This is the official discussion thread for students who hope to attend Penn State starting Summer or Fall 2026 
Fall 2026 Business major
Business majors come in several flavors:
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Smeal, which has two paths - for top students (weâre talking straight As, 1400+ SAT, Calc and foreign language level 4, etc) aiming for Schreyer or Sapphire, they apply directly to Smeal; but most students who actually attend Smeal applied DUS. DUS and preSmeal students take the same classes, have the same requirements, etc. So basically applying to Smeal while in HS is just for bragging rights, because itâs one of the hardest colleges to get into at Penn State, after Nursing.
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Business applied to the many subjects and fields found in the different colleges across campuses.
One that has excellent professional outcomes is
Itâs a dual degree between Smeal and Ag, involves Finance, Marketing, Sales⊠For brands such as Coca Cola, John Deere, Kelloggâs⊠And itâs easier to get into. Student needs to be calculus ready (Calculus Honors or Precalculus at a minimum; an AP Precalc score can help).
Energy Business&Finance requires a strong math background (precalc, calc, stats, CS) but has strong professional outcomes.
Health policy and administration has lots of professional opportunities. Not very math-y, some bio, stats, sociology..
Workforce education, Industrial Training option, is one of the least competitive majors because few people know about it. But there are training sessions in all industries, working closely with HR⊠A minor is likely useful depending on the type of position one wants.
All companies have Human resources departments
For students who want to create their own outdoors business, want to work for parks, etc ..
For tech oriented students, informatics&cs applied to business
The personal statement should make it clear why, based on courses chosen in HS, grades received, experiences (ECs, jobsâŠ) the student is well-suited for the major theyâve chosen and what makes that major at PSU the perfect match for their skills (or, if DUS, what various majors theyâre interested in and how theyâre qualified for these or have shown interest in all these as per courses, ECsâŠ).
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So, my daughter first choose is Smeal business program Finance in Penn State. GPA w is 3.699. 5 AP junior and senior, DE 7 classes, rest of the classes are honors. More than 100 volunteer hours, 4 years varsity sport, clubs, 2 national honors society. Test optional. Do you think she can apply directly to Smeal or DUS?
With a 3.699 WGPA and test optional, I think she should apply for DUS.
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She should apply DUS (and check summer) unless she likes one of the above majors better. She has rigor but the GPA makes Smeal unlikely straight from HS (remember that DUS->Smeal is the ânormalâ/typical path.
Btw, Susquehanna has a good business school that is accessible with her stats and people there are very welcoming and friendly.
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What other colleges she could apply for finance with these statistics in NY, NJ and PA?
Beside Susquehanna as a good target and Penn State as a reach, there are lots of good choices:
Suny Geneseo, SUNY Albany (+Honors), SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cortland
Rowan, Montclair (+Honors) NJ
Towson (MD)
Definitely Drew and Manhattan University, Fordham as a reach if you have a big budget,
Washington&Jefferson, Duquesne near Pittsburgh, LaSalle and St Joeâs in Philadelphia, perhaps Drexel as a reach,
Elizabethtown, Juniata, Millersville, Bloomsburg, West Chester in PA.
More reaches: American U, Gettysburg.
Run the net price calculator on all of them, cross out all that arenât within budget. If you can, go and visit some.
Find 2 that are for sure affordable, well-liked, and sure admissions, then add as you go.
Seeing this thread started already made my stomach drop! I think we are ready, but still know the next 6-9 months will be a roller coaster. I just have to say again how lucky this group is to have @MYOS1634 as the PSU Forum Champion! Always helpful with detailed and thoughtful responses to the anxiety ridden applicants (and their parents!).
My daughter finally visited campus in April, and couldnât have been more impressed. The HHD recruiter also organized some 1-on-1 (well 2 students to 1 potential applicant) time with current CSD students and my daughter and that impressed me more than campus itself. With the number of potential applicants PSU will see this year, their willingness to dedicate over an hour with 3 people just to talk to her was fantastic. Pushed PSU to the top of her list after thinking she wanted to head South for College.
Good luck to all!
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You can register for Spend a Summer Day at University Park (or other campus, unless youâre interested in Millennium Scholars or Schreyer).
Check up to 3 academic interests - I would suggest 2-3 different but related fields (such as Medical Science/Behavioral science/Natural sciences, or Communication&Media, Languages, and Marketing ..) so you can be exposed to different colleges.
Donât neglect the college of Ag - lots of different majors to explore from Sustainability to Engineering to Education and Infectious Diseases.
If interested, check Schreyer and/or Millenium Scholars.
