Quick Links
How many students attend Penn State Lehigh Valley?
758 students
What was the size of the freshman class in 2006?
216
When should I submit my application for admission?
We recommend that applications for first-year admission be submitted by November 30. If your first choice of campus is a location other than University Park, your application can be reviewed as early as the end of September. Applications will be accepted after November 30, but as admissions criteria rise throughout the academic year it may become more difficult to gain acceptance to your first choice of academic colleges or campus locations.
Does Penn State offer an early decision program?
No, Penn State does not employ an early decision program in its admissions process.
How long after filing my application will I receive a response?
If your application and credentials were received by the following dates, your anticipated notification date should be:
November 30, 2006 - January 31, 2007
December 31, 2006 - February 28, 2007
January 1, 2007 - March 1, 2007
How will Penn State notify me of its decision regarding my application?
All students are notified through the mail regarding the outcome of the application evaluation.
What will Penn State evaluate when considering my application for admission?
First-year student admissions decisions are made on the basis of several combined factors: final grades in all subject areas for years nine, ten, and eleven of high school if you are currently a high school senior, and weighted average or class rank for students who have taken AP/Honors courses --required Carnegie (high school) units-standardized test scores (SAT/SAT 1 or ACT). Approximately two-thirds of Penn State's evaluation may also include a review of the personal statement and extracurricular activities that you can submit with the application. Transfer admissions decisions are made on the basis of a student's cumulative collegiate grade-point average and completion of appropriate prerequisite courses. Requirements vary by academic college, and semester standing may affect availability of campus locations.
For more information, click here to go to the Penn State Admissions Requirements page. http://www.psu.edu/admissions/steps/understanding/index.htm
How will Penn State evaluate my secondary school?
Penn State does not rank or rate secondary schools. We also make no distinction between students who attended public schools and those who attended private schools.
Does Penn State consider extracurricular activities or part-time employment in its evaluation?
Typically, Penn State has not used this information in reviewing every application. However, we encourage students to provide both the activities information and personal statement on the application form so it is available for review when we believe it is appropriate.
Are admission requirements for out-of-state students different from those for in-state students?
No, all students are evaluated in the same manner. Penn State does not employ any geographic quotas or limitations on students attending. Therefore, there is no need to make use of differentiated admissions criteria.
Typically, what kind of credentials should an individual have in order to get an offer of admission to Penn State?
Admissions criteria change from year to year. Therefore, there is no one set of statistics that students can use to predict their own admissibility to Penn State. The chart below is based on the middle 50 percent of first-year students who are offered admission for fall semester 2008. It is intended to give you a general idea of how likely you are to be offered admission to Penn State, and at which campus. Please keep in mind that these figures are not cut-offs; since the chart shows the middle 50 percent in each range listed, 25 percent of students offered admission fall below the range shown, and 25 percent fall above the range. Having one factor above the middle range may help to balance the other factor if it falls below the middle range.
High School GPA
Middle 50% Range
(High school GPA based on a 4.0 scale)
University Park 3.48-3.88
All other campuses 2.87-3.35
Combined SAT
Middle 50% Range
University Park 1180-1340
All other campuses 970-1150
Combined ACT
Middle 50% Range
University Park 26-30
All other campuses 21-25
Will my chances for admission be affected if I apply for financial aid?
No, our admissions process is need-blind. Admissions decisions and student aid awards are made independently by two different administrative offices.
Is it more difficult to get admitted to some academic colleges or campus locations than others?
In general, admission to all Penn State campuses and programs is competitive. The greatest level of competition tends to occur among students who indicate their first choice of campus location as University Park. Since only about 40 percent of our first-year students begin their studies at University Park campus in any given year, the level of competition is extremely high for admission to this campus.
Are interviews required?
Interviews are not typically required as part of the admissions evaluation. Those academic colleges or majors that do make use of an interview, audition, or portfolio review, are listed in the application instructions.
Is there anything else I should know about filing my application?
The two most important things that you should know about filing an application for admission are the two things that people typically forget: carefully read the instructions for each question, and answer all questions completely.
Are first year students guaranteed on-campus housing?
All first-year students admitted to the University Park campus are required to live in on-campus University residence halls for the first year. On-campus housing is limited, and in some cases is not available at locations other than University Park. The University cannot guarantee on-campus housing at these locations. Requests for University housing at these locations are usually considered after students accept the offer of admission. If you are interested in being considered for on-campus housing, it is important that you apply early and accept your offer of admission promptly.
Penn State Lehigh Valley has no on-campus housing.
What is tuition and other expenses?
There are many factors which affect tuition rates. Please visit the official tuition calculator for the most accurate information.
http://tuition.psu.edu/CostEstimate.asp
Where can I find out about financial aid?
Visit the Penn State Lehigh Valley College Financial Aid Web site http://www.lv.psu.edu/financialaid/
Any other questions?
Contact our admissions office at 610-285-5000 or epg2@psu.edu.
