Olivia Colafella

Miss Skirtich
11 December 2015
English 10: World Literature
Penn State Pride
Selecting the right college is a hard task. Since there are so many things to consider,
people easily question why that school was chosen in the first place. Picking a school may be
difficult due to the variety of extracurricular activities and classes different schools offer to their
students. Pennsylvania State University, also called Penn State, offers many great things to its
students. This school is desirable for many reasons. Penn State sets one up for success in postsecondary life because of its strong academics, extensive student life, and appealing location.
Penn State makes one successful because of its strong academics. This puts it in the top
one percent of universities worldwide. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1, and 38.4 percent of
classes have fewer than 20 students. Although Penn States large campus contains almost
100,000 students, however class sizes are smaller. This allows for more one-on-one time
between students and teachers. Penn State's endowment rounds to about 3.45 billion dollars. This
allows for financial aid and scholarships. About 47 percent of students receive some type of
financial aid. The average amount for scholarships or grants sums to about $7,200. Penn State
in 1955 became the first university to be issued a federal license to operate a nuclear reactor,
which it continues to use for studies in the peaceful uses of atomic energy and the training of
nuclear industry personnel. The programs at Penn State allow for real life experiences. Penn
State University is also nationally recognized for the exceptional research and patient care
provided at the College of Medicine, located in my Congressional District in Hershey, PA. The
variety of majors at Penn State, make it easy to find what one could be looking for.

Colafella, 2

In addition to strong academics, Penn State has an extensive student life. About 35
percent of students live in college owned, operated, or affiliated housing and 65 percent live off
campus. About 17 percent of males and about 19 percent of females affiliate themselves in the 90
sororities and fraternities on campus. Living on or near campus allows one to be very involved in
the activities that occur at the school. Penn State offers 950 unique and wide-ranged clubs and
organizations. Penn State, a Division 1 school, offers a large number of sports. It has won
numerous championships, so it is known for having successful sports teams.
Another reason Penn State helps one become successful is its appealing location. Penn
State is located in University Park, PA, between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. This enables one to
find job opportunities. State College sits across from campus. It's filled with coffee shops,
restaurants, and shops. The numerous student services offered on campus include; nonremedial
tutoring, a women's center, day care and many others. Surrounded by mountains, Penn State is
close to skiing, snowboarding, and hiking opportunities. This makes it easy for students to stay
active as much as possible. Of the students at Penn State, 17 percent own cars on campus. Since
most of the students do not need a car, they either walk where they need to go or take the campus
bus. In order to get into the dorms, one is required to have a key or security card. It also includes
24-hour security services, so you always feel safe while on campus.
In conclusion, Penn State offers many special opportunities to ensure ones success. They
have strong academics, an extensive student life, and an appealing location. Since its founding
in 1854, Penn State has proven to be a leading institution of higher learning. Penn States good
reputation makes it known all around the world. Mostly I want to talk positive; I wanna talk
about a bunch of great kids that I coached and made me look good and the university that I've
seen grow from a cow college, which it was, only 12,000 people, and when I came here, we

Colafella, 3

weren't at Pennsylvania State University, we were at Penn State College. Obviously Penn State
was able to grow much larger throughout the years. I've had a wonderful experience here at
Penn State. It is a good choice for college and will help you succeed in post-baccalaureate life.

Colafella, 4

Works Cited
"Pennsylvania State University--University Park." Pennsylvania State University--University
Park. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
"Penn State Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
"We Are Penn State | Online." Penn State Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
Penn State in 1955 became the first university to be issued a federal license to operate a nuclear
reactor, which it continues to use for studies in the peaceful uses of atomic energy and the
training of nuclear industry personnel. (Holden,1)
Penn State University is also nationally recognized for the exceptional research and patient care
provided at the College of Medicine, located in my Congressional District in Hershey, PA.
(Sherwood,1)
Since its founding in 1854, Penn State has proven to be a leading institution of higher learning.
(Holden,2)
Mostly I want to talk positive; I wanna talk about a bunch of great kids that I coached and made
me look good and the university that I've seen grow from a cow college, which it was, only
12,000 people, and when I came here, we weren't at Pennsylvania State University, we were at
Penn State College. (Paterno,3)
I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. (Paterno,3)