Just curious if anyone knows… the people who are now changing their major to DUS, does that go into the same pool of people that applied in August as DUS who still have not heard? My daughter is truly DUS but leaning toward Psychology. I’m hoping she is not in the same pool of people (which is a lot looking at social media forums) who are just now changing their major. In that case, I wish we just applied Psychology. 
In case it helps: D25 applied in Aug for Smeal. High stats, very high SAT score, Full IB diploma.
Got frustrated waiting when friends with lower stats have been getting acceptance, so today decided to change to DUS.
PSU admission process is a great mystery; please know there are quite a few worried souls here, who are just waiting for a positive outcome, and find themselves in this situation for no fault of theirs.
My D25 clearly had the stats for direct Smeal, but this excruciating wait has made her doubt herself, and for that I’m personally very upset with PSU’s process.
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Does anyone know like how competitive DUS is and how competitive it is to go to straight summer session?
That’s what I’m worried about. Most of the kids I’m seeing making the switch are high stat kids who wanted Smeal. She’s 3.63/4.37. Everyone changing over to DUS these last few weeks are much much higher in stats. Majority of her friends have heard back over the last month. -and sadly, PSU is not even their number one choice. It has been her number one always. That’s the frustrating part over here (along with the wait). In hindsight, we probably should have put psychology as her major and figured it out from there if she ended up making a switch.
I hear you. PSU has made a mess of it by:-
- Releasing random decisions, thereby increasing anxiety among those who has no real reason to be worried.
- Forcing a second choice campus; being OOS, we’d rather be denied admission than offered 2+2, so that should have been a choice.
- Allowing changing major, they should have instead taken a priority order at the time of application.
I know some people will come to the defense of PSU that they have given until Dec 24th to come up with decisions, but that’s not even the point. They should have rather taken longer but managed this better.
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I’d have to disagree with #3. I think it’s better they only reevaluate the small percentage of kids that go through the effort of asking for reconsideration, rather than running the entire application pool through a 2nd choice major decision.
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You really shouldn’t be upset with the process - it isn’t the process’ fault, a process which actually isn’t a mystery and was quite transparent with expectations… No the fault lies with those who failed to set realistic expectations for their children, teach them patience, and the coping skills to handle uncertainty.
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Last year I know many high stat smeal kids got acceptances on December 24 th
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Don’t make general comments and judge what I teach my kid. You’ve no idea about that.
I’d not consider the process transparent when someone with lower stat than my kid applying TO has heard weeks before my D25 with higher stats, max rigor, highest test score. So, yes, every right to be frustrated and vent it.
PSU is a great school and hence one of my D25’s top choices, but they can do better on their admission process - it’s my opinion. You can differ on it, and I won’t judge you; expect the same from you.
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They have said that they go through all the applications in a essentially random order - so yes, the process is transparent and perfectly explains how relative scores or test optionality don’t impact timing. You have been promised a decision by December 24th, in no particular order, so while you have the right to be frustrated and vent about whatever you feel, you don’t really have justification for it. I’m not judging what you teach your kid just observing what you are now modeling for them (at a time when they most need good models).
They are proccing tens of thousands of applications in fairly short order and by all seeming accounts fairly and efficiently- so yeah, while I’m sure I could find ways to improve their process (I improve processes of all sorts for a living and am quite good at it) - it is overall quite good, and I empathize with having to deal with their customer base.
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If her scores and GPA are so high, she should have confidence in her application. I think a question that many of the parents here need to ask themselves is are we anxious about this or are they anxious about this. I know I’m checking here often to see what’s going on with the applications, but my daughter is fine… She applied to a lot of great schools and she’s already gotten into a few of them. This is where we have to look at is it her anxiety, or is it your anxiety. If she were denied from Smeal, wouldn’t she be able to then get reconsidered for DUS? when I went through the process with my older son two years ago, so many decisions that we saw happening did not make sense. That’s what the college application process is, a ■■■■ show. He didn’t get into his top schools, and he loves where he is! He is in a school that was the perfect fit for him. He just couldn’t see it at the time. Best of luck to your daughter and I hope she hears soon but just like my daughter sometimes they have to wait.
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Just FYI- There are a lot of in-state
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Absolutely. I am WAY more anxious than my son, in part because I spend too many hours on this board. It is at once very helpful and very anxiety inducing. My S actually doesn’t have a clue about when any of his decisions are coming out unless he gets an email directly from the school and is happily going about senior year. I however, am freaking the F___ out! 
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I’m 
the same! 
My son has no clue and only checks portals when he’s alerted to!
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How many children were born in 2006/07/08?
Each College is reporting a substantial increase in applications.
This is what has us parents most worried, that the competition is higher. And we don’t know how applications are evaluated to make them fairer.
My Son is still checking every day his Penn application.
Florida State just made public the stats for EA FL Resident Only: 32,700 Applications ( a 49% increase from last year) Acceptance 12,900 ( a 50% increase from last year)
Florida State review process is centered on three institutional core values:
Vires, Artes, Mores.
Vires: Strength (Transcript, GPA, Course Rigor)
Artes: Skill (Resume, Strength of involvement)
Mores: Character (Essay, HS & neighborhood context)
I promise, next year I’m going to come back on this thread, with no skin the game, and just beat the ■■■■ out of anxious parents waiting to hear back on their decisions .
It would be so easy for me to preach at that time and I’ll take the moral high ground sitting on a horse.
I’ll also be sure to assume the role of a self-hired defense attorney of PSU Admissions.
I’ll also offer my free unsolicited services of parental counseling. I’ll teach them the importance of practicing patience and “modeling” the right behavior in front of their kids.
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This is our second year in a row going through the process (freshman at Wisconsin- Madison and now a Senior son). It is stressful, probably even more so for the parents. Everyone will find their place. It may not be where they initially expected but they will find a great home. We are still waiting to hear from PSU but have a few great options already. Hang in there it will all work out. Best of luck everyone.
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Question for anyone in the know (or thinks they have an educated guess).
Let’s pretend for a second that a certain college or program is taking 1000 students in their at College at UP.
Admissions must have a number in mind on the amount of acceptances they are sending, because not all 1000 will be saying yes.
My question is, does PSU then give 1200 acceptances for that college? 1500? Leave it at 1000 and hope for the best and take a smaller class?
Uh, for the record I too have a kid waiting on college acceptances (including from Penn St. EA)…
I wouldn’t have to defend PSU admissions if others weren’t projecting their anxieties onto folks doing a fairly tedious, difficult job very well and (from my limited interactions) with an almost disturbing positivity.
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Uh, for the record, PSU isn’t the only college receiving thousands of applications and wading through them.
Uh, again for the record, D25 has applied to 11 other colleges, gotten acceptance in a few and waiting for rest, but no parents in any of those threads seem as anxious as this one.
Uh, once more for the record, we love PSU, and it’s our top-choice; my only gripe is with admissions process.
Uh, last one for the record, good luck to you and your kid.