@spqr70nj I was very fortunate to have two different but very nice ladies and both took the time to talk and both encouraged me to check back whenever I felt I needed to. Of course, I want to minimize that so they can spend more time reviewing applications.
My son was offered admission to the 2+2 program and a spot on the Waitlist for UP which he accepted. Since then his application status has said “thank you for accepting a spot on the Waitlist … if a spot becomes available we will notify you.” Then this morning, his application status changed to “Your application is currently under review. We have received everything required to complete your application. Once a decision is made, it will be posted here.” I’m assuming its a glitch given everything that has happened this year, but who knows. I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen to them and what, if anything, happened after that. Thanks!
Sounds like the recurring glitch @jcs1918 It only matters when the picture of Old Main changes to the Nittany Lion. And then in that case it could take almost 24 hours to actually get the decision posted on the site.
That’s what I figured. Thank you. If anything actually comes of this one way or the other, I’ll post the results
@2019undecided my d is in state, applied 8/5/18 for same reasons you state
She has high stats, etc etc
Was finally accepted UP 2/25!!
No rhyme or reason for that long a wait, just random luck of draw said psu admissions
And yes psu has 100,000 applicants, but not in August and by September
No excuse
I know it’s modified rolling, I know how it happened , just no excuse as to the why imo
In writing admissions said random draw, and on phone
Believe it, psu review of each application is random
Still good idea to follow advisors who say apply early and follow closely for in state or out
But absolutely random luck is the answer
Oh and also choice of each pre Major is far more important than psu reveals
Even for those majors which are not direct admit or special
@MyaCocoa
I really cannot believe what has happened to your sons application
For admissions to tell you that the wait list formed 1/24 (unprecedented as we know) was composed of people randomly and so it’s just bad luck?
I thought we were neglected, your son and the thousands on that 1/24 wait list have been abused by this year’s bizarre process
I think since there is no academic reason your son hadn’t been admitted to UP (just like my d, there was no academic or flawed application) that it is worth the stress to keep on the wait list and keep in touch with admissions
At this point, it makes perfect sense for a parent to contact psu. And to try to reach someone higher up?
Though it’s great to have students advocate for themselves @undecided2019, in this case it is outrageous to think that hearing from a parent instead of the student is detrimental
Bottom line parents pay tuition and have a stake
I do think considering other colleges in May is wise, and I do think imo future students can learn that it’s a good idea to apply to as many as 7 or 8 schools as advised on Naviance for us
Reachable schools, especially of Penn state is one of your picks
That’s what we did. Specifically because I feared penn state being so big it was risky to make it my d number 1 pick
That’s directed at future students, not you @MyaCocoa because we know your son has very specific goals with his triple language focus
Good luck, I would contact admissions again and try to reach the dean
Your case seems worth it
@MyaCocoa Are students still getting accepted at this date?
Seems so from this board
If so that’s absolutely a reason to contact dean of admissions now
With your usual polite and positive self 
Why would your son be wait listed but others are being accepted?
That has nothing to do with wait list strategies to plead academic reasons as someone noted, it’s all about a flawed process
At least flawed according to the answers you have been given
Dean of admissions, please!!!
I get you want to wait on USC, but you can make a case to the dean of admissions like no other and it might just work now ?
Wouldn’t that be great?
Ever optimistic
Parents are still the stake holders and have an important role @undecided2019
As teammates!
Advocating for yourself as a student is absolutely the first step in every case
but if that fails, positive and constructive parents are welcomed,
time and again it proves true
???@myacocoa
@spqr70nj I just wanted to chime in and say that my D’s picture never changed from Old Main to Nittany Lion when she was (finally) accepted. To this day it’s still Old Main…
@jcs1918 When I called two weeks ago I was told that from here on out an e-mail would precede a change in the portal, at least for those on the wait list. But who knows what really will happen?
@jcs1918 My portal has changed to the same message (waitlisted to smeal). But, before changing to that message, it changed to a message that said “We have completed our review of the Penn State waitlist. Please wait 3-5 business days to receive your admission decision”. At first, I felt confident that I may be getting an acceptance because I don’t understand why they would deny kids from the waitlist unless they are totally full already. But, I did see a post saying smeal is nearly full so maybe that is the case.
Also, I’ve happened to see some posts about kids denied to smeal right off the bat that then asked for reconsideration to DUS and got in. I find this very annoying as I may have been dragged on by the waitlisting process, only to hear I’ve been denied, but if I request reconsideration for DUS I will probably be denied this late in the game. Now the fact that I was a better candidate hurts me in the end? Of course this is hypothetical for now but I hope it does not turn out this way.
Feel free to share your opinion on what the “3-5 business day” message might mean.
I will post if I receive any updates. Hoping for the best for everyone.
I am a student currently on the waitlist for smeal, and have had the same change in message in my “My Penn State” account. I called an admissions rep and they said that means a decision will most likely be made soon and to keep an eye out for a change in status.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. My son did call admissions this afternoon as well and was also told that the change in his portal meant that he should have a decision “in the next few days.” He is also waitlisted for Smeal for whatever that is worth. @MyaCocoa we too thought there would be an email preceding a portal change, but he hasn’t received an email as yet. Perhaps before his final decision is posted? Anyway, good luck everyone! Will let you know how things turn out on our end.
