Penn State or VA Tech for business

[Anonymous]

OOS for both. About same price after merit. Direct admit to Smeal.

I feel like these two schools are very similar in many ways. Rural/remote, cold winters, big sports, Greek life if you want it (my DD does not). DD is black. Wants to play club sports, gym/rec important. Works out every day.

Any differentiators other than food for VT and alumni network for PSU? She does like that VT is slightly smaller but hears great things about Smeal.

Planning on doing to admitted students day for both but was curious if any others compared same schools.

[Anonymous]

My daughter might also apply next year for business. I think Smeal has a name recognition that VT doesn’t. The direct admit program is prestigious. I also think Penn State has a reputation for fun and happy kids, and I know of a few friends’ kids who were not so happy at VT.

[Anonymous]

I think the alumni network is much stronger at Penn State than VT.

A friend's son is at VT as an OOS student in Pamplin. He loves it. Has had a great experience so far. Hasn't found it to be difficult. He didn't get into Penn State (in-state). Both schools are much easier to get into OOS.

Not sure which one is easier for (business) clubs?

[Anonymous]

Very anecdotal. I know four kids well who recently went to or are currently at Penn State:

- White female, had trouble finding her group first year. Felt like many she met were very conservative and big Trump supporters. Happy now and has friends but said she wouldn’t have chosen it again
- White male, transferred to another school, had a tough time making friends.
- South Asian female, said it was fine after she accepted that most of her friends circle would be South Asian. Not that she’s against that, but she grew up in a more diverse school. Once she leaned into that, she had a group.
- East Asian male, very happy there, goes back for games, no complaints.

All who stayed were happy with their degrees and academically.

I don’t know anyone from VT who has transferred and the kids I know there seem happy. Of course, that could be because it’s in state and the bar for happiness is lower with the lower price tag.

[Anonymous]

Smeal for better alumni network and name recognition. But you'll know the answer after visiting.

[Anonymous]

VT has a nationwide alumni network, like Penn State. Kids we know at VT absolutely love it.

[Anonymous]

Penn State has the stigma...will be there for a long time.

[Anonymous]

OP, our DC had the same choice and chose VT. Very happy junior there now. Just didn’t like sprawling Penn State when we visited and found VT much more cohesive and relatively compact by comparison. Also not interested in Greek life, but plenty of company there considering 80% don’t bother with it. So many activities to be involved with - academic clubs, intramural sports, etc.

And someone mentioned the alumni network - VT’s is excellent and nationwide.

https://www.alumni.vt.edu/chapters.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, our DC had the same choice and chose VT. Very happy junior there now. Just didn’t like sprawling Penn State when we visited and found VT much more cohesive and relatively compact by comparison. Also not interested in Greek life, but plenty of company there considering 80% don’t bother with it. So many activities to be involved with - academic clubs, intramural sports, etc.

And someone mentioned the alumni network - VT’s is excellent and nationwide.

https://www.alumni.vt.edu/chapters.html

Penn State has one of the biggest alumni networks. PSU alumni is present in all 50 states as well as globally.

https://alumni.psu.edu/2025/05/19/penn-state-reaches-800000-alumni-milestone/

https://bpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/elements.psu.edu/dist/1/6/files/2025/11/alumnimaps.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Penn State has the stigma...will be there for a long time.

doesn't seem to stop people from going there, or hiring from there.

[Anonymous]

Penn State feels a lot bigger than Virginia Tech even though it’s not that much bigger.

While it has a bigger alumni network, that can be a disadvantage because it’s so broad that it’s almost irrelevant.

I do think job prospects are about the same.

I would choose whichever one they feel the most comfortable in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, our DC had the same choice and chose VT. Very happy junior there now. Just didn’t like sprawling Penn State when we visited and found VT much more cohesive and relatively compact by comparison. Also not interested in Greek life, but plenty of company there considering 80% don’t bother with it. So many activities to be involved with - academic clubs, intramural sports, etc.

And someone mentioned the alumni network - VT’s is excellent and nationwide.

https://www.alumni.vt.edu/chapters.html

Penn State has one of the biggest alumni networks. PSU alumni is present in all 50 states as well as globally.

https://alumni.psu.edu/2025/05/19/penn-state-reaches-800000-alumni-milestone/

https://bpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/elements.psu.edu/dist/1/6/files/2025/11/alumnimaps.pdf

Yes - as is VT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Penn State feels a lot bigger than Virginia Tech even though it’s not that much bigger.

While it has a bigger alumni network, that can be a disadvantage because it’s so broad that it’s almost irrelevant.

I do think job prospects are about the same.

I would choose whichever one they feel the most comfortable in.

? que? I don't think it works that way.

PSU career fairs are full of alumni who come to recruit from PSU.

[Anonymous]

A big alumni network just means that so many people belong to it that it’s not even special anymore. The depth of the alumni network is not as strong.

If some random person from my 10,000 person state university emails me, I’m not as connected to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A big alumni network just means that so many people belong to it that it’s not even special anymore. The depth of the alumni network is not as strong.

If some random person from my 10,000 person state university emails me, I’m not as connected to them.

opposite. A large alumni network where the alumni are still passionate about the school is very meaningful when it comes to networking and getting jobs.

"Special" is when the alumni network is tiny but the college name recognition is high, like Ivies.

Alumni from colleges that don't have the high name recognition and have a small alumni network are the weak ones.

Large flagships have a large alumni network but many aren't that passionate about their college (like UMD, which my DC goes to). PSU is a whole different alumni network.