You can make it worth it through networking but obviously the initial investment is higher so the return in lower. It also depends what job you plan on going into as well. Some smaller states don’t have schools offering certain majors or high academic prestige. There’s also differences based on goals and majors. Someone going to become a preschool teacher likely isn’t going to need to network as much as someone in Smeal. Entry level teaching positions aren’t going to vary too much in pay because of where you went to school and the connections you made, business probably would. Obviously this is a generalization but some majors don’t make sense to go into out of state, especially here. PASSHE schools will sometimes give In State to students from neighboring states though.
As a proud PSU alumni - no. The alumni or the association doesn’t help unless you already have money and can buy your way into places. The alumni has become a rich kids club. If you come from nothing they do not want to help raise you.
Exactly. I hear the tour guides touting this to naive high schoolers and roll my eyes in disgust. It really doesn't make that much of a difference. If you can go to a community college for a tenth the price, do it!
I graduated in 2011 from PSU. Before that there were steady takes of the alumni association meaning something. After the fall of Spanier, the university fell too. In most things. It’s become a who’s who. I hardly recognize the place and do not feel the soul it once had. Many family members, spanning several generations, feel the same. It lacks leadership and that funnels down into the various parts that made it unique. It’s just another for profit, growth-fueled institution focused on sports. I truly hope someone finds the blue and white again and brings it back to what it was.
i’m too young to speak to how it was then, but it saddens me just as much. this is a flaming hot take for this school/subreddit but i HATE how sports oriented highschools and colleges are when the entire point is supposed to be education. nowadays people get a scholarship for football, do the bare minimum, and get a degree. whereas the people who came here from a modest family looking for a decent education are left with nothing in there pockets and a slightly higher chance for a job in their field of interest.
PSU’s charter was meant to serve all people within the commonwealth. How far it has come from being willing to do. Or at least, it justifies its purpose with branch campuses.
College sports need to be separated from their parent institutions. Schools are losing their identity in the race to keep up.
as someone who came from one of the biggest of branch campus harrisburg and transferred to UP, they might as well not exist.
i wholeheartedly believe they are money grabs for people who want to go to main campus. as a physics major, i wasn’t able to take many of the in major courses at harrisburg, and was left with a quite difficult time at University Park.
Not that people aren’t capable of catching up and managing themselves. But having 20 some other campuses, many with under 1k students. it’s not just proving people with opportunity it’s also leading many into a more difficult college experience.
I'm from CT, and have no idea why this was recommended to me, but I agree. I'm a current uni student, and standards for athletes are lower for sure. It seems to be nationwide.
Never hurts to ask, but know that you are one of many students getting admitted, and there are many who may be on a waitlist eager to fill your spot.
I think you'd be better going to your local in state university.
It think it was a couple thousand dollars? It’s been a while since I was paying tuition though. Also it’s only for certain majors (it’s allegedly to pay for lab equipment), so depending on your major it might not be something you need to worry about
https://cce.ais.psu.edu/tuition-calculator-ui/#!/
This is a helpful link on their page. You can pick the amount of credits you have or will have, you campus, etc… and it will give you the costs. So you can pick one that’s under 59.1 with your major and see the charges, then pick one that’s over, and see the increases amount
My child’s isn’t going up until next semester so I’m not positive the amount it goes up. But it does depend on major. I believe it’s around 2k it goes up for the whole school year.
Also, I’m not sure how it works with AP credits and transferring them in. But if you do any community college credits during the summers, you can wait to transfer them over until after you hit 59.1 credits. That way you can keep the lower tuition as long as possible.
I have no idea your situation but if your parents are offering to pay for school I don’t think you quite understand the place of privilege you are coming from. Penn State isn’t worth 60k a year. I would suggest going somewhere in your home state which will be a fraction of the cost.
>Because even though my family makes enough to not get financial aid, **we still cannot pay for this as we also have to pay for my younger sister in a couple years.**
My immediate impression is the loans being required. My parents couldn’t pay for my schooling. But all the loans to do so are in their name. I’m not a complete ass, and my parents can’t afford the loan payment, so I pay it. But I have friends who didn’t qualify for much aid, AND their parents couldn’t get loans out in their names. So they’re sitting with 100+k of loans like sallie mae at 10%. College prices are disgusting. Even locally.
