Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Shaquasia

It is very diverse.

Gregory

The ethnicity of my classmates is very diverse, each time I meet someone new I learn something new about life and the world we live in just by sharing personal expierences.

Samantha

Classmates are driven to succeed. Alot of competition among each other which does not help if you want to form study groups.

Christina

My classmates are unconventional, creative, and tireless.

Rupa

This semester i have classmates who are understanding empathy of friends feeling and they are there, when i need their support and assists to slove my problem.

Justin

My classmates were prototypical college kids, albeit a little more nerdy because I was in an engineering major.

Tomika

I have not began to take classes at Penn State at this time, however I also attend the online campus vs being on the actual campus so I have yet to meet any of my classmates at this time..

Kathryn

There have been some racial incidents on campus, and there is not a lot of diversity from students within the US. There is a large percentage of international students. Religion is not that important on campus, although there are a lot of Christian organizations, who are often seen doing outreach. There is a preacher on campus who is pretty offensive to most, if not all, of the student body, but most people don't care about him. There are tons of resources for students with low income and students of color if they are struggling or need help. There is a gay pride week at Penn State, and there are not many incidents with students and the LGBT community, although there are definitely some people who are not gay-friendly. I don't think there is any type of student who had a specific background that wouldn't fit in - it would be more about their personality (no school spirit, wants small class size, doesn't like sports, etc.) that would not fit in as well. Most students where sweats to class in the winter and leggings in the fall and spring. Students of different backgrounds do not often end up in the same friend group, but they definitely interact and it isn't rare to have a friend who is a different race. If there were four tables of students in the dining hall, two of the tables would be white - one of the white tables would be sorority girls wearing uggs and sweats or leggings and the second table would be a table of "regular" girls with their guy friends. There would be a table of asians as well as a table of blacks and hispanics together. Most of the students are from Pennsylvania, but there are a lot of out of state and international students. There are definitely a mix of financial backgrounds, since Penn State is a state school, but most students are not very poor. Students are often politically aware, but their views are very different with the amount of students. I would say most students support social rights but do not support the expansion of government. Students are not really concerned about their future incomes, except in terms of the amount of debt they have.

Courtney

My classmates are very devoted to their studies. The environment inside the classroom is filled with respect towards the professors. College students are a lot more serious about schoolwork than Highschool students were. Overall it is wonderful being in an environment where everyone has similar goals.

Greg

PSU students are a global community, coming together to apply their skills and experiences in an arena that enables cutting edge research in medicine and engineering, the largest philanthropic student-operated event in the world, and a future workforce that is rated #1 by businesses for raw recruits in their fields.

Kaitlin

They who are proud to go to their university and feel tremendous pride. Most are enthusiastic about their major(s) and desire to have careers they enjoy upon graduating. They feel comfortable enough to express their views in the classroom and with their friends. Many of them go the extra mile to attain hands-on experience in their fields of interests. They often do extra-curricular activities to relieve stress, but they still make a point of getting their work done in a timely fashion. Most are friendly, kind and want to give of themselves as much as possible.

Meridith

The students at Penn State are generally very happy and focused on academics, fun, and community service. With so many student organizations, it easy for individuals to find their niche, and as a result, most students quickly mold into a group of a friends. Through the many areas of involvement [sports, philanthropy, greek life, etc] students consistently interact with other student groups and help each other to promote programs and grow together.

Gregory

It would be impossible to describe the students at Penn State; it is such a diverse group of students. There are students from all over the country and all over the world. There are students from all different kinds of religions and backgrounds. With the amount of students and varying interests, I think it would be really hard for someone to feel out of place once they found their niche. However, if you don't make an attempt to explore what is available to you throughout the entire campus and reach out to new people, it might be a different story. Most students wear casual clothing to class, even sweatpants and sweatshirts. There are not dress codes for class, at least I never had one, unless you are doing a presentation. You really can wear whatever you like. Some people dress up in a suit (rare), others wear a hoodie and sweatpants - it is all preference.

Arielle

Some are passionate and some are there because its pratically a free ride.

Ali

Penn State students are hard working, creative and dillgient people who take pride in the excellence and reputation of their school.

