Although accepting transfer students is easy for some Big Ten schools, Penn State keeps its numbers low.

Because of the limited number of spaces open for admissions and the strict qualifications required of transfer students, Penn State limits the number of transfers it accepts each year, said Christy Rambeau, assistant manager of the University news bureau.

The University would like to admit more qualified transfers because they offer a good mix to the academic community, Rambeau said.

But the University's first priority for admitting students is to reserve places for qualified freshman, she said, adding that the University has a target figure of 300 transfer students each year for the University Park campus.

"In 1992, there were 1,372 transfer students accepted to all University locations, including all (Commonwealth Campuses), the Behrend Campus and University Park," Rambeau said, adding that the number stays about the same every year.

Rick Traffas (junior-nutrition), a transfer student from the University of Pittsburgh, said he thinks limiting the number of transfers to University Park is a bad idea.

"The best chance I had to get up to University Park was to go to a Commonwealth Campus," Traffas said. "I was set back in my major because I lost credits in the transfer and the (Commonwealth Campus) didn't have the advising or the courses that are offered up here."

But other universities in the Big Ten openly accept transfers, provided they meet university requirements.

Ohio State University accepts about 3,500 transfer students each year, said Tom Schriner, associate director of transfer admissions, adding that 30 percent of students who graduate each year are transfer students.

But Rambeau said Ohio State is a very different kind of system and should not be directly compared to Penn State. The University does not actively recruit transfers because requirements are so strict.

"We are not accepting less from our transfers than what we accept from our own students," she said.

To transfer to Penn State, students must meet general University requirements, as well as college requirements and major prerequisites, Rambeau said. Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average.

Lee Clark, admissions counselor at University of Indiana, said if students are qualified, the school admits them. Students must have completed 26 credit hours and have at least a 2.7 GPA to be considered for admission to Indiana, Clark said. Indiana has no limits to the number of transfers accepted each year.

"We don't actively recruit (transfers), but we don't discourage them from coming to (Indiana)," Clark said.

Dee Vonada, coordinator of student services in the School of Communications, said the admissions limits on transfer students does not have a negative affect on the University.

"I don't think the cap is a hinderance to any college within the University because I don't think the quota is ever reached," Vonada said.

Although the number of transfer students accepted to the University is low compared to other Big Ten schools, the University does not turn away many qualified students.

"We don't discourage transfers, but we do have to make sure we have space for our own students and incoming freshmen," Rambeau said.