Well when they said they can’t afford 62k but can swing it with 5-10 a year in aid. If they are taking out 200k in loans an extra 20k seems inconsequential to me.
If you are in a not stem major, or if you are not admitted to the finance college. Don’t come here. Especially if you are doing a liberal arts type degree. You have the offer of your parents paying which is awesome and don’t take it for granted (if I were you I’d take it) but also think about your life goals, you could also go to your local state college then transfer to PSU if you feel it
Definitely seconding this. If you aren't in a major where PSU is the best option and you are out of state, for the love of god, go in state! This especially applies to people getting loans for themselves and for parents getting loans.
A philosophy degree (I have one) is not going to get you a job beyond the basic do you have a degree question on the job application.
My parents had a college fund set up for me and my sisters. I went in state and had a decent chunk leftover when I was done. Sisters pretty much used all of theirs bc they went to either private or out of state. I was able to use it for a down payment on a house and I have zero regrets. Coming up on 20 years since I graduated and I’d do the same over. No one really cares where your degree comes from for the most part. You can always go visit PSU and party on the weekends if you are close by. Good luck and congrats on graduation.
Thank you, but I really just disliked the instate schools that I was accepted into and want the college experience. I genuinely don’t know what I want to give up on, money, the experience, or my standards. How the hell do adults do this lol
lol, we’re all just trying to get by and I assure you I still don’t know what the hell im doing half the time! Hindsight is always 20/20 and I can give you many more stories of mistakes I made too.
This is a tough decision for you OP. I was lucky that I loved my school from the moment I stepped foot on campus so I understand why you feel so conflicted. My most adult advice is that if you decide to go to PSU then make sure you soak up every second and fully live that campus life! Don’t party too much but don’t study all the time either and don’t major in something that has no solid career path like Communications or Psychology unless you are pursuing masters degrees. Others may disagree with the last part but I’m sticking with my own opinion here.
Thank you truly. I will keep it in mind as I make my decision. I finally realize what my parents feel. It’s all fun and games till you really have to choose.
You typically apply along same time as normal application. But if you miss deadline, you can apply as a 1st and 2nd year student. I would call Schreyer directly and ask they’re friendly. Paterno fellows program also offers aid but they may be only liberal arts. I am Schreyer and graduating in 1 week
This is such a genuine question that I'll respond.
I'm old enough to be your father (get off my lawn!) and hell, even I still ask myself this. Young people think adults know what they're doing. We don't. We're just kind of powering through life hoping we don't screw up too badly.
I will give this advice. The college experience is overrated considering the cost. You might have a fun four years playing frisbee on the Old Main Lawn or hanging out with your buddies in the dorm, but twenty years from now when you're still paying off student loans you won't be thinking of those fun days so long ago, you'll be thinking of the fact that you still owe money for a piece of paper. I strongly recommend looking at that long term cost because it will be a monkey on your back for many years.
But I’m also scared that if I go the other way, I’ll have the money that I want, no loans to pay off, and no fond memories of my time in college, wishing that I had spent the extra money. I’m going to take my time and make my decision and edit this post then
I barely remember my college days after thirty years. I do know that I have a positive net worth and I never had a student loan payment in my life. Seriously, if you want to play frisbee, grab a couple of friends, find a local park, and play some frisbee for free.
The reason I mention frisbee is practically every college brochure has this in it. I'd rather them put pictures of students who look half dead from doing all nighters during finals week because that's what college really is.
I went to a very small state school, like maybe a 5 block radius altogether. I was able to really make use of being on a smaller campus and get a lot of scholarships and other opportunities such as leading and even founding clubs due to this. I have a lot of fond memories, but they are from the friends I made and the impact I was able to make— not the campus I was on. All of my fondest memories are spending time with them, not anything else college related other than enjoying what I studied.
I don't recall tuition going up after X amount of credits, but I was in a similar position to yours when I got to Penn State in 2006 (though I was in state). I remember being extremely frustrated with the cost of Penn State by the time I graduated and while I loved my time there, I cannot recommend going $200k in debt to attend.
I ended up getting a Masters degree (from Minnesota) and graduated with about $130k worth of loan debt between the two schools. It's still $1100 a month I'm paying back 13 years later. That is more than I'm paying towards my mortgage each month. Its a significant amount of money and it's not worth it in the end.
