Abi
There is a lot of diversity within Penn State's student body. You can probably find someone from just about every country in the world without much effort. However, the chances of you actually becoming good friends with them are pretty slim, the ethnic groups like to pretty much stick together. It is certainly not uncommon to see people from different backgrounds hanging out, but it is more common to see them together. The campus is definitely not racist at all; it probably just has a lot to do with language barriers and personal comfort zones.
Besides the diversity of ethnicities, there are people from all sorts of backgrounds. We have obviously rich kids, obviously not rich kids, kids that make it hard to tell, sorority girls, frat boys, nerds, jocks, and ultra friendly kids just to name a few. Chances are you'll find your niche right away. Again, Penn State definitely has a community that fits your needs, guaranteed. You make it what you want it to be.
Much of the student body is from Pennsylvania. However, I wouldn't say most as I have probably met at least one person from every state, and like I mentioned, it doesn't take a whole lot of searching to find someone from a different country.
As for what to wear on campus, pretty much anything goes. I've seen kids who wear nothing but sweat pants and hoodies, and girls who wear heals every day (I'm not quite sure how they do it, we have a very hilly campus). In general, jeans and a t-shirt is pretty acceptable. There isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with that ensemble. You will see girls in Uggz throughout the entire school year. Those are a pretty standard staple as well. Many of the guys do make fun of them, but that really doesn't seem to be bothersome to them.
Ali
I don't think any person could feel out of place at Penn State unless they really wanted to. Sure, there are still kids who are racist/prejudiced, but what college campus doesn't deal with students like that? You can go to class in whatever you want. I've seen kids in pajamas and bathrobes, girls in dresses and high heels, fishnet stockings, Ugg boots, sweatshirts and sweatpants, tie-dyes, pinks, or head to toe black. You can speak in whatever language you would like. I love walking to classes and hearing Spanish, Russian, Chinese (and I am completely jealous...I have an excruciating time learning other languages). You can be a Democrat, Republican, or a Green Party supporter (though I know many who opt out of politics). Go join a frat or sorority if it suits you (just don't be surprised at the stereotypes that follow). At Penn State, you can be whoever you are and still fit right in.
Growing up in Erie, PA, my worldview of other individuals was a bit narrow. My parents were raised in Erie, my entire extended family lives there (a fact I really love), and most of my friends' parents greet me with, "You act just like your dad when you were his age!" Coming here, I got to meet people with backgrounds utterly different than mine, who lived and studied in foreign countries, who were raised by a single parent or two mothers. I got to get out of the bubble I was raised in and was exposed to people who I never would have met in other circumstances.
chelsie
PSU is not the best place to try to hold on to your conservative morals, just an FYI. You WILL be confronted by extremely liberal students and professors who have no problem shoving their left-wing ideals down your throat in less than modest ways. Come with an open mind, but a much stronger will.
There are many racial, religious and LGBT organizations on campus and you will hear some bitching and moaning from all of them.
Ha, what do students wear? 20,000 girls in black spandex pants, north face jackets and UGG boots. Woo hoo for individuality.
Kat
At my old university I could definitely define myself as a minority student. I'm an adopted Asian American and I've never felt I identify with a specific race. PSU does have a diverse community; there is a great multicultural community with advisers and events to acknowledge and inform the community about diversity. I honestly don't think that anyone could possibly feel out of place here; there's something for everyone. Each race is represented, from Asian groups to African American fraternities to Latin American dance clubs.
Fashion on campus, well, there's no limit to what people wear. From the traditional jeans and PSU sweatshirt to dress clothing, everything is really represented. I remember one kid who even wore a chicken mask around! The dining hall never seemed like it does in "Mean Girls". Even though there will always be those people who feel comfortable with those who are most like them (including race and clothing), I never really noticed specific people only siting with "their" group or "stereotype". I'd say if there were four different tables, they wouldn't be based on racial differences, but interest differences; for instances, club water polo might sit at one table, while a sorority might sit together. There's so many different people that tables could change every day. There are tons of different interests and people come from all over. Three of my housemates are from out of state, and one of them is from Miami! I'm assuming the majority are from PA but that's a big area. From tiny towns to Pittsburg and Philly, PSU is home to tons of different people. And as for financial differences, I guess I just don't talk about it much with my friends. Most people I know are from middle class families, but that might be because it's the biggest financial class.
The political scene here is great. We have a great student run newspaper, active political groups like Student Democrats, and a very active student government. Political views vary just as much as the student body.
Dan
The student body here at PSU is extremely diverse. Since we are such a well established and world renown university we draw students from all corners of not only the United States but also around the world. It is not unusual to see a great mixture of cultures walking the sidewalks and roaming the halls, which is really nice, because knowing is understanding, and with such a diverse body, it's easy to learn about other cultures. It's not unusual to be sitting beside a student in class from a neighboring hometown in Pennsylvania and on the other side, someone is from California, or Japan.
Mark
Penn State probably even has a group for reality TV fans. No joke. We take our groups very serious. We have one of the largest Intramural Sports Leagues, which is as competitive as some Division 3 schools. As far as groups on campus, I believe the Hub sums them all up. Our student center, the Hub-Robeson center, holds events and activities for all groups that want representation or even a place to hang out on Saturday night (Late Night Penn State, Club Hub!).
The majority of students are from Pennsylvania, along with Ohio and New Jersey. You'll find a couple from New York and some New England states, and then from there is pretty random. You can always point out the kids from Staten Island and New Jersey though. They tend to stick out a little bit when a good amount of the students are your typical hunters who love the Steelers or Eagles. Most students rock some sweats and t-shirt to class. You always have the over-achiever students who wear suits everyday, we must have all missed the memo for a career fair everyday.