Thousands of other people make a similar decision each year. According to Gary Hile, associate registrar for academic records, 3,200 students transferred from one of Penn State's 18 other branch campuses to University Park last fall.

But now that he's here, with his two years at the familiar Abington campus behind him, Cooper is facing a whole new set of challenges.

"Abington has 3,300 students, four main buildings . . . This is a little bit intimidating. There are so many buildings, so many people. It's just a much bigger scale," he said.

Although he is a junior, being new to the campus puts Cooper in a similar position as an entering freshman.

"I was walking by Hammond and I had a map, and some kid muttered 'freshman.' I wanted to tell him, 'No, I'm a junior, really,' " he said.

But it is a position that, from Cooper's experience, is virtually ignored by University Park administration and staff.

"I wasn't even sent any information about orientation. I did this all on my own," he said. "I think transfer students are very overlooked. The administration forgets that even though we're not freshmen, we're still new here and we do need assistance. I wish the administration would make more of an effort to recognize we're here because we're a substantial portion of the population."

Administrators counter this claim, however.

"There is an attempt to give orientation programs to transfer students," said Gail Gilchrest, director of enrollment management and academic records.

She said that transfer students are welcome to attend all freshmen orientation programs. She explained these programs are not meant exclusively for freshmen, but for first year students at University Park, a category that includes transfer students.

Several of the Commonwealth Campuses, such as Beaver, Dubois and Cooper's former campus, Abington, offer orientation programs for transfer students the year before they leave. These programs range from information sessions to housing fairs and also include trips to University Park.

But Cooper's frustrations extend beyond the orientation efforts. He also takes issue with what he sees as the general attitude of many people at University Park — an attitude that students from other campuses don't count.

"I've been a part of Penn State for two years. A lot of people don't think of the other campuses as Penn State, but we have the same services, we pay the same money, we are Penn State students. We just don't have a football stadium."

Some other students, however, disagreed that this attitude toward transfer students exists. Erin Simpson (junior-meteorology) said, "I don't think of them as second-rate just because they chose to start somewhere else. I considered it. It's smart, it saves money."

Despite these qualms, Cooper called the transition "smooth" and said he's very happy he decided to transfer. Although he is making new friends, like many transfer students, he had a built-in friend base before he arrived in State College. About 60 percent of Abington students transfer to University Park, so he knows several people already and is living with four other transfer students.

"The people I hang out with here have transferred from other Penn State locations," he said, adding that he finds commonalties with students from other campuses because they share his perspective.

Cooper's transition also was made easier by his involvement in the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments. CCSG represents the issues of branch campus students to University Park administration, student government and other organizations. Through CCSG Cooper has been able to meet other transfer students and enjoys still being involved in helping branch campuses. He encourages all transfer students to stop by the CCSG office at 229 HUB.