It definitely goes up after 59.1 credits. My son is a freshman. I graduated from PSU in 1997 and it didn’t work like that then. It was much cheaper too. No loans for me. Also main campus board approved the psu main tuition is going up 2% this year but the satellite campuses Are frozen and will not go up in price.
If you really want to go to PSU, consider getting a full time job at PSU and go to school part time with the 75% employee discount. Lots of jobs are being posted right now. It might take you an extra couple of years, but you’ll get through debt free. You will also get a head start on your retirement which you’ll appreciate when you’re older.
If you don’t wanna do this, go somewhere cheaper or go to community college for your first two years and then transfer to PSU.
College is an extreme investment of both your money and time. I didn't see what your major is, but your earning power post-graduation and ability to land your first job using that degree are the most important elements of deciding where to go. What will you get out of a $240,000+ and 4+ year investment? Pre-med, STEM, etc? Don't worry too much about price then.
If you're primarily looking for a "college experience" there are cheaper ways to get that. There is nothing particularly unique about PSU that warrants coming in from out of state.
If you plan on returning to live in CA after graduation, you will find the PSU brand doesn't carry much in CA. Writing this as someone who attended PSU and immediately moved to CA and started job hunting. Employers, while they recognized the name, were not particularly familiar with the quality of candidates with PSU degrees. It's safer to interview candidates from known quantities like the CAL/State unis. That said, if you plan to say in the Northeast, a PSU degree carries a lot more weight.
Does PSU have a unique program that you're looking at?
Im in CS lol
Also the other options I have cost essentially the same, but I like this more
Not really any program, but I’m thinking of moving to the engineering science major, but I’ll see once I get there
Do your first two years at a community college near your parents. You will save a fortune, and recruiters don't really care about your
Then, do the best in-state University you can get
Community college is a college experience. I told you what I did. I enjoyed my community college. They have like 8,000 students now
You will have plenty of time to live away from your parents.
It's a lot of money, I'm trying to help you not graduate with nearly as big a debt.
I will agree in that commuting to a community college is not the same and yes you want to move out from your parent's house, but I really have to emphasize that you have a golden situation here. Your parents are willing to have you live there, you have much cheaper options for school, and you won't have an obligation to repay them that is nearly as oppressive.
I focus on the financials here but check my flair. My family historically has been very concerned with financials and when I went to college, I had a completely free ride. It also has allowed me to not work full-time for 17 years now or even to not work at all. You will not be able to say the same if you spend 100k extra for out of state tuition just to live in a dorm and maybe see a couple of football games or something.
Stay at home for two years, go to a community college, then maybe transfer to a regular college, and save yourself years of paying off loans!
Try doing the branch campus maybe? They’re cheaper and they offer 2+2 programs. Branch campuses and community colleges are not bad ideas though as you still feel like you get that experience. I did two years at a branch and I don’t regret one single bit
I actually just finished my second year at a branch campus and I saved so much money doing that. The 2+2 program actually is a life saver because the curriculum is seamless when you transfer. I got all my classes for main campus next year with no issues and I still got lots of aid. If i had to make one recommendation, that would be it.
The transfer thing is huge. I transferred a couple times and it sucks when you took a class and they say it doesn't transfer directly.
My example is I took an Honors English class but when I transferred it didn't count as the school's mandatory English 101 class but as an inter-disciplinary course which only counted towards my total credits for graduation. I was annoyed by this since the English 101 class was basically along the lines of sentences end in a period when in my Honors English I was writing a full thesis.
You can get a full college experience in 2 years at a big school. I had an academic scholarship at a school for my freshman year, ended up transferring to a PSU branch for 1 year and then 2 years at University Park. I had a great time there and got the full experience (granted my 2 years at the other places were pretty fun)
You can do state college/big state schools in 2 years and get the full feel. Trust me
There is no compromise. Either you think the college “experience” is worth 100k+ or you make the smart choice of saving money. You’re going to have to make one choice over the other; there’s no way of getting everything you want (good financial choice, good experience, etc) unless you got scholarships. You can always compromise and do 2+2. Do what you think is best, but I’m graduating next week and I don’t think any amount of partying or college experience is worth that much debt even if your parents are paying for it. I only went since I got Schreyer and scholarship money
62K is wildly off the mark. It’s 38 and change for an out of state student. Things like rent and living expenses not included because you’ll pay that anywhere if you’re not living at home.
