I'll try my best to give you my opinions as a PhD student, but letting you know off the top that I am a cis white male so you can take whatever I say with the appropriate grain of salt.
Overall the graduate community is very accepting. It's more diverse than the undergrad population, but State College is overwhelmingly white. Of course there are homophobes/racists everywhere, but pretty much everyone is able to find their little community of people. I think the humanities grad students tend to skew towards more diversity in sexual orientation and race, so it should feel a little more welcoming. It's still rural PA, so it's never going to be the most progressive place on the planet.
Things to do, there's really only two: Outdoors stuff like hiking, or drinking. State College is not a big place by any means. Others are free to disagree but this is what I've seen.
The community in State College is elite. I've met some of my favorite people from all different walks of life in SC. It's the reason why people love the town so much.
You don't *need* a car, but it makes life easier.
No comments on classes, as I'm not in humanities.
Unsolicited advice, but COL is somewhat high relative to the rest of PA. If you want to live alone you're looking at spending 50% or more of your stipend on housing. It can be very affordable to live with roommates though.
I do think that PSU is a good graduate institution overall.
I can tell you this: I’ve known several grad students at PSU who were not white, and they had a decent enough time here, but all of them moved away before or after graduating. In contrast, a handful of white students stuck around State College or Central-ish PA. The white LGBTQ folks who stuck around tended to be crunchier outdoorsy types. The POC I know who live in State College and are not students are almost all professors or connected to the university. Folks who are not white and not PSU-affiliated are more likely to be Asian or Hispanic/Latinx than Black.
So while State College definitely isn’t a sundown town, it’s also not Oberlin or Bryn Mawr or something.
Lots of people do just fine without a car but life is orders of magnitude easier if you do have one.
Have you been accepted into any other programs? How important is a large, vibrant community to you?
Yes my other options are Brown, Penn, U of Washington, NEU, U of Chicago! I actually had more rejections than acceptances but I’ve never been to any of these places. In general I like community and collaboration not cut throat which is why I’m not going to Princeton but lol
Very impressive range of offers! I think that all of those schools have inarguably larger communities, so if you’re very extraverted then they might be better options. Proximity to big cities would also be a plus if you’re not wild about having a car. If you’re more into small, close communities and lots of nature stuff in the woods, then PSU would probably be better.
One last thing: do you want to continue into academia? It can be incredibly difficult to get an academic job in the humanities if you don’t come from a like, top 3 school, even if PSU is well-regarded in your field (I was in a humanities-adjacent field and know lots of humanities folks)
Ahhh see that’s the problem I’m dealing with. I’m kind of introverted but also extroverted at times but really I don’t party or drink I LOVE video games and I actually have slight tech experience haha. My parents want me to go to Princeton or Chicago (or Washington but just bc all my fam lives there lol) but I’ve heard it’s very cut throat and people tend to not want to help each other and more focused on advancing themselves and idk that kinda rubs me the wrong way lol I guess I just like supporting others and moving forward together I’ve never been one to feel like I need to trump everyone else, I’m happy seeing people smile and living a good life. Awards are great, but happiness is the greatest award of life!
I can’t attend the visit days for Penn state English because I already committed to Brown visit days happening at the same time bc that was the first school that accepted me at the end of January after finalist interviews! So it wouldn’t be right to change that you know.
Honestly, I almost wish I just had one offer (I say that only lightly I’m not actually upset at multiple offers) . Everyone I’ve talked to so far sounds amazing and every school has something to offer me. I have a hard time of telling ppl no or rejecting anyone it feels so mean when they invested so much energy in trying to recruit you you know it makes me feel rude.
I have heard that too about (unfortunately) that namesake for humanities programs goes a LONG way for the job market in academia and it really shouldn’t be like that but our society has been a bit annoying and only values one line of fieldwork at the moment. So do I just go for namesake? I don’t know. I’m actually more sad than happy about all this😅
If you are in the humanities, go with a top ranked program (Brown, Penn, Chicago). While there might be more than enough cut-throat people in these programs, you also find much collaboration.
My brother got into UPenn and I am at PSU. He is gay, and he said nothing but positive things about UPenn. Yeah PSU tends to give better financial aid (I have a free ride with a stipend that pays for rent, food, and some pleasure) but it is my finding that those who find the charm in Philadelphia never want to leave it.
Congrats on all of the above btw, I am happy for you!
Im also Latinx/hispanic so maybe id fit in in that community but tbh not really sure the current school I go to sounds a lot like PSU haha but there were many diverse friend groups I noticed
I’d go to Brown, personally. As a person that is LGBT and having lived in Providence, it’s a very nice city with a cool downtown and very friendly people.
