Pitt v Rochester?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two different vibes completely. My DC is at Pitt. Wonderful location along a row of 4 other colleges—Duquesne, Carlow, Carnegie and Chatham. Lots of new buildings on lining this year and next—bigger sports arena, huge new wellness center. Easy to get around on foot and by bus (for free). Just a lot to do. A smaller, more contained NYC sort of. And huge on medicine, tech, engineering, the arts and sports. Phipps, museums, parks, three rivers. It’s beautiful and fun!

Rochester is similar in many ways, but the major differences that I see are the vibe—Rochester seems chill but slightly more sophisticated. Not as rah-rah at all. You have to dig a bit beneath the surface. More in your face intellectual, though Pitt is no slouch academically. I don’t see Rochester as super vibrant. Some great sections along the Genesee and in areas like Park Avenue are cool. Downtown is sort of hit or miss, but there is stuff there. The outdoors are quite nice as well.

Pitt is just a bit more down to earth and fun. Rochester is nice and a tad more worldly and sophisticated. I can imagine Toronto and Montreal are the escape bacays for this group.

If looking for only top 25 type kids, a little quirk, then Rochester.

But if you want those type of kids (premed and engineering), plus the fun sorority/frat kids, and some competitive D1sports, and top professional sports teams for added fun and stuff to do, Pitt is the answer. It is really climbing the ranks in terms of its ability to offer a complete college experience.

One of my coworkers went to U of R. Your second paragraph describes his personality perfectly.

[Anonymous]

Rochester a stronger school academically and reputationly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the percentage of the student body following an engineering or premed track (and therefore needing to put in more time in class work) is likely higher at Rochester. That can be good or bad depending on the kid!

. Are you kidding me? So many kids go to Pitt for premed. There are how many UPMC hospitals and clinics within a 5 mile radius of the center of campus—Presby, Shadyside, Magee and so many others, plus that top 10 medical school right across from the basketball arena (the Petersen).

The Engineering school is steps away.

I think that there is a perception that because Pitt is an early admit, and the cost is lower, and sports are real there that it couldn’t possibly be an intellectual powerhouse. It’s solid enough, and in a great city!

That’s the other thing that I failed to mention about Pitt. It really is turning the corner hard (in a very good way), and working its way into a higher ranked offering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rochester a stronger school academically and reputationly.

Reputationly? You just totally undermined your argument right there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the percentage of the student body following an engineering or premed track (and therefore needing to put in more time in class work) is likely higher at Rochester. That can be good or bad depending on the kid!

. Are you kidding me? So many kids go to Pitt for premed. There are how many UPMC hospitals and clinics within a 5 mile radius of the center of campus—Presby, Shadyside, Magee and so many others, plus that top 10 medical school right across from the basketball arena (the Petersen).

The Engineering school is steps away.

I think that there is a perception that because Pitt is an early admit, and the cost is lower, and sports are real there that it couldn’t possibly be an intellectual powerhouse. It’s solid enough, and in a great city!

That’s the other thing that I failed to mention about Pitt. It really is turning the corner hard (in a very good way), and working its way into a higher ranked offering.

Perhaps you missed that I said “percentage” of students, which I do think is quite likely. Obviously there are many more premed students and engineers at Pitt since there are many more of every major there! But the chance that that your kids freshman hallmates are nearly half engineers and premeds is higher at Rochester. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or knocking Pitt at all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the percentage of the student body following an engineering or premed track (and therefore needing to put in more time in class work) is likely higher at Rochester. That can be good or bad depending on the kid!

. Are you kidding me? So many kids go to Pitt for premed. There are how many UPMC hospitals and clinics within a 5 mile radius of the center of campus—Presby, Shadyside, Magee and so many others, plus that top 10 medical school right across from the basketball arena (the Petersen).

The Engineering school is steps away.

I think that there is a perception that because Pitt is an early admit, and the cost is lower, and sports are real there that it couldn’t possibly be an intellectual powerhouse. It’s solid enough, and in a great city!

That’s the other thing that I failed to mention about Pitt. It really is turning the corner hard (in a very good way), and working its way into a higher ranked offering.

Perhaps you missed that I said “percentage” of students, which I do think is quite likely. Obviously there are many more premed students and engineers at Pitt since there are many more of every major there! But the chance that that your kids freshman hallmates are nearly half engineers and premeds is higher at Rochester. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or knocking Pitt at all!

I would note that Pitt is top 10 nationally in biomedical research. Just no question Pitt is higher status in biomedical realm. I get that you meant percentage of students, but figured that's still worth noting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're unsure about post-college plans for work or grad school. We're from the West Coast, but they've spent time in major Midwest and East Coast cities and enjoyed them. It's unclear if either school has stronger West Coast alumni ties or name recognition.

I wasn't clear about this comment "official school team". They have plans to get involved with a school club (that Pitt has but U of R doesn't) but not an actual sports team or club.

The 25% comment is less about a drag on their learning and more that their determination and effort might incease if the feel the heat from not just the top but the bottom.

PP. The Pitt grad. I would say that both schools likely skew East Coast and are unlikely to have significant alumni clubs out west.

