Sending kids to another college and rooting for Penn State in sports. Conflicted?

[BobPSU92]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

 

[Nitt1300]

Good question- and No, I no longer feel anything for Penn State other than my personal memories of another time.

Now it's just a football program that I root for, nothing more.

 

[BobPSU92]

Good question- and No, I no longer feel anything for Penn State other than my personal memories of another time.

Now it's just a football program that I root for, nothing more.

I suspect it is like that for a lot of people, and that is sad. My frustration is not so deep. Maybe I would feel different if I had kids and they were passing on Penn State and showing their pride in another school.

 

[Mace54]

Two kids at Temple. Only conflict I had was when Temple was pretty good a few years ago. The kids really got on me when those games happened. Not problems at all in our house. I root for Temple because the kids go there, but I still bleed blue and white.

 

[NewEra 2014]

My interest in Penn State is pretty much how you described. I still cheer for the PSU athletic teams (particularly football), but I have no other affinity for the university anymore. So much of what I experienced at Penn State is gone. In addition to everything else, they have also kicked my fraternity to the curb. I really have no desire to even visit Penn State anymore.

On occasion, I have been asked by prospective students about whether they should attend Penn State. I try to be noncommittal, because it is such a personal decision for everyone. But in reality, when the kids I know have other academic options, their other options have clearly been better than Penn State, both academically and financially.

My children have graduated from other universities (one public and one private). I now donate to my kids' schools, but I don't donate to Penn State. If Penn State is playing one of my kids' schools in sports, I cheer for Penn State if it is a football game. But for other sports, it sort of depends on the context of the game. For example, if Penn State needs a basketball win to make the NCAAs but my kid's school doesn't, I will cheer for Penn State. If it were a game where they are playing an NCAA tourney game against each other, I'm not sure how I would feel.

 

[bdgan]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

Penn State is the second most expensive BiG school (after Northwestern) for in state students. The cost to attend PSU is in the top third of BiG schools for out of state students. To make matters worse PSU offers minimal merit based scholarships.

I would have loved to send my kids to Penn State. There were just far better options from a cost standpoint.

 

[AWS1022]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

Both my kids went to the same school (not Penn State) and I have no connection to that school other than I sent them a ton of money. I do cheer for their baseball team because my son played for them. Other than that, I’m still a die hard Penn State fan. That was one of the biggest connections I had with my dad and I will always cherish that. He and my mom met there, I grew up a Penn State fan and went to school there because of my dad. We watched games together all the time and I went with him to visit the campus and an old friend of his a few times. That’s what drew me to Penn State and those memories and my time there keeps me a fan regardless of how it’s changed.

 

[Art]

Penn State is the second most expensive BiG school (after Northwestern) for in state students. The cost to attend PSU is in the top third of BiG schools for out of state students. To make matters worse PSU offers minimal merit based scholarships.

I would have loved to send my kids to Penn State. There were just far better options from a cost standpoint.

From what I've been able to gather, PSU isn't particularly generous with need-based financial aid either.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

It's truly amazing how things have turned out, but at this point I am an unabashed fan of the football team, and I frankly am pleased when the rest of the university screws up. I will never be drawn back in until the governance is changed and justice is achieved. And no, I don't care about the statue.

Stopped giving money years ago, of course. I doubt anything could ever make me donate again. I donate to my med school, even though they clearly don't need the money. But I'll never feel the same about PSU ever again.

 

[colt21]

Very challenging for me

We are a Penn State Family through and through - Me, my daughter and son-in-law. Wife not a college grad but an absolute PSU "fanatic" - was that way before I met her btw!

Our daughter just finished up Freshman Year (Civil Engineering). We are classic lower-middle class - make too much to get any aid but not enough to afford college. We are really struggling with how we are going to keep her in college but we'll do what we have to.

As was stated in this thread PSU is very stingy with ANY kind of aid - very stingy. Costs keep going up and everyone keeps talking about it but no one does anything about it.

We are Penn State with everything - not just football. However, with my profession working in the Child Welfare field, the JS/TSM issue created a lot of conflicting feelings. I did email Karen P early on about how I was considering not letting my daughter go there and gave her advice on how to handle it - she did NOT take that advice obviously!

