Penn State Students Taking Questions Forum

[jbarl1]

I have a 20k/yr scholarship and was wondering if there was a way to increase the offer; either during the first year or after.

That is the maximum merit scholarship that is offered. There are other smaller scholarships that can be applied for if you meet the qualifications, but unfortunately there is no way to increase the 20k.

[jayman6]

Just wondering if current students can comment on the video conferencing with the classes since there are two campuses. I'd rather take classes in person. Is it likely that I will have to take a substantial number of courses via video conference?

[jbarl1]

Just wondering if current students can comment on the video conferencing with the classes since there are two campuses. I'd rather take classes in person. Is it likely that I will have to take a substantial number of courses via video conference?

I have found that most of the classes that I was looking at for next semester were taught in person. I am the only person out of my main group of friends (about 15 ppl) that will be taking a video conferenced class and that is because I wanted to make myself a 4-day week. I feel like it can be avoided except for maybe 2-3 classes total.

[gewbert]

I'll say there's a small number of disgruntled students in Carlisle who are annoyed that a few classes are being teleconferenced from UP to Carlisle and not being taught live. However, i've heard that most people don't seem to mind the teleconferencing (it's pretty good) so it's not that bad.

[Ridore]

Thanks for answering my question. I was also wondering how the cost of living is in UP and Carlisle and how the compare with each other

[jbarl1]

Thanks for answering my question. I was also wondering how the cost of living is in UP and Carlisle and how the compare with each other

I think it is a bit lower in Carlisle, but I am really not sure.

From what I know people pay about $600-$800 a month in rent, usually plus some utilities. This depends on whether you have a roommate, or want a larger place (multiple bedrooms just for you).

[gewbert]

Carlisle is cheap, and i mean REALLY cheap. I pay $525 in rent and i'm on the high side (I live by myself). Most places i know of are in the $400's. Utilities for me typically run around $100 a month during the winter (gas heat and electricity) and then typically $50 during the summer. Most people I think run a little higher than that, but not much more. Cable/internet depends on what you want, and dealing with Comcast (sadly, no Verizon FIOS )

Here's a breakdown of costs between the two campuses, at least in terms of financial aid:
--LinkRemoved--

My experience is that books and supplies (I went through Amazon) was about $900 the first semester and $500 for second, so right around the $1,400 mark. And then in terms of living expenses in general, I'm living within the budget, which is about $1,600-1,700 a month for 12 months, so it's definitely doable.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Hows philadelphia? I heard there is a lot of crime there.

[jbarl1]

Hows philadelphia? I heard there is a lot of crime there.

Yeah, that's the first time I've heard that one...

[trayball23]

Wheres the best places to live for law students at UP

[jbarl1]

Wheres the best places to live for law students at UP

It may be hard to be picky at this point. For probably around $800 or a little more at this point you might be able to get a 1 bedroom place to yourself. Also, if you are willing to live with roommates, lots of people are looking for people on Craigslist.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Hows philadelphia? I heard there is a lot of crime there.

Yeah, that's the first time I've heard that one...

lol well played. First time I didn't get an angry response... touche

[jbarl1]

Hows philadelphia? I heard there is a lot of crime there.

Yeah, that's the first time I've heard that one...

lol well played. First time I didn't get an angry response... touche

I've heard it soooooooo many times haha, it's not a big deal...hey, maybe someday it will work to my advantage if someone thinks I went to law school at an ivy...

[Frau_Blucher]

Hi,
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I'm very interested in staying in Pennsylvania for law school. I think I should have a decent(50/50) shot at Penn State:
LSAT: 161
GPA: 3.77
Penn State Schreyer scholar.

I loved University Park! But I'm curious, what are the other law students like at PSU? Friendly, competitive, competitive but friendly. Are students willing to share notes and form study groups, or do they tear pages out of books.

Thanks!

[jbarl1]

Hi,
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I'm very interested in staying in Pennsylvania for law school. I think I should have a decent(50/50) shot at Penn State:
LSAT: 161
GPA: 3.77
Penn State Schreyer scholar.

I loved University Park! But I'm curious, what are the other law students like at PSU? Friendly, competitive, competitive but friendly. Are students willing to share notes and form study groups, or do they tear pages out of books.

Thanks!

I think you have a great shot at PSU Law. You are above median for both LSAT and GPA and I think being an PSU undergrad might give you a slight boost (not guaranteed but it doesn't hurt). You probably have a shot at some scholarship money as well.

PSU law students are great for the most part. Of course there are a few students who are annoying or are jerks, but most are friendly and really willing to help. I have never had someone turn me down for borrowing/sharing notes, books, exam tips, etc. I leave my laptop and books unattended all the time and I never worry about someone messing with them. While I think people getting stressed and probably a little cranky at finals time is unavoidable, I would say that DSL has a very friendly atmosphere overall.

Let me know if you have any more questions and feel free to PM me if you want!

[Lady Finch]

I'll be around this year taking questions if people have them. Feel free to PM me as well.

[ashen]

How is the job hunt out of PSU?
What about the Philly market? Are PSU grads be competitive against Temple/Nova grads?

[davwrite]

From what I can gather from the parking/transportation website, parking lots at UP are assigned at random. Is that correct? I'm not expecting to get something very close to Katz, and a friend of mine mentioned that his 1L year he borrowed his roomate's (2L) parking pass frequently, would park in one of the lots close to the stadium and walk to Katz.

