As I traveled north to Penn State, in University Park, PA, it was snowing. It was the Ides of March, and it just wasn’t a quiet, peaceful snow. The fierce wind was howling loudly, and the snow was coming down with such force as to prevent me from seeing the road ahead. With both hands gripping the steering wheel, I finally arrived in Nittany Lion country.
There was evidence of the enormity of school spirit everywhere I looked. I checked into the hotel, decked out in the Blue and White of Penn State and made my way to my room, which was adorned with a full-length floor lamp of a Nittany Lion. I grew more excited to learn about this unique and storied university in central Pennsylvania. Despite the weather, the visit quickly proved worth the journey.
Penn State offers over 275 undergraduate and 300 graduate/professional programs. With nearly 50,000 students at University Park, Penn State offers academic opportunities across a wide range of colleges and programs. The Smeal College of Business ranks among the top business schools, with the Information Systems and Supply Chain majors nationally ranked. Beginning with recent admissions cycles, students interested in business apply directly to the Smeal College of Business as part of the admissions process. Penn State’s College of Engineering is one of the top engineering schools in the country.
Penn State is a research institution that offers undergraduate research opportunities to all of its students, including first-year students. Admission to Penn State is highly competitive, with the Early Action deadline of November 1 receiving most of the applications for this year’s freshman class. It is highly recommended that any student applying to a competitive program, such as Business, Nursing and Engineering apply by the November 1 deadline.
As of right now, Penn State continues to be a test optional university, with over two-thirds of the students applying in 2025 not submitting an exam. The Admissions’ counselors recommended that the student only submit their scores if it falls within the top 50% of scores considered by Penn, which is a 660 in Reading and a 670 in Math.
Penn State comprises 13 campuses, with University Park being the largest. There is one specific program offered outside of the home campus that should be noted. Penn State Erie offers a 4-year Plastic Engineering Technology degree, which is only one of three offered throughout the United States. Also, there are 2+2 programs offered at the smaller campuses which will allow for students to transfer directly to Penn State at the beginning of junior year. Penn State uses the STARS platform, where students upload all academic records before they even apply.
Following a session with students and admissions, I bundled up for a walk through the beautiful campus on this cold, windy day. Our tour guide, a senior, shared with us that he began his experience as a freshman beginning in the July summer session. He highly recommended it as by the time the rest of his peers began at the end of August, he was well acclimated to most of the campus and was able to double major and still graduate an entire year early.
Students are not required to declare their major until the spring semester of their sophomore year. In addition to the new student center, a classroom, and the gym, we stopped by the career center, where the speaker shared that he received support just recently in reviewing his resume, application and essays for graduate school. With more than 1,200 student organizations and athletic opportunities, students can find communities that match nearly any interest. One observation stood out: students were talking with one another rather than walking across campus absorbed in their phones.
Penn State combines rigorous academics, extensive research opportunities, and one of the strongest campus communities I have encountered. Students seeking the energy of a large campus, the experience of witnessing championship men’s and women’s sports teams, the resources of a major research university, and a passionate alumni network may find Penn State especially appealing. One of my former students, a current junior, summed it up perfectly when she recently shared with me: “I have found my passion here at Penn. I thought I wanted to major in Business but didn’t know what I wanted to do beyond that. Now my focus is Accounting, and I’ve already committed to going one more year to get my Masters.”
Dianne
If you or anyone else you know needs some support in applying to Penn State or any other highly competitive university, I can help. Give me a call at 240-285-1920 or reach out to me at dianne@launchingcollegesuccess.com.