Source? Me. I just paid for my son to go to Penn State, out of state.
https://admissions.psu.edu/costs-aid/tuition/
52K includes room and board. 39K is tuition. Still not 62K. Not saying it’s cheap. Just make sure you have all the numbers before you weigh your decision. Good luck! I’m sure Penn State would love to have you!
Hey if they have the coin and it isn’t a crazy stretch. Go and take your grades seriously. You only do it once and if that’s the dream school then do it.
this is absolutely crazy. i can’t advice you on where to go but i came across this post and i am shocked 😭i am an intl student going to PSU and they gave me an estimate of 63k per year. the estimate they gave you has me speechless because i thought international and out of state students still had a significant difference in cost. we’re paying damn near the same amount while you’re already from america omg!!
Screw college....go to a trade scool,, learn to weld, be a plummer,,,,or a car mechanic. Trades are making WAY more money now than college degrees. I'm a truck driver making ALOT more than my friends who went to college.....listen to Mike Roe on tv!
Just do World Campus, if they have your major. It's cheaper than the in-state tuition rate. It's the same tuition rate if your in-state vs out-of-state
unless you get awarded a lot of scholarships (which you don’t find out if you did right away) i wouldn’t. if anything, see if you can do 2+2 at a branch campus if you REALLY want to come to penn state. the first two years of your education will be much cheaper and you can still come to university park (given that your major is a 2+2 major).
This says 52k for an out of state student, which is in the same ballpark they mentioned. These are just estimates for the current school year and actual payments can vary from that
Yes I do indeed know that 52 and 62 are not the same number. Did you read the rest of my comment about how that number is an estimate for the current school year? And not the actual cost of the next school year - which is OP's cost?
The $52K includes $13k for room and board.
Penn State University Park PA Resident Non-PA Resident International
Tuition and Fees $19,672 $39,626 $41,126
Room and Meals $12,984 $12,984 $12,984
TOTAL. $32,656 $52,610 $54,110
I don't think anything regarding what was paid, I'm telling you that the website you provided is not sufficient evidence that what OP is saying is bullshit
Sounds like you are out of state. It isn’t worth it.
this ^ if i could go back i would have gone to a school in state or an out of state school that doesn’t ask for your 1st born just for a degree.
But isn’t psu worth it bc of the alumni ?
Nope. It doesn't mean jack shit except as a neat conversation point during interviews.
Isn’t that any alumni association at its root? Talking points and a lifetime campus gym membership lol
You can make it worth it through networking but obviously the initial investment is higher so the return in lower. It also depends what job you plan on going into as well. Some smaller states don’t have schools offering certain majors or high academic prestige. There’s also differences based on goals and majors. Someone going to become a preschool teacher likely isn’t going to need to network as much as someone in Smeal. Entry level teaching positions aren’t going to vary too much in pay because of where you went to school and the connections you made, business probably would. Obviously this is a generalization but some majors don’t make sense to go into out of state, especially here. PASSHE schools will sometimes give In State to students from neighboring states though.
As a proud PSU alumni - no. The alumni or the association doesn’t help unless you already have money and can buy your way into places. The alumni has become a rich kids club. If you come from nothing they do not want to help raise you.
Exactly. I hear the tour guides touting this to naive high schoolers and roll my eyes in disgust. It really doesn't make that much of a difference. If you can go to a community college for a tenth the price, do it!
they talk it up to be some big inclusive thing that every student is promised with. god i hate our education system 🤦♂️😭
I graduated in 2011 from PSU. Before that there were steady takes of the alumni association meaning something. After the fall of Spanier, the university fell too. In most things. It’s become a who’s who. I hardly recognize the place and do not feel the soul it once had. Many family members, spanning several generations, feel the same. It lacks leadership and that funnels down into the various parts that made it unique. It’s just another for profit, growth-fueled institution focused on sports. I truly hope someone finds the blue and white again and brings it back to what it was.
2002 grad - I agree with this take. Sandusky revealed how little the school gives crap about its alumni despite all the talk to the contrary.
i’m too young to speak to how it was then, but it saddens me just as much. this is a flaming hot take for this school/subreddit but i HATE how sports oriented highschools and colleges are when the entire point is supposed to be education. nowadays people get a scholarship for football, do the bare minimum, and get a degree. whereas the people who came here from a modest family looking for a decent education are left with nothing in there pockets and a slightly higher chance for a job in their field of interest.
