Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Time management is everything.

your GPA is your life.

I wish I had known how prevalent binge-drinking was. Despite having the reputation, it was hard to know how intense it was until I had actually arrived there. It is a pervaise part of Penn State culture.

I wish I had known more about all of the organizations that you can be invovled in.

Racial tenisions get high on campus.

There's nothing I've wished to know before entering school. Growing up in New York, I already knew by attending Penn State I would be in the middle of rural Pennsylvania where racial stigma is present, but there enough social support to get past it. I view attending college as an adventure, something you have to experience for yourself. So I enjoy discovering new things instead of being informed beforehand. As it took me a year and a half to become acustomed with campus and all of the hangouts, hotspots, low key areas, study tools, people (communication) etc.

I wished that I had known what to bring on move in day. I also wished that I had known how nice people would have been in the first couple of weeks.

Some of the things I wish I had known before I came to this school is how to balance my scheldule with work, socializing, and academics. I also wish I've known ways on how to save money on college tuition. I believe that learning how to balance things in college is imporatant from transitioning from high school becuase the more organized your are, the less stress to worry about. In addiotn, saving money is something high school doesn't teach you and it's important to learn how so you won't be in debt when your older.

Before attending the Pennsylvania State University, I wish I knew how willing professors were to help you suceed. My first semester I struggled a lot with my coursework because I was not sufficiently prepared for the tremendous amount of work that college required. I wish I believed previous students when they suggested that I should attendoffice hours. When told this, I was very overwhelmed by the thought of contronted my professor with questions. However, his one on one interaction with professors during office hours really does reinforce the material presented during class and solidify it in your mind.

That it is so awesome

I wish I would have know more of the tutoring opportunities available on campus.

That I should have applied to Main Campus first... I transferred from the Harrisburg branch campus, and would have loved to been able to spend more time at the REAL Penn State!

There is nothing that I wish I had known before I came to this school, my enrollment counselor & my academic advisor have been very helpful within educating me with everything that I have needed and wanted to know before I start my first set of classes in May 2013.

what the dorms look like.

Honestly, I knew everything I needed to know before I came to this school, and once I started classes I knew I had chosen the right school.

I wish I had known the obstacles of attending school on such a big campus. While so many resources are available, I wish I had known that you have to be paying consistent attention in order to find out about just how many there are and how they are beneficial to you. You are not always told about what is available unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time or hear about them or you find out about them through a reliable friend.

Before I attended Penn State University, I wish I had known how to manage my time better. It took a big toll on me the first semester my freshmen year and affected my grades a lot. Since then I have gotten better and my grades have definitely improved. Also, I wish I knew what I wanted my major to be. That affected my grades negatively, but since I chose to be a psychology major, I knew where I wanted to go, and helped me to do better in school.

I wish someone had told me that it was acceptable to take less than 18 credits. I was under the impression that I needed to make the best of my tuition, but really, I could have been enjoying 15 credit semesters and still have graduated on time.

I wish I would have known how much I would have missed home and would have to become accustomed to living on my own and making my own decisions on a daily basis.

How cold it gets in State College

I wish I would have known more about financial aid options. The school is great, but their tuition is absolutely ridiculous.

How much it has to offer students and all the resources available to help provide the opportunity for academic success

Before coming to Penn State, I wish I had known that the freedoms attainted at college would be both a blessing and a challenge. As much as I wanted to leave home at the time, I wish I had known that I was in for the ride of my life-- learning time management, participating in study sessions galore, and gaining a social life greater than anyone could ask for. I also wish I had known that so many nerves were not necessary, considering I had the ability and confidence indside of me to succeed the whole time.

I wish that I had known which clubs to join. I eventually found my place and am involved in a few great organizations, but it took me a semester to find where I wanted to be.

That the weather isn't always the greatest.

Before attending school, I wish I would have had a better understanding of what the different degree programs entailed and how they would apply to a career in a related field.

I wish I would have known how academically competitive the university is so I would have adjusted accordingly. I've heard from the majority of students who attend the main campus that the course-load is very heavy. Even though I have effective time management skills, I feel very overwhelmed most of the time because there just is not enough time in a day to complete the important tasks. In addition, I wish I would have known about the high internship placement rates for students because Penn State does a wonderful job of supplying us with resources for jobs/ internships.