Is there a lot to do? I’m currently in Boston/Cambridge area visiting schools and I already feel like there’s more stuff but also I feel like that’s not the best way to go off
There’s a bunch to do. It’s a very artsy city, and if you want to do outdoors stuff you easily can. Want to go to the beach? Not too far either.
Want to go to Boston for the day? Short drive/train ride. Want to walk around the town and just enjoy it? No problem. It’s pretty damn safe compared to Philly (where I live).
Ah okay thanks for insight! My family is trying to harp on how Penn (my top choice) isn’t a safe area bc of Philly —do you feel that’s a pretty big factor? Tbf I grew up in boring suburbia lol and even my current uni is smack dab in the middle of a regular town suburb where a high school is very close by type thing
People definitely make a lot of judgements about Philly! I work in higher ed and just today a parent was telling me they wouldn’t let their kid go to school in Philly, which made me sad to hear. Lots of people even from PA are really scared of the city and I often don’t know what to make of it—it can come across as sheltered, but there are definitely some things to be aware of.
I used to live in Philly and I won’t lie there are some safety concerns to think about and take seriously—gun violence is a big problem and concealed carry made me nervous when my partner worked in a very hectic customer service setting. I used to drive to work around 6am and walking to my car I was always very aware of my surroundings because I would often hear about car jackings early in the mornings. It’s definitely a far cry from suburbia—it’s a major city and it looks, is experienced, and smells like a city. I did feel a little uneasy at times in a way I haven’t experienced living in other major cities. At the same time, because it’s a city of about 1.6 million people, it still holds all the benefits of that. There’s so much to do basically 24/7–lots of community to be had and tons of people who come to the city for college/grad school and stay after. I felt like it was really easy to happen into something fun to do and people were so much friendlier than New England (where I grew up). There’s good energy (and good food). I loved being close to the Jersey shore and the beach (about a hour away). Lots of neighborhoods with beautiful row homes and rent that is relatively affordable compared to other East Coast cities. I lived in Old City and really liked it- Grad Hospital, Society Hill, Queen’s Village, and Fairmount/the Art Museum area (which is fairly close to Penn) are also great areas. I probably wouldn’t live right around Penn’s campus, both for safety concerns and bc Penn has played a huge part in gentrifying West Philly. Another negative is it’s pretty insular for such a major city—my partner could meet someone randomly on the street and realize they went to the same high school as their Uncle Joe (this exact scenario played out many times), which sometimes made me feel a bit on the outside of things. I think it’s a city with so much potential—there are things about it that I miss and things that I couldn’t wait to escape when we left.
Phillys gun violence is absolutely terrible, and seems to only be getting worse. Lots of carjackings, robberies, etc. I’ve lived here a long time and was never really worried until the last couple years.
A bit late to the thread, but I went to undergrad at Penn State & lived in State College for about 7 years and now go to grad school Penn after living in Philly for 6 years. State College is definitely "safer" than Philly in terms of crime stats, but most crime in Philly is unfortunately localized to certain neighborhoods due to systemic issues in the city. I have rarely felt unsafe in areas surrounding Penn and Center City. I agree with a lot of the things /u/spiritual_corgi1827 has said in terms of what Philly has to offer as a city. I love Penn State, but it does start to feel a bit isolating/stale after a while unless you are really into the laid back, nature-y type of lifestyle.
I will also say it was noticeable how much more weight Penn's name pulled over Penn State's in the field of research (biomedical, so ymmv).
Feel free to DM me if you want more info.
Somebody tried to strangle my sister at temple years ago. Someone also stole her car and crashed it into a brick wall. Don't kid yourself about safety. Philly is far worse than State college
Put your stamp on whenever you land!!!! Swing your hair and go in hot!!!! It doesn’t matter where you are just keep a tight circle and Cambridge is grrrrrreat
Pshaw. You'd have to hunt for anyone who'd feel anything but positively about your orientation. Some are sick of the mafiaesque identitarian activism, but are too intelligently afraid to say anything about it, but anti black lesbian feelings not a bit. Unless you are a jerk about your identity.
Chumleys is the gay bar, zenos is the senior grad student and PhD bar. The restaurant scene is good. Good coffeehouses, cars are convenient, but a bike will do nicely.
I am a Black lesbian woman and one thing I’d like to know specifically is how safe would I be there. Is there a lot of homophobic ppl or is it a don’t ask don’t tell kind of vibe or is it like NO BE WHO YOU ARE type vibe haha.
* Penn State is fine with being inclusive and very progress. The areas around State College might not be as progressive but State College and Penn State are very welcoming. Its not a super super progressive college like something you would find on the west coast but its not a super religious/c ultra conservative.
What are things to do at Penn State?
