Thank you for doing this and posting about it, because previously it would have been considered risky (if not a no-no) to switch majors so close to the decision date. This information was very useful to all who were trying to decide whether they could still switch prior to a decision or not.
Reconsideration would take from a few days to a couple weeks.
The fastest typically is reconsideration from (small branch campus without residential life) to (Altoona, Harrisburg, Behrend).
Right now, most time is dedicated to getting the last Priority decisions out. to everyone still waiting.
No, thereās no scarcity here, donāt worry. Nothing is running out. Kids requesting reconsideration quickly after they received disappointing news will be on equal footing with all other Priority applicants who want UP, whether they heard Dec 1 or 23.
However the longer they wait after ā¦ January 2, realisticallyā¦ the riskier it gets. Waiting till February or March to ask for reconsideration is not a good idea, for instance.
(In state students who want to switch, say, from Berks to Behrend or from Abington to Altoona hear faster. OOS students hear faster too but thereās not much point in attending a branch campus from OOS imho, there has to be cheaper/similarly selective universities in-state.)
In the same way, everyone who got their application and SRAR in between Nov 2 and Dec1 will be in the same group with the same ābarā or thresholds.
Smeal is brutalā¦ In state, GPA 3.97 UW, 4.24W, TO, 11 Honors/6 Dual Enrollment/2 ap. Calc highest math. Both parents PSU alum. Offered 2+2 at Behrend. Kids at his school admitted to UP with lower stats to different colleges.
Seems like maybe TO does hurt chances for Smeal? Will ask for reconsideration to DUS, I assume good enough stats for that for UP? Also looking at college of IST.
Yes, my D has very similar stats - 3.96 UW, 4.76 W, 10 honors, 5 AP, 2 Dual enrollment, and got Smeal 2 + 2 Altoona. AP Stat and Micro, Dual Enrollment Intro to Business and Fundamentals of Marketing. Hard to figureā¦
Smeal out of HS is one of the hardest admits (beside Nursing). Harder even than COE.
DUS for sure.
Straight As with 17 AP/DE/honors and Calculus, yeah youād think UP Smeal Premajor ā¦ but, trying to be optimistic, DUS is Premajor to Anything (including Smeal Premajor) so if you submit for DUS UP reconsideration you should be fine. There really is no difference. You can consider yourself Smeal Premajor if admitted to DUS with an intent to meet the ETM Smeal challenge.
Not sure if TO hurts chances so much as they need more data if they donāt have testing data (or other data, such as being from a feeder HS). But it doesnāt make this decision any less disappointing - sometimes theyāre head scratchers.
Being ready to pivot with an alternate major and being open to summer if itās affordable/possible makes things easier. On to DUS reconsideration
If reconsideration/change is requested before the decision then portal is updated with requested change almost instantly.
If a decision is made already, then it makes sense that your original major is still reflected, as that is what has been offered to you. Thereās no guarantee than the reconsideration request will be granted.
@MYOS1634 I must say, Iām very impressed by the AO folks at PSU. They are one of the kindest, flexible and supportive bunch who have the best interest of applicants in their hearts.
Every time I have spoken to them or had an email exchange, they made me feel good.
Theyāre just having to manage through a relatively complex/flexible application process (alternate campus choices, no cut-offs for reconsideration requests etc).
It leaves a lot of applicants like me second guessing all the time. The two bare minimum changes Iād love to see in the app process are:-
Option to leave the alternate campus blank, instead ask for an alternate major. That should close the door for reconsideration requests.
Clarity that Smeal pre-major and DUS are pretty much the same for those looking at a Smeal major. I had no idea until I learned this from you. It was a game changer for us, and now my kid will mostly likely be going to PSU.
I do not think any actual reconsiderations for UP have heard back - reconsideration meaning people who got 2+2 and are asking to be reconsidered for UP under a different major.
Heartiest congratulations .
Best possible outcome for someone wanting a business major at PSU, open to a summer start.
Great stats, so very well deserved!
I meant since thereās no guarantee that reconsideration request will be granted they cannot update the major in the portal.
There should be some status on the portal against the reconsideration request or it may be locked as a consequence of successful submission.
Your responses are always so helpful as I have been reading them for months. So thank you for that! My daughter received her acceptance last week for Altoona 2
+2 program. She selected Communication as her major as she was hoping to get into journalism. I am hearing that the Communication Major is a popular one for the Athletes that get recruited to PS. Not sure if that is even true. But, my daughter excels in english and writing and I thought Liberal Arts would have been a good choice but with all of these high stat students selecting other majors to try to back door it into Smeal, I am not sure what is a good option. Do you have any advice for a less competitive major for my daughter to switch to for reconsideration? Thank you in advance for your help!
I think applying for English would be right up her alley
This includes TV script writing and journalism
This includes professional writing
She can highlight the classes the took (especially if Honors/AP and especially if she got As) that make it a logical choice.
She could also mention she would be interested in being a Paterno Fellow Aspirant, would be looking forward to 137 (Fall)-138H(Spring).
For the record, the other classes sheād have to take in order to pivot easily (if she wished) or double major (for journalism, another major is a good idea: writing skills + content knowledge) would be another Honors seminar of her choice, Comm100N, World Language 002 (if she had 3 years in HS) or 003 (if she had level 4-AP in HS), a math for humanities class (Stats 100, Math for citizenship, etc.).
If she wants to pivot, sheād have to be ready to take Stats 200 because some comm majors require it, and Iām not sure if she would be allowed to take Comm 160 (a one credit class thatās the pre reqs for all journalism classes) unless in DUS.
AP stats = credit for Stats 100 or 200 depending on score.
I guess two buckets. 1) can you get reconsidered for Fall Start with same major?; 2) can you get reconsidered for Fall Start only by asking for reconsideration of a different major?
for doing this and posting about it, because previously it would have been considered risky (if not a no-no) to switch majors so close to the decision date. This information was very useful to all who were trying to decide whether they could still switch prior to a decision or not. 
ā¦ but, trying to be optimistic, DUS is Premajor to Anything (including Smeal Premajor) so if you submit for DUS UP reconsideration you should be fine. There really is no difference. You can consider yourself Smeal Premajor if admitted to DUS with an intent to meet the ETM Smeal challenge.
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