Smeal Second-Year Entry

For students entering Penn State in summer 2026 or fall 2026.

First-year students admitted to Penn State through another academic college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) may apply through the Smeal Second-Year Entry (SSYE) process. The application is competitive and only a limited number of students are accepted.

Note: Students accepted through Smeal Second-Year Entry are guaranteed placement in a Smeal major if they meet academic requirements, but placement in their first-choice major is not guaranteed, regardless of cumulative GPA. Finance is not available to Smeal Second-Year Entry students due to capacity limits.
 

Key Dates

Eligibility

Students must be:

• First-year baccalaureate students admitted for summer or fall 2026
• Enrolled at a Penn State residential campus

Not eligible: World Campus students, transfer students, associate degree students, spring admits, and non-degree students

Requirements for Applying

To apply, students must:

1. Attend a required online information session in spring 2027. Students must register in advance for a session. Session details will be posted here when available.
2. Credits: Complete or have in-progress at least 24 Penn State-graded credits at a Penn State residential campus. All 24 credits must be completed by the end of spring semester.
3. GPA: Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.10 or higher through the end of spring semester.
4. Required coursework: Complete or have in-progress the following courses, earning a C or higher in each by the end of spring:
   • English Composition: ENGL 15, ENGL 30, ESL 15, ENGL 137H, or CAS 137H
   • Calculus: MATH 110, MATH 140, or MATH 141
   • Economics: ECON 102 or ECON 104

Transfer and other approved credits are accepted in accordance with Penn State policy; however, all credits must appear on the Penn State transcript prior to applying for Smeal Second-Year Entry.

Application Details

The Smeal Second-Year Entry application will be open from Saturday, April 10, 2027 through Friday, April 30th, 2027. Late applications will not be accepted. The application link will be posted here once it opens.

Applications are reviewed holistically, with consideration given to academic performance and all application components. The four required components are:

• Resume
• 90-second verbal interview prompt
• Written essay
• Parallel Plan (not scored, but required)

The mandatory information session will walk students through the details of the application process.

Resume

Students should use the Smeal Resume template, available on the Business Career Center's resume resources page. Any Smeal major may be listed as the intended major, but that major is not guaranteed.

Note: Career coaches in the Smeal Business Career Center are not available for reviewing resumes for SSYE applicants.

90-second Verbal Interview Prompt

Recorded in real time through the application system. Students receive practice time before their official recording begins. Details will be covered in the mandatory information session.

Written Essay

There is no right or wrong essay answer—students should answer the question honestly and allow their personal skills, character, and qualities to come through in their writing. The essay must be personally written by the student at the time of the application. Use of AI or other assistance is strictly prohibited.

Parallel Plan (not scored, but required)

Applicants must outline an alternative academic path in the event they are not admitted to Smeal. There is no required format, but the Parallel Plan must include:

• A tentative schedule if remaining in the current major
• If switching majors:
• Desired campus, college, and major
• Entrance-to-Major requirements
• Relevant advising contacts and program website link

Completion of the parallel plan does not guarantee entry into that plan.

Decisions

Decision notifications will be emailed in the second week of June. Accepted students will then request a change to Smeal pre-major status, provide an initial ranking of their Smeal major preferences, and be assigned to a Smeal academic adviser. Specific details will be posted here when available.

Major Assignment for Smeal Second-Year Entry Students

For complete information on major assignment requirements and the Major Assignment Process, see Smeal College Entrance to Major (2026–27).

Please direct questions to smealsecondyearentry@smeal.psu.edu.