Jenny

Our student population is incredibly diverse. We have students of a great range of races. In almost every class, there are at least 6 varying nationalities. Students are also religiously diverse. We have Christians, Agnostics, Atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc. We also have correlating student organizations as well as an LGBT chapter. PennState is a very accepting and open campus. We haven't had many run-ins of religious or racial oppression. Occasionally you'll find groups lined up by our central location on campus known as the Hub protesting certain events, political campaigns, or religious morals, but they've never cause a large problems. Socially, these diverse groups blend. It's very easy to find an Asian befriending and Italian and an athlete to befriend a mathlete. Clothes no longer define economic status. However, Northface jackets still seem to be the prominent choice for outerwear. Other than that, you'll find students showing up in sweatpants to class. You'll also find students showing up with pink hair.

Kara

Honestly, our school is not as diverse as other schools. I am not sure why this is. Almost every African-American student seems to be a collegiate athlete (but as there are many sports, there is a fairly large population). We seem to also have a decent amount of students of Asian decent. Overall, however, I do feel like our school lacks diversity. However, I do know that we have a very strong LGBT presence on campus. There are many clubs and organizations that help make LGBT community feel welcome on campus. There is even a gay fraternity that was recently created. The LGBT community does a fantastic job during pride week with its various programs and support group offerings. If there are four tables of students in the dining hall, they would each be different. One would be the sorority girls and fraternity boys. These seem to be the stereotypical pretty people who never leave each others sides. Then there would be the athlete table. Student athletes are very easy to spot as they always are wearing Penn State Nike apparel and are in fantastic shape. We also have a large population of agriculture students, so they would be the next table. They all seem to wear camouflage Penn state ball caps or some form of camouflage on them. Finally, the last table would be the typical Penn State student table. These are the average students that sit with their group of friends. These tend to be the groups of friends that meet freshmen year and remain best friends throughout college. It usually consists of a group of about 15-20 students that are a mix of male and female and usually one or two couples. Almost all students from Penn State are from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, anywhere in New Jersey, Long Island, then a handful from the Washington D.C. area and various towns in New York. Penn State seems to be about 4 hours away from most large cities, which makes a nice road trip. There is not a lot of diversity in terms of out of state students. I am from Chicago, and I know about 10 other students from the midwest and a handful of students from other states such as Florida and California. Most students wear sweat pants to class, although some students do wear jeans and nice shirts. A lot of girls wear leggings and baggy t-shirts while the boys tend to wear sweatpants and a t-shirt. Anything but high heels for girls seems to be acceptable. I definitely feel like most Penn State students financially fall in the range of middle class to upper middle class. There are some students who are very weatlhy and also some that do not have very much money, but most students seem to have enough money to support themselves in school. Penn State is not known for its scholarships and is also a fairly expensive instate school.

Brandi

I'm not going to lie, Penn State is considered a party school...and if this scares you, don't let it. I am not interested in a big party scene myself, and I've had nights where I've been up at 3 in the morning eating pizza, playing twister, and watching movies in a dorm basement with friends from work. There are ways to have fun and you certainly won't run into it frequently if you aren't looking. There really are enough different types of students, that you will find a comfort zone. For example, I met my best friends through the jobs I've had, and through a blue band audition (even though I didn't make it.) Two totally different groups, and yet the experiences have been great in meeting new people.

Michelle

The student body is diverse, which is why I love it here. There are students of different racial, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. There are international students, transfer students from commonwealth campuses, and students who grew up in State College.

kamal

My classmates are dedicated and committed to the foundations of a quality education.

Danielle

They're generally very friendly, but they tend to keep to themselves unless you start the conversation.

Heather

My classmates are open minded, friendly, and helpful.

Corie

Penn State is incredibly diverse and embraces each student with the same openness as the next one. Everyone is welcome and accepted at this school. In terms of attire, students can generally be found wearing Penn State sweats to class, myself included. On the weekends, people get a little more dressed up to go out.

