[psusue]

I researched hundreds of schools (it was actually my graduation project, I had a rating system and everything). I really wanted to go to a Christian school with a good language program, preferably (I was a French major at the time). I applied to Philadelphia Biblical University, Houghton College, Penn State, and Wellesley College. I also half applied to Middlebury College but never finished my application when I realized I had no desire to go to school in Vermont. I was rejected from Wellesley but got into the others.

In the end though my mom came down with an ultimatum; she would not pay for a Christian school (we do not share the same faith). As such, it was Penn State for me! Honestly though, I look back and wonder why I didn't apply to other schools, but because my mom works for Penn State and I get a discount I knew that I couldn't really justify going to another school unless it gave me something Penn State couldn't (i.e. a faith based education or an excellent language department).

Overall though I think it works out for the best. It feels amazing to be part of such an amazing family tradition (I'm a third generation Penn Stater, my grandma went here), I don't think I would have been any happier anywhere else, and in less than a year I'll graduate with about 17K in debt and a degree. Considering what some of my friends are going through (degrees to religious schools and 75K in debt), that doesn't sound bad to me.