Reviews

Its all about your professors!! So when you schedule your first classes, make sure you go to www.ratemyprofessors.com and look the professor up! Trust me, you'll thank me in the end.

I was intimidated my first semester, but trust me its not hard making new friends here! Everyone has great pride in the school, and loves meeting new people. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to other students.

Yes of course you have to pay for your books; don't buy them from the book store though. Get them off of half.com you'll save atleast 300 dollars.

I know its a hard transition to make, but come your spring semester, it'll just feel like home. It's like high school only a little harder. Make friends with whoever you can, but don't get caught up in the party scene; your GPA will fall fast.

Outgoing, ambitious, people. Anyone who will show great school pride!

I am only a freshman here, but so far all of my teachers have been amazing. They are open to hear the students opinions and are all very well educated professors. There are so many different classes offered that you can learn about anything you desire!! The teachers are also very helpful and will do anything they can to help you succeed. Ratemyprofessor.com is definitely a website that I would check out because a good professor makes your experience a ton better!

I love attending this campus. Every student I have met so far has been very nice and open for friendships. Also, I live on campus and enjoy it so much! My roommate and I have become the best of friends and do everything together! All of the R.A.'s are extremely helpful and are always willing to help you with any problems that you run into with your roommates.

I am definitely getting my moneys worth on this campus. No matter what college you attend, it is going to be expensive so you might as well make it worth it wherever you go! I know that it sucks whenever it comes time to pay your tuition bill, but this school is definitely worth it all.

If you were to attend this school, I would definitely live on campus your first year! I live in Spruce Hall, which is a suite, and I love it! It is a great way to meet friends that you can maintain throughout the rest of your college years. Also if you are going to attend, I would just walk around campus the day before your classes to find where everything is! It seems like a big campus at first, but it is actually very easy to get everywhere! Knowing where all your classes are before hand is very helpful!

Penn State Altoona is very diverse so any type of student would be happy here!

PSUA has opened my eyes to so many new positions and opportunities!

I LOVE PSUA. It's small, beautiful, peaceful, and everyone is always really glad to help you.

SO many great trips, clubs, sports, the gym is free, computer lab is free with your Student Activity Fee. You really get your money's worth here! I didn't at my first school, so I know first hand if I am getting ripped or not. Not here at PSUA!

It's only 45 minutes from University Park- no big deal at all. You can always transfer there your junior year as well like I am. Altoona is really great and the faculty are funny, nice, and super helpful. Be prepared to work: just because it's a smaller campus doesn't mean it's easier! I would suggest getting involved in clubs because you will make a lot of new friends that way :)

PSUA is great for everyone who loves the Nittany Lions! Everyone has a place here even if we are a smaller school.

It is absolutely beautiful. Professors know you on a first name basis. Advisers for your major do an amazing job keeping you in line with classes to complete your degree as early as possible.

Study hard and don't slack. Understand that you are spending quite a bit of money to attend classes, so show up. Keep yourself organized. Consider using Google Drive as a way of sharing documents to other students that you may be working within a group.

It can be quite difficult especially in any mathematics courses. The professors are very thorough in their lectures, notes, and MS Power Points. Note everything they say down and you will be fine.

I have never lived in the dorms but I do work at ResTECH as the Student Manager and I work to help residential students. The atmosphere is nice. Dorm room are a little small but give you enough room to have some privacy. Internet speeds in the dorms are insanely fast. An average of 60MB/s Down and Up!

Port Sky Cafe is a pretty nice cafeteria for dining. The atmosphere is quite pleasant. Food can be expensive but as long as you use your LionCash on your Penn State Lion+ ID card it can be cheap with the discount you receive.

When on campus, having a snack at Port Sky Cafe is fun with friends. It gives you time to communicate and socialize with students within your major or different from your major. Participating in clubs gets your involved in your college and/or major and can be very pleasing.

This campus being a smaller campus of Penn State University is cheaper than University Park. The knowledge you will get here will definitely help for a career or for when you may go to University Park for your last two years. Penn State Altoona offers a couple majors all four years here without going to UP. Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology is an amazing program and only offered at this campus.

When there are tours going on for the campus, Students will scream, WE ARE...! and it is almost a requirement for the tour guides to scream back, PENN STATE!.

Penn State Altoona is great for any student. Whether you are interested in Engineering, Nursing, Communication, Theater Arts, Psychology, Sociology, and more, the campus offers courses for all of these interests. Even students who are undecided can have a great time at this campus and advisers will work with you find a major that works for you.

Clubs and Activities are amazing and really get you involved with the campus. Clubs in Engineering include rocket building and launching, mini baja competitions, and project designs. Each one requires the use of electrical and mechanical equipment and knowledge and are very gratifying when they are completed.