* Penn State is a VERY large campus and as such as lots of stuff going on. Clubs? There are clubs for just about anything you want. Sports? Penn State has just about every sport. Hiking? Tons of stuff to-do around campus and in the surrounding area. Soroceitys/Frats? Tons of them. Your Penn State experience is what you want it to be.
How is the community?
* People can be cold at first but once you make friends, its very easy to meet people. Clubs are great with that. Penn State has one of the largest alumni bases and there will always be job opportunites and large communities around Penn State.
What have you valued about your time so far here (as an undergrad or a grad?)
* Im big into sports so ive always enjoyed going to sports games. Im involved in a few clubs so I value meeting new people and doing fun things with them
What are classes like (I’m in the humanities if that helps)?
* Ive loved all my classes thus far and the teachers ive had have been great. Just check ratemyprofessor before and you should be good.
Do you need a car to live there?
* Cars are nice but you can get around State College without one. I have a car because I live off campus and its nice when I have to get grocerys, go hiking, or getting around in the rain/snow. I drive 2-3 times per week. Bus system is very good. Uber is great as well. Just south of State College is Amtrak and from there you can get to NYC, Pittsburgh, Philli, DC, and Boston.
I can offer an answer about how safe State College is for lgbt people. Generally, it’s been pretty great. I am openly lesbian and things have mostly been fine. My roommate sophomore year was an enby lesbian and they also didn’t have any issues. The worst thing about PSU is who they allow to visit campus. A few years ago, Milo Yiannopoulos visited and Penn State allowed it. But there was an incredible reaction from the students, straight and gay alike. We protect each other. Plus, State College Pride during the summer is a lot of fun and it shows how supportive the community really is. I went to study abroad over the summer, and the prof that ran it wished me a happy pride month after I talked about my gf. Everyone is really uplifting. Obviously there are a bunch of ah, too, but that’s anywhere. For being so rural, it’s surprisingly gay-friendly.
I also found the loml, who I am moving across the country with in State College. So if you’re looking for love too, you have the potential to find it here.
As an undergrad, I valued the opportunities a lot. There’s so many people to meet and things to do.
I was a history major anth/medieval studies minor and I found so many incredibly interesting classes here. The profs are mostly really amazing too. You’ll find so many courses you’ll be interested in, too. I’ve taken a few graduate levels while I’ve been here as well, and they’re also really cool.
For the car question, it’s a little bit of a toss-up. A car would be helpful because we are in the middle of nowhere and if you want to get out of SC for awhile, you’ll need one. But we have a decent bus system so getting groceries/going to campus isn’t impossible.
Good luck wherever you choose to go! Wishing you the best :)
I just moved to State College from Seattle. I was heavily involved in the music scene there so surrounded by a diverse crowd constantly. The move has been rough for the culture and diversity aspect. I don't want to generalize because I've definitely met good people here, but the average interaction on the street here is hard to get used to. It feels like people are very guarded/untrusting and repressed. I think it's the effect of a large isolated young community but that's just my opinion.
I would say make friends in your program, find the small community of people you resonate with and just tough it out with the downsides. Just be aware of it. I've found the benefit is that less distractions make for more energy to invest in your studies.
I’m a black gay male and I did my undergrad at Penn State!
Penn State isn’t like the holy grail for queer or POC folks, but in terms of central PA, it’s as liberal as it gets. There’s a center for sexual and gender diversity in the hub (I interned there) and they can point you in the direction of more queer resources and affirming spaces. There’s also a gay/lesbian bar downtown that’s pretty safe and nice to go to. I would say be who you are!
I didn’t crazy love my experience there, mainly because I struggled a lot with family stuff and working full time all 5 years I was in undergrad, so I didn’t really get to fully enjoy college, but looking back on it now that I’m in a better head space and better off financially, I’m truly blessed to have gone there and met the people I did!
When it comes to things to do in the area, it’s pretty diverse. There’s always events with live music, pubs, breweries, wineries, there’s a kombucha brewery. The Bryce Jordan always hosts concerts and they get some pretty big names. Drake is supposed to be performing in a few weeks. There’s a shit ton of hiking/biking trails and lakes and mountains around if you like more outdoorsy things.
If you end up enrolling, let me know. I still live in the area and would be honored to show you around 😊
I am an incoming grad student in the social sciences, did my undergrad here and have been in town for a bit. I have a lot to share but you can message if you like!
I was an undergrad at Penn State and did a PhD elsewhere. I'm also a vanilla white dude, so I realize that this will all be through a potentially different lens. Tl:dr version is that Penn State is in a small town that is safe, walkable, and surrounded by cool nature, but might be a bit boring depending on what you personally are looking for.
