@joansass Smeal is the name of the business school. To all you other Smeal applicants: from the information I’ve gathered, the majority of us won’t get our decision until late January. Best of luck to all!!
Smeal is the name of the business school at PSU. I believe that PSU gives very little merit aid, like only 3k and only to people who apply and get into the honors college.
Thank you, my daughter hasn’t heard yet and the wait is killing us! Her first choice school
@Nrnjersey124 How do you know that smeal applicants won’t hear back until late January? This is killing me! PSU is my number 1 school and i really want to know already
@joansass I feel your stress in waiting for a decision. Seems like they are trying to get as much done before the holidays. My S applied Sept 2 and still hasn’t heard, 1st choice, seems like our lives are on hold. Maybe they go alphabetically? If so we won’t hear until Jan! Congrats again on all that has been accepted!!!
I feel all your pain. My daughter and I were resigned to the fact we wouldn’t hear until the end of Jan. We were shocked to hear this morning. Hoping they are moving a bit quicker this year than last year. Good luck to all!!!
@psudream I don’t know that part for sure. All I’m trying to say is that from reading last years forum and from hearing from people I know that applied previous years, they said the common trend they saw with Smeal was a lot of decisions late Jan. This however doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doing it this year too nor does it necessarily mean if they do that it applies to you. Who knows we could hear tonight or we could hear January 29th. I feel like so much of it is just random that I’ve set my mind to just not expect it at any certain date. Who knows with this whole process, but hey, I wish you the best of luck cause it’s my #1 too!
my application has had this message
(Your application materials are being verified. Any additional application materials required to complete your application will be added to your Application Checklist during the verification process.
We will update this message when our review of your supporting materials is complete. )
for about a week and a half now is this normal?
@Nrnjersey124 thanks!! appreciate it… best of luck to you too! BTW what are you stats? Just so i have an idea about my chances…
@psudream I have a 30 ACT with 3.89 GPA and all the extra curricular activities and all that fun stuff. Also, I’m out of state(NJ). What about you?
Oh I remember !
GOT INTO PENN STATE THEATRE!
Status: ACCEPTED (UP Fall)
Major: BFA Scenic Design (Theatre)
GPA: 2.89UW 3.01W
ACT: 30comp. (34 English, 28 Math, 31 Reading, 26 Science)
Rank: N/A
Other stats: 3 on AP EnviSci, Earned 3 credits for GIS class dual enrolled with JMU
Subjective:
Essays: Great- gave the whole “coming out story and how my struggles changed me for the better.”
Teacher Recs: Very Strong (submitted two to theatre department)
Counselor Rec: N/A
Hook (if any): Strong portfolio, lots of work experience in tech theatre, 119 community service hours, leadership positions in clubs, organized community events.
Location/Person:
State or Country: Virginia
School Type: Large Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Other Factors:
General Comments: My high school is ranked 3rd in my state and is notoriously rigorous. The saying goes: A “B” earned at my school is an “A” at another school. I also consider myself to be one of those kids who is a late bloomer.
ACCEPTED UP FALL
human and health sciences major in kinesiology
gpa. 3.3
ACT 29
Thanks, we hope to hear soon it would be a nice gift
@Mamalumper my fried got 33k in merit aid last year; it’s a consistent fact from our school that penn state gives over 30 k in aid to people who did not apply to schreyer. We are OOS as well
@imnoclever33 Penn State does NOT give over $30 K in merit aid to OOS. It gives between $1500 to $3,200, maybe $6,500 to high stat applicants that get accepted to Schreyer honors college, but not more.
ACCEPTED YAYYY!! I’m so happy cause this was my first choice school and I have been stressing out sooo bad.
DUS University Park Fall 2016
uw GPA:3.64 // w GPA: 4.07
SAT: 1670
Lots of clubs/volunteer hours (in and out of school)/sports/employment/leadership positions
I thought my essay sucked but whatever
I sent in 3 letters of recommendation just to be safe
Hook (if any): My sister goes to UP, I took a dual enrollment class through Penn State & the head of admissions wrote a positive comment on my application
White, female
Very large public school annoyingly full of academically competitive students. I was only in the top like 80%
I applied in September, and considering my stats, I thought for sure I wouldn’t hear until the end of Jan, or I at least thought I would have been in for Summer Session. Good luck to those of you who have been not-so-patiently waiting.
ACCEPTED TO SMEAL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS!!!
SAT: 2110
GPA: 3.7
Rank: N/A
Other stats: 6 APs, many honors // LOTS of community service (presidential service award winner)
Essays: good
Teacher Recs: good
Counselor Rec: good
Hook (if any): dad is a smeal alumni and donates, sister is an alumni and donates
State or Country: New Jersey
VERY excited! I have been going to Penn State football games since I was 3 so going there has always been my dream 
The admissions so far seem to include high academic achievers but also plenty of average scores and grades - is there any method to the madness in how PSU sequences acceptances?