tell me about Pitt

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05/24/2017 12:45

Subject: Re:tell me about Pitt

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad that a thread about Pitt, which is a solid state school in a student-oriented neighborhood in a fascinating city, turns into another exercise for Ivy grads or parents to lecture everyone on the superiority of their intellect or parenting. Apparently one thing that didn't accompany their degrees was a sense of perspective or security.

It's too bad it derailed the OP's question, but it's a discussion that bears repeating, especially around DCUM and IRL in the DC area. I have a graduating senior and I can tell you from experience that it's hard enough to help your kid through the demands of senior year without some peanut gallery deciding what makes the ideal college experience.

I'm the PP whose son loved Pitt when we visited and got in, but in the end we had to go with a less expensive in-state option. He's delighted with his choice and so am I, even though it won't win me any DCUM battles!

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05/26/2017 22:17

Subject: tell me about Pitt

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care about the "fit." If you kid gets into HYPS, you make it "fit."

I hope this is a troll post. Clearly you haven't been around families whose kids end up having to drop out or take a leave of absence from an elite school. Each year I learn of several students from our top public HS who did nothing but achieve during their teens and won their spots legitimately at their universities but were unable to handle the pressure/expectations/adjustment. Fortunately, many of these top schools have very liberal leave policies because this is far from uncommon. But it does make you think twice about the knee-jerk impulse to send a kid to the school with the lowest admit rates, the most famous name or the greenest, ivy-covered campus. Fit is essential. I have one friend who toured campuses looking specifically for the "purple hair factor." Her kid needed to see that there were plenty of kids in his vein, not just the ones that appear on the cover of the brochure. My own kid chose a lower-ranked school over many top names because he immediately felt comfortable and liked the vibe at his chosen school.

I find it highly unlikely that you have several kids a year who are accepted at elite schools but struggle to such a degree that a leave of absence (or more) is required.

Graduation rates in 4 years are very high at elite schools and there are relatively few kids who need leaves. It would be highly unusual to have such kids clustered from one high school and in the very unlike event it did happen (not just once, but in multiple years) the school would adjust its admissions.

Of course some people struggle a bit when they go from THE superstar to a class full of superstars, but almost all manage the transition without serious issues. And of course, some people will end up struggling some from the new found freedom of college wherever they go.

You highly doubt my account? Perhaps you don't have close enough ties with the parent community to hear about when it happens. It does, far more often than you'd expect. I'm not talking dozens, but each year several kids are struggling by Thanksgiving and leave school altogether midway through second semester. Many of the parents are embarrassed to divulge this. I'm grateful to those who are either open enough overall or trust their friends enough to share. I'm always grateful to hear these stories because it reminds me to reinforce to my kid that he needs to know the academic and mental health resources on campus, to understand that professors are there to help, and to recognize that success in high school is not the same as success in college.

Of course, this isn't limited just to kids at elite schools. Listen. Pay attention. Your own kids will be better for it.

You are simply wrong. Only a very small number of kids leave mid-year throughout the entire universities we are discussing. There simply are not several kids leaving year after year who came from a single top public. I am not sure what exactly your axe to grind is, but making stuff up doesn't help anyone.

But I agree with others who say this thread has gotten hijacked by Ivy nonsense, so I will comment on Pitt. I use to live in Pittsburgh and still have family there. It really is a nice little city with a lot going on now, especially a vibrant start-up scene. The campus is nice and has a mixture of gothic/collegiate feel and a city environment. Alumni I know are very loyal and the Pittsburgh diaspora is broad.

report

05/27/2017 07:58

Subject: tell me about Pitt

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care about the "fit." If you kid gets into HYPS, you make it "fit."

I hope this is a troll post. Clearly you haven't been around families whose kids end up having to drop out or take a leave of absence from an elite school. Each year I learn of several students from our top public HS who did nothing but achieve during their teens and won their spots legitimately at their universities but were unable to handle the pressure/expectations/adjustment. Fortunately, many of these top schools have very liberal leave policies because this is far from uncommon. But it does make you think twice about the knee-jerk impulse to send a kid to the school with the lowest admit rates, the most famous name or the greenest, ivy-covered campus. Fit is essential. I have one friend who toured campuses looking specifically for the "purple hair factor." Her kid needed to see that there were plenty of kids in his vein, not just the ones that appear on the cover of the brochure. My own kid chose a lower-ranked school over many top names because he immediately felt comfortable and liked the vibe at his chosen school.

I find it highly unlikely that you have several kids a year who are accepted at elite schools but struggle to such a degree that a leave of absence (or more) is required.

Graduation rates in 4 years are very high at elite schools and there are relatively few kids who need leaves. It would be highly unusual to have such kids clustered from one high school and in the very unlike event it did happen (not just once, but in multiple years) the school would adjust its admissions.

Of course some people struggle a bit when they go from THE superstar to a class full of superstars, but almost all manage the transition without serious issues. And of course, some people will end up struggling some from the new found freedom of college wherever they go.

You highly doubt my account? Perhaps you don't have close enough ties with the parent community to hear about when it happens. It does, far more often than you'd expect. I'm not talking dozens, but each year several kids are struggling by Thanksgiving and leave school altogether midway through second semester. Many of the parents are embarrassed to divulge this. I'm grateful to those who are either open enough overall or trust their friends enough to share. I'm always grateful to hear these stories because it reminds me to reinforce to my kid that he needs to know the academic and mental health resources on campus, to understand that professors are there to help, and to recognize that success in high school is not the same as success in college.

Of course, this isn't limited just to kids at elite schools. Listen. Pay attention. Your own kids will be better for it.

You are simply wrong. Only a very small number of kids leave mid-year throughout the entire universities we are discussing. There simply are not several kids leaving year after year who came from a single top public. I am not sure what exactly your axe to grind is, but making stuff up doesn't help anyone.

But I agree with others who say this thread has gotten hijacked by Ivy nonsense, so I will comment on Pitt. I use to live in Pittsburgh and still have family there. It really is a nice little city with a lot going on now, especially a vibrant start-up scene. The campus is nice and has a mixture of gothic/collegiate feel and a city environment. Alumni I know are very loyal and the Pittsburgh diaspora is broad.