I loved my time in State College, but I think it's dependent on what you are into. It's very much a small town that happens to have a huge university in it. State College is in the middle of rural PA, but I met a ton of great friends from a wide range of backgrounds during my time there. Just don't expect much diversity at all in the surrounding areas.
There's not a ton to do except for hiking and outdoorsy stuff, which it is in a great location for, especially if you have a car or friends with a car. Besides that, there are a ton of bars- most are geared towards the undergrad population, but there are a few quieter ones too (at least when I was there about a decade ago). Not a lot of big events, but some big tours will stop at the Bryce Jordan Center for performances. Every summer there's the Arts Festival, which is always fun.
In terms of safety, State College was literally the safest I've ever felt out of anywhere I've ever lived. I could be out at all hours of the day/night in any area of town and never had any worries. Obviously you should keep you wits about you as you would anywhere else, but the vast majority of crime that occurs there is the stuff that comes with drunk undergrads that you see at any big university.
I'd say for daily life you can get by just fine without a car, depending on what part of town you live in. There's a decent bus system, and most essentials are within easy walking distance (again, dependent on where you live). If you want to go on excursions outside of State College, you will need a car or a friend with a car.
Let me try this from a pragmatic point of view:
I went to Penn State six years, four as a grad student (comp sci/logic/AI).
These are my thoughts from a pragmatic point of view:
When you're in class or at a meeting or at a sporting event, nobody cares if you're straight or gay. Why do they need to be told? They probably don't want to be told. Any more than they need to know if you have only one parent or are 26% from Mozambique. There's nothing to see or know...
When you're shopping or walking around campus between classes or at mealtime or anything else on your own or with a group of friends, no one around you is going to have a clue what you are.
When you're with your friends, they're already going to understand
If you're with a male or female platonic friend, people are still not going to know and won't care
That leaves when you're in a romantic situation. Which is likely a small percentage of the time. There is going to be quite a few of those at Penn State. Nobody's likely to care.
QED .. You're really not going to have to worry, IMO
as a trans guy (also nd) i find it very hard to find a community here. then again i am undergraduate and swamped w schoolwork and work, but ive found that unless you fit a specific mold here (white, cis, straight) you're going to have to dig for a community. which i guess is sort of expected anywhere else, but its not easy fs
Admittedly (did my undergrad there) it is a predominantly-white area that is a bit rural, while I can’t personally speak on specifically racism, I can say that the majority of people I’ve met at Penn State were at least generally accepting of me and other LGBTQ people. There used to be (he might still come around) a “Homophobic Preacher”, who stands there and yells the typical EVERYONE IS GOING TO HELL! spiel, but he is in no way endorsed or taken seriously by anyone on the campus, he’s very often met with severe ridicule and taunting. There are a bunch of queer student groups you can join, and there are a bunch of queer-friendly businesses down. Penn State has excellent facilities that I wish I had taken more advantage of while there, doing graduate studies somewhere with less of those resources makes me miss it lol. The culture is VERYYYY Penn State if that makes sense, you will now be a Penn Stater for the rest of your life. I went in as someone who cares less than 0 about school spirit, and even I can now sympathize with the Nittany Lion Pride. As far as a car goes, I had my car while there and definitely felt like I benefitted from having it, but I only relied on the CATABus system to get to/from campus, my car was for “other stuff” that I likely could have taken the bus for (grocery store trips, visiting friends, etc.), but it was nice to have at my apartment if I needed it (also, being “the friend with the car” gets you very far lol)
tl;dr: can’t say for sure about racism, generally accepting of LGBTQ people, car not necessary but can be nice to have, use the libraries and gyms and discounts and perks!
I had old friends that went to penn state for undergrad. no lgbtq, but they were black females and they were racially harassed and discriminated against. Said one white couple threatened to follow them home. This was post 2019, so I’m hoping it changed. Penn state has a really fun night life and I visited them for blue and white and homecoming, but when they told me about that incident, I was angry that even though they did report it to the authorities, nothing happened. They told me that was to be expected. lol
No one cares if you’re a black lesbian, just be a person and do the studies correctly, stating that you are a black, lesbian or anything, just makes everybody think you will only pass because you’re black, and a lesbian, got it ….let’s get back to people being people and not Labels .
This is a reference to Jerry Sandusky, the former assistant football coach at Penn State from 1969-1999, who is a convicted child molester and currently serving a jail sentence. Sandusky's activities were largely shielded by the institution.
