Pennsylvania State University

SOCIAL
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Drinking is big here, but only amongst the least creative students. There's always something to do, if you keep your eyes open, from theatre, to music, to sports, to just hanging out. I suggest reading the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian; it's very good for a student newspaper and it does an excellent job covering most of the events that go on at PSU (just don't try and compare it to the New York Times). Football is indeed the center of campus life on fall Saturdays, but since I love college football, that's fine with me. As for the town, you don't need a car, as restaurants and shopping are all available with a few blocks of the university.

As for my friends I've made here at PSU, they're amazing. In the Honor's College, at least, the intellectual level of PSU students is high -- everyone is like the smartest person in your high school, and I guarantee there will be more than one person smarter than you, which is a good thing.

ACADEMIC
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The astronomy department, which I would consider my home department, is very friendly. Every instructor I've had in astronomy has been very concerned with a student's development, not just with test grades. They are very helpful, and readily available outside of class if you need extra help. Moreover, they're all leaders in their field, so if you're interested in graduate school, or even a future job, undergraduate research opportunities are readily available. The math department is also good, but not quite as good as the astronomy department, in my opinion. I have some doubts about the quality of the physics department, however. I have no experience in engineering or liberal arts though, so your experiences may vary.

BOTTOM LINE
============================================================I love PSU. Sometimes I dream about what it would have been like to go to a more selective (or private) university, but I remember all the awesome times I've had, on the playing field (PKs for the IM soccer championship), in the classroom, and just hanging around (oh some of the pranks we've played), and everything is OK.