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State College, PA 16802-1589
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Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Academics, History, Financial Aid, Alumni, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition
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Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus History
Like many land grant universities, Penn State started off as an agricultural college. The concept of Penn State was originally devised in the 1850s. A local iron worker donated 200 acres of farmland to the new institution, and the first president conceived a broad education based on his own European education. The institution was actually officially established in 1863. Over the decades Penn State grew from an undergraduate institution to an agricultural research institution and finally to a scientific research community. The country’s involvement in the space race and national concerns for the quality of education, among other hot topics, have guided Penn State to develop leading educational and research programs.
Penn State University (officially known as The Pennsylvania State University) is located in University Park, Pennsylvania. There are 19 branch campus located around the State of Pennsylvania. There is also a medical school in Hershey, a law school in Dickinson, a school of graduate and professional studies in Malvern, and the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. Penn State also offers a distance education program known as World Campus. Penn State University was founded in 1855 as an agricultural school and received university status in 1953. The University now awards associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees.
Penn State University defines its mission as one “that improves the lives of the people of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research, and service.”
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Academics
Penn State’s strongest academic programs are in the technical and scientific fields, primarily life sciences, engineering, agriculture, and the earth sciences. These are also some of the tougher disciplines on campus. Other quality programs include geography, chemistry, mathematics, and business. Some of the more popular lectures can have class sizes of 300 or more. Overall, Penn State offers more than 225 programs of study for undergraduates. All undergraduates are required to take a certain allotment of “diversity-focused” courses that teach minority and cultural awareness.
The University Park Campus is composed of a number of different schools and colleges: the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Arts and Architecture, the Smeal College of Business, the College of Communications, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the College of Health and Human Development, the School of Information Sciences and Technology, the College of the Liberal Arts, the Eberly College of Science, and the Graduate School.
Bachelor’s degrees are awarded in a number of different disciplines, including of accounting, administration of justice, agriculture, a wide range of the sciences and humanities, classics and ancient Mediterranean studies, creative writing, business, engineering, education, forensic science, hotel restaurant and institutional management, information sciences and technology, mathematics, music, nursing, plastics engineering technology, psychology, Russian, statistics, theatre, and women’s studies.
Graduate programs at the University Park campus also cover a wide range of fields, including acoustics, apply statistics, as your biology, counselor education, educational leadership, fuel science, health policy and administration, industrial engineering, mathematics, music, nursing, plant pathology, world sociology, teacher certification, wildlife and fisheries science, and youth and family education. There are graduate minor programs in gerontology, high-performance computing, language acquisition, linguistics, literary theory, criticism and aesthetics, medieval studies, religious studies, science, technology, and society, and social thought.
Graduate programs are also offered at the Erie campus, the Harrisburg campus, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies campus, and the College of Medicine. A few graduate programs, primarily in education, are also available through the online world campus. The law school is a partnership with the Dickinson school of Law in Dickinson, Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Unique Programs
Penn State’s meteorology program is home to Accu-Weather, a system used to make accurate weather forecasts. In fact, the system’s designer is a Penn State alum. Other unique academic programs include Industrial Health and Safety and a focus on electrical engineering.
One beneficial offering is the L.E.A.P. (Learning Edge Academic Program). This intensive program immerses freshmen in the lifestyle of a large university like Penn State, but teams them with like-minded students who have similar interests. Students study and attend class together and, in some cases, even live together. They also have access to career counselors to determine exactly how their degree can be put to use.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Financial Aid
Athletes are especially welcomed in the scholarship programs at Penn State, which offers over 500 different athletic scholarships in various NCAA sports. For other undergraduates, the FAFSA should be submitted as early as possible. Penn State offers university-wide scholarships, for which students are automatically considered when the apply for admission. Scholarships that are based in particular fields must be applied for through the department that offers them.
Over seventy percent of Penn State recipients of financial aid received loans. The Office of Student Aid can facilitate application for the appropriate loan program for each student, including Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans, and the PLUS loan for parents of undergraduates.
In-state tuition and fees for undergraduate students were $10,408 in 2004-2005 at the University park campus. Students applying from out of state and graduate students will have different costs. The tuition rates also vary with the branch campuses.
Financial aid is available with a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Students
Dormitory living is a requirement for all freshmen at Penn State. While the University is fairly well known for its academics, it also has quite a reputation for parties and celebrations on campus. Greeks make up a significant portion of the student body, and offer regular partying options. The student union, aptly named The Hub, is open 24 hours for students who are looking for some kind of entertainment besides partying.
The University’s location among some of the country’s most beautiful countryside offers students various options for outdoor activity. Skiing, hiking, and sailing are favorite pastimes. Local events include the arts, as well as symphonies, rock concerts, and ballet.
