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OT: Odds of getting into University Park

wbcincy

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Apr 4, 2003
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My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
 
GPA looks good. SAT is a little low. I would think that the SAT would need to be around 1250+. If engineering maybe higher. I think at a large university like PSU it is all about GPA and SATs.

Keep taking the SAT. PSU super scores meaning you can take the highest math and verbal from separate tests.

Also Pitt isn’t the Pitt we applied to. Just as hard to get into as PSU.

Good luck to your niece. It will all work out.
 
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Is her GPA on a 4.0 scale or does the school have advanced classes that could go above 4.0? Does she have any AP classes and does she plan to take the exam? Is she going to retake her SATs? Based on what you have told us so far, it would be a stretch to get into UP in the fall. She could possibly start in summer at UP.
 
Is her GPA on a 4.0 scale or does the school have advanced classes that could go above 4.0? Does she have any AP classes and does she plan to take the exam? Is she going to retake her SATs? Based on what you have told us so far, it would be a stretch to get into UP in the fall. She could possibly start in summer at UP.

Unfortunately I don't know some of those details. She took the SAT as a sophomore, and apparently because of Covid they weren't requiring students to take it last year (? I have no idea about this). I honestly didn't even know enough to ask the questions you've asked, I just saw them this weekend and only see them about once a year. I really am surprised to hear it's that difficult to get into, I thought her numbers would do it when combined w/ class pres, band, sports, volunteer. I appreciate the insight. I would bet she's willing to start in the summer if it meant getting into UP.
 
Unfortunately I don't know some of those details. She took the SAT as a sophomore, and apparently because of Covid they weren't requiring students to take it last year (? I have no idea about this). I honestly didn't even know enough to ask the questions you've asked, I just saw them this weekend and only see them about once a year. I really am surprised to hear it's that difficult to get into, I thought her numbers would do it when combined w/ class pres, band, sports, volunteer. I appreciate the insight. I would bet she's willing to start in the summer if it meant getting into UP.
SATs were optional last year. Not sure for applications for 2022. Her scores will improve if she takes it a few more times.
 
I’ve been told somtimes it depends on major. friends son was not accepted at main campus as a regular business major but then got word from an admissions person if he changes to ag business he will get accepted. Then once you are in, you have ability to change majors.
 
I’ve been told somtimes it depends on major. friends son was not accepted at main campus as a regular business major but then got word from an admissions person if he changes to ag business he will get accepted. Then once you are in, you have ability to change majors.
NJ mailman's daughter applied for Nursing - has to go to branch campus. Changed to Undeclared she could go to UP. Choose Nursing at Tenn.
 
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My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
Honestly, she looks like she’s on the bubble. Apply DUS, willing to do summer session.

Would explore the blue band angle. The rest probably doesn’t matter.
 
My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
Check the box to start in the summer……widely known secret to get UP.

she will have way more fun there than missing her “last summer with her friends”.
 
My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
I would think that's on the bubble for UP. My daughter will be attending UP for nursing this fall but had a 4.0 GPA and 1200 SAT.
 
I valued my two years at Ogontz (now Abington). It was a good place for me to start.
Yeah I hope the OP and his niece see this and take it into consideration. I wouldn't have graduated if I started at UP (2 years at Altoona). Going from a small high school straight to a place as big as main campus can be a challenge. Starting with summer school at UP and having less going on other than classes would be the best for her acclimation.
 
Application sent with teacher recommendations by Sept 15, 2021. Lots of openings then. Get SATs up.

Pretty sure PSU doesn't look at recommendations.

Might be hard pressed to get a HS to turn over application credentials that early in the school year. Woul n't surprise me that PSU wouldn't even look at any that soon
 
With those credentials being out of state would seal the deal. It’s all about the $$$$ to this cabal. There is no rhyme or reason to their process.

Yup. HS at which my wife teaches has sent lots of kids to PSU with worse, a lot worse in some cases, credentials. But those kids are all paying full-freight out-of-state tuition.

Says something about PSU and I'm not sure it's good.
 
Sorry, but your niece looks like a good student, but barely an "A" student. SAT not that good no matter when they were taken. I would accept an appointment to a branch campus.
 
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Pretty sure PSU doesn't look at recommendations.

Might be hard pressed to get a HS to turn over application credentials that early in the school year. Woul n't surprise me that PSU wouldn't even look at any that soon

Worked in 1990 and 1994 - Sept. First kids accepted in their classes. Both OOS. Easier if recommendations not needed now.
 
My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
She’ll get in without an issue. Others suggesting she won’t are wrong.
 