Major research universities are usually well understood when applying to graduate programs. Global name recognition comes from having faculty and international students and businesspeople familiar with your school. International students tend to cluster in the disciplines that big research universities offer. That's different than having a lot of alumni in particular US locales.

Sorry about the official sport comment. That was relevant to the 2024 OP's kid.

I don't know what to tell you about pressure from the bottom. The smartest kids at Pitt are highly independent and working on their own projects, fellowship applications, and grad school goals. I can't think of any friends who fit the pattern you're talking about where pressure from the bottom motivated people to work harder. Pitt has weed out courses in STEM just like other schools. Sometimes it's nice to know you won't be the worst if something's super challenging. My son is currently a freshman at my grad school alma mater watching his very smart roommate (NMF/valedictorian) going through the engineering weedout classes. It's like that Dilbert saying: "Pressure makes diamonds. Pressure makes garbage more compact."

I think either decision will work out fine. I would choose on the appeal of being a New York state resident after college. Vs. Philly/Pgh/DMV. Unless grad school is certain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pitt. School spirit matters

Only if it matters to your kid.

Plenty of kids would be happier at UR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UR has the better reputation academically, right? Plus, there's the garbage plate, so there is that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Tahou_Hots

Reputation is subjective.

Not that rankings are anything, but UR was around 30 for decades, and now around 40 (after USNWR changed methodology to hurt smaller schools, smaller class sizes don't matter, etc). Pitt is 70+. So yes, most people would consider UR the stronger school for academics and reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pitt. School spirit matters

Pitt has tons of school spirit. All of Oakland gets into the sports, with H2P signs everywhere. It’s Pittsburgh, don’t forget, where sports are revered. Pitt definitely wins the D1 vibe contest.
I’d say “isn’t UR much better ranked?” except UR took quite a tumble in ranking recently (similar to W&M), so their rankings are similar.

Most small schools took "quite a tumble", when USNWR decided smaller class sizes and other things don't matter. Don't know about you, but to my family it does matter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I won’t share the sport - what I will say is that 2 of my kid’s closest friends are high level D1 recruits, and his circle is an extremely athletic, middle class and humble group, despite the significant athletic prowess. Let’s just say humble and balanced weren’t the characteristics he experienced during the overnite. Was a huge turnoff for my kid

This leans towards Pitt. There’s no getting around UR being a $90k private school and its student pop will reflect that.

UR gives merit and FA. There are plenty of kids from all spectrums. My kid has a group of ~20 good friends...and they are all over the spectrum for financial backgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rochester gets about 2.5 times the snowfall annually and about 1-2 more sunny days per month compared to Pittsburgh. Weather is a toss up for these schools.

But.....the tunnels


Pittsburgh IS cloudier, based upon every site I checked, but just by about 5 days.

Do you mean the bridges? Or what are you talking about?
Point of the weather is that it’s really a toss up unless you must have 2.5 times the snowfall.

Rochester has tunnels connecting the main academic buildings and library. Once you make it to the "main part of campus" you never have to go outside if you don't want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tough choice.

We visited both, and I liked both.

UR
Campus felt tight and cramped
Odd to have a public road going through campus

Nice library
The tunnels are nice in cold weather
Good academics

Pitt
Honors dorm is up “heart attack hill”
They sometimes have housing shortages and out students in hotels, but many schools have similar issues.

Cathedral of learning is cool.
Lots of interesting buildings
Good academics

Your child can’t go wrong.

I think it’s better to have a car in Rochester whereas Pittsburgh has a lot of public transportation.

Rochester is DEAD at night. Pittsburgh is a bit more inhabited and lively.

Odd to have a public road going thru campus?!?! Pitt is literally on a main drag thru Pittsburgh.
what many like about UR is that it's almost a contained campus. River, cemetery surround the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U of R alum here. Personally, I loved my undergraduate experience. I would not have chosen PITT because of the size; It’s 3x bigger than U of R.

Yup---it's like comparing apples to oranges. They are not that similar at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tough choice.

We visited both, and I liked both.

UR
Campus felt tight and cramped
Odd to have a public road going through campus

Nice library
The tunnels are nice in cold weather
Good academics

Pitt
Honors dorm is up “heart attack hill”
They sometimes have housing shortages and out students in hotels, but many schools have similar issues.

Cathedral of learning is cool.
Lots of interesting buildings
Good academics

Your child can’t go wrong.

I think it’s better to have a car in Rochester whereas Pittsburgh has a lot of public transportation.

Rochester is DEAD at night. Pittsburgh is a bit more inhabited and lively.

Pitt has 5th avenue running right thru it. There is really not that much traffic on River road at UR. I actually consider the campus a "self contained campus" for an urban area. Have a kid at UR, and I attended CMU so well versed in what Pitt is like.

IMO UR is the better school---nothing changed for them to go down in the "rankings", just that USNWR removed important factors from the rankings.

But ultimately kid should go with what they like most, best fit

Same---I have a kid at UR, and did grad school at CMU. There is no comparison. UR is basically a "self contained campus". UR is the better school. Only reason UR dropped from 30 to ~41 is because USNRW eliminated "class size" and many imo Importatn factors that 4-8K schools have. If you don't care about class size, oh well. But in reality, it does matter to most people and is an important factor. Sitting in classes with only 30-40 students is very different than having 100+ in most courses.