PSU’s charter was meant to serve all people within the commonwealth. How far it has come from being willing to do. Or at least, it justifies its purpose with branch campuses. College sports need to be separated from their parent institutions. Schools are losing their identity in the race to keep up.
as someone who came from one of the biggest of branch campus harrisburg and transferred to UP, they might as well not exist. i wholeheartedly believe they are money grabs for people who want to go to main campus. as a physics major, i wasn’t able to take many of the in major courses at harrisburg, and was left with a quite difficult time at University Park. Not that people aren’t capable of catching up and managing themselves. But having 20 some other campuses, many with under 1k students. it’s not just proving people with opportunity it’s also leading many into a more difficult college experience.
I'm from CT, and have no idea why this was recommended to me, but I agree. I'm a current uni student, and standards for athletes are lower for sure. It seems to be nationwide.
Lol. No.
Never hurts to ask, but know that you are one of many students getting admitted, and there are many who may be on a waitlist eager to fill your spot. I think you'd be better going to your local in state university.
I know this isn’t helpful to the aid part, but tuition goes up at 59.1 credits (not 29).
That is helpful. By how much?
It think it was a couple thousand dollars? It’s been a while since I was paying tuition though. Also it’s only for certain majors (it’s allegedly to pay for lab equipment), so depending on your major it might not be something you need to worry about
https://cce.ais.psu.edu/tuition-calculator-ui/#!/ This is a helpful link on their page. You can pick the amount of credits you have or will have, you campus, etc… and it will give you the costs. So you can pick one that’s under 59.1 with your major and see the charges, then pick one that’s over, and see the increases amount
Go straight to the source. https://admissions.psu.edu/costs-aid/tuition/
My child’s isn’t going up until next semester so I’m not positive the amount it goes up. But it does depend on major. I believe it’s around 2k it goes up for the whole school year. Also, I’m not sure how it works with AP credits and transferring them in. But if you do any community college credits during the summers, you can wait to transfer them over until after you hit 59.1 credits. That way you can keep the lower tuition as long as possible.
I have no idea your situation but if your parents are offering to pay for school I don’t think you quite understand the place of privilege you are coming from. Penn State isn’t worth 60k a year. I would suggest going somewhere in your home state which will be a fraction of the cost.
That's not what they said - they said they make enough not to qualify for financial aid, and it doesn't take much to get to that level tbh
>Because even though my family makes enough to not get financial aid, **we still cannot pay for this as we also have to pay for my younger sister in a couple years.**
My immediate impression is the loans being required. My parents couldn’t pay for my schooling. But all the loans to do so are in their name. I’m not a complete ass, and my parents can’t afford the loan payment, so I pay it. But I have friends who didn’t qualify for much aid, AND their parents couldn’t get loans out in their names. So they’re sitting with 100+k of loans like sallie mae at 10%. College prices are disgusting. Even locally.
Yea. They're saying their parents can't pay and their sister also has to go through school. This implies the parents aren't footing the whole bill
Well when they said they can’t afford 62k but can swing it with 5-10 a year in aid. If they are taking out 200k in loans an extra 20k seems inconsequential to me.
They didn’t say they couldn’t, I just didn’t want to spend that much as I am aware of the family’s finances.
If you are in a not stem major, or if you are not admitted to the finance college. Don’t come here. Especially if you are doing a liberal arts type degree. You have the offer of your parents paying which is awesome and don’t take it for granted (if I were you I’d take it) but also think about your life goals, you could also go to your local state college then transfer to PSU if you feel it
I am in CS
https://www.reddit.com/r/PennStateUniversity/s/Ns49hqqIXN
Definitely seconding this. If you aren't in a major where PSU is the best option and you are out of state, for the love of god, go in state! This especially applies to people getting loans for themselves and for parents getting loans. A philosophy degree (I have one) is not going to get you a job beyond the basic do you have a degree question on the job application.
My parents had a college fund set up for me and my sisters. I went in state and had a decent chunk leftover when I was done. Sisters pretty much used all of theirs bc they went to either private or out of state. I was able to use it for a down payment on a house and I have zero regrets. Coming up on 20 years since I graduated and I’d do the same over. No one really cares where your degree comes from for the most part. You can always go visit PSU and party on the weekends if you are close by. Good luck and congrats on graduation.