Victoria

Penn State values diversity within its student body. On an given day, you can come across a variety of international students, students who live across the country or students who live a hour from your hometown. With so many students attending PSU from various backgrounds, it is not difficult to find someone with similar interests. There are many opportunities to practice your religious and political beliefs. The spiritual center on campus caters to at least 40+ denominations and offers services and religious clubs that cater to the college student lifestyle (i.e. 9 p.m. Catholic mass in addition to 9:30 a.m. mass). There is also a kosher kitchen and a room facing Mecca. Politically, students can join organizations that align with their beliefs. We also have student governments on campus that make a big impact on what occurs within the university. Penn State does have a LGBTA program as well as a Women's Advocacy Center!

Jessica

There are sooooo many different types of people at Penn State. The student body is a varied melting pot of different races, opinions, beliefs, religions, etc. Penn Staters are also particularly active; we have so many different clubs and organizations for all kinds of interests. It really wouldn't matter what kind of person you are, or what your interests are...you would still be welcome at Penn State. Think about it: there are over 40, 000 students at University Park, so there's bound to be other people who share some of your interests and ideals.

Irena

Starting answering!We are very LGBT friendly, I am an ally and have gay and lesbian friends who acknowledge that it's very good here, especially compared to other schools. Some kids here are very rich but there are also a lot just making tuition with 3 jobs. Many students wear penn state gear to class. Most students are from Pennsylvania but in The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, students from many states are drawn to it. Students are predominantly left.

chelsie

The students at our school are vibrant and energetic. They have so much energy that it rubs off on other students. It is so easy to make friends at our school because everyone is so welcoming that you can make friends anywhere. There are so many students at our school that you can meet someone new everyday. But, that is what keeps our school interesting.

Anthony

There is nothing more to say about the students at Penn State other than they are a diverse group of young adults who are friendly, intelligent, outgoing, understanding, and most importantly, school spirited. No words can describe the "show" the student body puts on at one of the Penn State football games. You'll have to check it out for yourself to understand what I am talking about.

Jessica

It is very rare to find a Pennsylvania State student who does not enjoy the campus, classes, or people they have had, or met, at Penn State. On most days, you cannot find a student who is unhappy with what Penn State has given him. There is so much school pride on this campus. Everyone is friendly and always welcoming. It's impossible to feel lonely at this school. Each student is bound to find a friend among the 40,000 students that attend this school. Although most students attending are hard-working, they know how to have fun.

Dominic

My classmates were open, enthusiastic, friendly, and kind.

Nicolette

Very open and come from different backgrounds

Chanell

The classmates at my college are very benevolent, approachable and seems to always be there to lend a hand.

Matthew

My classmates are very active in the Penn State community

Jesus

we all are a big family

Shandna

My classmates are eagered to learn and fairly tentatively. I know some of them can't want into friday.

Colleen

My classmates are enthusiastic, helpful, friendly, great people.

Josephine

Normal college students who are extremely smart and intelligent.They are capable of managing their time when it comes to school and their social life. Most of my classmate are nice, always willing to help other by getting together to study or prepare for exams.

Izzah

My classmates are very amiable and helpful.

Chelsea

My classmates are very helpful and ambitious, which is helpful when we work on projects together.

Kristen

My classmates are extremely diverse and plentiful.

Lauren

WE ARE... PENN STATE!

Shane

They are all extremely nice, fun, and very social.

Patrick

A diverse group of adults and young adults coming together to learn concepts foreign to our knowledge.

Danielle

My classmates can be very diverse depending on the class you are taking.

Emily

I have always had positive experiences with my classmates. I like their work ethic and they are in general very friendly. Since my classes are becoming more specific to my major, I know a greater majority of the class and am very pleased. We all have similar interests and seem to get along well.

Kristen

Most students have their own cliques.

Mark

My classmates are happy, goal-oriented, with a drive for doing well in school, but also letting loose on the weekends.

Audra

Many of my classmates are very friendly and approachable but sometimes it can be a little more difficult to make friends in larger lectuer classes.

Sarah

My classmates are reserved, thoughtful, and seem to be as nervous as I am.

Christopher

With six classes and over 100 different students in almost every class, it's impossible for me to describe my classmates in one sentence.