I don’t think so but am not sure so you’re better off asking if you don’t get the decision you wanted (after getting the decision and before asking for reconsideration).
Not hearing back is completely normal. Decisions are not first come first served nor are they based on likelihood of admission ( except for the 4.0/1500/Olympian kids whose app doesn’t take much time 
).
So, if you haven’t heard back, it doesn’t mean anything. I know it’s frustrating but stay strong, be patient, and keep your fingers crossed. 
The decision is 2/3 (GPA × rigor). A 3.7 unweighted GPA with AP English, AP Stats and AP Bio, 4 years of Spanish… Is very different from 3.7 with all regular classes.
At this point you’re better off waiting, because in 2 weeks you’ll know and switching to TO that late into the decision cycle is likely to push the decision to January.
For chem, they’ll want to make sure the math score is 650+ (if attending a regular HS) and definitely 600+. Precalculus (honors or AP) and/or calculus + all 3 of bio/chem/physics would also be expected.
If you go DUS vs direct admit to smeal, are you taking the same classes with the direct admit students? For example, could a DUS and a smeal direct admit be in the same classes together first year?
Yes, same here, I don’t think that will go away until a decision has been made and then you are able to log in
You can’t access Lionpath until your TO button disappears and then until they’ve uploaded the admittance letter.
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@sweetpea1 There are no direct admit students for Smeal.
All students who are pre-major (usually freshmen and sophomores) must take the same classes and meet the same requirements to get into their major in Smeal. You can be DUS_premajor or Smeal_premajor.
Yes, DUS students (premajor) and Smeal students (premajor) are sitting next to each other in Calc, and English, and the below listed classes.
What you CANNOT do is take the Smeal entrance to major classes from Ag, IST, Comm, Education, etc. You can ONLY get the required ETM (entrance to major) classes from DUS pre-major or Smeal pre-major.
I am copying for you the details.
there is no “direct admit” to a business major like some other schools. Everyone is considered “pre-major” until the conditions are met.
Requirements to be “in” their major:
- required classes…
=> four gen ed type classes (Econ, English, Stat, and Calc)
=> four “business entry” classes (Marketing, Management, Finance, Accounting) - apply within credit window. Usually sophomore fall or spring.
- maintain required GPA. Anywhere from 3.2 to 3.5. Finance may actually be higher now - it used to be a 3.5.
Once those conditions are met, you are in the major. They don’t take the top 50% once those conditions are met, or only 200, or any additional criteria. Google “entrance to major Penn State” + major and you will see what we have explained.
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Got an email at 12:00am last night saying there was an update to my application status. Not opening until I get home from school. Nursing major
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I’ll have my son look at the Sapphire info. He didn’t apply to Schreyer because he was burnt out, although I think he is regretting it a little now. He has a little more time now.
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Yes, all students take the same classes and must meet the same requirements, with the same grade thresholds. There’s no shortcut.
The exception to this would be Sapphire and Schreyer students who have their own honors, small-group classes rather than big lectures, but they still need to meet the same requirements and same grade thresholds.
The requirements make sense with the majors – they’re not arbitrary: it wouldn’t make sense for a student to get into specialized business classes if they can’t pass Freshman Econ or Intro to Management …and preferably get an A or B in it, etc.
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At this point will decisions be released daily? And will there be a point where there will be more than one release daily as the deadline gets closer? Or will it always be the midnight email and the 7 pm button loss / Lions path check? Thanks.
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Historically there have been twice daily admission news releases in the last week but while it stands to reason they will this year too I can’t promise they’ll do it this year too 
I think they even had updates on Saturdays.
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Thanks for all this great info in here! My son has applied to Smeal and we are still awaiting a response. We have been back & forth on whether to change it to DUS or perhaps Economics (I’m confused as to whether Econ falls into Smeal or into another college, if anyone has any insight into this, we’d appreciate it!). He’s OOS, public HS in Northern VA, weighted just over 4.0 with 11 AP/IB’s and lots of good EC’s, but TO and he did not check Summer. So I think he’s most likely going to get 2 + 2, based on what I’m reading here. We are wondering if he should switch to DUS or something else (Econ?) now, or just wait. If he hasn’t been reviewed yet, and it’s supposedly a random pull of apps, would it affect him at all, or would a decision be pushed? And - do the AO’s see that he’s switched? Any insight is appreciated!
Economics is in The College of Liberal Arts.
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Good Luck! Are you OOS? Thanks
With 11 AP/IB courses, especially if these include Math SL AA or HL or AP calc and 4 years of foreign language (or any IB Lang), his rigor is solid.
Whether he should switch to DUS depends on his Uw GPA, IE., the weighting (each HS weighs differently so he could have a 3.8uw or… a 3.0!)
This close to the decision deadline would likely push the decision though.
So, if Uw is 3.7+ I wouldn’t do anything.
Economics is in Liberal Arts and has a more quantitative as well as a less quantitative track.
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If you’re anxiously waiting, here’s a general information post to keep you occupied and stress free (… Less stressed out… More informed… distracted… )
Admissions have pulled a blog post they used to have showing how they proceed(Ed) so ** I don’t know whether it means they have changed their process** (new enrollment management director) or just would rather not show it or any variation thereupon.
But
here’s how it used to go as far as I can recall:
Each app is sort on a conveyor belt.
A different person (or nonperson) handles each step. So, it wasn’t “one person reads one application and personally decides whether to bring it to committee”.
1/Software reformats everything in standard form and presents the transcript&course rigor in a little box.
2/Then it’s sorted according to college and/or major requested.
3/A person assigned to that college or major checks the rigor according to what the college expects (minimally and optimally).
4/A person checks rigor according to the school profile.
5/ A person checks reformatted GPA.
6/ A person checks grades in various subjects that have shown essential to college success and success in the major.
= These steps will be 2/3 decision
Then that 2/3 is refined:
7/ Person or software sorts comparison to other applicants with similar GPA +Adjustments based on region, HS, etc (ie., Bald Eagle HS vs. Henderson HS…)
Then 1/3
8/ Review of test scores - Do they change the initial review? For COE, Eberly, EMS, do they meet minimal thresholds?
9/ other elements: ECs, statement, etc.
Then
10/ all elements are now together for senior staff => reviewed for Fall first=> if not admitted for ‘UP, Fall’ do they meet ‘UP, Summer’ threshold? => If not, branch campus offered => it goes into the software that registers the decision, at that point it takes 1-3 days for it to pop up in the portal.
This way they only train staff for one task that they become very fast, very efficient at - review/check 
review/check …- which is how they can go through 100,000 apps.
I don’t know if they still follow this process.
Some public universities use this “conveyor belt” model and some have 2 readers per app but they usually take longer to go through the apps. Smaller, private universities usually have a reader per app, then those making the cut are discussed in committee. This more tailored process only works for highly selective universities with the funds to train and pay enough staff or for colleges that receive a manageable number of apps.
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That totally makes sense EXCEPT here is my question. I applied along with many from my HS. Friend applied same time as me (mid October) and has already been accepted and I am still waiting. We applied to the same school (HHD). I have a much better GPA, harder class rigor and better ECs. If, according to #7 above, wouldn’t I have been admitted before her?
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I believe at this time many applications have not been ‘opened’ yet, i.e. not even put on the ‘belt’. My friend’s son who applied from a nationally ranked top HS with NMSF, 1580 SAT hasn’t heard anything.
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has the schedule a visit button disappear for anyone else?
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