This perhaps is not what you're looking for, but I wish I knew how much I loved community service before I got here. There weren't many opportunities for service from my high school, so coming here was a bit shocking. I love that I've found a place in my service org as vice president. I really hit my stride when I was regularly performing acts of kindness and learning the skills of communicating effectively with the rest of my club and executive board. And, I have gained many important professional contacts!

I wish I had known that it would be a tough adjustment. I know that orientations briefly introduce the troubles that might face prospective students, but I was not aware of imminent debt, financial responsibility, and time-management issues that I and many other first-year students have experienced. I also wish I had known that there are ways to recover from a bad bank account or a missed class. This would help to relieve many new students' worries or doubts.

I wish I would have known how advanced the curriculum was because I could have better prepared for the challenges that would occur.

I really wish that I knew the percentage of minorities the school had. Most of the students are White and Asian. These students for the most part don't want to make friends with people that don't look like them. I find it hard to stay in the school because of this but what I had to do was make friends with people who felt and look like I do.

Nothing really I did an extensive amount of research on the school, and i was fortunate enough to have a friend that was already there

I do not wish I had known anything. I am happy that I came to campus knowing what there was online and what Penn State sent me. Penn State has so much to offeer I do not know where to begin. It is so exciting to be able to experience so many different clubs and organizations as well as classes at Penn State. I mean who could not love this atmosphere?

I wish I had known about the hyper-social drinking issues and the lack of social/environmental conern among the students. I wish I would have known about the lack of accessability to diverse activities outside the immediately surrounding town.

Due to the size of the campus it made it hard to get to know your classmates and teachers. There were class sizes of hundreds of students. It made it difficult to build a relationship with some of the teachers. The campus size can also be intimidating, especially if you have classes scheduled closely together in time but almost a mile apart in distance. Be prepared to walk or learn the shuttle schedule.

I wish I would have been aware of the number of clubs and activities that are available for students to join which allows you the ability to meet new people and develop friendships thus making the campus feel like a smaller place.

Classes are really large and impersonal as a freshman. You need to do a lot of work on your own time.

There is really nothing that I wish I had konw because I love my school and I have not had any real surprises.

how to get more financial aid that was awarded yearly.

Since I am already 22 I wish I would have done my own research on Penn State during High School. After researching this school now and seeing all the clubs, academics, current students, and staff it makes me wish I could go back in time. The school is full of spirit, and optimism for your future, and I wish I would have known this earlier.

I wish I would have know about all the career opportunities I had with the university. There are a lot more organizations that help you find the perfect job. I wish I could have joined even more organizations and clubs.

I would tell my self not to stress over making friends; real ones come naturally, and the ones that you have to try hard for won't last a year, let alone to the next semester. Get into an organization you truely love (greek life, clubs, sports). It really makes the college smaller and seeing the same people often is comforting. It also gives you something to do as a freshman. Actually read the assignments in the syllabus, and don't skip class. Lastly, take advantage of opportunities like trips, study abroud, internships, you'll get more out of college.

I wish I had known that my dormitory would not be located at the opposite corner of campus in relation to the majority of my classes.

How expensive it was and how much financial aid I would have to come up to pay for the difference.

When I was accepted to my school I had known mostly everything I wanted to know about it. The large campus, fraternity life, strong academics and the incredible opportunity for growth both academically and socially was the reason I chose Penn State. I have no regrets and that is possibly why there is nothing I have come across that has made me wish I had known before I accepted entrance into this school..

Before I came to school I wish I had known how important going to class, and doing well in class, actually is. My freshman year was all about meeting new people, finding out what I wanted to major in, and really just getting adjusted to the huge change that I was living. However, I did not realize until my Sophomore year that going to class makes a world of difference. I started doing better in my classes, which boosted my GPA - and now that I am applying for internships I am glad that I realized the importance of class.

That when I stated in Abingtion it was completley geared around the commuters and they really care about out of town kids.

My biggest "I wish I'd known" moment was when I realized that there's a group for every person here at Penn State; it's just a matter of finding it. Clubs are the quickest and most fool-proof way I know to find that special clique. So if you want it to be a party school, it can be, just as easily as it can become an academic challenge. As a side note, lecture classes are only as big as the number of people in font of you, so sit in the first row to impress your professor!

How to study, because I didnt have to in high school at all, so coming to college like that was not a good idea.

I wish I knew that there was a lot of drinking and partying at this school. It was named the "#1 Party School in the US" after I had already handed in my application and gotten accepted. I wish I knew that there are not a lot of clubs or organizations that allow students to express their religion with others. Instead, there are more fraternities trying ro recruit than any other type of club.