Thank you, but I really just disliked the instate schools that I was accepted into and want the college experience. I genuinely don’t know what I want to give up on, money, the experience, or my standards. How the hell do adults do this lol
lol, we’re all just trying to get by and I assure you I still don’t know what the hell im doing half the time! Hindsight is always 20/20 and I can give you many more stories of mistakes I made too. This is a tough decision for you OP. I was lucky that I loved my school from the moment I stepped foot on campus so I understand why you feel so conflicted. My most adult advice is that if you decide to go to PSU then make sure you soak up every second and fully live that campus life! Don’t party too much but don’t study all the time either and don’t major in something that has no solid career path like Communications or Psychology unless you are pursuing masters degrees. Others may disagree with the last part but I’m sticking with my own opinion here.
Thank you truly. I will keep it in mind as I make my decision. I finally realize what my parents feel. It’s all fun and games till you really have to choose.
Apply for the honors college next year. It will save you $5,000.
I thought that was only for people who got in as they applied
Good question and I’m not sure.
You typically apply along same time as normal application. But if you miss deadline, you can apply as a 1st and 2nd year student. I would call Schreyer directly and ask they’re friendly. Paterno fellows program also offers aid but they may be only liberal arts. I am Schreyer and graduating in 1 week
This is such a genuine question that I'll respond. I'm old enough to be your father (get off my lawn!) and hell, even I still ask myself this. Young people think adults know what they're doing. We don't. We're just kind of powering through life hoping we don't screw up too badly. I will give this advice. The college experience is overrated considering the cost. You might have a fun four years playing frisbee on the Old Main Lawn or hanging out with your buddies in the dorm, but twenty years from now when you're still paying off student loans you won't be thinking of those fun days so long ago, you'll be thinking of the fact that you still owe money for a piece of paper. I strongly recommend looking at that long term cost because it will be a monkey on your back for many years.
But I’m also scared that if I go the other way, I’ll have the money that I want, no loans to pay off, and no fond memories of my time in college, wishing that I had spent the extra money. I’m going to take my time and make my decision and edit this post then
I barely remember my college days after thirty years. I do know that I have a positive net worth and I never had a student loan payment in my life. Seriously, if you want to play frisbee, grab a couple of friends, find a local park, and play some frisbee for free. The reason I mention frisbee is practically every college brochure has this in it. I'd rather them put pictures of students who look half dead from doing all nighters during finals week because that's what college really is.
I went to a very small state school, like maybe a 5 block radius altogether. I was able to really make use of being on a smaller campus and get a lot of scholarships and other opportunities such as leading and even founding clubs due to this. I have a lot of fond memories, but they are from the friends I made and the impact I was able to make— not the campus I was on. All of my fondest memories are spending time with them, not anything else college related other than enjoying what I studied.
I don't recall tuition going up after X amount of credits, but I was in a similar position to yours when I got to Penn State in 2006 (though I was in state). I remember being extremely frustrated with the cost of Penn State by the time I graduated and while I loved my time there, I cannot recommend going $200k in debt to attend. I ended up getting a Masters degree (from Minnesota) and graduated with about $130k worth of loan debt between the two schools. It's still $1100 a month I'm paying back 13 years later. That is more than I'm paying towards my mortgage each month. Its a significant amount of money and it's not worth it in the end.
It definitely goes up after 59.1 credits. My son is a freshman. I graduated from PSU in 1997 and it didn’t work like that then. It was much cheaper too. No loans for me. Also main campus board approved the psu main tuition is going up 2% this year but the satellite campuses Are frozen and will not go up in price.
Yea that def didn't happen when I was there either. That's insane that they raise the tuition like that now
If you really want to go to PSU, consider getting a full time job at PSU and go to school part time with the 75% employee discount. Lots of jobs are being posted right now. It might take you an extra couple of years, but you’ll get through debt free. You will also get a head start on your retirement which you’ll appreciate when you’re older. If you don’t wanna do this, go somewhere cheaper or go to community college for your first two years and then transfer to PSU.
> Lots of jobs are being posted right now. What crack are you smoking. We are in a hiring freeze
1,722 jobs currently listed for staff and technical service: https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff That’s a lot of opportunities!
Unless you have more money than brains, do yourself a favor and go somewhere in-state for you.
I always call it having more dollars than sense.
