My daughter applied to the wrong campus on her application. She applied to Altoona instead of UP, and she called in March to have her application switched to main campus. However she got rejected by UP, but was accepted at Altoona.
Her weighted GPA is 4.2. SAT (without super score): 1280; (with super score): 1330. ACT: 29. 6 AP classes. She was a competitive gymnast for 12 years, suffered an injury and had to quit after multiple surgeries. She applied for Biology major, because she’s interested in Sports Medicine due to her years of positive experiences with doctors and PTs . She’s from out of state.
At first we were shocked at the rejection (no waitlist), however, since she switched late, I wonder if the Biology major headcount is already filled up at UP. And this is a most competitive year for college admissions also. So I’m thinking perhaps her rejection can’t be repealed. Or perhaps she should switch to a less competitive major and asked to be reconsidered?
If you’re familiar with Penn State, what would your advice be? From what I read, Altoona seems to be a very nice campus, smaller in size and close to UP. There is something called the 2+2, which seems to a program to study at Altoona for 2 years and then transfer to UP later. How likely would she get transferred if she keeps a good GPA, and also would she need to apply for this 2+2 program now?
The problem this year is just the volume of applications they got… requesting a campus change for fall in March wouldn’t work. My cousins kid did the same and was only offered summer DUS
Transfer under the 2+2 program is automatic as long as the student meets the entrance to major requirements. I don’t know if it’s worth it to pay out of state tuition to start at a branch campus, but Altoona is one of the better, more residential branches. You could call admissions to request a change to DUS or another major at UP, particularly if you and your daughter are okay with a summer start. My guess is that Biology is full for both fall and summer at UP, since that’s the most common major for pre-med hopefuls. Look at biology-related majors in the College of Health and Human Development. Does your daughter have other options?
Also consider that housing options at both UP and Altoona may be limited at this late date. Supplemental housing may be (or may soon be) all that’s left at UP. On-campus housing at Altoona is very limited and is neither required nor available for all freshmen. There is, however, plentiful off-campus housing available close to campus.
If she wants to be an athletic training major, those students MUST go to UP campus after only ONE year. So, if that’s her intended major, she’d only be at altoona a year. That’s exactly what my son did and while he ended up switching out of that major at the end of sophomore year, he was at Altoona for one year, then up to UP. He loved Altoona though and would have had no problem staying. Of course, he loves UP also!
I’d look into either DUS at UP campus, or go to Altoona and switch to athletic training. Of course, there is no guarantee she will get into the althletic training major after that first semester at UP, but even if she doesn’t, she can always head back to bio or regular kinesiology, both of which will support her goals.
Thanks so much for all your feedback ! After she called the admissions office, I realize we are too late for other options . It’s either the 2+2 or she stays in state (there’s some personal reasons related to her injury why she is not keen on that ). I think Altoona looks like a good campus and we will have to make a decision soon.
I forgot to mention besides in state (she’s accepted to both school with partial scholarship) , she is also accepted at Oregon state and U of Colorado Boulder . I think her first choice is Penn state for sure
@Kaymkoo , I think 2+2 may be a blessing in disguise. If she has any aspirations of going to medical school, achieving a high GPA and getting to know professors who will write her a great letters of recommendation are paramount. She will have an easier time getting through those rigorous weed out classes (chem, calculus, etc.) at Altoona and should benefit from smaller class sizes and 1:1 attention with professors. Then she can take the bus up to UP for football games. Best of both worlds.