Do Penn State grads/current students carry a stigma?

[Anonymous]

I agree with the PPs that PSU students both shouldn't and are unlikely be to tainted by the situation with Sandusky/Paterno.

I DO think, however, that the tragedy reflected some larger truths about Penn State: the idolatry of football, the lack of ethics and critical thinking skills among the students (the cheering and near-rioting for JoPa during the scandal was appalling), and a calcified bureaucracy that prioritizes athletics and $$$ over education and student/community safety. Is it all that different from other big state football/party schools? I don't know, but I won't encourage my high school junior to apply there. It would disgust me to give them my hard-earned money.

--PSU grad, with 5 others in my immediate family and more than a dozen in my extended family

(FWIW, yes, most of us are at least moderately successful in our careers. About half of us were excellent students going in, but couldn't afford to go elsewhere. The rest of us were mediocre high school and/or college students who have nonetheless done pretty well.)

[Anonymous]

Anyone who stigmatizes you for going to PSU because of their football scandal is a complete idiot who should be ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the philly area and there are tons of penn state alumni in my neighborhood. None of them seem bothered by it at all.

Too dumb to care.

lol, so true. State school people rarely if ever venture out of state school bubbles. Everyone they know is of average intelligence. Overconfidence and lack of self-awareness thrives in state school bubbles.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't compare to Strayer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the PPs that PSU students both shouldn't and are unlikely be to tainted by the situation with Sandusky/Paterno.

I DO think, however, that the tragedy reflected some larger truths about Penn State: the idolatry of football, the lack of ethics and critical thinking skills among the students (the cheering and near-rioting for JoPa during the scandal was appalling), and a calcified bureaucracy that prioritizes athletics and $$$ over education and student/community safety. Is it all that different from other big state football/party schools? I don't know, but I won't encourage my high school junior to apply there. It would disgust me to give them my hard-earned money.

--PSU grad, with 5 others in my immediate family and more than a dozen in my extended family

(FWIW, yes, most of us are at least moderately successful in our careers. About half of us were excellent students going in, but couldn't afford to go elsewhere. The rest of us were mediocre high school and/or college students who have nonetheless done pretty well.)

This. I'm from PA but went to Pitt, so maybe I'm biased. But I have plenty of family/friends who went to Penn State and will defend Joe Paterno to the end, no matter what. Idolatry is a very good way to describe it. Pitt was not like that at all. I went to football games and my boyfriend was on the team, but that idol worship just did not happen at Pitt.

[Anonymous]

Not at all

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. Schools have scandals, but I don't think they touch kids who aren't involved. UVA post Rolling Stone (before it was discredited), UNC's athletic scandal, Duke LAX, VT after the massacre-- I don't think any of these thing reflect on 95% or more of the students who attend (that is, I wouldn't want to be a Duke LAX player in the time around the scandal, or a UNC basketball player-- but everyone else? Nope). All still great schools.

That said, these scandals involving athletes (in addition to the above, Grayson Allen and Brock Turner come to mind) and athletic departments happen again and again. If the primary measure of a college is how well the educated their students, I think it's time to ask ourselves why athletes/ coaches/ athletic departments are getting away with things that schools would never tolerate from other departments and even the best and brightest non-athlete students.

[Anonymous]

I went to PSU. Won't defend Paterno and cringe when relatives do it.

I was admitted to Ivy league schools but PSU was the better value. I don't regret my decision. There are actually benefits to being a scholar at a party school. Lots of opportunities to work with professors. They're very open to students who are interested in their field. Not snobby.

Went to NYU for grad school and that was NOT a good value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prett much screams, hey, I couldn't get in anywhere better.

Or you know, smart enough to see what a good value state colleges generally are, see the value of no debt, and get go to a higher ranked grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This forum cracks me up, seriously?? There are some really bitter folks out there! I am a Pennsylvania native and PSU alum. There may be some residual stigma, however, most people have realized that the scandal had nothing to do with the students. I have never had an issue professionally prior to or following the scandal.

+1
Get your heads out of your asses. What about schools with mass shootings, like Va Tech? Do you think there's a stigma there? Come on.
I'm a grad and so is my spouse. We've done very well professionally as have some of my friends from there. I won't say everyone who graduated is a success because of course that cannot be said about any school.
But a stigma? Hell no.
You've fallen down the DCUM rabbit hole.

Sorry, dude, that's a really lame analogy and it makes me question the value of your degree. Obviously, unlike Penn St. (and seemingly most of its students and alumni), Va. Tech didn't blindly shield and defend an athletic program that supported a monster pedophile. No one blames Va. Tech. for the tragedy and its aftermath. The Penn St. stigma is deserved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This forum cracks me up, seriously?? There are some really bitter folks out there! I am a Pennsylvania native and PSU alum. There may be some residual stigma, however, most people have realized that the scandal had nothing to do with the students. I have never had an issue professionally prior to or following the scandal.

+1
Get your heads out of your asses. What about schools with mass shootings, like Va Tech? Do you think there's a stigma there? Come on.
I'm a grad and so is my spouse. We've done very well professionally as have some of my friends from there. I won't say everyone who graduated is a success because of course that cannot be said about any school.
But a stigma? Hell no.
You've fallen down the DCUM rabbit hole.

Sorry, dude, that's a really lame analogy and it makes me question the value of your degree. Obviously, unlike Penn St. (and seemingly most of its students and alumni), Va. Tech didn't blindly shield and defend an athletic program that supported a monster pedophile. No one blames Va. Tech. for the tragedy and its aftermath. The Penn St. stigma is deserved.

I agree with this assessment. PSU issues went past the athletic dept to the administration (cover up) all the way to the governorship. To equate VA Tech shooting to what happened at PSU for over 30 years is laughable. But what would one expect from a grad of a cult school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. The football scandal was a long time ago and all grad schools and almost all hiring managers realize that a regular student has zero to do with football operations. Sure every once in a while you'll get a dick-ish hiring manager making comments about it but 99% of people realize that the sophomore in business or engineering has no control over the oversight/lack of oversight in the football coaching area.

LOL...keep thinking it was only football scandal...it was covering up pedophilia to the highest levels of the university administration and to politicians...sick...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the philly area and there are tons of penn state alumni in my neighborhood. None of them seem bothered by it at all.

Too dumb to care.

lol, so true. State school people rarely if ever venture out of state school bubbles. Everyone they know is of average intelligence. Overconfidence and lack of self-awareness thrives in state school bubbles.

What if I told you that 60% of Americans don't even have a college degree, much less one from a top-50, flagship institution? Mind-blowing, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the philly area and there are tons of penn state alumni in my neighborhood. None of them seem bothered by it at all.

Too dumb to care.

NOT an impressive body of students or alumni.

[Anonymous]

"We love you joe!! We miss you Joe !!"
Look at the vacant expressions on the students faces . Doesn't speak well to the education quality and what mixed up priorities . It's actually kind of hilarious .


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4OpAJbFoax0