It’s the time of year when seniors are rushing to finish their college applications, secure their recommendation letters, and complete their FAFSA forms as if there’s no time left. In Pennsylvania, there are around 300 different colleges, technical schools, and universities, each with its own distinctive identity and what makes it stand out among others. However, a few colleges consistently attract the attention of North Penn students.
Local state colleges are in demand due to their low tuition and opportunity costs, which make them particularly appealing to high-schoolers. Co-op colleges are also highly sought after, as their work-study balance allows students to earn a living, network with industry leaders, and gain valuable skills and experience before graduating and seeking full-time careers. Some attend community colleges to transfer to a four-year university, often to save on transportation, tuition, and other miscellaneous expenses. The top five most popular colleges among North Penn alumni include a mix of community colleges, state schools, and private urban institutions.
“The top five are Penn State, Temple, University of Pittsburgh, Drexel, Delaware, but Montgomery County Community College, honestly we have more kids that go to Montco than any four year University,” Future Plans Counselor Patrick Brett explained.
The University of Pittsburgh is easily the farthest from the high school, being a whopping five-hour drive away. Despite the distance, the university offers some of the best, most prestigious programs in healthcare and education, which attract many of our Knights.
“The University of Pittsburgh is obviously in a smaller, cleaner city than Philadelphia. You know kids want that city school and that’s what they’re getting with Pittsburgh. The University is a state-affiliated school. The cost is a little bit higher than other state schools, but it’s just under what Penn State is. So Penn State and Temple are around forty, while Pitts around like between thirty-five and thirty-eight, depending on the program you are looking for and that’s in the thousands of dollars obviously” Brett stated.
That being said, colleges are now more competitive than ever. The number of college applications has skyrocketed due to various factors, including societal pressure to attend college for career success, the popularity of the universities, and many other variables that contribute to the increasing competitiveness of the college admissions process.
“I’ll do sports. You know, if you look at Clemson, Clemson University has won two national championships in football. They’re very hard to get into now because everyone wants to go there now. James Madison just went from Division Two to Division 1, and they are killing it in football, people want to go there, and their applications are up there significantly” Brett described.
These are just some of the major reasons for colleges and their importance, structure, and identity. Many different variables can impact how prestigious, popular, or rewarding a college can be for an individual and their overall aspects. If interested, the Future Plans center has additional information on college’s popularity.