@mufmw123 I’m on the same boat as you. Applied September 25th to summer for DUS and still haven’t heard
I honestly believe admissions makes piles. Yes Maybe No. The Yes piles are all sent their packets within a reasonable amount of time. The maybes are all getting a second review. And while they are reviewing they get notification of all students accepting with down payments and what college they are in. Thus making it harder to get into the colleges that have a max of students. Letting the cards fall where they may. It is just hard to see my S face everyday with no word. Trying to get him interested in other schools now, ones that are vying for his decision.
according to PSU admissions, everyone applying prior to priority deadline is considered the same. I’m not really sure how someone who applied after priority has heard already unless all priority applicants for that school have their decisions made (even if they haven’t heard yet - admissions did tell us last year that was possible).
As far as schools vying for decisions, Penn State does not have to do that because they have so many applicants. It’s a hugs school and they can fill it with or without you. I had to learn that. It is also indicative of the overall culture at a big school. While there are plenty of supports, they are not going to be there to hand hold. It’s just the way it is.
I understand @jlhpsu and I am not looking for PSU to hand hold my S. I do not think it is ethical nor productive for PSU to accept an applicant that applied on Nov 30th or after before one that applied Sept 1st. I know it clearly states the timeline, but again we were told by admissions reps to apply early Sept especially to the colleges inside that are capped with students, which is also incorrect. The wait is killing us! Congrats to all that have heard
@jlhpsu I was reading back on penn state’s website and from this text:
“Those students who submit a complete application, including transcripts and test scores, by November 30 will have the best chance of admission to their first choice campus and/or major and will receive an admission decision…”
I’m now under the impression that it doesn’t even matter when an applicant submits their application. They snuck in the words “best chance” to make it seem like priority applicants are given priority, when, in my case, they aren’t (assuming not all priority applicants who applied to Earth and Mineral have received their decision). I don’t know what kind of admissions practice this is, but it is certainly not your traditional rolling(first come, first serve). It’s odd. And with the lengths some other applicants have been waiting, it’s certainly not fair.
I’m with you @crazycat220 . Seems the longer it takes, the more my S wants it. He’s only heard from one (safety school), awaiting one other besides PSU, and is going to apply to one more last minute. It’s just hard knowing how smart these kiddos are and not getting feedback.
I agree that the admissions process is unfair . It is very misleading. My s made sure to have all of his Info ready and all sent in the first week admissions were accepted. Still have not heard a word. Typical big business/ academia. Hard not to get an attitude. I am leaning more towards the schools vying for him than PSU after this experience. Maybe they need to hire more people in admissions, but this wait is way too long. And to think, this is just a taste of what life would be like. Waiting waiting waiting.
Just checked the specific date of my application’s completion; Dec 9, 2015. My application materials were completely processed on Dec 17th as made apparent by a status change. That means I received my decision nearly a month after my application was completed, not counting the winter holidays. So about 2-3 weeks in actuality. That is insane.
My S (great stats) completed his application and supplements the first week of September, and hasn’t heard either. He could care less. I’ve cursed PSU under my breath for the past two weeks. S has heard from 5 other schools, and when he mentioned his top 2 choices this past Friday, PSU WASN’T one of them. Your loss PSU.
My S also completed his application with all materials in middle of Sept. Have not heard yet. They should process First In First Out rather than random. Not a great experience with PSU
Well, isn’t that what rolling means,first in, first out? It really bothers me to see platitudes about being patient, I think all of us who applied earlier rather than later just need to be patient. These admission are not rolling,and please don’t spout off nonsense about how tweaking the verbiage, the average understanding of “rolling” means the earlier you apply, the better your chances given that you have the academics and grades for consideration. And don’t suggest that those who want answers need their hands held, that’s not the point nor is it true. I just think it’s the right thing to do for all those who wait to give answers in a queue rather than best first, because that’s truly what this is. Think of it this way, when you call customer service, you’re always told that your call is important to us, and that calls are answered in the order in which they are received. It’s never, “we’ll look at the call request, determine what’s most important, and then answer”, is it. It’s always order. And that’s what rolling means.
I was not intending to say that anyone who wants an answer wants their hand held. I apologize if I offended anyone. -
As far as platitudes about being patient, believe me - if you look at the past threads, I was anything but patient. There is an entire thread that I started last year that went on for days about rolling admissions (Look up “rolling admissions and this terrible waiting”). I went crazy last year, and I had some people tell me things that annoyed me, but in the end, were helpful in dealing with the way PSU does things. The hand holding comment was one.
What was pointed out to me then, and what I’m pointing out to you now, is that the way PSU does things might be frustrating, but it BENEFITS many students who would not get in otherwise. My D waited almost 5 months for her decision. She applied Sept 2nd with all materials received and “in review” by September 8th. She did not get a decision until January 26. If they’d have done a traditional rolling admission, she probably would have been denied because she was a borderline candidate.
For us, it worked out well that they did it the way they did it, regardless of how stressful it was waiting. Because my D probably would not have gotten in otherwise. Hindsight is 20/20.
Good luck to everyone waiting…you are almost at the finish line. We were in your shoes last year at this time so I understand the frayed nerves and frustration. Certainly didn’t mean to diminish that.
ACCEPTED. College of Engineering
Submitted application just before the end of November. Heard yesterday.
Stats:
SAT:2290 (M: 770 CR: 730 WR: 790)
SAT IIs: 2: Math 2: 790 Biology: 710
GPA:4.15 Weighted/4
Rank: none reported
Other stats: 9 APs. 5 on Calculas AB and BC. 4s on USH, EURO, and Psychology
Subjective:
Essays: good
Teacher Recs: very good (physics and English)
Counselor Rec: very good
Hook (if any): …?
Location/Person:
State or Country: California, USA
School Type: Private Catholic
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Other Factors: NHS, CSF Board member, FLHS, Varsity tennis since senior year, Varsity track since sophomore year,
Dance instructor, VP for a volunteering club, peer tutor…
General Comments: Good luck to everyone!
I’ve looked up the term “rolling admission” and the few sites I’ve checked didn’t say “first in, first out” as part of rolling admission. Perhaps some of us have just misunderstood the term and assumed it was first in/first out instead of a window with a promise to hear by a certain date. Just a thought.
Yes the system isn’t traditional rolling, but I think we can all agree that waiting longer and getting accepted is better than being denied soon after applying.
And in less than 17 days, hopefully all the stress and questions and waiting and cursing the admissions office will pay off and we’ll all be accepted.
Accepted to University Park! Found out tonight!!
I am an International Politics major
Submitted my application on Nov 30th & I believe all of my materials were received by mid-decmber
Stats:
SAT: 2100 (superscore) W: 710 | M: 720 | CR: 670
SAT IIs: none
ACT: 30
GPA: 4.0/4.75W
Rank: 1/53
Other stats:
Subjective:
Essays: 9/10
Teacher Recs: really great
Counselor Rec: really great
Hook (if any): not sure what this means
Location/Person:
State or Country: Nevada
School Type: College prep school. I have about 40 college credits because at my school we take 3 high school classes and 3 college classes at the community college each semester.
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
Plus, think of those thousands of students who won’t hear from their first choice until March 30…
Accepted to Penn State University Park
Summer Session DUS
Stats:
Sat:1430
GPA:3.35W
Essay:10/10
Hook: 2 Siblings attend PSU and live near Penn state
Don’t mean to sound pretentious - but is that 1430 combined reading and math?
No