DISCUSSION THREAD - Fall 2024 application/Class of 2028

Colleges & Universities Penn State
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Creating this thread for discussion regarding applying for Fall 2024. Use this for questions or discussion regarding the upcoming application cycle.

Answers to common FAQ’s

DECISION TIMELINE:
decisions do not generally come out before November and those are usually the very high stat kids or commonwealth decisions (students that applied directly to the commonwealth). MOST other applicants won’t hear until December.

Apply Early Action and not Rolling to hear by the end of December. Rolling applicants actually hear after EA applicants.
Pay attention to deadlines and decision dates. Dates & Deadlines - Undergraduate Admissions

Decisions at Penn State come out in random order and are not first in, first out.

DUS vs MAJOR DECLARATION
PSU’s undecided major is called Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). It has become more competitive in the past years as students have figured out that you can still get into Smeal Business or Engineering from DUS without losing any time. It is still less competitive to apply to DUS than Engineering or Smeal.

Do not apply directly to Smeal unless you have stellar grades (4.0+) and rigor. Only about 10% of all Smeal applicants get accepted as a freshman and even they are still in a pre-major status.

PREMAJOR vs DIRECT ADMIT
Only a handful of majors at PSU are direct admit. Direct Admit Majors | Penn State
For virtually everyone else, your acceptance will state that you have an INTENDED Major of XYZ. This is because all students at Penn State (except direct admit) have to complete entry to major requirements to get into the major - usually by the end of Sophomore year. You can find the entry to major requirements by searching the online academic bulletin (Undergraduate Bulletin | Penn State ) for your intended major. If you complete the requirements, you are in the major. It is similar to how other schools have you complete requirements to STAY in the major. Penn State has you complete the requirements and then when you are in, you are in.

Those are just some common questions. Feel free to ask other questions or for clarification in this thread.

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My son is interested in applying for the BArch program in the school of architecture. From the common app, it looks like there’s only an optional essay for the writing component. I don’t see any additional material required.

Does that seem correct?

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Sorry I just saw this! I think that is likely correct. There won’t be a separate application from the general common app for Architecture, and the general application does not require supplemental essays. THey get too many applications to be able to read all fo the essays. Architecture is one of the direct admit majors, so be aware that admission will only be offered or denied for the UP campus. There are no back up campus selections for direct admit majors.