelches his plans for the summer including his job, but he is going to do this. Also Penn State main campus is not an inexpensive school. It’s one of the priciest in-state schools in the country, in fact, and gives very little in aid. So going in the summer means about a $40K cost for the first year alone for the young man in the situation I have described. They are doing it, but it hurts, and is still cheaper than Drexel.</p>