<p>What's the best campus at U of Pittsburgh and why? Whats the difference between these four campuses?</p>
<p>Pittsburgh : Bradford : Greensburgh : Johnstown :Titusville </p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>Here's some information on each campus from The Princeton Review</p>
<p>In my opinion
1. Pittsburgh
2. Bradford
3. Johnstown
4. Greensburgh/Titusville</p>
<p>University Of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus</p>
<p>"The University of Pittsburgh “is the perfect-sized institution,” a place with “all the benefits of a large urban university, including research, internships, and lots of amazing experiences,” but also small enough “that people truly have a chance to make a name for themselves on campus. You can’t go five minutes without bumping into someone you know here.” Many departments stand out; all medical fields benefit from the school’s affiliation with the renowned research-oriented University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and programs in dentistry, pharmacology, physical therapy, neuroscience, and biology are all considered outstanding. Programs in engineering, business, and the liberal arts are also noteworthy. Students appreciate the fact that “professors here are all very accessible and really want their students to learn and understand their courses. They are willing to work with the students to [help them] achieve better grades and enhance the learning experience.” Opportunities to study abroad abound, and undergrads “can often find study-abroad programs that are cheaper for them than their tuition would have been.” "A “very diverse population” of 16,796 undergraduates virtually guarantees that “everyone is bound to meet someone whom he or she would have never met staying in his or her hometown.” The school has “over 450 organizations, and all those groups provide a place for students to come and be their own people in a group they feel comfortable with.” Highly competitive admissions mean that “kids here are definitely intelligent and have a lot going for them.” They’re not just brainiacs, though—in fact, Pitt students “like to have a good time too, not just going out to parties. Many students really take advantage of the free admission to numerous museums and free city busing to visit the many neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.” The most dedicated students here, our respondents report, can be found in the medical sciences (neuroscience, chemistry, and biology) as well as in some of the humanities (writing, literature, philosophy)." "Pitt is located in Oakland, a “really nice location relative to downtown Pittsburgh and the surrounding neighborhoods.” Thanks to “the school’s arrangement” with the city of Pittsburgh, “every Pitt student gets free city busing,” a perk that allows and encourages undergrads to explore the city. Further such encouragement comes in the form of PittArts, a program that “heavily subsidizes cultural events in the city. When Broadway shows come to Pittsburgh, you can get tickets for $10, a dinner at an Italian restaurant, and free transportation downtown. They also offer free lectures, operas, and symphonies.” No wonder students tell us that “Pittsburgh is a college city, one that really caters to students. Bigger cities may offer more renowned acts coming through, or more famous museums, but in Pittsburgh we can actually afford to experience them!” The campus is also busy, with “many campus organizations,” “free movies in the Union, student performances on campus, lectures (Maya Angelou came recently)”; these offer students lots of opportunities to socialize. Pitt athletics are also popular, with basketball and football drawing the biggest crowds. All of these options “make socializing easier and less alcohol-centric. While there is a lot of drinking on campus, it is just as easy and socially acceptable to sit down to coffee.”</p>
<p>University Of Pittsburgh At Bradford</p>
<p>"“Academics go way beyond the classroom,” at the University of Pittsburgh—Bradford. Professors at this “student-oriented” public school are “willing to stay after class, adjust office hours, and give out home and cell phone numbers.” A senior enthuses, “The professors here are your friends. They help you in any way they can.” Pitt—Bradford is “well organized” too; one student explains, “My advisor has gone above the call of duty to work with me and my schedule to accomplish my goals.” Even the administration is described as “extremely accessible” and the “deans know literally every student on campus.” With the “small class sizes,” students can “work closely and personally” with their professors. That said, the school is growing, and “with the larger incoming freshman class, it made getting what you want and need more difficult during registration.” However, students appreciate that Pitt—Bradford “puts forth a serious effort to offer a diverse and eclectic course catalogue,” including “a lot of fun winter sport classes you can take for credit.” "“Life” on campus is “pretty laid-back,” and Pitt-Bradford students are generally “hardworking and dedicated to their studies.” For being located in a “small town,” “The student body is actually quite diverse” and there seems to be “a lot of city kids.” The school population is comprised of a “variety of traditional and nontraditional students, which makes a nice overall group of people.” Students agree that “everyone seems to get along very well no matter how different they are,” and “It’s easy to meet like-minded individuals.” Since “The campus isn’t very big, it’s very easy to make a lot of friends.” In fact, “You always find someone to hang with even if you don’t know them. "Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, Pitt—Bradford’s campus feels “like going to school at a summer cabin.” In addition to enjoying the “beauty” of the “outdoor environment,” campus residents live in “apartment-style residence halls” that students appreciate for the “privacy” they afford. On the other hand, the food (“all right sometimes but most of the time it isn’t”) and a need for “increased internet bandwidth in the residence halls” can get students down. Like the academic experience, life at Pitt—Bradford is characterized by the school’s “small” size. Students describe Pitt—Bradford as a “friendly, close-knit campus where everyone really has a chance to experience the good things about university life.” Students “make their own fun” with “40 student clubs and organizations,” and the “Student Activities Counsel likes to have at least one or two different activities a week.” In addition, the “Student Government Association here on campus makes it so easy to start your own club and/or organization and get university funding to run it.” While the surrounding town of Bradford offers “only a few things to do,” students take advantage of the “many opportunities to explore the campus and the nature surrounding the campus.” In fall 2008, a new residence hall will open to accomodate the university’s growing enrollment."</p>
<p>University Of Pittsburgh At Johnstown</p>
