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Penn State University is located in University Park, Pennsylvania. University Park is in central Pennsylvania just off Interstate 220, about 136 miles northeast of Pittsburgh and 193 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The other designations pinpointing its location are unusual and a bit confusing so I will leave it at that.
The main campus is one of 24 system campuses located throughout the Commonwealth. The idea of founding Penn State was conceived in 1855 and with the passage of the Morrill Act in 1862 became the only land grant university in Pennsylvania. From the original 200 acres in Centre County donated by James Irvin of Bellefonte, Penn State University has grown to 7,958 acres.
Bordering campus is Downtown State College. The area is a blend of artistry and creativity that offers students a collection of eclectic restaurants and coffee houses, specialty shops, live music, theatre, and year-round outdoor festivals. For lovers of hiking, biking or the study of history, Penn State is worth its weight in gold.
Just over 40,000 undergraduate students call the main campus home. Approximately 8,000 of them are freshmen. The university ranks #57 among the best in the country for 2020 and has an acceptance rate of 56%. In order to become a member of the freshman class graduating seniors need to have a GPA in the 3.55-3.97 range, an ACT score resembling 28-32 or an SAT score of about 1250-1430. Successful applicants from out of state can expect to pay about $35,514 for tuition and fees at the University Park campus. Room and board is about $11,500 for all students living on campus. Tuition at other system campuses can be a lot less expensive.
Either the Coalition application or the MyPennState application are required for admission and applicants are automatically considered for scholarships with completion of the FAFSA. PSU uses rolling admissions but has an early action consideration for students who want to take advantage of that option. Students interested in the honors program need to compete a separate application.
Being a land grant university, agriculture science receives a lot of attention along with engineering and architecture but many of the programs offered at Penn State have high national rankings. The Penn State Nittany Lions are a NCAA Division I athletic program and a member of the Big Ten Conference and supports 21 men’ and women’s teams. To go along with club and intramural teams there are over 1000 student organizations to fit almost any interest
If you like what you have learned about Penn State, contact Greg Kelley at 713.419.5799 or gpk1@psu.edu. He can supply you with the information you need to decide whether Penn State is the university for you.
