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[quote=Anonymous]I'm a Pitt grad whose kid is a senior.  The Honors program has grown and strengthened since I was an undergrad.  It has many more amenities now.  I had my senior apply but since we aren't in state, he will not be going to Pitt since he was only offered a small scholarship. But I sat through the webinars and recognize the DNA of the program that was there in my time.

1) Like any college resource, how useful it is depends on the student's savvy.

2) the Honors College was a way for quirky faculty to present their most niche, intense courses to a very bright student population.

3) Pitt has been successful in selecting students who stand out intellectually and can compete for Rhodes scholarships, Marshall scholarships, etc.  Pitt was getting some of those students even before its reputation strengthened to the place it is now.  Elsewhere on DCUM, there was a post showing a 20 year trend in National Merit Finalists by school and that to me gives quantitative proof thar the top end student pool has strengthened at Pitt.

4) Pitt Honors College staff could be a bit snobby about kids from pre-professional majors (nursing, pharmacy, etc.) back in the day.  They valued pure liberal arts majors and science nerds. I used to study in the lounge, so I heard how the administators talked.  I also know what they said to me.  Things like..."You have one of the highest SAT verbal scores on campus".  They also had a distinct preference for "pointy" kids.  In fact, it was at Pitt that I learned to present myself as "pointy" or "hooked" so that I could earn extra attention, scholarships, opportunities, etc.  And it was because of the Honors College snobbery. A valuable, even if unwelcome, lesson for a student who valued being a well-rounded generalist.

4)  One of the most important aspects of the Honors College back in the day was their new special Honors B. Phil.  They were very interested in me doing that degree during my advising sessions.  I thought about it and decided it wasn't for me.  I like studying a wide range of subjects and did not have a topic I wanted to write a thesis on.  And, I did not like the degree name.  To me the effect of a B.Phil was something like "Jr. M.D." or "M.D. Lite"  It seemed kind of preposterous to be calling oneself a baby Ph.D. My parents have unusually-named degrees and explaining them is a burden, so I noped the degree.  After deciding that, I felt the Honors College didn't have much relevance to me and I barely went back to visit their lovely facilities high in the Cathedral of Learning.

From what I have read here and personal experience, I think Honors College housing could be a worthwhile amenity.  It didn't exist in my day.  But what Pitt did already have that was rare were single rooms and I appreciated that amenity a lot.  I'm a studious, no nonsense person and I did not want to deal with a bad roommate situation.

I also read that the Honors College courses now skew towards Engineering and Science.  That seems very believable based on what I know.  So my advice is to review the course catalog carefully to see if there is a match between your student's goals and the courses offered.

I highly recommend Pitt.  I think it's a compliment to say the Honors College is not necessary to make one's mark there, get known to professors, do research assistantships, etc.  I think the Honors housing is an amenity worth having.  With respect to advising, so much depends on the individual advisor is that I have to assess the value of Honors advising as an unknown.  In my case, I went my own way and learned to make my own choices with great success.  Especially at grad school application time.

Please ask if you have follow-up questions.[/quote]

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