To my knowledge, there was not a waitlist last year. And whenever there is a waitlist, people do recieve offers. I think the data set may not reflect what we think it does for some reason.
You can accept a spot on the waitlist, and…wait. You may get a spot at UP , or will get a spot at your alternate campus. (If you were a deny, you’d just be denied) Students do get off the waitlist and I can’t imagine that will go on into May. If you haven’t been wait.isted, that would seem to be a good sign.
You can turn down a spot on the waitlit, and get an offer for your alternate without the wait. So if you only want UP, there’s nothing to be lost by taking the waitlist offer. Especially for OOS students, a commonwealth campus rarely makes more sense than your other good choices that aren’t PSU.
Yes, commonwealth campus students in good standing can transfer as juniors to UP, assuming their program is offered there. A few programs don’t allow this; ask Admissions or the campus.
If you have questions, look on the website or call Admissions. No sense guessing, that’s why they have phone people.
@MyaCocoa I am actually stunned that your S was waitlisted for liberal arts with those stats… good luck! Maybe ask to be reconsidered for summer or a diff major…smh
This common app stuff has really messed up this year. It’s likely they are offering admission to people who wouldn’t have applied otherwise and therefore are less likely to accept. Just my two cents but I think as these accepted students realize there is minimal if any aid coming their way they will not accept the offer and students on the waitlist will get in. I really can’t believe some of you guys (or your kids) didn’t get into UP based on stats.
Yeah I think common app was the real reason there were so many extra applicants. I applied direct to institution, only took me like an hour, but common app once you have it filled out takes no time to apply to as many schools as you desire.
I agree, Admissions don’t know what they’re doing and don’t know what yield they’ll get so each group must be in the dark. I haven’t heard of wait-lists in January before so previous History wouldn’t likely apply - isn’t it something they normally start in April at the tail end of the cycle?? But clearly in January that option was added as a possible answer. Sounds like the new “denied for that major” which would lead to a call to be reconsidered for DUS- that way they skip that option, which must be time consuming.
Also it sounds like they’re trying to push students to branch campuses because those mustn’t have filled as expected.
At this point you can
just turn them down (they messed up, you throw in the towel, no regrets)
accept a spot on the wait list, especially if you have a satisfactory acceptance elsewhere already. Odds are better than in previous years because their using the wait-list at this point indicates they have no idea of how to calculate yield.
for Pennsylvanians, the option of being considered for 2+2 even though your stats qualify you for UP. But would you like to reconsidered for Altoona, Erie/Behrend, or Harrisburg? Ask if you can be considered for Schreyer at these campuses, while you’re at it. If OOS, I really wouldn’t pay OOS tuition for a branch campus, there HAS TO be a better/cheaper instate college available.
shouldn’t the waitlist decision come out after all students have been accepted in the pool? This is crazy to be in the waitlist and it’s January. How many applications did they get?
The real winner with the Common App (and Coalition App) are the schools. They are collecting application fees from more people that otherwise are not seriously planning to attend. #BigMoney
I’m from CT. I applied to the business school in october w a high gpa but low test scores. I only want UP and if accepted into a branch campus I will not attend. This is just so unacceptable
of the penn state admissions staff.
@citymama9 Well, the look on my S’s face told me he might even have cried before I got home. I wanted to talk to him, but he said he needed a nap.
He only applied to 3 schools. The one he was accepted to (also an Early school) was his 3rd choice. But honestly all his 3 schools would be ones to be proud of and happy places to be. His #1 choice doesn’t have Early and we won’t know until April 1. But I think PSU was moving from #2 in his mind maybe to #1 the closer it got. His #1 school only accepted 12.9% of applicants last year. It was a reach and we knew it, but being wait listed at PSU makes it seem less likely #1 would accept him.
So this is how I am thinking of it and how I’d like to present it to him: Where does the school that already accepted him fit in the scheme of PSU UP and PSU Altoona.
My feeling is that even if PSU were always his #1 choice he would be foolish to be wait listed for UP and possibly not hear until as late as May 15, when everywhere else needs a decision by May 1. And then if he did NOT get an offer at UP he’d have nowhere to go. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and all that.
So if he knows he doesn’t want Altoona over his #3 choice, then he could be wait listed and if he doesn’t hear in time, the decision is made. We visited UP over the summer. I told him if he wanted we could leave for Altoona tonight (a bit of a stretch, but I’d do it for him!) to check it out ASAP.
All 3 of the schools he liked, I liked as well. They are all very different but all have great things to offer each in its own way. He can study the things he’s looking at in all 3 places.
@MyaCocoa oh your poor son! That’s heartbreaking that he saw the wait list update on portal without you after all this time!
?
I’m sure it will all work out for him, with you to guide him but I feel that post
Portal Message Just Changed to THIS……??? Penn State is currently receiving a high volume of supporting application materials. Supporting application materials are being processed and recorded on the date received. Please check your MyPennState profile regularly for updates to your checklist items. Once your checklist items are complete we will begin a review of your application.
We have no items needed and have had everything in and confirmed since August???
Well, our “check back soon” status has just changed to this:
“Penn State is currently receiving a high volume of supporting application materials. Supporting application materials are being processed and recorded on the date received. Please check your MyPennState profile regularly for updates to your checklist items. Once your checklist items are complete we will begin a review of your application.”