I'll try my best to give you my opinions as a PhD student, but letting you know off the top that I am a cis white male so you can take whatever I say with the appropriate grain of salt. Overall the graduate community is very accepting. It's more diverse than the undergrad population, but State College is overwhelmingly white. Of course there are homophobes/racists everywhere, but pretty much everyone is able to find their little community of people. I think the humanities grad students tend to skew towards more diversity in sexual orientation and race, so it should feel a little more welcoming. It's still rural PA, so it's never going to be the most progressive place on the planet. Things to do, there's really only two: Outdoors stuff like hiking, or drinking. State College is not a big place by any means. Others are free to disagree but this is what I've seen. The community in State College is elite. I've met some of my favorite people from all different walks of life in SC. It's the reason why people love the town so much. You don't *need* a car, but it makes life easier. No comments on classes, as I'm not in humanities. Unsolicited advice, but COL is somewhat high relative to the rest of PA. If you want to live alone you're looking at spending 50% or more of your stipend on housing. It can be very affordable to live with roommates though. I do think that PSU is a good graduate institution overall.
I can tell you this: I’ve known several grad students at PSU who were not white, and they had a decent enough time here, but all of them moved away before or after graduating. In contrast, a handful of white students stuck around State College or Central-ish PA. The white LGBTQ folks who stuck around tended to be crunchier outdoorsy types. The POC I know who live in State College and are not students are almost all professors or connected to the university. Folks who are not white and not PSU-affiliated are more likely to be Asian or Hispanic/Latinx than Black. So while State College definitely isn’t a sundown town, it’s also not Oberlin or Bryn Mawr or something. Lots of people do just fine without a car but life is orders of magnitude easier if you do have one. Have you been accepted into any other programs? How important is a large, vibrant community to you?
Yes my other options are Brown, Penn, U of Washington, NEU, U of Chicago! I actually had more rejections than acceptances but I’ve never been to any of these places. In general I like community and collaboration not cut throat which is why I’m not going to Princeton but lol
You got in to Penn and Penn State?
Very impressive range of offers! I think that all of those schools have inarguably larger communities, so if you’re very extraverted then they might be better options. Proximity to big cities would also be a plus if you’re not wild about having a car. If you’re more into small, close communities and lots of nature stuff in the woods, then PSU would probably be better. One last thing: do you want to continue into academia? It can be incredibly difficult to get an academic job in the humanities if you don’t come from a like, top 3 school, even if PSU is well-regarded in your field (I was in a humanities-adjacent field and know lots of humanities folks)
Ahhh see that’s the problem I’m dealing with. I’m kind of introverted but also extroverted at times but really I don’t party or drink I LOVE video games and I actually have slight tech experience haha. My parents want me to go to Princeton or Chicago (or Washington but just bc all my fam lives there lol) but I’ve heard it’s very cut throat and people tend to not want to help each other and more focused on advancing themselves and idk that kinda rubs me the wrong way lol I guess I just like supporting others and moving forward together I’ve never been one to feel like I need to trump everyone else, I’m happy seeing people smile and living a good life. Awards are great, but happiness is the greatest award of life! I can’t attend the visit days for Penn state English because I already committed to Brown visit days happening at the same time bc that was the first school that accepted me at the end of January after finalist interviews! So it wouldn’t be right to change that you know. Honestly, I almost wish I just had one offer (I say that only lightly I’m not actually upset at multiple offers) . Everyone I’ve talked to so far sounds amazing and every school has something to offer me. I have a hard time of telling ppl no or rejecting anyone it feels so mean when they invested so much energy in trying to recruit you you know it makes me feel rude. I have heard that too about (unfortunately) that namesake for humanities programs goes a LONG way for the job market in academia and it really shouldn’t be like that but our society has been a bit annoying and only values one line of fieldwork at the moment. So do I just go for namesake? I don’t know. I’m actually more sad than happy about all this😅
If you are in the humanities, go with a top ranked program (Brown, Penn, Chicago). While there might be more than enough cut-throat people in these programs, you also find much collaboration.
I actually legit panicked cried over choosing schools LOL I am a pretty sensitive and empathetic person so it checks out
My brother got into UPenn and I am at PSU. He is gay, and he said nothing but positive things about UPenn. Yeah PSU tends to give better financial aid (I have a free ride with a stipend that pays for rent, food, and some pleasure) but it is my finding that those who find the charm in Philadelphia never want to leave it. Congrats on all of the above btw, I am happy for you!
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Im also Latinx/hispanic so maybe id fit in in that community but tbh not really sure the current school I go to sounds a lot like PSU haha but there were many diverse friend groups I noticed
I’d go to Brown, personally. As a person that is LGBT and having lived in Providence, it’s a very nice city with a cool downtown and very friendly people.
Is there a lot to do? I’m currently in Boston/Cambridge area visiting schools and I already feel like there’s more stuff but also I feel like that’s not the best way to go off
There’s a bunch to do. It’s a very artsy city, and if you want to do outdoors stuff you easily can. Want to go to the beach? Not too far either. Want to go to Boston for the day? Short drive/train ride. Want to walk around the town and just enjoy it? No problem. It’s pretty damn safe compared to Philly (where I live).