In addition to the numerous classroom, dormitory, and administration buildings, Penn State University has a theatre, two auditoriums, an art museum, and several other galleries. There are a number of research institutes on campus.
The Penn State University Library offers electronic catalogs and on-line databases, in additional to physical volumes stored on site. There are a number of smaller libraries devoted to particular programs. Special collections include rare books and manuscripts, the University archives, and the historical collection and labor archives.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Traditions
The Nittany Lion mascot dates back to the early 1900s, when the term “nittany” (which means ‘mountain’ in a native American language) was applied to a local wildcat. The Penn State campus is home to the Nittany Lion Shrine, a likeness of the lion carved into limestone, where students gather for spirit events. For visitors to the University and the local community, the Nittany Lion Inn offers visitors a spirited and historic location with all the comforts of the northeast.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Local Community
State College is located in the heart of Pennsylvania and is the center of the Penn State community’s branch campuses. Local attractions include the Mount Nittany Vineyards and Winery, Penn’s Cave, the PSU golf courses, and Bald Eagle State Park. State College is also home to numerous museums and galleries, including the Matson Museum of Anthropology, Earth & Mineral Sciences Museum, and the Frost Entomological Museum.
University Park is located in central, hilly, rural Pennsylvania.
Local News for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Flaky votes undermine early footbal polls September 30th
Both the Harris Interactive Poll and the USA Today Coaches' Poll were released Sunday, and, clearly, a significant amount of voters in the two polls failed to comprehend what happened Saturday night when Iowa took down Penn State, 21-10.Harris voters placed Penn State 12th, Iowa 14th. In the coaches' poll, the Nittany Lions check in at No. 13, while the Hawkeyes are No. 17.
Freshman brings flash to Penn State men's soccer September 30th
It's hard to tell what Corey Hertzog will do next.If Hertzog finds himself in a game situation, even he doesn't know what ankle-turning move he'll discharge on his opponent. His unpredictability is apparent everywhere -- both on and off the field."He always does the unexpected -- stuff you wouldn't think he'd do," forward Treavor Gelsinger said. "Sometimes it's just so unexpected you don't even know what to think."
Penn State men's soccer upsets nationally ranked Michigan September 29th
With a full month of action gone by, the Penn State men's soccer team proved that it hadn't nailed down the everyday focus needed to put together a championship campaign.Some days, the offense couldn't find the back of the net. Other days, the defense allowed fluke goals to unheralded opponents. It added up to a middling 4-3-1 record that didn't necessarily forecast future success during the tough Big Ten soccer slate.So when nationally-ranked Michigan came to town riding the momentum of nonconference wins the Nittany Lions couldn't match, a dominant Penn State victory was anything but likely.Except that's what coach Barry Gorman's Lions accomplished Sunday at soggy Jeffrey Field, as they dictated the flow of the game and outclassed the Wolverines from endline to endline.
Information Summary
Ranks 75th overall and 9th in Pennsylvania
| Overall Score
On StateUniversity.com (about) |
95.6 |
|---|---|
| Total Cost
On-Campus Attendance |
$25,208 |
| Admission
Success rate |
58% |
| ACT / SAT
75 %ile scores |
28 / 1280 |
| Student Ratio
Ratio of students to faculty |
18 : 1 |
| Retention
(Full-Time / Part-Time) |
94% / 100% |
| Enrollment
Total (all students) |
42,914 |
Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas
Reported area around or near State College, PA 16802-1589
| Surrounding community | Small city (inside urban area, pop. under 100,000) |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 9,172 (9,172 urban / N/A rural) |
| Households | 16 (1.31 people per house) |
| Families | 3 (2.0 people per family) |
| Pop. — African American | 472 |
| Pop. — Asian | 639 |
| Pop. — Pacific Islander | 96 |
| Pop. — American Indian / Alaskan Native | 36 |
| Pop. — White (incl. Hispanic) | 7,863 |
| Pop. — Other | 246 |
Carnegie Foundation Classification
Research Universities (very high research activity)
| Undergraduate | Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence |
|---|---|
| Graduate | Comprehensive doctoral (no medical/veterinary) |
| Undergraduate Population | Full-time four-year, more selective, lower transfer-in |
| Enrollment | High undergraduate |
| Size & Setting | Large four-year, primarily residential |
General Characteristics
| Highest offering | Doctoral degree |
|---|---|
| Calendar System | Semester |
| Years of college work required | N/A |
| Variable Tuition |  |
Special Learning Opportunities
| Distance Learning | |
|---|---|
| ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force | —
/
/
|
| Study Abroad | |
| Weekend College | |
| Teacher Certification | |
Campus Crime Statistics
Ranks 215th overall and 12th in Pennsylvania on StateUniversity.com‘s Safe School Index
| Incidents | per 1000 Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Aggravated assault | 9 | 0.21 |
| Forcible rape | N/A | N/A |
| Murder & Non-Negligent Manslaughter | N/A | N/A |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.07 |
| Violent crime | 12 | 0.28 |
| Arson | 3 | 0.07 |
| Burglary | 50 | 1.16 |
| Larceny-theft | 411 | 9.50 |
| Vehicle theft | 4 | 0.09 |
| Property crime | 465 | 10.75 |
Student Tuition Costs and Fees
What are the typical tuition costs and fees for attending Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
Ranks 375th for total cost of attendance
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Undergraduate Tuition | $12,284 | $12,284 | $23,152 |
| FT Undergraduate Required Fees | $560 | $560 | $560 |
| PT Undergraduate per Credit Hour | $512 | $512 | $965 |
| FT Graduate Tuition | $13,948 | $13,948 | $25,150 |
| FT Graduate Required Fees | $560 | $560 | $560 |
| PT Graduate per Credit Hour | $581 | $581 | $1,048 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — On-Campus | $25,208 | $25,208 | $36,076 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus w/out Family | $14,012 | $14,012 | $24,880 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus with Family | $14,012 | $14,012 | $24,880 |
Student Tuition Costs for Professional Fields
What are the typical tuition costs and fees for getting a professional degree?
