🐾 Penn State 🐾 Early Action Class of 2030 Official Thread

You have to make sure you’re comparing unweighted gpas. Also they don’t look extracurriculars

Obviously UP is the better choice, but I would say the 2+2 option is still reasonable if you don’t mind. You can transfer to UP after two years and keep the major you want, and the tuition is also slightly lower. Just my two cents.

Wondering the same. We are praying for Summer.

1 Like

It means the decision had already been made - there’s a couple days lag between their end of the process and your receiving th information.
And since Early Ed is typically easier than DUS provided you have some relevant ECs, if you were admitted for DUS you were also :tada::clap::clap:admitted for Early Ed. :flexed_biceps::clap:

Does anyone know when Penn State typically starts to schedule in person admitted student days? My kid has a a virtual session available but nothing in person. If it isn’t something until January I won’t bug keep bugging them to check their email.

Adding to the data point. DD26 admitted on 11/21 - Smeal, Fall 2026 UP. Applied 11/1.

4.2W, 33 ACT, 5 APs, rest honors, Honor Calc3, 4 year language.

Thanks for all the helpful advice and tips shared on this forum, they’ve been incredibly valuable!

6 Likes

January AFAIK.
There would be some sort of announcement in your child’s portal.

1 Like

Any insights into how apps are looked at for SMEAL this year, for class of 2030? Random? Geographic by AO? Highest GPA? Then highest Test Scores? Seems random vs 2 year ago… other child heard right before xmas with Smeal acceptance while the earlier ones were 2+2. Just curious if there is any rhyme or reason these days :slight_smile:

My guess is the highest stat kids heard first. My D25 is very high stat (4.0 UW, 1560 SAT) and heard on Nov 12. Kids in her Stats class haven’t heard yet. She’s OOS.

i think they work at the tails. Start with high stat and low stat (offer 2+2) then work way towards middle.

2 Likes

That’s it exactly :100::+1::+1:
Also sometimes they get to an application at random times for unknown reasons so if your child is high stats and hasn’t heard, don’t freak out, it could just be they haven’t gotten to his/her application yet!

2 Likes

When do we think they will start to send out more decisions and will it be daily?

My son applied to Smeal with solid stats (we think anyway?) in September. It’s hard when he hears that kids who submitted later are getting decisions. I keep telling him no news is good news, especially since he chose to start in the Summer as his first choice, taking Fall out of the mix.

3 Likes

this is me manifesting though :slight_smile: I really don’t know what no news yet means for him:)

Summer only applicants tend to hear faster so :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers: for next week :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:
He clearly wasn’t in the highest stats kids nor in the denied or 2+2 clear cut groups. No news is good news in this case. :grinning_face::hugs:

1 Like

Monday.

My D25 is similar in stats to your child, so who knows!

1 Like

Interesting theory!

And every day thereafter?

I’m sure there is some randomness to it that can’t be explained. Does your child have Calc and 4+ years of foreign language? This seemed to make a difference in the schools my D25 applied to last year.

1 Like