I remember the day I got my email from advising saying that in order for me to maintain regular academic progress, I had to fill out a change of campus form. That email came as no surprise to me that day, as I had purposely taken summer classes after my freshman year so that I would have to move to University Park from the York campus a whole semester early. I was excited because this meant I got the opportunity to take more classes in my major and meet new people. I didn’t mind starting out at a smaller campus since tuition was cheaper, and I was heavily involved with many clubs, but I knew I was meant to be at University Park.
Penn State has a 2+2 program, where a lot of students study for two years at one of Penn State’s 19 commonwealth campuses, later moving up to University Park to finish their degree once the student has been accepted into their major. It is estimated that 60 percent of first year Penn Staters actually start at a branch campus. (Yes, really.) For this article, I talked to a few Berks students about their own thoughts about whether or not they should “go to Main.”
A lot of majors simply cannot be completed at the branch campuses, so some students have no choice but to move to University Park to finish their degree. Abby Price (sophomore-food science), is extremely thrilled to move up to State College. “I’m excited to move up. Berks has been a wonderful experience, but I’m ready to truly explore my major.” It should be noted that in order for one to transfer to the main campus, commonwealth campus students need to complete a change of campus form and ensure that they have all of their requirements completed for their entrance-to-major. Once they are accepted into their major, students need to quickly find a place to live, as finding housing is quite the challenge. My advice for anyone transferring before their junior year is to add your name on the on-campus housing waitlist. Sure the dorms won’t compare to the spacious rooms at Berks, but I had met some of my closest friends living on campus.
There are some students that want to complete their education at a different branch campus, rather than move to University Park. Natalie Ramirez (sophomore-nursing) is intent on relocating to the Altoona campus next September. “I don’t have a choice as far as transferring to another campus is concerned. It’s too late for me to apply to the University Park because the nursing program there accepts students straight from high school. My other options were Erie and Scranton but I felt that Altoona had more opportunities for me to grow as a student. I’m also still close to the main campus if I want to visit.” When it’s time for you to apply to get into your major, research all of your options and see if maybe another commonwealth campus would be a better fit for you. It is hard to transition to taking University Park classes, which are a bit tougher.
Should you stay at Berks? Some undergrads prefer to stay because of the smaller class size and the strong sense of community. It is not uncommon for many upperclassmen to come back to this charming campus after spending time at the main campus. Brei Hummer (senior-kinesiology) shared with me her story of how she chose to finish her degree at Berks. “I came from the Altoona campus after my freshman year and moved to Main for the Athletic Training program. My first class was in a lecture hall that held over 300 students. If I wasn’t paying attention the professor would have no idea and didn’t really care for the matter. I needed a little more personal relationship so that I could retain the information.” It can also be hard to make friends with people who already know one another. “I also lived in a single dorm and not know anyone was hard. It was like I was a freshman again but everyone else already made friends.” So what made her pick Berks? “When I came to Berks I felt like professors wanted me to succeed and it helped me really grasp concepts and grow to love Kinesiology.”
Remember, only you know which path is the best way for you to ensure that you finish your degree. Research your options and talk to your peers and you will be able to become a successful Penn State graduate.