Thoughts on Pitt?

[Anonymous]

My kid got into Pitt (college of business) recently. It wasn't a school that she was seriously thinking about, partly because we don't know much about it unlike schools like Penn State, Ohio State, etc.
We're looking forward to visiting soon; it seems like a school that is loved by those who attend. If you have any experiences you can share, we would appreciate it. What do you and/or your kid like about it and what you don't. Any insights on the business school would be great too. Thanks

[Anonymous]

My kid is a freshman at Pitt and loves it (psych major). Feels like the student community is inclusive and friendly and it is easy to make friends (both in the dorm and in classes). Likes her classes and was able to make connections with professors in the smaller classes or during office hours. Lots of clubs/events to engage in. Easy to get around - all classes are within a 5-10 walk. Food is not great, same as most colleges. Pittsburgh is a really fun city and easy for students to explore.

[Anonymous]

Loved it when we visited from the DC area. Would have been happy if our child would have chosen it over his T20. Just good vibes!

[Anonymous]

Our kid loved it because it felt like everywhere you looked there were collaborative spaces for kids to sit and/or work together. It just gave a very communal vibe in its design. I didn’t realize how distinct that was until we were doing other tours where that felt far less consistent.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes there and he loves. Hates the food. Most kids hate the food. Joined a business fraternity. Loves it. Will not join a regular fraternity. He says it is a bar school, but he doesn't have a fake id and isn't much of a drinker. Has a house lined up for next year. Football games are ok nothing like Ohio State or Penn State. Looking forward to basketball season.

And he loves Raising Cane's and uses the E bikes a lot.

[Anonymous]

It’s an outstanding school and a designated R-1 research institution.

[Anonymous]

I live in PA, and it's an enormously popular choice at our good suburban public high school. They get a lot of our students who are probably between the top 10% and 20%.

I've honestly never heard any negatives about it, and I know kids from many different majors. I think it would be absolutely fine for networking -- it's only getting more popular. Certainly great internship opportunities while you're there.

[Anonymous]

Used to be a commuter school but it has really grown up. But unlike a school like Northeastern which seems very phony in how it has moved up in the world, it has been much more natural.

Nice, smart, humble kids. Less of the flagship state university frat boy crowd than at similar schools (I know it isn't the flagship, but it has similarities and competes with them). Nice campus. Pittsburgh is a real city with plenty to offer but not gigantic. Lots of good programs. Incredible hospital right there. Good sports.

20-30 years ago few would have chosen it over Penn State. Now I think that is much more common.

[Anonymous]

Great school! Great location, and lots to do for all types of kids. My DS attends and loves it there. New wellness center, refreshed library and other new spaces on campus. Feels like an urban private school. Should rise in rankings in years to come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in PA, and it's an enormously popular choice at our good suburban public high school. They get a lot of our students who are probably between the top 10% and 20%.

I've honestly never heard any negatives about it, and I know kids from many different majors. I think it would be absolutely fine for networking -- it's only getting more popular. Certainly great internship opportunities while you're there.

Our suburban Pittsburgh high school sends all sorts of kids there. Some are very very smart (Ivy smart). The really smart kids usually have parents who work there. Our district has lots of Pitt professors. Even doctors (if they are med school faculty) get a discount. The kids that go there are definitely different than the kids that go to Penn State. There are also a lot of kids who transfer to Pitt when they weren't' happy freshman year. at another school. All of the kids, including my son, love it.

[Anonymous]

Pitt is great and Pittsburgh is a fantastic college town. Tons to do, feels like a real city, but also affordable and not overwhelming. Good balance of outdoorsy stuff (lots of parks, water sports on the rivers, people love sports there) but also terrific arts and culture scene for a city its size, in part due to the major investments of families like the Carnegies, Mellons, and Heinzes. It's also a pretty city once you get past some of the grit of downtown (which you find in any NE or rust belt city from the same era). The bridges and waterfront give it a unique feel and all the elevation differences (it's an extremely hilly city) provide tons of gorgeous vistas.

I just really cannot recommend it enough.

[Anonymous]

It’s hugely popular with our (non-NYC) NY public school. The kids who go there love it!

They tend to be really bright and balanced kids. The ones who take honors and some AP classes but aren’t competing on the uber-rigorous track. Many get some merit aid, which helps OOS. And they live the school spirit.

We’re considering it for DS next year and will likely go visit. In the meantime, we’ve heard mixed things about how “city” it feels.

Maybe put another way, does the campus have a quiet, calm, separate young adult community feel? Or is it physically more integrated into larger Pittsburgh (including traffic, businesses, adults not affiliated with the university etc.)? Our kid is not itching for a city experience at this stage of his life. Finds it over-stimulating!

[Anonymous]

You looked at Ohio State?

What's wrong with you?

Pitt is fabulous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Loved it when we visited from the DC area. Would have been happy if our child would have chosen it over his T20. Just good vibes!

Never change, DCUM. Never change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s hugely popular with our (non-NYC) NY public school. The kids who go there love it!

They tend to be really bright and balanced kids. The ones who take honors and some AP classes but aren’t competing on the uber-rigorous track. Many get some merit aid, which helps OOS. And they live the school spirit.

We’re considering it for DS next year and will likely go visit. In the meantime, we’ve heard mixed things about how “city” it feels.

Maybe put another way, does the campus have a quiet, calm, separate young adult community feel? Or is it physically more integrated into larger Pittsburgh (including traffic, businesses, adults not affiliated with the university etc.)? Our kid is not itching for a city experience at this stage of his life. Finds it over-stimulating!

I have family who live near campus so know the area quite well. It is its own neighborhood - a few miles from "downtown" Pittsburgh where the tall buildings and business are. It doesn't have the ideal college town feel of an Ann Arbor or Chapel Hill, but there is an area with stores, restaurants, etc. It is adjacent to a gigantic park. I'm not sure where kids go for bars but that has never really been on my radar. They seem to constantly be building new housing as historically it was more of a commuter school. And the hospital (which is right there) is constantly building as well. So there is a lot of construction but it doesn't seem to bother much.

It is also immediately next to Carnegie Mellon which strengthens the "college town" feel. Football games are where the Steelers play which is unfortunately not on campus, but not too far away - I think they have shuttles which could probably get there in 10 minutes with no traffic. Basketball is on campus. There is a public bus from campus to the airport - it is a pretty long ride (40 minutes or so) but still pretty easy, especially not at rush hour. Pittsburgh rush hour is not DC or NYC but it is not trivial.