Calling all Smeal (Penn State) Applicants: (2016 Intake) Class of 2018

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Wondering if any current student can comment on the situation of scholarships and financial aid for international students?
Also how easy is it to obtain GA's from other departments?
On a side note, as a current student what are the three things you would describe in a prospective student that would make him/her a perfect fit for the school provided the stats are on par with the school's requirements.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Hi!

I'm a class of 2017 student. From my perspective and observation

1) In the class of 2017, ~80% of students were given a graduate assistance ship (tuition waived off, subsidized insurance and a stipend). With a good gmat score (minimum of 700 for International applicants), good essays and interview, you stand a high chance of getting a GA.

2) There is no such rule for being a perfect fit. It is specific to a person, based on your prior work-ex, expectations out of an MBA programme ( large peer group vs. focused small group etc.), and where you want to go after your MBA. So a school being a good fit or not depends on factors like these.

Hope it helps. Do let me know or PM me if I can be of more help.

user26 Thanks for the information. That was really helpful.
One more information. Though the expenses and tution fees are mentioned already in the website.
Can you please let me know - What would be the approximate spending in full time MBA considering we work somewhere part-time?
Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Saswat

Again, I can talk only from my perspective while answering this. I am not sure what you mean by part time here. Just to clarify
1) You will mostly get an assistanceship (assuming your whole application is good and you apply early)
2) Beyond GA work, you really will not have any time to work part time.

And to answer your question
1) With a GA, your total expense for both a years (considering a not so lavish lifestyle) will come to less than 15 lacs. Again, it depends on your lifestyle. You can close it under 10 lacs too.
2) Typically your major academic expense would be books, global immersion trip (around 4k $), trips to career fairs and so on. You don't have to spend anything else if you are on a GA.
3) Typical living expense will be around 800- 900 per month and you should be getting around 600 in stipend as part of your GA. So you'll be spending about 200- 400 $ per month out of you pocket.
4) If you can convert your GA into 20 hr a week in the second year, you'll get stipend of ~1,200 p.m net, which will more than cover all your typical expenses.

Hope it helps.

Cheers!

hello. can anyone please inform where to upload resume and essays in penn state application. i can't find a link to the page where i can upload documents.thanks in advance.
Ishita

Hello Ishita,

Once you log in to the application through below link, you will see "Program Specific Questions" in Application Steps column.
https://www.gradschool.psu.edu/apply/

Here you will find an option to upload the essay as shown below.

What other schools are you applying for?

Hi. Thanks applying to state universities. Michigan, ohio
.purdue, olin.
Need to think of more. Would prefer a scholarship.
What about you?

I am applying to Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State in Round 1.
Depending on the decisions, I will apply to other schools.

Can someone help me with the below question?
There is a field in the application to enter GPA. There is also instructions on how to enter GPA in below link.
https://secure.gradsch.psu.edu/app/gradapp/edu/gpainstructions.cfm

In this link, it says


If I leave the GPA field blank, the application does not show as complete.
I have a CGPA of 8.81 out of 10. How do I report it on the 0 to 4 scale?

@aravinth545-Did you get a solution for this issue?...I am also facing the same problem.

Hi ddb,

I don't have a solution yet.
I have an email to the admissions office at Smeal.
I will let you know once I get a reply.

@aravinth545-Thanks for replying.Please post once you get the reply.

Hi

I too came across this issue last year, but i think I left it blank and it worked for me. I would suggest that you reach out to the admissions team here on this. They are very helpful people and will clarify soon. Meantime, I will also try to find out and let you know.

user26
Thank you for your support. Please let us know when you find out.

By the way, could you comment on what Smeal looks for in every candidate in their application?
(For example, Leadership or Teamwork or something else?)

user26 aravinth545

Hopefully they are not charging anything extra for this conversion to a 4 point scale

Or do we need to get it done through WES ?

And updates from the adcom team?

Cheers
Saswat

FROM News Penn State: Advice When Considering an MBA

Recently, I became the Admissions Operations Manager for the MBA Program, and, thus, I am the newest member of the Admissions Team. I have been with the MBA Program for 10 years and prior to joining Admissions, I served as the Student Services Representative for the program. During my time in Student Services, I had the opportunity to work with nearly 1000 students and it has provided me with a unique perspective on what student life entails. Based on my observations, below are a few things to think about when choosing an MBA program. -Fit – One of the first things you will discover is that the Smeal MBA Program is a family. Our students pitch in together for everything from a tailgate to a job search. If a student sees a job posting that would be a good fit for a classmate, it gets sent to that classmate. For some students, this is the right environment for them. What it comes down to is finding the right fit for YOU. -Time – Life as an MBA student is a busy one. Between class, team meetings, and the job search, it can be difficult to find outside time. Keep in mind whether or not this is the right time for you to make a two year commitment to your education. -Opportunities – I know I mentioned that life is already busy for students, but it is important to take advantage of the additional opportunities that are afforded to MBA students. Student Associations will often have trips to meet with companies and learn more about their process. Alums come back to campus to mentor and guide current students. Case competitions allow students not only an educational experience, but also typically offer prize money. Making the most of these possibilities can provide you with a more well-rounded MBA experience. -Have Fun – If you come to Penn State, hike Mount Nittany. Visit the Penn State Creamery…often. Go to a concert at the Bryce Jordan Center. Take in an exhibit at the Palmer Art Museum. Your educational experience is much like life – you get out of it what you put into it. Make that time two of the most important years of your life. -Susan K. Winarchick, Penn State Smeal MBA Admissions Operations Manager

FROM News Penn State: Smeal Honor Code

Greetings from Happy Valley! The Smeal Honor Code, started by Penn State Smeal MBA students in 2006, is a pledge that holds the Smeal community accountable for upholding integrity and ethical behavior. The code reads: “We, the Smeal College of Business community, aspire to the highest ethical standards and will hold each other accountable to them. We will not engage in any action that is improper or that creates the appearance of impropriety in our academic lives, and we intend to hold to this standard in our future careers.” Earlier this month we held our biannual Honor Code signing, a special tradition in the Smeal College of Business community. Each semester, students, faculty, and staff sign the Honor Code to reaffirm their commitment to integrity and ethical behavior, and members of the community also volunteer to staff the signing area. Those who sign the Honor Code also have the option to receive an e-certificate, confirming their participation in the Honor Code signing, that they may add to their LinkedIn profile. View our short video to learn more about the college’s commitment to integrity and why current students sign the Honor Code. Jen Eury, Ph.D. Director of Honor and Integrity Smeal College of Business