Hoping to get some feedback regarding my childâs likelihood of acceptance to UP for fall 2026. We are out of state. 4.0 GPA, 4.67 weighted. 3 APs junior year, 4 APs senior year (her HS only offers 7 APs and we will take all of them). She also takes a science research in the high school course where she is conducting research at our local large research hospital - senior year will be spent writing her research for potential publication and applying for the Regeneron Scholarship.
SAT is 1390. LOTS of ECs but I know those donât matter for PSU. She has zero interest in a satellite campus or summer start.
Major is likely undecided - leaning toward biochemistry. What major should she apply to at PSU, and when should she send in her application? She wonât have her letters of recommendation until she returns to HS in September.
Thank you!!
Whatâs the SAT split?
Has she taken any science AP (if exam was taken, what was the score?)
What will the research project be about?
Biochemistry is likely if she has a strong math score and has taken bio/Chem/physics + at least one science AP - details (^) will help.
SAT is 710 math, 680 verbal.
She is conducting her own research - the concept developed with her mentor - regarding ovarian cancer cells and the effectiveness of chemo (not wanting to give too much info here).
She has take AP Physics and will take AP bio senior year. As well as APUSH, AP lit, AP LANG, AP Calc and APGAP. Also will have 5 years of a language. Perfect scores on chem honors and English honors finals sophomore year.
Should we have to worry she wonât get into UP?
wanted some realistic expectation for direct admit to smeal.
4.08 weighted GPA, 3.68 unweighted. school does not report unweighted
Rigorous IB school instate
HL Bio, Business and Economics
SL math analysis and appr , SL french ,SL Lit
SAT 1430 but will give one more time. Math 710 and Eng 720.
will take one more time in Aug to increase math score
2yrs Band
3 yrs of Deca
summer work and volunteer work
ok with summer option for main campus.
want direct admit to smeal at UP
Any chance for shreyersâŠ
Thank you in advance.
No, donât worry, sheâs done extremely well, and should apply to Schreyer.
In her personal statement she could highlight everything you listed, especially the research. (It isnât as important as rigor&grades, by far, but adds to the overall picture, along with test scores, and, to a lesser extent even, ECs).
She has the typical profile for admission for Fall/Smeal premajor, and if she doesnât get in she can definitely get in through reconsideration/DUS (*) and/or Summer. If you check Fall and Summer, you will always be considered for Fall first, and if it doesnât match their criteria then only will they consider her for Summer.
Smeal Premajors and DUS pre-Smeal students take the exact same courses and must have the same grades to get into Smeal so that itâs not disadvantageous to be DUS.
The only difference is that Smeal Premajors can apply to Sapphire (Business Honors, separate from Schreyer).
There is no âdirect admitâ, all students have to take certain classes and pass them for any major at Penn State. Itâs selective (students need to get certain grades and an overall GPA) BUT non competitive (ALL students who get the grades are in).
Schreyer admission depends on the essays. Theyâre read by Schreyer professors who use them to determine whether the student shows the analytical skills, breadth/depth of knowledge, intellectual curiosity⊠That would make them excellent for their peers in seminars, or answer in the affirmative to âdo I want this student in my seminar?â
Essay topics will be posted early July so that students can complete them over the summer.
*DUS is PSUâs âpivot to anythingâ major - it doesnât block any major and allows students to register for anything.
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Thank you! She is definitely going to apply to Schreyer! I really appreciate your feedback.
Thank you . we will do as you said above.
what is selectiom criteria for saphire program ?
is there a seperate essay/ application?
Yes, itâs by application.
ECs (especially volunteering) do count for that.
The application window is rather short, so students need to check their account regularly.
https://www.smeal.psu.edu/sapphire
She is competitive candidate, but her unweighted is low for direct admit to Smeal, but her SAT should help make up for it. PSU recalculates GPA for everyone as I know you mentioned school doesnât report GPA. I know someone with similar stats ( slightly higher gpa) and they got summer start for Smeal this year. I know another with 3.99 unweighted and high weighted with multiple APs, sports, voluntary hours, etc. they got in for fall start, but didnât get into Schreyer. Thought they would but they didnât. A lot comes down to essays and he was a strong candidate and good writer, but they only admit 300 freshman (accept a little more than 300 as not everyone will accept the offer). My advice is to start working on the Schreyer essays as soon as they are available. Schreyer doesnât look at SAT scores, but most had high SATs anyways. Profile of freshman admitted to Schreyer have strong grades, intellectual curiosity, desire to be challenged and that shines through in their essays. Best of luck to your daughter. Schreyer Honors College is an amazing program. If not admitted as freshman there is pathways in as existing student as well.
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