Penn State Altoona Police Services always keep the campus safe. They are all very nice and polite. If something bad happens on campus, within ten minutes you will receive an email about the situation and what to avoid.

It is the best side campus for the Penn State community. It makes you feel at home and everyone knows who you are. It is also the near University Park for all the Penn State football games.

It is cheaper then main campus, and is only a 40 minute drive. It has a low student to teacher ratio, which was a plus for me because you get to know your teachers better

It is a stressful school week most of the time. But it is not overloaded, it all depends on what major you have and how many credits you would like to take.

I live in the dorms now, there is nothing wrong with them. The rooms are a little small but it it still perfectly fine. I strongly encourage freshman to live on campus so they keep to there school work and be on top of things.

The dining hall has just been renivated. It is a beauitful complex and has alot of meal options. The only problem I have with the dining hall is that they do not change there menu very often but the food itself it very good.

Around campus i like to go to the gym and play basketball. Since it is in the mountains we get a lot of snow, so it is nice to go sledding on the nittany point hill. Then when the weather warms up I would go play football or soccer on the turf field.

I feel going to altoona is a huge honor. You are paying less than campus and will end up with a Penn state degree which is a school that known world wide.

On campus people will play ice hockey on the pond when it freezes.

This campus is for every type of person. It is a well rounded campus and very diverse. Everyone will get along and you will make friends.

Get Involved! If you get involved with clubs on campus you experience at Penn State will be the greatest and it will all help you in the long run.

Campus police are always around and there are never any crimes.

its a beautiful campus with lots of shade trees to study under. its class size is smaller than average so each student can learn more.and penn state altoona offers my major, secondary education.

small class sizes ,small campus and alot of activities

i will be attending and living in the dorms in the fall

i will be eating there in the fall , hope its good

there is plenty of intermural sports and club to join

great education from a world leading university

plenty of police presence

we are pennstate, these three words are what made me want to join the nittany lion family. the school offers many choices for a major, and is culturally diverse. the campus is clean and safe!

when looking for housing don't go for dorm life, its horrible having a little room, and the food plan is a rip off. living at point has hidden expenses. off campuse house is safe, more privacy, and cheaper.

you are not in high school anymore so the work load is harder. most professors are very understanding as long as your willing to give a little on your end. class structures are very effective, and professors go beyond to help their students!

living in the dorm has some perks, such as meeting new people, but it lacks anywhere to cook, so you have to get a meal plan which you probably won't use all of. if you have a car you have to park far from the dorm and at night that might not be that safe.

port sky has pretty decent food choices but without a meal plan or lion cash its a rip off. your better of going to the local store and stocking up. but those who live on campus have only port sky to choose from. thats why off campus house has kitchens and you can cook yourself!

altoona has 2 bowling allys, and movie theaters. and main campus is less than 40 minutes away so your close to the action!!!

altoona penn state campus is a good step to go to after high school, its gives you the taste of college life but not as overwhelming as main campus. its the first step in being an adult.

lion ambassadors a re a great way to stay involved and be on the up and up! point parties always get busted, not worth it!

who like to be social, or those who are shy there are plenty of clubs and activities that i am sure you would find one suitable!!

lion ambasadors
ivyside dance ensemble
ivyside choir
plays
frisbee team
swing dancing club

main campus is where its at. altoona's greek life isn't that popular.

they provide safety blue light stations that you can push a button for help. campus security is always patrolling campus. and there are plenty of housing and buildings to run to for safety!

penn state altoona is perfect for students to start off at who aren't ready for university park yet. it's small, fun, and the programs are great. penn state is one huge family and altoona is a huge part of that family.

form your schedule around times that you know is realistic for yourself. also, work hard and study often. never be afraid to ask a teacher for extra help. they're so supportive and want to see you prosper.

the classes at penn state altoona are challenging but as long as you stay focused and do your work everyday, you should be fine. the professors are great and are there to help.

i personally live in an apartment but i love it. i feel more responsible and it's very nice to have my own room!

the food on campus is actually pretty good. there's always an eclectic plethora of cuisine to choose from which is always a nice change. also, all the pizza places around altoona are fantastic!

to be quite honest there isn't a lot to do in altoona. there's malls, movie theaters, and stores but you need a car or a really good bus route to get out to there and back. but the school itself has a variety of clubs and sports to join and get involved in!

at penn state altoona, i'm confident that i am getting a great education for my two years here. i feel much more comfortable transferring to state for my junior year. attending penn state altoona has helped me prepare for my advancement in my education. it was definitely the right choice to come here for 2 years before hitting university park.

