Anonymous wrote:For anyone actually interested in colleges here, DS chose Pitt over PSU and is very happy there.

I also know someone who goes to Pitt and loves it.

For anyone actually interested in colleges here, DS chose Pitt over PSU and is very happy there.

I don't think anyone is saying that PSU isn't safe -- the concern is that this scandal is going to generate years of extremely costly lawsuits/settlements.

I don't know if the financial damage will be limited to the football program. It could bankrupt the school, don't you think?

Why take that risk when there are a hundred other schools that are comparable?

Anonymous wrote:that school has major issues that will take years to work out before anybody should send their kid there.

A few not-so-good men do NOT define an entire school.

I tend to agree. The civil suits that will result from this scandal could really affect the entire school.

Plenty of other places to look at.

that school has major issues that will take years to work out before anybody should send their kid there.

I'm the OP. In speaking with people, I have found out that out of state kids do sometimes get accepted into the branch campuses, and that Altoona is fairly close to the main campus and has bus service so the kids who attend there can take advantage of what the main campus has to offer.

DS has decided that if he does apply to Penn State, he won't accept unless he gets into University Park, because he wants to go to a large university.

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

I knew a small handful of bright kids who started at a branch campus for financial reasons (they could live at home). I wouldnt be surprised to see that number increasing as costs increase. But I didn't know anyone from out if state that started at a branch campus-some if them are commuter campuses with no housing so it would be tough as a freshman.

In general, you do 2 years at a branch and then transfer. I believe a few 4 year programs are now offered at a handful of branches. Advantages are that the class sizes for gen eds are smaller and it's a smaller community (main campus can be overwhelming). At the end of the day, your diploma just says Penn state, so no one would know the difference.

I think the point is that almost no one chooses to go a branch campus first. If the goal is to get to PSU-University Park at any cost, then branch campus is a route. Seems an unusual path for an out of stater. (Similarly, any VA resident can go to NVCC for 2 years, get a certain GPA and be guaranteed admission at any VA state school -- including UVa and W&M).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The branch campuses aren't as highly regarded as the main campus either. All the people I know who went to the branch campuses couldn't get into main campus or didn't have the highest educational goals.

Really? Because I heard that if you have a certain number of credits and above a certain GPA (which was not that high), the transfer was automatic. Does that only apply to PA residents?

That is probably true. I meant that the students I knew who went to branch campuses couldn't get into main campus directly from high school so they went to a branch campus. I lost touch with them after high school graduation and this was pre-facebbok days so maybe they eventually did automatically transfer to main campus.

Anonymous wrote:The branch campuses aren't as highly regarded as the main campus either. All the people I know who went to the branch campuses couldn't get into main campus or didn't have the highest educational goals.

Really? Because I heard that if you have a certain number of credits and above a certain GPA (which was not that high), the transfer was automatic. Does that only apply to PA residents?

The branch campuses aren't as highly regarded as the main campus either. All the people I know who went to the branch campuses couldn't get into main campus or didn't have the highest educational goals.

Maybe a lot of in-state students start at a branch and live a home, but from out-of-state, you'll want to start at main campus. Kids who transfer really don't expand their social circle beyond their branch friends and if your child wants to get involved in Greek stuff, nobody wants a pledge who's a Junior.

Penn State is a popular destination from our competitive Fairfax County high school (about 12-15 kids each year). As best as I can tell or know, none of these kids starts at a branch campus. I think the ones who start at branch campuses are PA residents (getting in state tuition). Penn State is the most expensive state school for out of state students, so I'd be hesitant to pay the big bucks and be at a branch for two years -- unless DS can't imagine being anywhere else but at Penn State. If you want to provide his general GPA/SAT scores, this forum can give you some ideas for schools to look into (and some guesses if your son would be accepted at main campus).

DC is starting to look at colleges, and read that most students at Penn State spend 2 years at one of the campuses other than University Park, and then transfer to the main campus to finish. He is looking for a large university experience, but from what I have read, some of the branch campuses are fairly small. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do the kids at the branch campuses feel like they are not part of the Penn State experience, since the sports do not take place on their campuses? Is it like transferring to a new school when they go over to U.P. to finish out their last two years?