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Law Degree — Tuition | $29,200 | $29,200 |
| Law Degree — Required Fees | $610 | $610 |
Student Tuition Cost History and Trends
Three year history and trends on the cost of attending
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published Tuition & Fees | $11,508  $12,844 |
$11,508  $12,844 |
$21,744  $23,712 |
| Cost (regardless of residency) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Books & Supplies | $1,040  $1,168 |
||
| On-Campus – Room & Board | $7,092  $7,740 |
||
| On-Campus – Other Expenses | $2,394  $3,456 |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Room & Board | N/A  N/A |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Other Expenses | N/A  N/A |
||
| Off-Campus with Family – Room & Board | N/A  N/A |
||
Admission Details
| Application Fee Required | N/A |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Application Fee | $50 |
| Graduate Application Fee | $45 |
| First Professional Application Fee | $60 |
| Applicants | 34,813 (18,313 male / 16,500 female) |
| Admitted | 20,181 (10,154 male / 10,027 female) |
| Admission rate | 58% |
| First-time Enrollment | 8,039 (4,241 male / 3,798 female) |
| FT Enrollment | 8,027 (4,236 male / 3,791 female) |
| PT Enrollment | 12 (5 male / 7 female) |
| Total Enrollment | 42,914 |
Admission Criteria
What criteria does Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus use for admissions?
| Open Admissions |  |
|---|---|
| Secondary School GPA / Rank / Record |  /  / |
| College Prep. Completion | |
| Recommendations | N/A |
| Formal competency demo | N/A |
| Admission test scores | |
| TOEFL | |
| Other tests | N/A |
= Neither required nor recommended
Admission Credits Accepted
What types of credits does Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus accept?
| Dual Credit | |
|---|---|
| Life Experience | |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | |
Athletics - Association Memberships
| Sports / Athletic Conference Memberships | NCAA |
|---|---|
| NCAA Football Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| NCAA Basketball Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| NCAA Baseball Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| NCAA Track & Field Conference | Big Ten Conference |
ACT Test Admission
Ranks 179th for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting ACT results | 8% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 23 / 29 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 23 / 29 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 23 / 28 |
SAT Test Admission
Ranks 249th for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting SAT results | 90% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 520 / 620 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 560 / 660 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 1080 / 1280 |
Student Services
| Remedial Services | |
|---|---|
| Academic / Career Counseling | |
| PT Cost-defraying Employment | |
| Career Placement | |
| On-Campus Day Care | |
| Library Facility | |
Student Living
| First-time Room / Board Required | |
|---|---|
| Dorm Capacity | 13,399 |
| Meals per Week | N/A |
| Room Fee | $3,820 |
| Board Fee | $3,930 |
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Ranks 2095th for the average student loan amount.
| Average | Users | % of Attendees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Grant Aid | $3,879 | 963 |  15% |
| State & Local Grant Aid | $3,307 | 1,361 |  21% |
| Institutional Grant Aid | $4,903 | 2,097 |  32% |
| Student Loan Aid | $4,544 | 4,057 |  63% |
| Any financial aid type | 5,006 |  77% |
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | 1,944 | 1,197 | 3,141 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 782 | 919 | 1,701 |
Hispanic | 644 | 688 | 1,332 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 1,242 | 1,019 | 2,261 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | 27 | 29 | 56 |
White Non-Hispanic | 18,892 | 15,531 | 34,423 |
Race Unknown | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 23,531 | 19,383 | 42,914 |
Student Graduation Demographics
How many students graduated at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | 91 | 46 | 137 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 109 | 156 | 265 |
Hispanic | 114 | 130 | 244 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 157 | 143 | 300 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | 5 | 4 | 9 |
White Non-Hispanic | 2,279 | 2,387 | 4,666 |
Race Unknown | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 2,755 | 2,866 | 5,621 |
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 175 | 356 | 531 | |
| 338 | 93 | 431 | |
| 295 | 32 | 327 | |
| 237 | 88 | 325 | |
| 174 | 131 | 305 |
Student Completion / Graduation Demographics
How many students are successful graduates?