Is it worth trying to rent out a private parking spot near where I might be living? On a side note, is there guaranteed parking at the Copper Beech townhome locations? Not sure I'd be living there, but looks appealing. I will definitely be bringing my car to UP, regardless.

[davwrite]

Also, when do we get an account/email address/id+ card/whatever? I'd like to use some of the campus rec facilities when I get moved in, which hopefully will be in late July/early August, I know you need your id+ and a fitness membership on your account.

Also, are we (law students) eligible for meal plans? Is that a ridiculous question to ask?

Do you ever study outside of Katz?

[jbarl1]

How is the job hunt out of PSU?
What about the Philly market? Are PSU grads be competitive against Temple/Nova grads?

I think the job hunt out of PSU is similar to any school ranked in the same range. I know that many of my classmates have positions for the summer, while there are a few who are still struggling. Philly is a competitive market, obviously, but I think PSU fairs well there. I will be working in Philly this summer, as will many of my classmates, and we interviewed directly against Penn/Temple/Villanova students.

I am a firm believer that much of the job hunt is about being persistent. You need to cast a wide net and follow up about positions. I have had paid employment both summers as a result of being proactive about my job hunt. PSU has a great alumni network and Ive found that the students here are really interested in helping each other as well.

[jbarl1]

From what I can gather from the parking/transportation website, parking lots at UP are assigned at random. Is that correct? I'm not expecting to get something very close to Katz, and a friend of mine mentioned that his 1L year he borrowed his roomate's (2L) parking pass frequently, would park in one of the lots close to the stadium and walk to Katz.

Is it worth trying to rent out a private parking spot near where I might be living? On a side note, is there guaranteed parking at the Copper Beech townhome locations? Not sure I'd be living there, but looks appealing. I will definitely be bringing my car to UP, regardless.

UP spots aren't exactly at random. If you will be living off campus and want to drive to school your first year you will need to purchase a commuter pass and park near the stadium about a 15 minute walk to the law school (at most). The Katz lot is reserved for upperclassmen (though not all 2Ls get parking there, its a lottery system). The commuter pass is relatively cheap and most 1Ls have one. You can also park in the Katz lot on weekends or after 4pm, as it is open parking then. Parking is a HUGE thing that people complain about, but it's really not too bad and with a university as big as PSU, it's not something that is going to change.

Most apartments have parking available to their residents, and I am about 99% sure that residents of Copper Beech get a spot. If you want to take the bus to school you could always do that, but as I said most people purchase a commuter pass and walk to the school from near the stadium.

Also, when do we get an account/email address/id+ card/whatever? I'd like to use some of the campus rec facilities when I get moved in, which hopefully will be in late July/early August, I know you need your id+ and a fitness membership on your account.

Also, are we (law students) eligible for meal plans? Is that a ridiculous question to ask?

Do you ever study outside of Katz?

You can get your ID card and such as soon as you get to town. You just need to go to the HUB (student union) on campus and get it taken care of there. Some of the materials that PSU sends you will likely have some type of ID number that you will need to get your hard and such. Once you get your card you can activate your email and all that. Its a little bit annoying to figure out on your own, but the people at the ID card station are usually pretty helpful. Once you have your card you can sign up for a fitness pass online and start using it immediately.

I don't think I've ever heard of a law student getting a meal plan, it wouldnt be very convenient for law students. There is a cafe in the school that takes cash/credit cards. You can put money on your ID card and get a 10% (I think) discount. The cafe is expensive, so a lot of people bring lunch or whatever from home.

I study in Katz sometimes, but I also study at the local Wegmans, at coffee shops, or at various places around the UP campus. As you can imagine, it gets pretty tense and stressful in the law school around finals time, so its nice to be in a different place where there isn't so much stress in the air. However, it is nice to study at Katz if you're doing research so that you can use the free case printing and all of that.


Let me know if you have any more questions!!

[davwrite]

stuff

stuff

stuff

stuff

Thanks! I'm sure I'll come up with more to ask in the coming days/weeks.

[yp424]

So I applied to Penn State for the 2012 fall term. I have been checking the website to see if there was a decision for me but it just said that they received all of my materials, its being reviewed, and that when a decision is available that it would be on the website but today I check again and now it says "Thank you for applying to Penn State. Your application has been received and is being reviewed. An admission decision will be posted here in the coming days." Also there is now an athletic tickets section that says "Penn State Athletics is pleased to welcome you as a new Penn State student. All student ticketing information can be found on our Student Central website: --LinkRemoved--…

Does this mean that I should have my decision this week?
I don't know if this is good or bad.
It's only been about 2 weeks since I sent my online application

[jbarl1]

So I applied to Penn State for the 2012 fall term. I have been checking the website to see if there was a decision for me but it just said that they received all of my materials, its being reviewed, and that when a decision is available that it would be on the website but today I check again and now it says "Thank you for applying to Penn State. Your application has been received and is being reviewed. An admission decision will be posted here in the coming days." Also there is now an athletic tickets section that says "Penn State Athletics is pleased to welcome you as a new Penn State student. All student ticketing information can be found on our Student Central website: --LinkRemoved--…

Does this mean that I should have my decision this week?
I don't know if this is good or bad.
It's only been about 2 weeks since I sent my online application

To be honest I have no idea. I would contact the admissions office and ask. I got my decision in about 2 weeks from PSU, so it's not unheard of. Good luck!