tell me about Pitt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburgh is a great city. I would move there in a second if I could. That said, I would never send my kid to Pitt. Oakland is terrible, it doesn't have the urban campus feel and there just isn't a lot of identity. If you are thinking this is something akin to Boston College, Villanova or Georgetown, let me just say that Oakland ain't Chestnut Hill. In addition, you are looking at a small, fragmented alumni network that isn't going to help you a lot down the road. All generalizations, of course but that doesn't mean they are without merit.

There are worse places to go to college but if you have options, I would consider them.

I could not disagree more. Pitt alumni are die-hard loyal Pitt fans. Pittsburgh as a city has a super-strong sense of place and people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hs senior was accepted at Pitt but has decided to go elsewhere. We know 2 students from N Virginia that go there and love it. One will be spending next year studying abroad in Berlin. I recommend you attend one of Pitt's Open House days....more in-depth than the campus tours, very well-organized and informative. We were not expecting to like Pitt as much as we did after the Open House. My DD is interested in the medical field and Pittsburgh seems to be full of opportunities in that field. Some of the reasons for not choosing Pitt included the OOS tuition with low merit aid, no offer of admission into the guaranteed graduate program (PA), the high percentage of students from Pennsylvania (don't know the # but my impression is ALMOST everyone is in-state). The campus itself didn't seem gritty, and is right next to Carnegie Mellon and Chatham. But I wouldn't call it picturesque. The freshman dorms are in high rise buildings, 17 floors. For my DD, who grew up in suburban N Virginia, the urban campus seemed cool. But it's certainly a different type of campus from UVA, where she will be going in the fall.

I am several years away from college applications, so maybe I am just that out of the know, but I am surprised 1) that there would even be a question of whether to attend Pitt or UVA, as I thought that UVA was a much higher tier school and considerably less expensive than Pitt for a VA resident; and 2) that your DD who was admitted to UVA from Northern VA (which I understand to be very highly competitive) would not get good merit aid from Pitt, where I would assume she was a top candidate. What am I missing? I have been of the impression that UVA is the Holy Grail of college for middle class Northern Virginia students.

This assumes that the #1 criterion for choosing a school is its ranking in the tiers. As your kids get older and you go through this process, you may find (as I have) that the fit of the school for the specific student is the #1 consideration.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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

Unless cost is an issue. U.Va. gets plenty of kids who could have gone HYPS but opted to pay in-state tuition.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

That's nice.

It's not how I roll, but you do you.

[Anonymous]

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.

As a parent, you need to be giving them guidance over the opportunities they will be losing if they choose a lower ranked school. If not, you are not doing your job as a parent. I would encourage my Ivy admitted kid to tough it out, because in the end she will be well above and beyond the average kid who ends up a some nameless private SLAC or big state university.

[Anonymous]

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.

As a parent, you need to be giving them guidance over the opportunities they will be losing if they choose a lower ranked school. If not, you are not doing your job as a parent. I would encourage my Ivy admitted kid to tough it out, because in the end she will be well above and beyond the average kid who ends up a some nameless private SLAC or big state university.

This is your opinion. It is not a fact.

I don't parent that way, but you do what you believe you need to do.

[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.

As a parent, you need to be giving them guidance over the opportunities they will be losing if they choose a lower ranked school. If not, you are not doing your job as a parent. I would encourage my Ivy admitted kid to tough it out, because in the end she will be well above and beyond the average kid who ends up a some nameless private SLAC or big state university.

This is your opinion. It is not a fact.

I don't parent that way, but you do what you believe you need to do.

+1,000,000.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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.

As a parent, you need to be giving them guidance over the opportunities they will be losing if they choose a lower ranked school. If not, you are not doing your job as a parent. I would encourage my Ivy admitted kid to tough it out, because in the end she will be well above and beyond the average kid who ends up a some nameless private SLAC or big state university.

This is your opinion. It is not a fact.

I don't parent that way, but you do what you believe you need to do.

I would fully encourage Pitt or MD over an Ivy mainly because its what we can comfortably pay for. Your point makes no sense. My husband went to a no name college and my sister went to an IVY for college and medical school. My sister has a good stable well paying job... my husband has a better job and makes more. Ivy's are great, no question but they do not guarantee how you will do as some of it is about life choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburgh is a great city. I would move there in a second if I could. That said, I would never send my kid to Pitt. Oakland is terrible, it doesn't have the urban campus feel and there just isn't a lot of identity. If you are thinking this is something akin to Boston College, Villanova or Georgetown, let me just say that Oakland ain't Chestnut Hill. In addition, you are looking at a small, fragmented alumni network that isn't going to help you a lot down the road. All generalizations, of course but that doesn't mean they are without merit.

There are worse places to go to college but if you have options, I would consider them.

I could not disagree more. Pitt alumni are die-hard loyal Pitt fans. Pittsburgh as a city has a super-strong sense of place and people.

There is a very strong alumni around here. My Dad went there and has donated every year (as his Dad went and I went). You don't need an alumni network to get a job and if you do, then something is very wrong. I've never used my alumni connections nor has anyone else I know.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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.

NP here. I agree, PP! I had been really enjoying this thread as my daughter is considering applying to Pitt next year, and I think there had been a lot of good first-hand experience shared. Thanks to those posters!