StudentsReview :: Pennsylvania State University - Extra Detail about the Comment
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Pennsylvania State University

How this student rated the school
Educational QualityD Faculty AccessibilityD
Useful SchoolworkC Excess CompetitionC
Academic SuccessC Creativity/ InnovationD
Individual ValueD University Resource UseD
Campus Aesthetics/ BeautyB FriendlinessB
Campus MaintenanceA Social LifeB+
Surrounding CityB- Extra CurricularsC
SafetyD
Describes the student body as:
Friendly, Closeminded

Describes the faculty as:
Arrogant, Self Absorbed

Male
Bright
Lowest Rating
Educational Quality
D
Highest Rating
Campus Maintenance
A
He cares more about Safety than the average student.
Date: Feb 01 2008
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I arrived here ready to work hard and participate as much as possible. I was impressed by the reputation and the beautiful campus. I also relied on the many positive reviews of the school on this website. Well, there's more too Penn State than appears in the glowing reviews.

A degree from Penn State goes a long ways, but the actual courses are taught on a high school level. Very little work is assigned. Your entire grade will depend on three tests and maybe two homework assignments. Class size? Expect a fair share of 500 person lecture hall classes, not to mention teachers who can barely speak English. Imagine a 500 person science class in which the professor spends three weeks reviewing the metric system. That's what you'll be getting here unless you're in the engineering program or an honors student.

Social life is great if you enjoy drinking to blackout every night. No one does anything else, and there are no real "alternatives." You will be identified and harassed if you don't drink. Think that's an exaggeration? I did too until I came here, so I can understand. I drink excessively right along with everyone else, but I know that some people don't. If alcohol poisoning isn't your thing, seriously consider a different school.

One big Penn State myth floating around is that

There's Something For Everyone
if you want to get involved. Not correct. Many of the advertised clubs and organizations don't even exist in real life!! The ones that do operate do so AT PROFIT and YOU WILL PAY EXTRA (sometimes a lot) just to participate and get involved around campus. Once you're in, expect a lot of political drama and competition. That having been said, there are many good people here. You just have to work very, very hard to find them.

What about financial aid and administration? Penn State awards the least financial aid of any comparable school in the United States. Its not a secret: They tell it to you in their own literature if you look. 80% of your aid will be loans. Mine was 100%. That was a cool $15,000 in private loans for one semester. Oh, and the tuition here is also the highest of any comparable school in the US. Just something to think about.

There really are people that love it here, so don't make a decision based on any one source. A good test of whether or not to go here is this: Did you love high school and want to stay there an extra year or two if you could? If that's you, then you might genuinely like it here. Check it out and make an informed decision. Good luck!

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