NJ mailman's daughter applied for Nursing - has to go to branch campus. Changed to Undeclared she could go to UP. Choose Nursing at Tenn.
This is absolutely one of the biggest factors for UP. Many other posters stated it as well. It will depend a lot on the major. Nursing and Engineering are the most competitive from what I hear on the street(I live in SC). From what it sounds like from others, Business is getting there as well. If your student is on the bubble, then DUS is most likely the way to go and also be willing to come in the summer and being part of the LEAP program. I know so many students that were part of the LEAP program that go a really good start to their PSU college experience. It is not a full class load and you become part of a cohort and a lot easier making friends that sometimes stick with you thru the rest of college and life which also means your professional network when you graduate.

https://summersession.psu.edu/first-year-students/leap-program-university-park
 
In state I think its tougher with those metrics. Here in MD I have seen kids who had similar scores/GPA and got in to UP but didnt get in to UMD.

I also know a kid from my hometown (son of HS teammate) that had a 3.9 unweighted with 1200+ SAT and did not get to UP, not sure what the major is though. He then asked to start in the summer as was accepted to UP
 
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Unless applications are way down, I would be very surprised if an instate applicant with those GPA/SAT scores gets accepted at UP. Shocked actually.
My brother got in the summer session route with similar GPA/SAT (almost exactly), but that was 1985.

1060 is not a great score, and as others have said, she really should take it again.
 
Another thing: the 1060 SAT will absolutely torpedo any chance she has. She should take the SAT again (maybe more than once) in hope of getting her score to at least 1200 but better 1300, try taking the ACT, or if standardized tests are optional again this year, do not submit.

Also, the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA is important. If 3.5 is her weighted GPA, I do not think she has a shot at main. On the other hand, if 3.7 is her unweighted GPA, and her weighted is a 4.2 or something, then she might make it.
 
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Another thing: the 1060 SAT will absolutely torpedo any chance she has. She should take the SAT again (maybe more than once) in hope of getting her score to at least 1200 but better 1300, try taking the ACT, or if standardized tests are optional again this year, do not submit.

Also, the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA is important. If 3.5 is her weighted GPA, I do not think she has a shot at main. On the other hand, if 3.7 is her unweighted GPA, and her weighted is a 4.2 or something, then she might make it.

That is not at all correct.


Secondly, SAT/ACT scores are an increasingly small part of what universities consider.
 
She'll probably get in but she may as well attempt to increase her chances.

SAT, although scores are optional this year a better score would allow her to submit them so I would recommend she take the Live on-line Kaplan SAT prep class (no in-person classes are on their website). Two of my children increased their scores by over 200 points and I think that's worth the $700/each I spent.

Summer start is good advice.

Choose a major that is looking to expand, not turning students away. Agriculture majors, Nutritional Sciences, and Education majors are three areas she should look. I'm sure there are others as well.

If she gets in have her do Aurora (specifically the Orion program) as I think it will be life changing in a good way. https://www.shaverscreek.org/penn-state-students/aurora/orion/

If she chooses DUS than she should ask to be placed in Discover House which is the best kept secret at UP. https://dus.psu.edu/discover-house
 
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That is not at all correct.


Secondly, SAT/ACT scores are an increasingly small part of what universities consider.

Depends on the school. PSU admissions is pretty much by the numbers (GPA/rank and test scores) so not submitting a test score may be a disadvantage if the large majority of applicants are.
 
My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
GPA is OK (average is around 3.58 at one source I looked at), but SAT is low (average is 1265 - 25th percentile composite would be around 1160).
 
Sounds like a lock? Especially in state. I was acceppted at 3.1 but my SAT was really high. I did nothing other than play sports. I still opted to go to Altoona because if I went to main campus off of the bat I would have died.

My dad works at PSU though. So basically a 3/4 scholarship I messed up.
 
Honestly, she looks like she’s on the bubble. Apply DUS, willing to do summer session.

Would explore the blue band angle. The rest probably doesn’t matter.
Her information is similar to my son's who is entering his junior year at PSU. We are a multi-generational PSU family. His SAT was 1100 and he was declaring for a major in the IT field. He was placed at a commonwealth campus. He had friend declare DUS and chose to go to summer school so they could attend UP. I don't understand the logic for this loophole, but that seems to be the strategy to get into UP.
 
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Her information is similar to my son's who is entering his junior year at PSU. We are a multi-generational PSU family. His SAT was 1100 and he was declaring for a major in the IT field. He was placed at a commonwealth campus. He had friend declare DUS and chose to go to summer school so they could attend UP. I don't understand the logic for this loophole, but that seems to be the strategy to get into UP.
The logic is the extra $10,000 you spend for the summer.
 
