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Penn State University, Main Campus - SAT Scores, Costs and Admissions Data

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Penn State University Old Main

Penn State University Old Main

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Penn State Description:

Penn State in University Park is the flagship campus of the 24 campuses that make up the state university system in Pennsylvania. With around 45,000 students, it is also by far the largest. Penn State's 13 specialized colleges and roughly 160 majors provide a wealth of academic opportunities for students with diverse interests. The undergraduate programs in engineering and business are noteworthy, and general strengths in the liberal arts and sciences won the school a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The Penn State Nittany Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. Be sure to compare the Big Ten schools.

Admissions Data (2011):

Enrollment (2010):

  • Total Enrollment: 45,233 (38,594 undergraduates)
  • Gender Breakdown: 55% Male / 45% Female
  • 97% Full-time

Costs (2011 - 12):

  • Tuition and Fees: $15,984 (in-state); $28,066 (out-of-state)
  • Books: $1,536
  • Room and Board: $9,432
  • Other Expenses: $4,050
  • Total Cost: $31,002 (in-state); $43,084 (out-of-state)

Penn State University Financial Aid (2009 - 10):

  • Percentage of Students Receiving Aid: 70%
  • Penn State Scholarships (Cappex.com)
  • Percentage of Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 40%
    • Loans: 51%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $9,183
    • Loans: $7,548

Most Popular Majors:

Accounting, Advertising, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Finance, Hospitality Administration and Management, Information Sciences, Journalism, Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing, Psychology

Graduation and Retention Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 93%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 62%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 85%

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

Penn State Mission Statement:

Penn State is a multi-campus public research university that improves the lives of the people of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research, and service.

Our instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, and continuing and distance education informed by scholarship and research.

Our research, scholarship, and creative activities promote human and economic development through the expansion of knowledge and its applications in the natural and applied sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and professions. As Pennsylvania's land-grant university, we also hold a unique responsibility to provide access, outreach, and public service to support the citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond. We engage in collaborative activities with industrial, educational, and agricultural partners here and abroad to generate, disseminate, integrate, and apply knowledge.

mission statement from http://www.psu.edu/ur/about/mission.html

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