IUP vs. Penn State and Pitt (Erie, Scranton: home, transferring to, high schools)

[rdbdirect]

My daughter attended Eberly College at IUP as a freshman this year and enjoyed the school and especially the teachers in her honors courses. What did she did not care for was that IUP seems to be a suitcase school where many students leave for home on the weekends and there's not much to do other than attend fraternity parties which she's not really into. She is now considering transferring to Penn State or Pitt. I was looking for comments from students who have attended one of the smaller state schools in PA who have subsequently transferred to either PS or Pitt. What are your experiences...socially...academically... overall experience? Thanks

[Rtom45]

It depends on the person. If you like being a big rock in a small pond, IUP is great. No matter how big a rock you are, you're in a giant pond at PSU. Some people can adjust to this, some can't. The hardest part for many kids is the large class size for some 1st and 2nd year courses. My wife and I both went to IUP back in the day and we really enjoyed it (I may have enjoyed it a little too much). We both came from smaller towns and smaller high schools. Both of our kids graduated from PSU, both of them attended a large high school - their graduating classes were about 500 students. The downside that I have heard concerning Pitt is that its a city school and some people can't make that adjustment. Friends of our kids who wanted that atmosphere enjoyed Pitt and did well there.

[twinmma]

I had gone to Clarion which was Def a suitcase kind of school. I then transferred the Penn State and I loved it. A lot of kids still go home (every school has that) but A LOT stay PLUS there is plenty to do like the Bryce Jordon Center, all athletics, museums, the creamery...I love it there.
My cousin went to Pitt and after one year transferred to Penn State. I went to visit him there and I too didn't like it. But, we are not "city people." Pitt is in the city. Penn State is more rural.
Good luck!

[toobusytoday]

Has your daughter thought about transferring to a college that is actually smaller instead of larger? PSU has @ 40,000 students. If she had a hard time finding her niche in IUP, I'm not sure how easy it will be at an even larger school. I know a rising junior at IUP that is in the honors college and loves it and only came home for the major holidays. I think the trick to acclimating to a large school is to jump into the activities - they are usually most active on the weekends.

[FightinPhils]

Maybe look into one of PSU's other campuses....like Scranton, Hazleton, Harrisburg, Erie, Berks, Altoona, etc. They're a good mix of a PSU education and a smaller-school atmosphere.

[rdbdirect]

Originally Posted by twinmma

I had gone to Clarion which was Def a suitcase kind of school. I then transferred the Penn State and I loved it. A lot of kids still go home (every school has that) but A LOT stay PLUS there is plenty to do like the Bryce Jordon Center, all athletics, museums, the creamery...I love it there.
My cousin went to Pitt and after one year transferred to Penn State. I went to visit him there and I too didn't like it. But, we are not "city people." Pitt is in the city. Penn State is more rural.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info! I believe that she, like you, is not a city person although she thinks she is...LOL. Once we visit Pitt next month we'll certainly get a better idea of what she is looking for.

[rdbdirect]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

Maybe look into one of PSU's other campuses....like Scranton, Hazleton, Harrisburg, Erie, Berks, Altoona, etc. They're a good mix of a PSU education and a smaller-school atmosphere.

Thank you for your suggestions. She is definitely looking to go to a larger school offering more activities than a small school offers...i.e. concerts, sporting events, etc.

[rdbdirect]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Has your daughter thought about transferring to a college that is actually smaller instead of larger? PSU has @ 40,000 students. If she had a hard time finding her niche in IUP, I'm not sure how easy it will be at an even larger school. I know a rising junior at IUP that is in the honors college and loves it and only came home for the major holidays. I think the trick to acclimating to a large school is to jump into the activities - they are usually most active on the weekends.

My daughter enjoys IUP...during the week...but the campus seems abandoned on weekends. She hasn't had a tough time finding her niche as much as the students in her "groups" are gone on weekends. I'm particularly interested in the difference in academics of a D-1 school such as Pitt or PSU vs. a good second tier school such as IUP. BTW she is in the Honors programs at the Eberly College
of Business and she absolutely loves the teachers in that program. Thanks again

[CHIP72]

FWIW, IUP is NOT a small school; I think it has 14,000 students or something like that.

I suspect many people leave on weekends because although IUP is a relatively large school and Indiana is a decent-sized town (and a nice town too), the area doesn't quite have the mass of activities some college students are looking for. The town certainly isn't as oriented towards the university as State College is (though few towns anywhere are).

[toobusytoday]

That's the inherent problem with any of the state colleges (the fourteen in the system, not PSU or Pitt) is that all of them have about 90% PA student population, and the majority at all of them live within two hours of the college they attend. The kids in our area that end up happiest seem to go to colleges further away- makes it much harder to go home and they're forced to find things to do on weekends.

I agree some towns are much more college friendly then others. West Chester comes to mind as a good one. State College has to be the quissential College town. My daughter, who ended up attending a tiny college out of state, even applied to PSU because the whole college and town was just so captivating. Fortunately, she came to her senses and realized that she needed small classes and a bit friendlier environment. But it would be so much fun to attend a football game there!

rbdirect, Have you considered a smaller private college?