What are my chances?

I’ll be a senior in high school. I would like to know my chance of getting into Penn State.

Unweighted GPA: 3.66
Weighted GPA: 3.93
Freshman GPA: 3.35
Sophomore GPA: 3.67
Junior GPA: 3.80
ACT English: 23
ACT Math: 21
ACT Reading: 23
ACT Science: 25
ACT Composite: 23
SAT II Biology E- Pending
Class Rank: 29/136
Essay: In progress
Recommendations: 3

Honors classes:
Theology 3, 4
English 3
Spanish 1, 2, 3
Economics
Chemistry
Physics

AP Class:
English Literature

Activities/Awards
Community Service Corps (2013-present)
SADD (2013-Present)
Ambassador’s Club (2015)
National Honors Society (2015)
Foreign Language Club (2013, 2015)
Newspaper (2015-Present)
Yearbook (2015-Present)
Millay Scholar (2013-Present)
Technology Club (2015-Present)

Work Experience
Restaurant/Food Services- (2015-?)

Weighted GPA looks good (depending on how they weight in your HS), but ACT scores are pretty low. They aren’t even in the middle 50%. I’d take them again and see how it goes. Also put you are willing to go in the summer. That will help.

Here is the middle 50% statistics for the class of 2018 entrance. Class of 2019 have not been posted yet.

http://admissions.psu.edu/apply/statistics/

I am planning on taking the ACT again, however I’m not the best test taker. I’ll do my best. I’m putting summer session and fall semester on the application to maximize my chance of UP. My GPA is high enough but my ACT isn’t. What might they suggest?

Also, I am going to be an environmental science major. But should I apply DUS?

DUS and summer always gives you the best shot. They will evaluate you first for fall and only consider you for summer if you don’t get an offer for fall. So it can’t hurt you. Also, contrary to what many think, in most makors, starting undecided does not hurt you or put you behind at all.

If you are accepted as DUS, are you able to switch your major? And if so, how long does it take?

Yes, you can switch your major if it’s not a direct entry major (nursing, architecture, etc…). Regardless, everyone that applies to a major isn’t actually IN the major until they complete the entry to major requirements (again, with the exception of direct entry majors). For nearly everyone, that does not happen until the end of your sophomore year. So even though someone was accepted to the school of engineering, they must still keep up a certain GPA and take certain classes to be officially in the major after 4 semesters.

My D applied DUS fall 2015 with the option of summer. She got in for summer (she’s there now). At her orientation meeting with her advisor, she changed her school to Health and Human Development. She won’t actually be IN her major (Biobehavioral Health) until she meets the entry requirements.

Environmental Science is not a direct entry major, so you can be DUS the first two years - take classes towards entry to that major and formally declare your major at the end of you sophomore year.