I know so much about this from a process perspective it really bothers me. For example, I KNOW Joe was wronged - I know it with every fiber of my being because of my profession - unlike Freeh it is NOT an "opinion". And each time he takes an unnecessary shot I get more angry with the University and its so-called leaders.

I am happy the Football team is winning. I also give some of that credit to Joe, no matter how pissed off the BotBot's get, because there was a culture (the right culture) that was created here that helped us get back to here. I liked BOB and love CJF but in the end they are both just continuing on with the tradition that Joe built. I just wish the University would say it publicly!!!

So with that all said it is very conflicting for me - I still LOVE Penn State, invest in Penn State (Tuition) and hope my daughter graduates from there, etc......but it can turn on a dime when someone says or does the wrong thing. For example, I was just at a National Behavioral Health conference and my first speaker was "Gerry" Sandusky, the commentator for the Ravens. He is a very good speaker but since the Paterno movie was out he had to start with a Penn State story about how he was Gerry with a "G" so I started off the entire presentation (day long btw) pissed off. I wanted to confront him and the entire room all day. But he didn't bash PSU, he mainly wanted to clarify that he was JS.

I would be better off if I was naïve and didn't know how our own people threw Joe and all of us basically under the bus - but alas, I know too much about it to just let it go.

That was a long answer basically saying I don't always know how to feel......sorry but that was therapeutic for me !!!

 

[PSU2UNC]

Couple of different issues being discussed in this thread:

1) Cheering for PSU even if your kids go elsewhere. If you went to PSU, this is a no brainer (i.e. you cheer for PSU always). It's fine to also cheer for your kids schools, but not at the expense of PSU. If you didn't go to PSU and are a non-alum fan, I still think it's fine to cheer for both, although it's harder to justify cheering for PSU when they play your kid's school.

2) Others have brought up whether they would encourage/discourage prospective students from attending PSU. I have been very unhappy with the leadership (BOT) of PSU since 2011 for a variety of reasons. However, what makes PSU great is not the BOT, but the people at large: faculty, staff and students. There is also something about the place itself that I have not seen replicated on other campuses. To this day, you can continue to get an excellent education and Penn State and will likely have a terrific time doing it. That is not to say that it is the only place to get a good education, or that it is the best value for the money. But if you go to school there and take advantage of the opportunities that are available (academically, professionally, extracurricularly) you will have an amazing 4 years and come out on the other side a better person.

 

[wilbury]

I certainly root for PSU in all sports, but like others have said, other than that all I have are personal memories of my time at college. I enjoy getting back to campus but I won't donate to the school and I'm encouraging my kids to look at other options even though my daughter has her heart set on PSU. If that turns out to be her best option, so be it but I won't push her in that direction.

It makes me sad to see that it's come to this.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

My son is in 2nd grade and really doesn’t watch a lot of sports. He’ll scream “We Are” when I’m watching Penn State and watch a couple of plays, then go off and do his own thing.

Two things happened recently that made me smile - 1) out of the blue one day he told me he thinks he wants to go to Penn State for college (we live out of state, so I’ll be getting my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th jobs soon) because that’s where I went, and 2) while watching a Penguins game the other night (he’s a hockey player) and seeing a feature on Carl Hagelin (including footage of his playing days at meat-chicken), he asked (with a confused look on his face) if we were allowed to root for him since “we hate Michigan.” I had a smile on my face for hours.

For so many more reasons besides these observations, I love that kid soooo much. He may not go to State, and that’s okay....he’s gonna be great wherever he goes.

 

[BobPSU92]

Not trying to toot my own horn as the thread-starter, but barren and folks in the Alumni Association should read this thread. Of course, they would simply conclude that we are fringe alumni, therefore are well in the minority, and are not their target alumni group for building relationships and, more importantly to them, for donations. In other words, they would write us off as a bunch of crazies. It couldn't be that many alumni feel as we do. Of course not.

 

[tboyer]

Finances have to be the biggest part of the decision.

I'm part of a three-generation PSU family, I was thrilled that one of our kids got to experience PSU.

