Agree. After hearing about Behrend’s recent $6.5 million grant, it’s clear that that campus is actively growing. The grant is supposed to help advance several new initiatives, including the expansion of facilities and enhancements to student resources. When we toured they talked about the expansion, and the campus is big enough I wouldn’t be worried about it closing. $6.5 million grant advances Penn State Behrend's Project RESOLVE | Penn State University
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Harrisburg, Altoona, Abington, and Behrend are full-fledged 4 year colleges and wouldn’t be at risk imho. In fact, because they’re located in different regions and away from UP, they’d likely be targeted for growth (with campuses located nearby, closing).
Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, Dubois, New Kensington, Greater Allegheny, Fayette will likely be considered in relation to their environment, and hopefully PASSHE schools nearby, so that they keep their mission of supporting the diverse territories in PA and their responsibilities towards the different regions of the state as well as the opportunity of attending college for commuters, balanced with the necessity of saving costs.
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Abington is currently building a new 85000 sq foot academic building at a cost of c. $70m.
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Hi - My daughter was accepted pre-major to UP/Smeal with a Summer start. We are OOS so cost plus some other factors make a Summer start challenging for her. We called the Admissions office to confirm that she wouldn’t lose her initial offer if we submitted a reconsideration request and it was denied. The admissions counselor at first told us that if her reconsideration is denied then that’s the final decision and she “loses” her original decision. Then after reviewing her application she came back and told us that she would actually be able to keep her initial offer if the reconsideration was denied. I’m hoping this is correct but I’m wondering if anyone else can confirm?
Also, when we looked at the reconsideration, it doesn’t allow her to submit it without selecting an alternate campus. Since she’s already been accepted at UP she doesn’t want to go with a 2+2. Is this a risk that we have to take with a reconsideration request or is it possible to submit for UP only?
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- You keep the original offer if recon is denied - no two ways about it
- Even though the recon request forces you to select an alternate campus, they will consider only primary campus; you should send an email to PSU admissions to make sure of it.
PSU is not here to make applicants life difficult, they try their best to make reasonable accommodation.
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Yes as @Idontgetthis she will keep her original offer.
She can check a branch campus as a second (alternate) campus : they will consider her for Fall/UP first, Summer/UP if she checked Summer (but since she already got Smeal/UP/Summer she wouldn’t have to), and finally if neither works, they’d review her for a branch campus - which you can then turn down (since you’re OOS it would make sense).
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hey everyone!!! im a current freshman here at UP and i thought i’d provide some insight/advice as someone who stalked these boards all last winter and went through the same thing not long ago. the first thing i wanna say is DO SUMMER. all of my friends who started in fall regret not applying summer. best summer of my life and i cannot stress that enough. and leaps are so important all 20 of my classmates got super close and i still talk to all of them. also!!! reconsideration is hard but keep trying. i was branched and i asked so many times (maybe 15 too many) for reconsideration and it all worked out and i love it here!!! best of luck to everyone in class of 2025 
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Thank you for this insight! For those kids that got into UP Fall and can’t or prefer not to do summer, what is that experience like? How hard was the transition socially?
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Is it too late to apply? How do you know if a major is already full?
Most competitive majors will likely be full or very competitive by the time decisions for Priority applications are delivered (1/31) - so, no Smeal, no Engineering unless you thought you were Ivy or NESCAC-bound and got shut out in the ED rounds.
After that it depends what your transcript looks like, what you want to major in, whether you check Summer, and whether you can get your app in before February.
Thanks for your insight. I think transcript is good (4.0/4.5 gpa), 7 AP/DE’s, 1520 SAT. Either College of Information Science or College of Science for the Data Science major.
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Have you taken Physics (which course/s)?
Calculus?
Physics honors last year, ended with A+ but decided not to take ap physics this year.
5 on Ap Calc AB test. Currently in ap calc bc.
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I think you have a shot at Eberly/Data Science. Check Summer in addition to Fall just in case, if your parents are okay with it.
(For alternate, if you’re instate, Behrend or Harrisburg? If OOS, it doesn’t matter, branch campus isn’t worth it from OOs).
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Why isn’t branch campus worth it for OOS?
Daughter really wanted UP but applied Smeal and got 2+2. Had 4.3 GPA. If she resubmits is she better to change to DUS or French as a major (took AP French exam as a HS freshman and got a 3). I know changing to summer helps but what about the major? Change to French or DUS for best chance of getting into UP?
Daughter applied Smeal and got 2+2. She is OOS and wants UP and had a 4.3 GPA. Would you advise resubmitting as DUS or French major?
Because surely you have an equivalent or better option instate, but less expensive. If you don’t of course Behrend is a solid college for STEM, equivalent to Rowan in NJ.
Luckily my child got into UP for summer, because the Virginia schools aren’t looking good even with his high stats he was rejected from UVA, deferred JMU, and the scattergories from his school don’t look good for him for VT or W&M.
My point being - for the class of 2029, state schools are not a shoe in. With his stats, he should not have gotten deferred from JMU, yet here we are.
It’s so random my son got branched at PSU and in to JMU and UTK among other very good schools.
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