Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Every year thousands of Penn State students participate in a massive dance marathon called THON. It's the largest student-run philanthropy in the world and last year we raised over $7.8 million dollars for pediatric cancer research. It's amazing because almost an entire campus of 40,000 students come together to help children. As we like to say FTK! (For the Kids)

I attend Penn State online through their Main Campus. This has allowed me to attend the university without actually being there. I have 2 boys with severe hemophilia that I homeschool as well. My teachers are very understanding whenever I have a medical emergency. The school itself has several campuses with many different majors. It even has the Hershey Medical Center. It's ranked number 25 in the U.S. for Information Technology. Basically, Penn State offers just about any program imaginable, so you can pick almost any major. Penn State is nationally and regionally accredited, and many aren't.

The other schools I considered had a limited amount of majors when Penn State had a seemingly endless list. I was a little unsure with what I wanted to major in before deciding on a college so I chose Penn State so that I could major in almost anything I could think of.

Despite the exceptionally large size of the student body at Penn State, the school is, first and foremost, a spirited and nurturing community. Within such a large community exists a vibrant amalgam of dynamic opinions and interests, which initially drew me to the school. This vast assortment of personality types allows every student to find a niche, a purpose, and a group sharing a common interest. Rather than dividing the school, these subgroups bring the community together to bask in the diversity of the Penn State family.

Penn State has a beautiful campus with so many student organizations and activities to become involved in. The other schools I considered did not give me butterflies when touring their campuses. They seemed to lack the "college feel" and I was unable to become excited about attended these schools. As I toured Penn State's campus, I immediately was able to imagine myself as a college student and could see a future as a student. The other schools did not call to me in this way, which was ultimately why I chose to attend Penn State.

I do my coursework online, so I am able to complete my work at the pace I choose. This type of course is exactly what I need to fit in with my full time job in retail, where the hours I work are not necessarily the same from week to week. It also makes the work easier on me because with my Attention Deficit Disorder I can take short breaks in my work and focus more when I am studying.

Whats unique about my school is despite the large size it some how begins to get small as the days go on. What I mean by this is that once you get into the rythm of things and started meeting people things start to become a lot more personal, even with professors. People actually care about your success and try to the best they can to help you succeed. When compared with other schools I have visited students are treated as just another number.

The school spirit here is something I have never seen before. The enthusiasm Penn State students have for our school is remarkable and cannot be beat.

Penn State is a lot bigger than the other university I applied to. I was accepted to Main Campus right away and was thrown into a campus with over 40,000 students and about 20,000 faculty! My high school only had 900 students total, so it was a big culture shock. And of course there is no other school that can say it has JoePa for an icon in football or that it has the best student section in the country! Penn State is also tucked away in a beautiful setting surrounded by beautiful mountains rather than a city.

I felt at home there and the campus was welcoming.