But I think it is absolutely essential that students (and parents) are not buried in debt. No college, not even PSU, is worth it.

Your kid should be able to get through 4 years borrowing no more than 2X a CONSERVATIVE estimate of their starting salary when they graduate. (in our family the rule was 1X). If they want to major in art history or English lit or something fun like that, then assume a starting salary of $14 an hour ($25k).

So, given PSU costs $35,000 a year (soon to be $40k) in-state, if you're sending a kid to PSU, you need a minimum of $80-100k you can contribute from savings/current income, and your kid needs to work every summer and part-time during the school year, so your kid will not have to borrow more than his/her starting salary.

If you don't have those resources and your kid is dead set on going to PSU, have them spend a couple of years working to earn money and taking community college courses, so they can maybe get that PSU degree in two $35,000 years instead of four.

Whatever you do, please please don't put $140,000 on a credit card to pay for PSU. That is a lifetime mistake.

Further, there are majors at Penn State that are offered at less expensive schools -- like health sciences, business, education. People should absolutely consider whether a Penn State degree in education or business is worth $50-60,000 more than a degree from West Chester or Bloom or Ship. I would want to see evidence that it is, and even if it is, don't borrow the additional $50k.

 

[Woodpecker]

Cheering for PSU even if your kids go elsewhere. If you went to PSU, this is a no brainer (i.e. you cheer for PSU always). It's fine to also cheer for your kids schools, but not at the expense of PSU. If you didn't go to PSU and are a non-alum fan, I still think it's fine to cheer for both, although it's harder to justify cheering for PSU when they play your kid's school.

This gets a little more muddied for me. I have one son who went to Wisconsin and, sure, I always root for the Lions over the Badgers. I have another son who went to Lehigh where I got my undergraduate degree as well (my PhD is from Penn State). So for which team do I root when it's Penn State vs. Lehigh (typically wrestling)? At the risk of incurring the board's wrath, I side with the Engineers (yes, I know that they are now the Mountain Hawks; I'm just showing my age). Sadly, especially lately, this typically puts me on the short end. Nevertheless, I'm more Brown and white than Blue and White. Now let me have it.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

Feel mostly like you; am very passionate about Penn State athletics and really treasure my time as a student there. I will still support the athletes and will always root for Penn State. However, I have two kids and it wouldn't be a school I would steer them towards (if I have any say). I see very little effort to make Penn State more affordable and the BOT's aggressive stance towards alumni is a huge turn off. Just the governance of the university is enough to make me question going there.

We also do not contribute to Penn State even though my wife is active in the law school alumni association. She does panels and things, but when it's time to give money, she gives to GW, who gave her an academic scholarship as an undergrad.

 

[Big 0]

I root for PSU athletic teams, but really have lost my connection to the university, especially now that the outing club, of which I was a member, has been eviscerated. I still hang out with some of my friends and roommates from PSU from time to time even though I graduated over 35 years ago. Now that I live in Florida, most of them visited me this past winter and spring.

Both of my kids went to different schools, the oldest went to UF undergrad and GA Tech to grad school, with PSU being her second choice both times. I will root for UF when they play everyone except Penn State, could care less about GA Tech. The youngest went to Bowling Green State University and Ohio State. Absolutely won’t root for Ohio State, having been tortured by their fanbase while living in Columbus for 18 years and could care less about BGSU.

When my oldest started UF, the tuition was $16K. With the $3K Bright Futures scholarship she received, that cut it down to $13K, not much more than the $10K it would have cost to send her to an in state Ohio school, but no Ohio schools had her major (nuclear engineering). The UF tuition was significantly lower than the PSU tuition saving me money. The youngest daughter chose BGSU due to the program of study in her major was superior to PSU’s program. Unfortunately she had to transfer to OSU as almost her entire department left by the end of her sophomore year leaving only one part time faculty member in the department. She is now working on her masters at OSU via distance learning because of her full time employment and her tuition is the same as in state residents although she live in Naples, Florida.

 

[BiochemPSU]

The football team is meaningless entertainment. I can root for anyone, including my kids' school of choice, because I support my kids and want to see them happy.

