火爆社区

Penn State University Park provides students with a 鈥渜uality education鈥� through 鈥渉ighly regarded programs across a wide range of academic colleges.鈥� These programs include the 鈥減restigious undergrad business school鈥� Smeal, standout engineering and education majors, and Schreyer Honors College, which participants call 鈥渢he finest honors program in the nation.鈥� Undergraduates note that due to Penn State鈥檚 size, 鈥渃lasses freshman year are mostly lectures,鈥� which new students may find intimidating. But 鈥渆ven in lectures with hundreds of students, many professors still make an effort to get to know their class and have plenty of office hours to make themselves more accessible.鈥� As students advance in their studies and complete more General Education and major requirements, they find that their academic experience becomes more individualized. One student shares, 鈥淎s I have gotten into my majors, my classes are down to about 15 to 40 people and there are a lot more discussions. I know all of my professors personally now.鈥� Students often describe the academics as 鈥渞igorous鈥� and 鈥渃ompetitive鈥� but not overwhelming. Here, 鈥減rofessors will challenge you, but it鈥檚 nothing that a hard-working student can鈥檛 handle.鈥� The school鈥檚 career services and strong alumni network help many graduating seniors find jobs, with one student exclaiming, 鈥淭he Penn State networking web is incredible!鈥� Additionally, its prime 鈥渓ocation, within driving distance to Philadelphia, Washington, and New York,鈥� provides valuable opportunities for internships and employment.

Though students hail from all 50 states and over 140 foreign countries, Penn State draws heavily from the Northeast, with 鈥渓ots of kids from the tristate area鈥� who are mostly 鈥渁thletic, suburban, and friendly middle-class.鈥� Penn State offers various orientation and transition programs to help new students make social connections and build relationships on campus. 鈥淭here are many opportunities to meet new people,鈥� especially throughout the first year, and students say that 鈥渆veryone is friendly.鈥� Students claim that the best way to meet like-minded people is to 鈥渢ry different clubs and find your niche鈥� among the many options available, from fraternities and sororities to sports teams and student-organized groups. With such a wide array of opportunities and the sheer number of students and personalities, 鈥減retty much every student will find somewhere to fit in.鈥� There is 鈥渁 sense of community鈥� and 鈥渟chool spirit鈥� among students: 鈥淧enn State is the passion and pride of a large and diverse student body.鈥�

At Penn State, students can immerse themselves in the 鈥渇ull college experience,鈥� which has 鈥渢he perfect mix of great academics, social life, and sports.鈥� Football dominates campus throughout fall semester; 鈥済ame days are super exciting and unifying for the student population,鈥� who turn out in large, spirited numbers to tailgate and root for the Nittany Lions. In addition to sports, Greek life has a strong presence on campus, and students enjoy patronizing the many bars of State College鈥檚 downtown on weekends. Those seeking alternative pursuits won鈥檛 have trouble finding 鈥渙n-campus concerts, stand-up comedians, craft nights, sporting events, and other ways of having fun without drugs or alcohol.鈥� Many students opt to 鈥済o out to the local avenue and try new eateries and walk around campus and enjoy the scenery.鈥� Besides these activities, there are over 1,000 recognized student organizations to join, and Penn Staters have 鈥渁 great enthusiasm for extracurricular and philanthropic involvement.鈥� One particularly popular event is THON, 鈥渁 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon鈥� that 鈥渞aises money for children with pediatric cancer.鈥� No matter your interests or hobbies, 鈥渂etween football games, Late Nights in the HUB, festivities downtown, movies, shows at Eisenhower Auditorium or the Penn State Theatre, concerts at the BJC [Bryce Jordan Center]...there is something for everyone.鈥�

It鈥檚 no secret that one of the top reasons students value Penn State is its vast Nittany Lion alumni network. How vast, you ask? Students boast of 鈥渁ccess to an alumni network of over half a million, and...of its job-recruiting power out of major metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and across the country.鈥� One student notes that the 鈥済iant alumni base and brand name make getting internships so much easier. I loved our career fair when just about every company was here. I was offered four summer internships...as a freshman!鈥� Career Services at Penn State assists students and alumni with their career goals, networking and recruiting opportunities, and offers coaching with r茅sum茅s, cover letters, and interviews. Penn State also has a Peace Corps office on campus for students and alumni who are looking to be of service while gaining valuable experience. According to Payscale.com, the typical Penn State graduate has a median starting salary of around $69,400, and 50 percent report that their job has a great deal of meaning.