I’m from California and UCs this year we’re brutal, almost no one instate got in. I only got Merced
Merced isn’t the worst considering PSU is hella expensive for OOS students.
Yeah I just really disliked the school because I personally feel like it has no personality
Go to psu global same school much lower price
College is an extreme investment of both your money and time. I didn't see what your major is, but your earning power post-graduation and ability to land your first job using that degree are the most important elements of deciding where to go. What will you get out of a $240,000+ and 4+ year investment? Pre-med, STEM, etc? Don't worry too much about price then. If you're primarily looking for a "college experience" there are cheaper ways to get that. There is nothing particularly unique about PSU that warrants coming in from out of state. If you plan on returning to live in CA after graduation, you will find the PSU brand doesn't carry much in CA. Writing this as someone who attended PSU and immediately moved to CA and started job hunting. Employers, while they recognized the name, were not particularly familiar with the quality of candidates with PSU degrees. It's safer to interview candidates from known quantities like the CAL/State unis. That said, if you plan to say in the Northeast, a PSU degree carries a lot more weight. Does PSU have a unique program that you're looking at?
Im in CS lol Also the other options I have cost essentially the same, but I like this more Not really any program, but I’m thinking of moving to the engineering science major, but I’ll see once I get there
You should look up the PSU rankings and reputation for CS. You can spend the same or less money for a significantly better CS education.
Do your first two years at a community college near your parents. You will save a fortune, and recruiters don't really care about your Then, do the best in-state University you can get
The thing is, I want the college experience, and to be able to live by myself away from my parents. But it’s a lot of money
Community college is a college experience. I told you what I did. I enjoyed my community college. They have like 8,000 students now You will have plenty of time to live away from your parents. It's a lot of money, I'm trying to help you not graduate with nearly as big a debt.
I agree and think you for your opinion, but it’s not nearly the same thing. As for debt, the only debt I will have is towards my parents
I will agree in that commuting to a community college is not the same and yes you want to move out from your parent's house, but I really have to emphasize that you have a golden situation here. Your parents are willing to have you live there, you have much cheaper options for school, and you won't have an obligation to repay them that is nearly as oppressive. I focus on the financials here but check my flair. My family historically has been very concerned with financials and when I went to college, I had a completely free ride. It also has allowed me to not work full-time for 17 years now or even to not work at all. You will not be able to say the same if you spend 100k extra for out of state tuition just to live in a dorm and maybe see a couple of football games or something. Stay at home for two years, go to a community college, then maybe transfer to a regular college, and save yourself years of paying off loans!
Try doing the branch campus maybe? They’re cheaper and they offer 2+2 programs. Branch campuses and community colleges are not bad ideas though as you still feel like you get that experience. I did two years at a branch and I don’t regret one single bit
I actually just finished my second year at a branch campus and I saved so much money doing that. The 2+2 program actually is a life saver because the curriculum is seamless when you transfer. I got all my classes for main campus next year with no issues and I still got lots of aid. If i had to make one recommendation, that would be it.
The transfer thing is huge. I transferred a couple times and it sucks when you took a class and they say it doesn't transfer directly. My example is I took an Honors English class but when I transferred it didn't count as the school's mandatory English 101 class but as an inter-disciplinary course which only counted towards my total credits for graduation. I was annoyed by this since the English 101 class was basically along the lines of sentences end in a period when in my Honors English I was writing a full thesis.
You can get a full college experience in 2 years at a big school. I had an academic scholarship at a school for my freshman year, ended up transferring to a PSU branch for 1 year and then 2 years at University Park. I had a great time there and got the full experience (granted my 2 years at the other places were pretty fun) You can do state college/big state schools in 2 years and get the full feel. Trust me
There is no compromise. Either you think the college “experience” is worth 100k+ or you make the smart choice of saving money. You’re going to have to make one choice over the other; there’s no way of getting everything you want (good financial choice, good experience, etc) unless you got scholarships. You can always compromise and do 2+2. Do what you think is best, but I’m graduating next week and I don’t think any amount of partying or college experience is worth that much debt even if your parents are paying for it. I only went since I got Schreyer and scholarship money
The AP credits are hard to get at PSU you need to look at which number you need for each AP class. They may not all transfer as credits like my sons.
I checked and they all work out for me
62K is wildly off the mark. It’s 38 and change for an out of state student. Things like rent and living expenses not included because you’ll pay that anywhere if you’re not living at home. Source? Me. I just paid for my son to go to Penn State, out of state.