As for academics, costs, and encouraging future students at PSU, those are actual things that matter and should not be wrapped up in Sandusky, Paterno, or football related opinions. At the end of the day, the majority of students at PSU will receive a four year degree and will be as prepared as anyone else to go out into the world with it. Nothing has changed in that regard. Personally, I try to encourage my kids to avoid going into mountains of debt for the basic four year degree and if that exempts PSU from the conversation for any of them, so be it.

 

[psrurock]

Sending 2 kids to college next year, already have 2 in college now. Next year the twins will be at Northwestern and Penn State. I let my kids make their own choices. They know I love Penn State but even though we're footing the bill for their undergraduate program, WE Didn't let finances stop them from doing to the school of their choice

 

[joeparules]

1. I (figuratively) bleed Blue and White. My parents met on a blind date at PSU, my sister met her husband at PSU, I got my BS and MS at PSU and both my daughters are Penn Staters (1 alum, 1 current). Wife (BA from Bloomsburg, masters at St. Joe) is the odd one out but she is a HUGE fan of everything PSU.
2. I am still very bitter at the BOTs for their mishandling of the JS ordeal.
3. I am increasingly bitter at how they are treating the Greek system. My fraternity is still going strong, but I fear that could end any second with the Third Reich running the show. My dad and BIL were also in fraternities and my mom, sister and one daughter are/were in sororities.
4. I politely explain to the students when they call for money that I will return to giving when the university recognizes a man that over 61 years did more for my alma mater than anyone else AND they get the run away BOTs and their spending under control. I proudly support THON every year.
5. I have met with university relations representatives and have told them all of this.
6. I love watching the sports programs in person as much as possible (football, hockey, volleyball, soccer, etc) and always look for them on BTN.
7. My younger daughter will be (God willing) going to vet school in two years and I will root for whatever school she ends up attending except if she ends up at O$U.

I guess that is a lot more than Bob asked for, but it just about sums up my entire PSU experience/feelings.

 

[CF LION]

Off point a little and I mentioned this in another thread, but it illustrates the cost factor that many face now when deciding to send kids to PSU or somewhere else:

The lady I am seeing lives in NJ. Her son, an excellent student and graduating senior wishes to major in engineering. They looked into several schools within 300 or so miles of central NJ, and after all was said and done he will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall. They considered PSU but not at a $20K per year total cost of attendance difference.

 

[massimoManca II]

It's truly amazing how things have turned out, but at this point I am an unabashed fan of the football team, and I frankly am pleased when the rest of the university screws up. I will never be drawn back in until the governance is changed and justice is achieved. And no, I don't care about the statue.

Stopped giving money years ago, of course. I doubt anything could ever make me donate again. I donate to my med school, even though they clearly don't need the money. But I'll never feel the same about PSU ever again.

Ironic how, of late, we appear to have mutated into the “football first” culture that we were accused of in the first place.

 

[Connorpozlee]

My oldest is heading to college in the fall. Penn State was not a consideration (too far from home). However, regardless of where my kids go to school I will root for Penn State. Now if I had a kid playing football at another school, that is when the conflict would set in.

 

[PrtLng Lion]

I'm slightly conflicted. My daughter will be attending UF starting this summer. She qualified for a scholarship called Bright Futures which pays for tuition and other expenses for HS seniors who achieve a certain weighted GPA, ACT score, and community service hours. It'll cost me (and her) very little for a "top 10 public university" education.

I wanted her to go to PSU until I found out it would be >$40k for out of state. WTF?? And FWIW (not sure how much credence I place in all these surveys) but PSU's overall academic status doesn't seem to be on the rise.

I still love my alma mater's sports teams so I'll never have a conflict if/when PSU plays the Gators, but I imagine I'll push my son towards UF when he's ready for the same reasons.

 

[Nitt1300]

Ironic how, of late, we appear to have mutated into the “football first” culture that we were accused of in the first place.

