One of the most popular Big Ten schools, Penn State’s main campus is filled with so many good things—275 majors, with all of the greatest hits, but also including niche ones such as Immunology, Rail Transportation Engineering, and Turfgrass Science. In addition, they are an R1 research institution, have thousands of clubs, play many types of “sportsball,” as Lynda and I call it, and have endless opportunities for student advancement.

Along with all of those great things, however, come 40,000 or so other things—undergraduate students. As a lifelong introvert, I won’t lie—my first reaction to all of the people and hubbub on Penn State’s campus was to want to run away and hide in a closet. However, given all of the wonderful things Penn State has to offer, it seems that introverts, especially those who love studying things like immunology or turfgrass, would be totally missing out on fantastic experiences if they followed their initial instincts to flee.

What Is It Like for Introverts at Penn State?

It won’t be an easy task for an introvert to adjust to life at Penn State, regardless of all of the great things it offers. According to Bert McBrayer, the Director of Admissions, “if large classes are not your jam, then this is not the place for you.”

Class Sizes, Campus Energy, and Academic Support

The largest classes on campus seat 733 students, although as students progress in their majors, the class size tends to decrease. To get across campus on busy class change times, which can resemble Times Square after all the Broadway shows get out, introverts will have to steel themselves.

Their academic advisor will have a caseload of about 250 students, meaning that they aren’t going to come looking for them—said introverts will have to do all of the reaching out. In addition, in order to access all of the amazing opportunities, I’m pretty sure that introverts will have to take the initiative to talk to professors and other university staff.

If introverts miss their class with 732 other students, chances are that no one is even going to notice—but they will when they are unprepared for that next exam. Their dorms are probably not going to be quiet little places, but filled with people, noise, and of course, fun.

Can Introverts Thrive at a Large University Like Penn State?

So what is an introvert to do?

Although it pains me to say this, I think this is a “Suck it up, Buttercup” type of situation. We can’t ever have all of the things, and with a little pushing out of their comfort level, introverts can reap so many rewards that will set them up for their future studies and careers.

One thing that will definitely make it easier—Penn State students seem serious about their academics. Everywhere we went, there were students studying, but they were studying silently to themselves, meaning that introverts won’t have to make small talk at the library or the cafe. Studying silently among other people studying silently seems totally doable, and maybe even preferable, a non-stressful way of being around others.

What It Takes to Succeed at Penn State

Our tour guides said that students who do well at Penn State are the ones who take the academics seriously and who go to class and pay attention. They also must participate in school events and groups, preferably in at least three activities.

With a little practice, I think that three activities is a manageable amount of stress, and introverts always get more comfortable with new people over time.

Thus, I don’t think it’s hopeless for introverts to fall in love with Penn State, although it’s going to take tolerating some discomfort on the front end. Anyway, the ability to tolerate discomfort in order to achieve a greater goal is an important life skill—so why not learn it when the benefits are so great?

Penn State Admissions: What Applicants Need to Know

Fortunately for introverts, the application process itself is refreshingly human-free. The admissions department wants students to be able to submit all of their application materials without the help of another human being.

They use the STARS portal for students to report their grades, and although it was an unlovable system for the last admissions cycle, they are hoping they have worked out the bugs in the technology, and it will be easier to use going forward. Students can also self-report test scores, but here’s a word of caution.

If you submit test scores that are less than the 50th percentile for Penn State, they are likely going to hurt your chances. If you go test-optional, though, it won’t affect chances—so I’d recommend that you err on the side of caution.

Once all of the materials are received, Penn State admissions uses an algorithm to sort the students into a ranking system and takes the top students for each major. The percentage of accepted students can change depending on the major and school—for example, the Smeal School of Business has an 18 percent acceptance rate.

Although students can submit an essay and their activities, the chances that any human will read them are quite small—it’s only looked at in cases of appeals or other special situations. Penn State gets over 152,000 applications for the main campus yearly, and they feel there simply isn’t any way to read over those applications.

Schreyer Honors College: A More Holistic Review

The one exception is the Schreyer Honors College. Feared by college counselors far and wide, the Honors College application has several essays that will definitely be read, and if you are lucky, will be followed up by an interview. If you get in, please thank those essay-helpers, because that application is tough stuff.

Smeal College of Business: Important Admission Changes

In the past, students who wanted to get into Smeal but didn’t like their chances could use a “back door” through the Undecided program—as long as they got a 2.5 GPA in the necessary courses, they could automatically transfer to the business school.

This back door has been locked as of this year, and now students from any other major can apply to Smeal after freshman year, but there is no guarantee that they will be accepted.

There are a lot more nuances to getting into Penn State, including the Summer Start program and the 2+2 Plan, where students can start at any of the satellite campuses and then transfer over to the main campus for the last two years of college.

It’s complicated, but given how large the school and the applicant pools are, it’s not surprising. If Penn State is high on your list, make sure you read up on the most current details on these programs.

Final Thoughts: Is Penn State a Good Fit for Introverts?

Penn State initially struck fear in my introverted heart. By the end of the visit, it had won it over. Sometimes the things that scare us most are worth the trip—even if you spend the whole bus ride home in blessed, glorious silence.

If you are trying to find the best college fit for your student’s personality, download our Campus  Vibe Reflection Workbook for more help.