Faculty Compensation / Salaries
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Ranks 272nd for the average full-time faculty salary.
| Tenure system | |
|---|---|
| Average FT Salary | $79,064 ($87,022 male / $64,673 female) |
| Number of FT Faculty | 2,283 (1,470 male / 813 female) |
| Number of PT Faculty | 352 |
| FT Faculty Ratio | 6 : 1 |
| Total Benefits | $42,544,387 |
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Summary
The following paragraph provided courtesy of wikipedia.
Penn State Greater Allegheny is a Commonwealth campus of the Pennsylvania State University in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Formerly known as Penn State McKeesport, the Penn State Board of Trustees initially voted to rename the campus Penn State Allegheny during its September 2006 meeting.
Comment and Corrections Make a comment …
Familiar with this University? We would love to hear about your experience. Feel free to add comments or additional information regarding Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
2 months ago
Al Mancini
It certainly is difficult trying to contact the Penn State football department. Hopefully, you can transmit my displeasure to them at Joe Paterno's unsportsman-like decision to fake a punt against lowly Akron. Your Joe Pa has made another friend in Walt Harris. I can only hope that someday soon Joe will get his nose rubbed in it!! Al Mancini Pittsburgh, PA
7 months ago
Bucky Meister buckymeister ((at)) aol dot com
I just watched CNN news covering your school's story on Women's Basketball. Being a gay man I am throughly discusted with your University. I being from the Wisconsin I am embarrassed to say that I am from a Big ten school when you chose to have those types of attitudes and oppinions. what someone chooses in LIFE is their decision. this is not NAZI Germany. you are a disgrace to the BIG TEN
about 1 year ago
mikey yekim_9_12_lee ((at)) yahoo dot com
I'm only 13 but i believe in being prepared for the future. i always loved building and penn state one of the best architectural engineering courses. it's local to so that also adds to the excitment that is PENN STATE. Thier football program is also so great, which i am a fan. WE ARE PENN STATE!!!
about 1 year ago
Khaalidah khaalidahali ((at)) yahoo dot com
i am now 15 and is graduating in the class of 2011 and i am proceed that this college is the best for me and my major which is business and the program is accounting which i loved dealing with money LOL.....but further on i see that the tuition is a bit high but i am now working on scholarships to help me out with the money...and i cant wait to graduate and become a new member of Penn State University Main Campus
about 1 year ago
andrea boycrazy32114 ((at)) yahoo dot com
I may be only 15 years old but i know this is the right college for me!!!!!! But The toution fee is so expensive!!! IDK what im going to do!!! I graduate in 2011 so hopefully it will lower then!!!
about 1 year ago
Emily emily_jean730 ((at)) yahoo dot com
I think Dustin is a joke because Penn State is the best college. It has a great faculity and an amazing environment. Sorry to you because you had a bad experience. In my opinion Penn State is the BEST option for any student. It is one of the greatest campuses at Main Campus and I think that it is the best school that i have seen in all of Pennsylvania. This school makes my proud to be a Pennsylvania resident and a grad from Penn State... GO NITTANY LION!
over 2 years ago
Dustin Dustint1001 ((at)) hotmail dot com
Penn State Harrisburg is a compleat joke. The faculty members there are clueless and continually tell students to take the wrong classes for their major. I know of 56 students from the Harrisburg Campus who had to delay graduation because their advisor gave them wrong class scheduling information. I guess that this is acceptable at Penn State because when the President (Graham Spanier) was contacted about this he did not reply. Nice to see they take our money then refuse to help. Go somewhere else besides Penn State it will be a better investment then wasting your money at this dump.
over 2 years ago
Rosario J. Lombardo russflo1017 ((at)) comcast dot net
I graduated with a PhD in 1951 and am a new resident in PA. I would like an Alumni license plate. How do I proceed?
over 2 years ago
Muller tmuller777 ((at)) yahoo dot com
Taking out the trash. Praise to Joe Pa for the discipline he is showing with the football program. Finally someone instilling consequences for your actions. Good to finally see accountabitlity for actions.
over 2 years ago
Naomi Wuerthele wuerthelex4 ((at)) comcast dot net
I would like to know more about your Veterinary Program. I,ve been to OSU and would like to compare. What are the chances of getting into the progrem? Do PA residents have a better chance than nonresidents? Thank You