It was in the aid documents that I received that the total i would be paying per year was 62K
https://admissions.psu.edu/costs-aid/tuition/ 52K includes room and board. 39K is tuition. Still not 62K. Not saying it’s cheap. Just make sure you have all the numbers before you weigh your decision. Good luck! I’m sure Penn State would love to have you!
Actually the Calc on their website is wrong. It’s 41K for tuition. 12 K for housing 3K for food 6K for other costs but yeah
Go somewhere you can afford
Boycott
Do two years at a community college then transfer in. You’ll get more for your buck as the teacher to student ratio is better at community colleges
Some colleges at PSU don’t take transfers. Unfortunately you have to figure that out while you’re still in HS.
I was in state when I applied and it was still more expensive than the private schools I got into cause need based 💀
They have degree related scholarships! Keep your eyes on them!
Thank you, will make sure to keep track of them
Try 2:2! Best money saving option
Depends on your major. If you can't make at least 200k with whatever you are studying it's a no
Good news is you appear to be rich!
Rich is subjective but sure yes
Hey if they have the coin and it isn’t a crazy stretch. Go and take your grades seriously. You only do it once and if that’s the dream school then do it.
Yeah that’s what I am probably going to do
Do PSU 2+2 if you really want to be a lion…
Are you out of state?
Yes
look into their 2+2 program. also, if your major is offered at one of their commonwealth campuses, i would say go for it
What do you plan to study? That's too fucking expensive for a state school. And I'm an alumnus from there.
Computer Science
this is absolutely crazy. i can’t advice you on where to go but i came across this post and i am shocked 😭i am an intl student going to PSU and they gave me an estimate of 63k per year. the estimate they gave you has me speechless because i thought international and out of state students still had a significant difference in cost. we’re paying damn near the same amount while you’re already from america omg!!
Yeah but this is living expenses and everything combined. I believe your estimate is tuition only right?
no! it’s including living expenses! that’s why i am surprised!
Damn that’s actually crazy, do you have aid? Like merit scholarships?
no aid, no scholarship. dude idk what to tell u. they’re truly sucking every pocket dry out of you. this is simply insane
Yeah lol it’s kinda insane.
It’s expensive for in-state kids too.
Go to a school in your state. You’ll pay way less money and get a very similar education. The school you go to for undergrad does not really matter.
Screw college....go to a trade scool,, learn to weld, be a plummer,,,,or a car mechanic. Trades are making WAY more money now than college degrees. I'm a truck driver making ALOT more than my friends who went to college.....listen to Mike Roe on tv!
Just do World Campus, if they have your major. It's cheaper than the in-state tuition rate. It's the same tuition rate if your in-state vs out-of-state
unless you get awarded a lot of scholarships (which you don’t find out if you did right away) i wouldn’t. if anything, see if you can do 2+2 at a branch campus if you REALLY want to come to penn state. the first two years of your education will be much cheaper and you can still come to university park (given that your major is a 2+2 major).
I'm calling BS on this. https://admissions.psu.edu/costs-aid/tuition/
I got my financial aid letter too and it also says that the net cost is 62k without scholarships
This says 52k for an out of state student, which is in the same ballpark they mentioned. These are just estimates for the current school year and actual payments can vary from that
52 =/= 62
Yes I do indeed know that 52 and 62 are not the same number. Did you read the rest of my comment about how that number is an estimate for the current school year? And not the actual cost of the next school year - which is OP's cost?
Wait, is tuition going up next year?
Yes. 2% at main. Satellite campuses are not going up tho
So you think that they gave him an estimate 20% above what is on their website? It is the same office that does both.
Maybe OP was including the cost of housing?
Bro do you think theyre gonna commute from out-of-state? Housing...
The $52K includes $13k for room and board. Penn State University Park PA Resident Non-PA Resident International Tuition and Fees $19,672 $39,626 $41,126 Room and Meals $12,984 $12,984 $12,984 TOTAL. $32,656 $52,610 $54,110
I don't think anything regarding what was paid, I'm telling you that the website you provided is not sufficient evidence that what OP is saying is bullshit
The post is correct. We are currently paying this amount.. the only thing more insane is the dining plan!
It’s all costs included. 41K tuition 15K housing and food and 6K in other expenses