Copyright 2023 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html Life at Penn State/PSU - Comments en http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html Penn State's CS program is not a good program in the slightest. It is part of the College of Engineering so you spend your first two years fulfilling all of their math and physics requirements before ... Wed, 08 Apr 2020 12:52:18 GMT StudentsReview 1192-186215 1192-186215 1192 12 Computer Science Male Undergraduate Class 1921 3rd Year Negative Penn State's CS program is not a good program in the slightest. It is part of the College of Engineering so you spend your first two years fulfilling all of their math and physics requirements before you can start taking meaningful computer science courses. By the time you learn a computer science topic it's too late and too broad. So you get passed over for internships because you don't know as much as peers of the same age and you don't know anything in depth because PSU's CS program takes the "jack of all trades but master of none" approach. Wed, 08 Apr 2020 12:52:18 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html Penn State is for a certain type of person. If you are ambitious, highly focused in academics, introverted, and don't drink, this is not the place for you. Penn State is for people who want to drink, ... Mon, 24 Apr 2017 03:22:24 GMT StudentsReview 1192-179637 1192-179637 1192 53 Other Male Undergraduate Class 2017 4th Year Negative Penn State is for a certain type of person. If you are ambitious, highly focused in academics, introverted, and don't drink, this is not the place for you. Penn State is for people who want to drink, party, major in something easy, and have fun. Since the school is so big, nothing is handed to you. You need to be extroverted, proactive, and get involved in order to make friends and find a group. In addition, groups form fast so start all of this early, or else you'll be stuck in a school with 40,000 kids and no friends.

Academics are decent. I'm pre-med and have found that the department is pretty good, very resourceful, and wants to send its students to medical school. If you take action, there are many opportunities to get involved in research, teaching, volunteerism, and clubs. Most of my classes have been 100+ students, but if you sit up front and make an effort then the professors will usually be very approachable and get to know you. Some professors are highly absorbed in their research and put very little effort into teaching, but this is common at big research universities. Perhaps the most troubling thing i've encountered has been the lack of standardization in some courses. Some courses can be incredibly difficult with one professor, but then easy with another. In addition, the format and material taught may be totally different.

Grades are pretty competitive, and most students value working the system to get a good grade above actually learning the material. However, I don't feel that the student body is too intelligent (generally), so if you're pretty smart then you can easily shine. Grades are only curved if the average grade in the class falls below a C+. In this case, it's curved so that the average is a C+. Some professors will curve to a B+.

I think there is big grade deflation early on, in the big weed out courses such as intro chemistry, calculus, and biology. Then grade inflation later on in the upper level courses. I'm not a fan of grade inflation, because it dilutes the achievement of the super smart. Penn State really needs to implement an A+ grade, being worth the same as an A on a 4.0 scale, but just for the distinction. Mon, 24 Apr 2017 03:22:24 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html If you want the "college experience" of football and parties, then this place is for you. If you are looking for more intellectually stimulating people then go somewhere else. I'm transferring because... Wed, 11 Jan 2017 02:02:00 GMT StudentsReview 1192-178069 1192-178069 1192 52 Undecided Male Undergraduate Class 2019 1st Year Neutral If you want the "college experience" of football and parties, then this place is for you. If you are looking for more intellectually stimulating people then go somewhere else. I'm transferring because I'm no longer into football and partying. Penn state pride is terrifying btw. Wed, 11 Jan 2017 02:02:00 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html If you are from a state other than PA, don't bother coming here. It begins before freshman year even starts. The dorms allows in state students to drop off their belongings and thusly claim the bes... Thu, 18 Aug 2016 11:34:46 GMT StudentsReview 1192-175011 1192-175011 1192 6 Biology Male Undergraduate Class 2019 1st Year Neutral If you are from a state other than PA, don't bother coming here.
It begins before freshman year even starts.
The dorms allows in state students to drop off their belongings and thusly claim the best part of the room for themselves while out of state students are given the left overs. These students drop off and then leave to go home.
Sure, out of state students can do the same thing but who can afford to drive up from Virginia, just to drop off a few measly belongings? All of this is done to screw your new roommate and this information is well known among in state students.
The out of state experience continues throughout your years here too. Many PA students come with a preset number of friends and exclude the out of state kids. It is worse than high school with the cliques. As an outgoing guy, I usually find it easy to make friends but too many PA residents make it very difficult to be included.
The academics are okay but non-native teachers are sometimes too difficult to understand. They become aggregated with constant requests to repeat what they are saying. I feel as if I am missing out on part of my education.
I feel that there are better schools that are equally fair to ALL students so I woulnt recommend it to anyone coming from a different state.
I'm paying a higher rate to be given less as an out of state student. Thu, 18 Aug 2016 11:34:46 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html If you are a suburban white kid from "Outside Philly" who plans on either going Greek or staying in your high school clique and only focusing on partying than this is definitely the place for you. If ... Thu, 05 Nov 2015 09:33:19 GMT StudentsReview 1192-171647 1192-171647 1192 54 Communications Male Undergraduate Class 2019 1st Year Negative If you are a suburban white kid from "Outside Philly" who plans on either going Greek or staying in your high school clique and only focusing on partying than this is definitely the place for you. If not, than I'd look somewhere else. I'm very extroverted/sociable yet most of the people here aren't looking for new friends. Also, a lot of the students can only talk about partying. I like going out on weekends, but I also like having meaningful conversations with people, which rarely happens here. The academics here are very good but that doesn't make up for the people you are stuck here with. In conclusion, when picking a college make sure that you like the people there, because at a place like this you will be stuck with them in the middle of nowhere for four years. Thu, 05 Nov 2015 09:33:19 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/PSU_comments.html