I went to PSU for my freshman year in parent times. I was a white female from a suburban nearly all-white high school. I was in the Honors College and the Honors dorm which is also where the Martin Luther King interest house (living learning community) was located. My experience at PSU at that time made me feel like leaving for a more urban, worldly, intellectually-stimulating place for liberal arts majors. It was a very normcore monoculture. Does it still have those tendencies? Yes, I do think so...

I think PSU and VT are very similar on paper. So I would encourage you and your daughter to read this recent Reddit thread about PSU and think about how your daughter might react if facing a similar experience at either school. Transferring due to poor fit is a bit of a hiccup - you want to avoid my situation.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PennStateUniversity/comments/125qmjr/am_i_the_only_one_that_doesnt_think_penn_state_is/

I would choose the school where it seems best suited to accommodate her plans for finding whatever communities suit her best.

From the outside, I have heard good things about Black Greek sororities. Business students focus a lot on networking and so perhaps that might be a decision-making factor. Greek life and chapter strength vary widely from university to university. But this can be researched on the web. Including by asking on Reddits for the universities. Greek life helps a lot at PSU...but I was not interested in that solution even though both my parents were Greeks at a different school.

At my Top 20 MBA program, I found that a lot of the Black students had been members of Black Greek associations as undergrads. That's how I came by my impressions of it being a real value-add to the undergrad experience. But do warn your kid about hazing and excessive drinking. All types of Greek organizations have issues with this.

Anonymous wrote:VT is a nicer school in a nicer location.

VT is more diverse and Pamplin School of business is better. [b]

It also doesn’t carry the baggage.

by what measure?

The vast majority of people don't care about Penn State's baggage.

VT diversity is not that different to Penn State:

VT
58% white
10 Hispanic
13 Asian
6 black
4 International

PSU
63% white
9 Hispanic
8 Asian
5 black
9 International

VT male 56.4; female 43.3
PSU male 52.4; 46.8 female

Their profiles are very similar, but PSU publishes almost double the research papers (51K) than VT (26K).

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/penn-state-6965
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/virginia-tech-3754

VT is a nicer school in a nicer location.

VT is more diverse and Pamplin School of business is better.

It also doesn’t carry the baggage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smeal is ranked much higher for undergrad business (23) than VT (40).

Citations please?

Also is that really “much higher ranked”? Are you really much more impressed with a Penn State grad than a VT grad? I’m not.

+1
Still haven’t seen the citation to back up the PP’s claim. At any rate, this pissing contest is stupid. Both are great schools.

Anonymous wrote:VA tech school overall is ranked higher

source?

Anonymous wrote:

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

do you think international students dont go to Tech?

? ok, but the global presence isn't as high. 27K penn state alumni live overseas. Can't find a figure for VT probably cause it's not *that* big.

VA tech school overall is ranked higher

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smeal is ranked much higher for undergrad business (23) than VT (40).

Citations please?

Also is that really “much higher ranked”? Are you really much more impressed with a Penn State grad than a VT grad? I’m not.

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

do you think international students dont go to Tech?

Anonymous wrote:Smeal is ranked much higher for undergrad business (23) than VT (40).

Citations please?

Anonymous wrote:Since OP mentioned - "DD is Black"

I think VT might be a better fit. More diverse and more African-Americans ( I never say White or Black).

The OP herself said black. It's perfectly fine to use white and black as descriptors.

Smeal has more name recognition, and PSU has an incredible alumni network. Both are 5-6% black or African-American. PSU is whiter at 63% white compared to 58% white at VT (fewer students of Asian descent).
Full disclosure, my son goes to Penn State. He’s in their computer science program. He and his girlfriend are both very liberal and have not mentioned any issues. Neither are into the Greek life. Both seem very happy with their choice.

Smeal is ranked much higher for undergrad business (23) than VT (40).

Since OP mentioned - "DD is Black"

I think VT might be a better fit. More diverse and more African-Americans ( I never say White or Black).

Sure, ok.