What is the 2+2 Plan?
Some students choose to remain at one campus for all four years, while other students spend their first two years at one campus and transition to another for their remaining two years. We call it the 2+2 plan, and it is the most common path to a Penn State degree—more than 50 percent of our students begin their Penn State experience at a Commonwealth campus.
Students may choose any one of Penn State’s twenty undergraduate campuses for their final two years (if that campus offers their degree program). Students choose this path for many reasons, including the opportunity to stay close to home, begin college in a smaller environment with smaller class sizes, play a sport, and save money (tuition is less at a Commonwealth campus than University Park).
The 2+2 Process
Students do not need to reapply for admission when it is time to move to their ending campus to finish their degree. Instead, students work with their academic advisers to complete the “change of campus” process. For most students, this process happens during their fourth semester (end of second year) in order to transition to their ending campus for the fifth semester (third year).
The student’s academic adviser will also make sure that they are on track to meet the entrance to major requirements for their chosen program. These requirements are the same whether you start at University Park or a Commonwealth campus.
Applying: Choose a Starting and Alternate Choice Campus
When completing the application, students choose from among Penn State’s twenty undergraduate campuses to start their degree. Students must select both a first choice and an alternate choice starting campus when applying. Because many students are admitted to their alternate choice campus to start their Penn State career, it is important to research the various Penn State campuses to choose the alternate choice campus that best suits their interests and goals.
About Penn State Majors
- Penn State is comprised of multiple colleges that offer various majors and programs.
- Students work their way into their intended major by completing major-specific entrance to major (ETM) criteria (such as earning a minimum GPA and completing prerequisite courses), typically by the completion of their third semester. ETM information for each major can be viewed in the Undergraduate Bulletin by selecting a major and then clicking on the “How to Get In.”
- Once a student has met the necessary ETM to gain acceptance into a University Park (or other campus) major and they have completed two years’ worth of credits at Penn State Altoona (achieved fifth semester standing), they can request a change of campus to University Park to begin their third year and complete their degree.
- Students should work closely with their academic adviser, communicating with them at least once per semester, to review their goals and track progress. Students can also explore alternative majors or revise their goals as their academic journey develops over time.