Allow me to summarize:

1. Suggest that your niece take the SAT again (and maybe once) more, which she was probably going to do anyway;

2. Tell her to apply to PSU, which she was probably going to do anyway. If she doesn't, she certainly won't get in.
 
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Her information is similar to my son's who is entering his junior year at PSU. We are a multi-generational PSU family. His SAT was 1100 and he was declaring for a major in the IT field. He was placed at a commonwealth campus. He had friend declare DUS and chose to go to summer school so they could attend UP. I don't understand the logic for this loophole, but that seems to be the strategy to get into UP.

The logic is the extra $10,000 you spend for the summer.

Several things to parse out here.

First, if you apply for a specific major, that college/PSU's admissions set specific GPA and SAT criteria for that major. DUS has minimum criteria, but they are lower than those of many majors, so borderline students (in terms of being at or below the criteria for specific majors) are very well served to apply DUS.

Second, PSU tracks all their students, and has all kinds of statistics on them. They've found that DUS students actually graduate in four years at a higher percentage than pretty much any other college. Many students switch majors during college, but if they start out in a specific major, they can run into trouble with fitting in all their requirements for their new major in four years after they switch majors. DUS students don't have that issue, as the counselors work with them to take courses that are applicable for all the majors they are considering. In short DUS kids get time to get adjusted to college, to see what major really interests them, and in many cases it works out very well for them.

The summer program isn't a loophole, but there are several advantages to it. For borderline kids, PSU will either offer them admission to a Commonwealth Campus, or will offer them admission to UP with the stipulation that they have to start in the summer right after their senior year of HS. The program is called LEAP (the link was provided earlier in the thread), and it's a great program. And the students that participate in it may miss out on the summer after high school with their high school friends, but they get to acclimate themselves to college education in a relaxed setting, they get to learn the campus, and they make a lot of friends during the LEAP program, which gives them a leg up on most of the students that start in late August for the traditional fall semester. As PSU is looking to meet certain numbers for their dorms, and their classrooms, for the LEAP program, it is an advantage for borderline students that want to start at UP to check off on a PSU application that they are applying for Summer.

As to the post by @Pardlion, most parents would gladly pay some extra amount if their kids could 1) graduate in four years, 2) graduate with a major that interests them, and 3) graduate with a degree that leads to a good paying job.
 
My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?

I have 3 PSU alum, and only 1 had to start at Altoona before transferring to UP after a year and a half. Had she chosen a less demanding major initially she would have started at UP. As it turns out she made life-long friends and looking back wouldn't change a thing. Best of luck to your niece!
 
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The logic is the extra $10,000 you spend for the summer.
Wholeheartedly agree that the money plays a major role however there's a bit more to it. Students that are on the marginal side for being accepted will have a much easier transition taking two classes while there are far fewer distractions about campus and town. They are likely to meet people that first summer who become lifelong friends. The pool is open and there is never a wait for tennis courts, court time, workout facilities, etc. They can actually learn their way around Pattee-Paterno Library before the crowds descend. Almost without fail those that started in the summer state that that summer was the best summer of their lives.
 
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My niece's #1 choice is PSU, so long as she gets into University Park. My concern is she visited Pitt last week as a potential back up option...

I felt there was zero doubt she gets in, but wondered if any folks here with better insights agreed. Here are her relevant stats/info:
  • PA resident
  • Small school district, about 250 in the high school, but still a top 100 district in PA.
  • 3.5-3.7 GPA
  • Class president
  • Member of marching band (clarinet), wants to try out for blue band. Already knows PSU fight songs.
  • Also plays basketball for HS
  • SAT below expected at 1060
  • Has other volunteer experience for years
  • Looking at health care career (PA, psychiatry, pharmacy among considerations)
  • Her uncle is wbcincy (joking, but my family has been going to PSU for 100+ years now, didn't know if legacy means anything)
I told them I'd be shocked if she didn't get in, but I guess I don't really know much about what it takes. Thoughts?
SAT score is low. Why didn't she take them again? Did she take ACT?

Is GPA really GPA or is it QPA? Or if they are equal, her not taking honors/AP classes isn't great. If she did take AP tests, what were her scores?

I really don't believe that PSU (other than honors college) looks at much beyond numerical metrics (GPA, class rank, ranking of HS, test scores). I think this is pretty common for schools with a ton of applicants. Maybe they use extracurriculars to make the final cuts (e.g. if there are 50 students tied for the last 10 spots, maybe HS sports, hands and volunteer experience counts, but, and no offense to your niece, those aren't particularly impressive).

Hard to predict, but I don't think she should assume she will get in. Hope she does. Good luck!
 
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