Please help me on getting into Penn State!

jlhpsu
Fri, 26 Sep 2014 15:11:55 +0000

I think there are two different scenarios being discussed here. One is a student who applies DUS and THEN tries to get into an inventory controlled major before the freshman year begins. This is very difficult to do because while one student was applying DUS, others were applying directly into the major and getting accepted thereby eliminating open spots. Also, if you could get in after the fact, you could have gotten in in the first place.

The second scenario is starting freshman year as DUS and then switching into a different major down the road. This is always possible and people do it all of the time. But even so, if you are applying to an inventory controlled major, it very well may add time to your degree. For example, Nursing is a 4 year program at Penn State. If you have the credentials, you can switch your major into Nursing your sophomore year, but you will be a year behind and your major would take 5 years. In those majors, certain classes are only offered at certain times of the year and go in order, so you can’t just start whenever.
Other majors, it is much easier to switch into because there are many classes offered and you do not have to do them all in a specific order. I do not know how engineering or Computer science majors work. Are they inventory controlled? Are the classes done in cohorts?

Talking with an admissions counselor prior to applying may help you understand your options.