Transfer Newsletter

Welcome to the July edition of the transfer newsletter!

The July newsletter is all about how you'll be getting around campus. University Park campus is the biggest Penn State campus, and it may be bigger than the institution you're transferring from. That means you may need to adjust your usual transportation methods once you get here for the fall semester. Getting around a campus this large can be daunting for some transfer students, so it is a good idea to start planning now how you will navigate campus.

View previous editions of the newsletter here:

May: Tips for Your Transition
June: Housing and Dining at University Park

Here's What You Need to Know

Bikes

Many students utilize bikes on campus to make getting from class to class quicker. All bikes on campus must be registered. Registration is free and is required as per Centre Region and campus policies. It provides a simple, secure location to store your bike details and helps authorities recover and return stolen bikes. You will receive a permit sticker in the mail once you fully complete your Penn State bike registration.

When you come to campus, you may notice there are orange e-bikes parked in a variety of locations. These Spin bikes are available for you to use if you don’t have your own bike on campus. This website provides more detail about how to use the Spin bikes.

On-Campus Parking

If you have a car and plan to park it on campus, you will need to register for a parking permit. Parking at University Park may be very different than parking at your previous campus. If you are used to driving to campus, parking, and walking a couple of minutes to your classroom building and having it be really convenient, that is not going to be the parking experience at University Park.

At University Park, anyone who wishes to park on campus must have a permit, and those who do not have a permit or don’t park in the correct location may be ticketed.

There are permits for both students living on campus and those living off campus . All permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. You can view the permit sale dates on the transportation website.

Before parking on campus, familiarize yourself with the parking regulations so you can avoid a ticket.

Buses and Shuttles

To get around campus, you can utilize the CATA Loop and Link buses or the campus shuttles. The best part? They are free! CATA also offers buses that will make stops off campus in State College and the surrounding area. A fare is required for the off-campus bus routes. There are a few different options of how you can pay for off-campus bus trips, which can be found on the CATA website.

You can use the Penn State Go app to view bus and shuttle routes, and even see where the bus is in real-time.

If you don’t have much experience using public transportation, the CATA bus can seem overwhelming! If you think you will be using the CATA bus, you can watch these videos to learn how to ride the bus and find route and schedule information to help you prepare for your first ride.

Transportation Tips from Current Students

We asked a few current students who changed from a Commonwealth campus to University Park for their tips when it comes to learning how to get around campus for the first time. Here's what they had to say:

Alex

Computer Engineering and Psychology major from Penn State Beaver

Use the Google Maps street view application to view the Penn State campus area before coming here. Street view is a great way to see where everything is located and what businesses surround the State College area. You can also get a vibe about the campus life like how populated one area is. You can also easily map how your going to walk to class. You can easily view all buildings along Pollock Road, Shortlidge Road, Curtin Road, Bigler Road, etc. Also, doing the virtual campus tour on the maps.psu.edu website was very helpful.

Nathan

Secondary Education major from Penn State Brandywine

I strongly encourage walking to each of your classes a day or two before the semester actually begins.

Rory

Chemical Engineering major from Penn State Lehigh Valley

Always bring an umbrella. Also if you don't know where your going, add an extra 10 minutes to the time you think it will take to get somewhere. If you don't know where you're going, everyone is very nice so you can ask people where places are.

Aidan

Information Sciences and Technology major from Penn State Brandywine

I have hardly been late to my classes, but do not underestimate the distances and take advantage of the campus shuttles if you need to go far! Many take the Blue and White Loops, which are easy and good, but the shuttles are particularly reliable and quite nice - definitely underutilized by students if you ask me.

By now you're probably familiar with student aid things like the FAFSA. While many sources of financial aid have the exact same eligibility details regardless of which campus you enroll at, you might notice some differences between your Financial Aid Award Summary from this past year compared to this upcoming year. You are encouraged to review your 2023-2024 Financial Aid Award Summary on LionPATH and contact the Office of Student Aid if you have any questions or concerns about the aid offered. You may email, call, or schedule a virtual or in-person appointment.

Did you know that scholarship opportunities are different at University Park than your previous campus? You may have access to aid at University Park that you didn't have before. Check out the Student Aid scholarships website, particularly the list of academic college scholarships. Every college processes their scholarship awards a bit differently, so please pay particular attention to the application requirements and deadlines!

The College of Arts and Architecture

Students in the College of Arts and Architecture should connect with their adviser via email or by making an appointment on Starfish prior to their arrival in the fall.

The College of Health and Human Development

If you are a Nutritional Sciences major, your academic adviser will be Joanna Maatta. She will have advising appointments available throughout the summer, and all appointments will have a Zoom option. You can schedule with her through Starfish. Her email address is [email protected].

The College of Information Sciences and Technology

IST advisers will be holding virtual drop-ins every Wednesday morning from 9-11am all summer long. Please visit our website for more on how to access them. We look forward to seeing you this fall!
You would be surprised at the number of people in your life who know people in the field of technology. They will be excited to hear what you are doing as well as to introduce you to people they know. See a Penn State shirt while on vacation? It is ok to strike up a casual conversation. Penn State Alumni love to talk to Penn State students. As you practice this, you will be practicing for the career fairs this fall. Your story is important. Recruiters will want to hear it, so be sure to think about what you might say. Exploring companies through Nittany Lion Careers and through Linked In, Indeed, and Google can provide you a foundation for what experiences and positions you might apply to in just a month. And if you are starting to feel nervous, reach out to a career coach or academic advisor in IST. We are here to help you. You are definitely not alone! Appointments can be scheduled in Starfish.

Keep in Touch!