Congratulations! You have won access to several online resources and programs that are normally behind paywalls, totaling hundreds of dollars’ worth of information and software. You have gained access simply by being a student at Penn State! Every student here is offered the opportunity to get these, but many do not know how to use them or what is offered. Here is a comprehensive list of some free resources that Penn State students might be interested in.

First of all, you have free access to both the New York Times, NYT, and the Wall Street Journal, WSJ. Both of these digital newspapers have years’ worth of information and are considered reputable news sources. The NYT has plenty of subscriptions to offer, and Penn State students are automatically given the News, Wirecutter, and Cooking subscription packages. The Wirecutter is one of the top independent product reviewers that also offers gift ideas for everyone in your life. There is something on the expansive site for everyone! The Wall Street Journal also has many topics to explore, but its main specialty is business and economics. A great resource for those studying business and economics, the WSJ has a comprehensive stock analysis updated every 15 minutes! The WSJ would cost you $37 a month, while the NYT charges $17 monthly. These two resources are definitely worth taking advantage of, as they are free until your graduation!

Penn State also offers free software programs that are known for being expensive for students. GlobalProtect is a reputable VPN offered through Penn State, and VPNs are often pricy to purchase on your own. VPNs are great for safely using public Wi-Fi as well as preventing companies from price gouging based on your searches. On a related note, free antivirus protection is also available for your personal device. Office 365, which is normally $70 a year for one person, is completely free while you are attending Penn State. This includes Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word, as well as handy programs like OneNote and free cloud storage. If you are more of a Google person, Google Workspace is also offered. Penn State also gives free Adobe products to all students, including Photoshop and InDesign. The bundle is normally $55 a month. All of these programs are helpful for academia as well as personal projects.

Programs such as Photoshop are powerful tools, but they can be hard to use. Firstly, there is a Tech Tutors program that is located in University Park, but they are contactable through Zoom as well as asynchronously. Secondly, there are plenty of resources online to learn, and some of these are normally behind paywalls but free with your Penn State credentials! LinkedIn learning, which is around $35 per course, is free for students and offers thousands of free courses! There are courses on how to use programs like Excel and Photoshop, as well as any career topic you can think of.

It is impossible to mention free online resources without discussing the Penn State libraries. We have a physical location on campus, the Lilley Library, but online you can find resources from all Penn State campuses, as well as uniquely online resources. Although this is part of the curriculum for first-year students, many forget just how much information is made available to students. Innumerable scientific journals, which are often behind expensive paywalls, are free for Penn State students. You can also borrow books from any Penn State library. The library’s resources are an extremely valuable part of Penn State education. Once you graduate, they also have an alumni program allowing you access to exclusive resources.

Pressbooks are also a fascinating resource for Penn State students and faculty, allowing you to publish your own digital textbook and read some free ones made by Penn State members. This is a part of the Open Educational Resources, OER, program at Penn State. Also available is the ROAM program, which was created in 2007 and allows students and faculty to create their own educational resources without any charge. The site also allows you to browse through educational materials made by Penn State students, mainly graduate or Ph.D. students and faculty. These can be a great way to read about topics of interest outside of your major and even help you decide what you want to study. They are also great for supplementing your current learning. The OER program is vast and definitely worth looking into.

Overall, Penn State has multiple resources available to its students that would otherwise cost too much to count. Software, news, and scientific journals are all included for students. Also, Behrend students and students from all satellite campuses are given the exact same digital opportunities as those at University Park. Furthermore, taking advantage of these resources is encouraged, even if they do not pertain to your degree. If you are interested in getting started,  follow this link to learn more about Penn State’s resources and how to access them!

AMMENDUM: As of 14 Dec. 2023, Penn State students are no longer eligible for free Adobe products without prior approval. Please contact Behrend’s software request if you still require these products.

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