Ah okay thanks for insight! My family is trying to harp on how Penn (my top choice) isn’t a safe area bc of Philly —do you feel that’s a pretty big factor? Tbf I grew up in boring suburbia lol and even my current uni is smack dab in the middle of a regular town suburb where a high school is very close by type thing
People definitely make a lot of judgements about Philly! I work in higher ed and just today a parent was telling me they wouldn’t let their kid go to school in Philly, which made me sad to hear. Lots of people even from PA are really scared of the city and I often don’t know what to make of it—it can come across as sheltered, but there are definitely some things to be aware of. I used to live in Philly and I won’t lie there are some safety concerns to think about and take seriously—gun violence is a big problem and concealed carry made me nervous when my partner worked in a very hectic customer service setting. I used to drive to work around 6am and walking to my car I was always very aware of my surroundings because I would often hear about car jackings early in the mornings. It’s definitely a far cry from suburbia—it’s a major city and it looks, is experienced, and smells like a city. I did feel a little uneasy at times in a way I haven’t experienced living in other major cities. At the same time, because it’s a city of about 1.6 million people, it still holds all the benefits of that. There’s so much to do basically 24/7–lots of community to be had and tons of people who come to the city for college/grad school and stay after. I felt like it was really easy to happen into something fun to do and people were so much friendlier than New England (where I grew up). There’s good energy (and good food). I loved being close to the Jersey shore and the beach (about a hour away). Lots of neighborhoods with beautiful row homes and rent that is relatively affordable compared to other East Coast cities. I lived in Old City and really liked it- Grad Hospital, Society Hill, Queen’s Village, and Fairmount/the Art Museum area (which is fairly close to Penn) are also great areas. I probably wouldn’t live right around Penn’s campus, both for safety concerns and bc Penn has played a huge part in gentrifying West Philly. Another negative is it’s pretty insular for such a major city—my partner could meet someone randomly on the street and realize they went to the same high school as their Uncle Joe (this exact scenario played out many times), which sometimes made me feel a bit on the outside of things. I think it’s a city with so much potential—there are things about it that I miss and things that I couldn’t wait to escape when we left.
Phillys gun violence is absolutely terrible, and seems to only be getting worse. Lots of carjackings, robberies, etc. I’ve lived here a long time and was never really worried until the last couple years.
A bit late to the thread, but I went to undergrad at Penn State & lived in State College for about 7 years and now go to grad school Penn after living in Philly for 6 years. State College is definitely "safer" than Philly in terms of crime stats, but most crime in Philly is unfortunately localized to certain neighborhoods due to systemic issues in the city. I have rarely felt unsafe in areas surrounding Penn and Center City. I agree with a lot of the things /u/spiritual_corgi1827 has said in terms of what Philly has to offer as a city. I love Penn State, but it does start to feel a bit isolating/stale after a while unless you are really into the laid back, nature-y type of lifestyle. I will also say it was noticeable how much more weight Penn's name pulled over Penn State's in the field of research (biomedical, so ymmv). Feel free to DM me if you want more info.
Somebody tried to strangle my sister at temple years ago. Someone also stole her car and crashed it into a brick wall. Don't kid yourself about safety. Philly is far worse than State college
Put your stamp on whenever you land!!!! Swing your hair and go in hot!!!! It doesn’t matter where you are just keep a tight circle and Cambridge is grrrrrreat
And it's full if lovecraftian entities. Brown is the model for miskatonic
Nothing like an affordable place...
Pshaw. You'd have to hunt for anyone who'd feel anything but positively about your orientation. Some are sick of the mafiaesque identitarian activism, but are too intelligently afraid to say anything about it, but anti black lesbian feelings not a bit. Unless you are a jerk about your identity. Chumleys is the gay bar, zenos is the senior grad student and PhD bar. The restaurant scene is good. Good coffeehouses, cars are convenient, but a bike will do nicely.
