Generally speaking, as a hiring manager, I have been much more impressed with UVA grads than Penn State grads. UVA kids tend to come across as much more sophisticated and polished than Penn State students. |
Well clearly UVA is more selective. But Penn State is a perfectly fine school. Surprised VA Tech isn’t in the conversation for engineering.
Go with whatever school he likes the most. |
Penn State to avoid blow hard parents like the above poster. |
If the question is engineering, then Penn State. That's an easy call. In addition to more engineering majors and far more funding, its alumni are much more cohesive and loyal than UVA (notwithstanding the UVA boosters that go nuts in this little dcurbanmom bubble). In the real world, Penn State is up there with Michigan in alums who would give their left but to help out any other alum. |
* left nut. |
Knew a girl (not engineering) who didn’t get in UVA so went to Penn State. Got a 4.0 first year and transferred successful to UVA, where her GPA was much lower, harder school for sure. Much happier at UVA.
Penn state is fine, fine. But it’s massive and it’s not going to have the same population that UVA has in terms of academic chops and intellectual ability. Does that matter? I dunno, it did to my kid. |
Wait, I am confused. Is your kid the girl (not engineering) who went and then transferred to UVA after a year? |
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nope not my DD, her friend. My DD got in ED and went. The friend wanted to go but didn't get in, so went to Penn State and transferred. Yep is happier at UVA in all ways. Penn State was a joke she said as far as academics and socially it was a train wreck. very shallow girls, vapid. |
The lower GPA could've been because classes generally get harder the following year. I take it she wasn't taking the exact same classes at UVA that she took at Penn STate. |
Right? Like USNWR 2022/23 global list of best universities has UVA below T100, Penn State within T100. Note: 2022/23 is the year before USNWR made changes to how they rank. The global list is based on reputation and research. They don't have one for 2023/2024 year. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings UVA #119 Penn State #84 (btw UMD #57) |
Like a finishing school? |
Kinda |
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The UVA kids are probably just a wealthier cohort to begin with. Probably entered college that way. I went to PSU (undecided, liberal arts) for one year then transferred. The classes and professors were fine but the student body didn't seem very academically-oriented. Socially, it was a disappointment. I can find it believable that a recruiter would be able to pick up differences. When I describe my year at PSU, I sometimes say it was like camp for middle-class suburbanites. People actively craved freedom from parents so they could celebrate watching football and getting wasted. Pretty limited view of the possibilities. |