Isn't that true- and it's really a damn shame. As I said, that's all there is left for me- but I do consider that as a loss, and not an insignificant one

 

[Karl Farbman]

It's truly amazing how things have turned out, but at this point I am an unabashed fan of the football team, and I frankly am pleased when the rest of the university screws up. I will never be drawn back in until the governance is changed and justice is achieved. And no, I don't care about the statue.

Stopped giving money years ago, of course. I doubt anything could ever make me donate again. I donate to my med school, even though they clearly don't need the money. But I'll never feel the same about PSU ever again.

I hate to break it to you but the university benefits when the football team is successful. Your position is inherently contradictory.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I'm slightly conflicted. My daughter will be attending UF starting this summer. She qualified for a scholarship called Bright Futures which pays for tuition and other expenses for HS seniors who achieve a certain weighted GPA, ACT score, and community service hours. It'll cost me (and her) very little for a "top 10 public university" education.

I wanted her to go to PSU until I found out it would be >$40k for out of state. WTF?? And FWIW (not sure how much credence I place in all these surveys) but PSU's overall academic status doesn't seem to be on the rise.

I still love my alma mater's sports teams so I'll never have a conflict if/when PSU plays the Gators, but I imagine I'll push my son towards UF when he's ready for the same reasons.

That sounds great for your daughter. My daughter probably would have qualified for that scholarship if wasn’t afraid to move more than an hour away.

 

[PineIslandLion]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

It's a great question, and fortunately, not one I'm qualified to answered as both of my daughters went to and have since graduated from Penn State. In the process, our family's love for all things PSU (with some BOT related exceptions) have grown even stronger.

 

[NewEra 2014]

Ironic how, of late, we appear to have mutated into the “football first” culture that we were accused of in the first place.

That's a great point, and it is very true at least among some of us on this message board. I was never that way before. I used to contribute monetarily and actively recruit for the University.

Now, Penn State wants my money, but not my two cents. So they get neither. But I really want the football team to overcome everything that has happened and win a championship. I think that would be the greatest tribute to the way things used to be at Penn State that could ever happen.

 

[Art]

Ironic how, of late, we appear to have mutated into the “football first” culture that we were accused of in the first place.

Don't believe that that this is what the accusers meant.

 

[broey1]

Penn State is my school. UVA and VA Tech are my kids’ schools. No conflicts at all.

I can write a check to both of them, take solace that my kids are getting a great education here in Virginia, then root like hell for all things Penn State.

 

[broey1]

I will add that my 3rd son, who will go off to VA Tech next fall, did get into Penn State. PSU wanted $42,000 a year. VA Tech $17,000. So at roughly a $25,000 difference per year and $100,000 over four years, Va Tech was the right choice.

Similar story with son #2 who chose UVA a couple years ago.

Son #1 went to Central Florida with little aid. I’d tell any student, if asked, save the money and stay in your own state. Worst part is son #1 got a degree in film. Yeah. Film.

 

[JeannieNeedsAShooter]

Great post, I too sometimes wish I were blissfully ignorant to the truth of the scandal like LaJolla, Osprey and their ilk. It would be much easier to handle if I believed in the fantasy.

Very challenging for me

We are a Penn State Family through and through - Me, my daughter and son-in-law. Wife not a college grad but an absolute PSU "fanatic" - was that way before I met her btw!

Our daughter just finished up Freshman Year (Civil Engineering). We are classic lower-middle class - make too much to get any aid but not enough to afford college. We are really struggling with how we are going to keep her in college but we'll do what we have to.

As was stated in this thread PSU is very stingy with ANY kind of aid - very stingy. Costs keep going up and everyone keeps talking about it but no one does anything about it.

We are Penn State with everything - not just football. However, with my profession working in the Child Welfare field, the JS/TSM issue created a lot of conflicting feelings. I did email Karen P early on about how I was considering not letting my daughter go there and gave her advice on how to handle it - she did NOT take that advice obviously!

I know so much about this from a process perspective it really bothers me. For example, I KNOW Joe was wronged - I know it with every fiber of my being because of my profession - unlike Freeh it is NOT an "opinion". And each time he takes an unnecessary shot I get more angry with the University and its so-called leaders.