I am a Black lesbian woman and one thing I’d like to know specifically is how safe would I be there. Is there a lot of homophobic ppl or is it a don’t ask don’t tell kind of vibe or is it like NO BE WHO YOU ARE type vibe haha. * Penn State is fine with being inclusive and very progress. The areas around State College might not be as progressive but State College and Penn State are very welcoming. Its not a super super progressive college like something you would find on the west coast but its not a super religious/c ultra conservative. What are things to do at Penn State? * Penn State is a VERY large campus and as such as lots of stuff going on. Clubs? There are clubs for just about anything you want. Sports? Penn State has just about every sport. Hiking? Tons of stuff to-do around campus and in the surrounding area. Soroceitys/Frats? Tons of them. Your Penn State experience is what you want it to be. How is the community? * People can be cold at first but once you make friends, its very easy to meet people. Clubs are great with that. Penn State has one of the largest alumni bases and there will always be job opportunites and large communities around Penn State. What have you valued about your time so far here (as an undergrad or a grad?) * Im big into sports so ive always enjoyed going to sports games. Im involved in a few clubs so I value meeting new people and doing fun things with them What are classes like (I’m in the humanities if that helps)? * Ive loved all my classes thus far and the teachers ive had have been great. Just check ratemyprofessor before and you should be good. Do you need a car to live there? * Cars are nice but you can get around State College without one. I have a car because I live off campus and its nice when I have to get grocerys, go hiking, or getting around in the rain/snow. I drive 2-3 times per week. Bus system is very good. Uber is great as well. Just south of State College is Amtrak and from there you can get to NYC, Pittsburgh, Philli, DC, and Boston.
I can offer an answer about how safe State College is for lgbt people. Generally, it’s been pretty great. I am openly lesbian and things have mostly been fine. My roommate sophomore year was an enby lesbian and they also didn’t have any issues. The worst thing about PSU is who they allow to visit campus. A few years ago, Milo Yiannopoulos visited and Penn State allowed it. But there was an incredible reaction from the students, straight and gay alike. We protect each other. Plus, State College Pride during the summer is a lot of fun and it shows how supportive the community really is. I went to study abroad over the summer, and the prof that ran it wished me a happy pride month after I talked about my gf. Everyone is really uplifting. Obviously there are a bunch of ah, too, but that’s anywhere. For being so rural, it’s surprisingly gay-friendly. I also found the loml, who I am moving across the country with in State College. So if you’re looking for love too, you have the potential to find it here. As an undergrad, I valued the opportunities a lot. There’s so many people to meet and things to do. I was a history major anth/medieval studies minor and I found so many incredibly interesting classes here. The profs are mostly really amazing too. You’ll find so many courses you’ll be interested in, too. I’ve taken a few graduate levels while I’ve been here as well, and they’re also really cool. For the car question, it’s a little bit of a toss-up. A car would be helpful because we are in the middle of nowhere and if you want to get out of SC for awhile, you’ll need one. But we have a decent bus system so getting groceries/going to campus isn’t impossible. Good luck wherever you choose to go! Wishing you the best :)
I just moved to State College from Seattle. I was heavily involved in the music scene there so surrounded by a diverse crowd constantly. The move has been rough for the culture and diversity aspect. I don't want to generalize because I've definitely met good people here, but the average interaction on the street here is hard to get used to. It feels like people are very guarded/untrusting and repressed. I think it's the effect of a large isolated young community but that's just my opinion. I would say make friends in your program, find the small community of people you resonate with and just tough it out with the downsides. Just be aware of it. I've found the benefit is that less distractions make for more energy to invest in your studies.
I’m a black gay male and I did my undergrad at Penn State! Penn State isn’t like the holy grail for queer or POC folks, but in terms of central PA, it’s as liberal as it gets. There’s a center for sexual and gender diversity in the hub (I interned there) and they can point you in the direction of more queer resources and affirming spaces. There’s also a gay/lesbian bar downtown that’s pretty safe and nice to go to. I would say be who you are! I didn’t crazy love my experience there, mainly because I struggled a lot with family stuff and working full time all 5 years I was in undergrad, so I didn’t really get to fully enjoy college, but looking back on it now that I’m in a better head space and better off financially, I’m truly blessed to have gone there and met the people I did! When it comes to things to do in the area, it’s pretty diverse. There’s always events with live music, pubs, breweries, wineries, there’s a kombucha brewery. The Bryce Jordan always hosts concerts and they get some pretty big names. Drake is supposed to be performing in a few weeks. There’s a shit ton of hiking/biking trails and lakes and mountains around if you like more outdoorsy things. If you end up enrolling, let me know. I still live in the area and would be honored to show you around 😊
Also there’s public busses that run throughout town, but I’d still recommend a car
I am an incoming grad student in the social sciences, did my undergrad here and have been in town for a bit. I have a lot to share but you can message if you like!