the altoona campus has a lot of ducks...there is a pond in the middle of the campus and a herd of around 30 ducks stay there all year around. they're very entertaining to watch; they even follow some people to class! also, being so close to university park, psu altoona is very involved in thon, athletic events, and productions up at the main campus. being only forty five minutes away, it doesn't feel like attending a different school. penn state pride rings through every campus!

penn state altoona is great for students who work hard academically but are also involved in their school and have a social life outside of work. altoona is great to start at because it helps you balance school and fun right away.

there are so many things to do on the altoona campus. there are numerous intramural teams, ambassador programs, youth groups, and productions in the theater department. everyone has found atleast one club or activity to become involved in since coming to psua.

i personally am not a 'greek life' sort of person, but there are a ton of sororities and fraternities to pledge to at psua. i think the also connect to houses up at university park as well.

i feel very safe. security is always around, but everyone is just so friendly. i have rehearsals that always run late but i never feel anxious or scared walking or taking the bus home after 9 pm. also, this campus is very trusting. anytime i'm ever in the library, i never feel nervous leaving my stuff at the table while i go grab a book or get food. everything feels very safe here.

penn state altoona is a smaller campus, seated less than an hour away from university park. the classes are much smaller and you are able to really get to know your professors. this is a great option for those of you who are looking to go to university park at some point but want to raise your gpa first.

if you enjoy a small campus setting, then you will love penn state altoona. however, if you're looking to go to university park at some point, do penn state's 2 + 2 program and try a branch campus for two years and then transfer to university park for your remaining two years.

the classes are at the same level as any college course, but because the classes are much smaller (typically 20-40 for most classes), you are able to ask your professor questions and really get to know them on a personal level. there is also free tutoring available in the lrc (learning resource center) for any subject/course such as biology or math 140.

this doesn't apply to me as i live at home. however, my friends who live in the dorms really enjoy it and they say that spruce is a very nice dorm. also, the dorms are located close to the campus so you never have very far to walk.

there is one main cafeteria on the campus, known as port sky. you can get an array of food there, however i mostly pack a granola bar or something as most of my classes are over by early to mid-afternoon.

the logan valley mall is just ten minutes or so on i-99 and there are always guest speakers on the campus, (usually in misciagna center) speaking on a wide variety of topics and subjects.

definitely join a club or activity. it helps you get to know a lot of people and it also looks really good on future job applications. lion ambassadors is a terrific club to join, you get to give prospective students tours of the campus among other things.

this school is perfect for students who want to go to a big name school but aren't ready for the big campus. penn state altoona is a gorgeous campus all year long.

i would definitely suggest applying early because on campus housing fills up fast! but there are many off-campus locations that are associated with the campus that are nice and less expensive.

as a student, it is next to impossible to get by without doing your work and studying. in most classes, you truly have to work for the grade you want.

due to the large number of students that are housed off campus, our dorm life programs are not top notch like other colleges. the dorms are in pretty nice condition and the bathrooms are cleaned every day (weekly in suite style rooms). students always have their doors open and typically are good friends with their neighbors.

though port-sky the main eatery on campus does provide better food than your high school cafeteria, it is no fine dinning. however, there are a large number of students that eat there everyday, for every meal, and have no complaints. breakfast is amazing.

on campus, there are always events going on. whether it be a date auction, glow dance, concert, comedian, or something else, students have plenty to do. outside of campus, the majority of activities are about a fifteen minute drive. these include your typical activities such as ice skating, bowling, movies, baseball games, and the mall.

penn state altoona offers everything a college student needs. the professors are helpful and typically know your name. we have a health services center on campus, for all your medical needs. opportunities such a internships and study abroad are always an option. career services will help you build your resume and prepare you for any interview. basically just lots of free resources for you.

the pond is a pretty big hit. our ducks stay all year long and make for an entertaining experience.

typically the students here come from all over. we have a large number of kids from new jersey, philly, and pittsburgh. it makes for interesting rivalries during football/hockey season. small town students usually make a great transition, whereas students from big cities tend to find altoona small and boring.

we have over 80 organizations on campus. there is truly something for everyone. there is an organization fair at the beginning of the year where all clubs and organizations have sign ups and introductions. between thon, student government, greek life, lion ambassadors, african student association, dance team, honor societies, and everything else, there is truly no reason not to get involved.

we have 2 sororities and 3 fraternities. the sororities are alpha sigma tau and gamma phi beta. the fraternities are acacia, phi sigma kappa, pi kappa alpha, and soon to be another.

we have a blue light system. on the majority of the buildings and other locations there is a place to call for help if you ever feel unsafe. the police are supposed to be there in under two minutes and will give you a ride home. we are also tripled covered by three different police stations, so the campus if very safe.