@marniefaerie Interesting. My S’s did and then eventually changed to the 2+2 branch campus Scranton he was assigned. Could be the logistical issues someone raised earlier.
@MyaCocoa hi I am really sorry that this had been so frustrating for you and your son. I know you feel that “this year” has been (I don’t want to put words in your mouth) not the fairest. I have a little different opinion (not being disrespectful) - I know everyone believes that the highest stats always should get in - but clearly PSU does not accept students that way- in fact most schools don’t- every year there are a group of “top students “ that get 2+2. We are OOS and my current student would not have chosen to do a 2+2 (she couldn’t handle the two transitions)but my next year applicant may (and he would prefer not to) PSU is the best school for his major- and although he has extremely high stats -(4.0 UW,SAT 1410, ACT 32- he will retake this summer he is a junior and has taken 4 AP (5’s) , currently taking 3 and will take at least 1 senior year with probably 4 dual enrollment classes) he clearly knows that although he has done his job as a student he may not get in directly. It is still the best academic program for him. He will apply DUS though in order to increase his chances. Universities select in buckets and yes you may be the one selected for a different path. Yes your son has the stats to be admitted to UP but he does have an option to graduate from Penn State if he so chooses. There are many students that have the same stats (and some with higher/lower stats then he does) and they were not given the choice of the waitlist. He was. Now with that said, he/ or you (depends on however you feel comfortable) May want to contact whomever (I would Dean of Admissions) and discuss his application in order to see if you can enable a decision especially due to his triple major. He does have a very unique situation and they may not be fully aware when they look at his application. Penn State is a large university they definitely have enough staff to handle phone calls. I would never be concerned that a phone call would delay a decision for another applicant. I wish you luck. Although I think you think “less” ( that’s not such a great word but can’t think of anything else) of a 2+2 it is not the case- it’s the same degree (even if you do 4 years at a branch)- so therefore it’s the same content. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a great choice for many. Also good luck with USC (that is very far).
@skibunny2 We don’t think less of 2+2, but the other campuses only have two of his three intended majors. And he definitely wasn’t one of those top-of-heap stats kids. The only thing I think was “unfair” is that he applied in October and was not evaluated by December 24 as promised. And then I was told two weeks ago that he was merely unlucky when they picked a bunch of kids to make wait. Made to wait only because they couldn’t get to them. As my son says to me to be sassy, “That sounds like a YOU problem and not a ME problem.”
That said, of course there was never any guarantee that he would be accepted to UP at all. What we DID fully expect when applying in October, was that by December 24 he would either be Accepted or Rejected. We didn’t have a crystal ball either, so while we didn’t know how many applications would be coming into them, we went with their word and counted on it: Decision by December 24. No waiting, no deferral - certainly not with Early Action. To me it’ll never be fair when you can’t count on someone’s word for how they will do things.
And now they are evaluating later applications and rolling apps before finishing the “wait” pile. How is that “fair”? As I type this I can’t get my mind around to “fair”. The person I talked to two weeks ago said it rather like this, “He was put on the wait list, that simply means he has to wait… He looks like a fairly strong student.” So I guess that means waiting longer than those who come later and are still coming.
@MyaCocoa random wait list, inconceivable
@MyaCocoa , evaluating newer apps while others will are waitlisted… unacceptable, but not really surprising at this point. This is the same Admissions that deferred a bunch of our kids and said they’d get looked at first after Christmas, but then didn’t.
I’m really sorry for what your son and other kids are still going through, it just further confirms my Ds decision to decline PSU was the right one.
Best of luck to your son with USC!!
After being told in February that he was “accepted” to the 2+2 program and being placed on the waitlist for UP, the decision my son received today was a definitive acceptance to the 2+2 program with apparently no shot to start at UP. He’s disappointed, but he’s got some very good alternatives and will do just fine I’m sure. Good luck to everyone else waiting!
Not surprising @jcs1918. I question how thorough the ‘second’ review actually was or were they just trying to close out the pile. Fortunately our kids have alternative options.
2+2 isn’t a bad thing…not by a long shot. If a student is considering one of the more difficult majors with tough entrance-to-major requirements or whose path almost requires graduate or med school, they need to be very mindful of their GPA. Many students may benefit from smaller class sizes and more 1:1 attention in a 2+2 environment. Some high stat kids prefer the smaller campuses. Just something to think about, especially if your kid is thinking premed/hard sciences, engineering, or business. I often wonder what the average GPAs are of kids coming from the branch campuses in majors like engineering compared to those at UP, who have had to fight through classes with 200 to 300 students.
to @skibunny2 “PSU is the best school for his major- and although he has extremely high stats -(4.0 UW,SAT 1410, ACT 32- he will retake this summer he is a junior and has taken 4 AP (5’s) , currently taking 3 and will take at least 1 senior year with probably 4 dual enrollment classes) he clearly knows that although he has done his job as a student he may not get in directly”
Right, but what If the admissions office waitlisted him without ever looking at his application? And then by the time they got to his application the spots were full or nearly so? I’m not saying it has to be first in, first out lockstep. I’m assuming you are okay with a 2+2 (even if it means giving up his desired major), or an outright rejection without actual review that compares them to other candidates? If you are, that’s cool. I just wasn’t clear.