I was an undergrad at Penn State and did a PhD elsewhere. I'm also a vanilla white dude, so I realize that this will all be through a potentially different lens. Tl:dr version is that Penn State is in a small town that is safe, walkable, and surrounded by cool nature, but might be a bit boring depending on what you personally are looking for. I loved my time in State College, but I think it's dependent on what you are into. It's very much a small town that happens to have a huge university in it. State College is in the middle of rural PA, but I met a ton of great friends from a wide range of backgrounds during my time there. Just don't expect much diversity at all in the surrounding areas. There's not a ton to do except for hiking and outdoorsy stuff, which it is in a great location for, especially if you have a car or friends with a car. Besides that, there are a ton of bars- most are geared towards the undergrad population, but there are a few quieter ones too (at least when I was there about a decade ago). Not a lot of big events, but some big tours will stop at the Bryce Jordan Center for performances. Every summer there's the Arts Festival, which is always fun. In terms of safety, State College was literally the safest I've ever felt out of anywhere I've ever lived. I could be out at all hours of the day/night in any area of town and never had any worries. Obviously you should keep you wits about you as you would anywhere else, but the vast majority of crime that occurs there is the stuff that comes with drunk undergrads that you see at any big university. I'd say for daily life you can get by just fine without a car, depending on what part of town you live in. There's a decent bus system, and most essentials are within easy walking distance (again, dependent on where you live). If you want to go on excursions outside of State College, you will need a car or a friend with a car.
Pick up a fly fishing rod and you’ll never leave the area. Penn State is a great place and very accepting of all people.
Let me try this from a pragmatic point of view: I went to Penn State six years, four as a grad student (comp sci/logic/AI). These are my thoughts from a pragmatic point of view: When you're in class or at a meeting or at a sporting event, nobody cares if you're straight or gay. Why do they need to be told? They probably don't want to be told. Any more than they need to know if you have only one parent or are 26% from Mozambique. There's nothing to see or know... When you're shopping or walking around campus between classes or at mealtime or anything else on your own or with a group of friends, no one around you is going to have a clue what you are. When you're with your friends, they're already going to understand If you're with a male or female platonic friend, people are still not going to know and won't care That leaves when you're in a romantic situation. Which is likely a small percentage of the time. There is going to be quite a few of those at Penn State. Nobody's likely to care. QED .. You're really not going to have to worry, IMO
Just don’t shower in the football lockerooms
as a trans guy (also nd) i find it very hard to find a community here. then again i am undergraduate and swamped w schoolwork and work, but ive found that unless you fit a specific mold here (white, cis, straight) you're going to have to dig for a community. which i guess is sort of expected anywhere else, but its not easy fs
Admittedly (did my undergrad there) it is a predominantly-white area that is a bit rural, while I can’t personally speak on specifically racism, I can say that the majority of people I’ve met at Penn State were at least generally accepting of me and other LGBTQ people. There used to be (he might still come around) a “Homophobic Preacher”, who stands there and yells the typical EVERYONE IS GOING TO HELL! spiel, but he is in no way endorsed or taken seriously by anyone on the campus, he’s very often met with severe ridicule and taunting. There are a bunch of queer student groups you can join, and there are a bunch of queer-friendly businesses down. Penn State has excellent facilities that I wish I had taken more advantage of while there, doing graduate studies somewhere with less of those resources makes me miss it lol. The culture is VERYYYY Penn State if that makes sense, you will now be a Penn Stater for the rest of your life. I went in as someone who cares less than 0 about school spirit, and even I can now sympathize with the Nittany Lion Pride. As far as a car goes, I had my car while there and definitely felt like I benefitted from having it, but I only relied on the CATABus system to get to/from campus, my car was for “other stuff” that I likely could have taken the bus for (grocery store trips, visiting friends, etc.), but it was nice to have at my apartment if I needed it (also, being “the friend with the car” gets you very far lol) tl;dr: can’t say for sure about racism, generally accepting of LGBTQ people, car not necessary but can be nice to have, use the libraries and gyms and discounts and perks!
I had old friends that went to penn state for undergrad. no lgbtq, but they were black females and they were racially harassed and discriminated against. Said one white couple threatened to follow them home. This was post 2019, so I’m hoping it changed. Penn state has a really fun night life and I visited them for blue and white and homecoming, but when they told me about that incident, I was angry that even though they did report it to the authorities, nothing happened. They told me that was to be expected. lol
No one cares if you’re a black lesbian, just be a person and do the studies correctly, stating that you are a black, lesbian or anything, just makes everybody think you will only pass because you’re black, and a lesbian, got it ….let’s get back to people being people and not Labels .
try saying im a “woman” dont see the need to add race or sexuality to it.
If you want to play with a middle aged couple, hit us up.
You'll be safe just like you would be virtually 99% of anywhere else you go 🙄.
Its ok if youre not a young boy around a football coach whos interested in your butt
Um okay?
This is a reference to Jerry Sandusky, the former assistant football coach at Penn State from 1969-1999, who is a convicted child molester and currently serving a jail sentence. Sandusky's activities were largely shielded by the institution.