I am happy the Football team is winning. I also give some of that credit to Joe, no matter how pissed off the BotBot's get, because there was a culture (the right culture) that was created here that helped us get back to here. I liked BOB and love CJF but in the end they are both just continuing on with the tradition that Joe built. I just wish the University would say it publicly!!!

So with that all said it is very conflicting for me - I still LOVE Penn State, invest in Penn State (Tuition) and hope my daughter graduates from there, etc......but it can turn on a dime when someone says or does the wrong thing. For example, I was just at a National Behavioral Health conference and my first speaker was "Gerry" Sandusky, the commentator for the Ravens. He is a very good speaker but since the Paterno movie was out he had to start with a Penn State story about how he was Gerry with a "G" so I started off the entire presentation (day long btw) pissed off. I wanted to confront him and the entire room all day. But he didn't bash PSU, he mainly wanted to clarify that he was JS.

I would be better off if I was naïve and didn't know how our own people threw Joe and all of us basically under the bus - but alas, I know too much about it to just let it go.

That was a long answer basically saying I don't always know how to feel......sorry but that was therapeutic for me !!!

 

[Nashville Lion]

I see a lot of posts these days about Penn State grads sending their kids (or grandkids) to other colleges because Penn State is all f*cked up, too expensive, dickless, heartless, hopeless, etc. Despite this, I imagine most of you still root for Penn State in sports. Do you feel at all conflicted? Is it hard for you have Penn State in your heart if you will not send your kids there? Is Penn State basically a sports program to you? Do you feel any connection to the school other than the games?



Note 1: I am not considering kids who choose another school based on academics (e.g., major not available at Penn State) or who simply prefer another school (e.g., size, setting, etc.).

Note 2: I am still furious about the "leadership's" handling of sandusky, Joe, and the university's reputation. Additionally, I am troubled by the overall lack of fiduciary responsibility. However, I still love many things about the university and still feel a strong connection to my alma mater.

Note 3: I do not have kids.

My kids are not college age yet but I look at it like this. I am a die hard Penn Stater but I still root for my parents' alma maters unless they are playing PSU which rarely ever happens...don't think it has happened in football.

 

[demlion]

Nah. My daughter goes to Temple. She was a freshman when they beat us, and got me a shirt with the score on it, but she knows its not much of a fb team.

 

[fairgambit]

Yesterday, on the way to meet some friends, I drove by the house I grew up in, and lived in for 22 years. I have thousands of happy memories of my time in that house, but I no longer care what happens there. So it is with Penn State. I have memories, good friends, and a degree. That is what I cherish. As for the Penn State of today, I wish I cared. I don't.

 

[nits2you]

Interesting thread. My youngest just graduated from OSU, so I sat in the horseshoe and watched as he picked up his diploma along with almost 12,000 other students. They managed to give each student their actual diploma during the ceremony (and took individual pictures of each of them as well). I have to say that I was impressed. He went there because I live in Ohio,and although he got accepted to University Park, it made no sense for him to spend 3-4 times as much for his degree. He always remained a loyal Nittany Lion fan, taking a lot of heat when he would wear his Penn State clothes around campus.
I have two daughters that both graduated from our favorite rival, the University of Pittsburgh, where they got great degrees for free, because Pitt rewards academic qualifiers with full scholarships (without regard to need). While they rooted for Pitt in most things, they too remained loyal Penn State fans when there was a face to face competition. All three of my kids (as well as the fourth, who went to Kent State) got a quality education for much less than they could from Penn State, but they all still root for the Blue and White. I never stopped rooting for Penn State, and they knew that was going to be the case.

 

[91Joe95]

My daughter still has a few years to go, but I have no intention of pushing it as an option. If she chooses it, it's because she likes it best. What irritates me most is that if I were picking a school for myself now, PSU would not be on my list of options, and I know how much I liked it. What the bot did to the accreditation would have been an automatic disqualifier for me. I have a nephew who is a junior in highschool, bright kid, probably an engineer in the making, and he's been asking my thoughts on how to pick a school. How is it that PSU has fallen so far down in categories that I find important?

 

[AvgUser]

I’m not conflicted at all.

My one kid who did not go to Penn State gets less inheritance than the others who did/will.