<p>"Undergrads tell us that The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown “is about having a good college experience at a small campus while growing as a student and person.” The school offers “an excellent undergraduate campus to explore scientific fields,” as well as engineering and education programs that “have a high success rate.” Academics focus on practical experience in most disciplines; as one student explains, “My professors have all worked in the field that they are teaching,” which not only “adds validity to what they are teaching,” but also means that “they can help students get internships and the experience that they need.” Profs here “are generally very accessible,” but their teaching can be “hit or miss.” One student explains, “Some professors at UPJ are sensational, but others can be total bores. The academic experience in Johnstown is what you make of it. If you want to get the most out of it, you can.” Those who succeed in doing so insist that UPJ offers “a small school feel with a big university name” that translates into “a very positive employment rate for graduating students.” "UPJ undergrads are “hardworking, fun-loving individuals looking to make a difference on campus on way or another.” They are “generally from western Pennsylvania,” either “from the Pittsburgh or Johnstown-Somerset area,” with many “who live nearby in small towns.” The school is predominantly Caucasian “so ethnically, it’s not very diverse,” but this is something that the school is “working on.” Additionally, “Many students here are engineering majors,” so some find that the school also lacks diversity in terms of areas of interest. One student observes that “The typical student is a walking advertisement for Hollister. It is very preppy here. There aren’t a lot of artsy, goth, or other types of people.” That said, the atypical students here “fit in by banding in groups in which they recognize and celebrate each others uniqueness.” "“The weekends can get pretty boring sometimes” at UPJ because “there isn’t much to do in Johnstown” and “a lot of students go home on the weekends.” As one student observes, “It’s a rural atmosphere, so the social life reflects that. It’s like choosing between living in the city and living in a small town. UPJ is the small-town choice. The safe and pleasant atmosphere compensates for the lack of nightlife.” One perk of the location is that “We get a lot of snow, so many students enjoy going to local ski resorts or sled riding on campus.” Students tell us that “there are parties every weekend,” but “Although there is a majority of students who like to drink alcohol and party, it is easy to find other students that are not interested in those activities. Just because you don’t drink, doesn’t mean that you’re not going to have any friends here.” “The movies and bowling” are “always popular places for students” and it’s “hard to go to either location without seeing another group of students from the university.”</p>
<p>Academically speaking, though, are the regional campuses remotely equivalent to Pitt’s main campus?</p>
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<p>To my knoweldge, no. I had friends do their first year or two at Greensburgh and then switch over. They said Greensburgh was a LOT easier than Pitt main. I had a friend get a 4.0 at UPG and then come to Pitt Main (Oakland) and struggle to get an A in his classes. Then again, this was in Engineering so I’m not sure if the facilities made a difference too (my bet is that most, if not all, of the big/main research happens here at our new research labs). Also take size into consideration. Pitt Main is upwards of 18,000 students, the branch campuses are much smaller, I think in the low thousands?</p>
<p>If you look at the average SAT scores for prospective stduents, the main campus SAT requirements are way above the others. While this is only a single measure, I would think it’s a pretty good indicator of academic level too.</p>
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<p>Good point! Also, I think sometimes that students who apply for Pitt Main get “pushed” to a branch campus for a year or two until they’ve improved their stats a bit (i.e. gotten used to college, maintained a good GPA etc.) and then they’re allowed to transfer over to Pitt Main.</p>
<p>The best school academically, by statistics and rankings, is the “main” campus in Pittsburgh. The regional campuses are not separate universities, although they operate as such but they are administratively handled as separate schools within the university. All campuses fall under the singular umbrella accreditation of the University. Diplomas from the regional and main campus are identical. They all say “University of Pittsburgh”. This is distinct, for example, from separate universities in the University of California or Texas systems, although Pitt’s four-year regionals do feel like individual colleges with their own academic programs and athletic teams.</p>
<p>I wrote this comparison before so it might be helpful:</p>
<p>Pitt’s [“main</a>” campus](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh]"main”>University of Pittsburgh - Wikipedia) in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh is very urban, and is the third most dense location in Pennsylvania after downtown Philly and Pittsburgh. It is the heart of the education and cultural district in Pittsburgh, with the city’s major museums abutting the university, as well as two other universities, Carnegie-Mellon and Carlow literally adjacent and overlapping Pitt’s campus. The university’s large medical center is also right on campus. The campus is compact as far as acreage (132), and built vertically, most notably demonstrated by its national historic landmark sky-scrapping Cathedral of Learning, its three tower dormitories, and the chemistry and engineering towers. The layout is bisected by two major roads, on of which is the neighborhood’s major commercial street. The campus does have several large lawn/quad like areas, making it distinct from other, more concrete urban campuses like NYU, and contains a mixture of gothic, classical, and modern architecture. It also abuts a large urban, wooded park, containing a conservancy,outdoor athletic facilities, lawns and wooded trails. It has about 18,000 undergrads and 10,000 graduate/professional students.</p>
<p>All the regional campuses are smallish (student-wise) suburban/rural. The first three are all four-year campuses and operate and feel like their own colleges, but within the Pitt system.</p>
<p>[UPJ</a> (Pitt-Johnstown)](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh_at_Johnstown]UPJ”>University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown - Wikipedia) is the largest, oldest, and most robust of the regional campuses and similar to a four-year liberal arts setting. It is under 2 hrs from Pittsburgh, and although it is next Johnstown which is a small sized city, it has a large 650 acre, heavily wooded campus. It is very scenic if you like that sort of setting, and reminds many of a camp site or ski lodge in the woods. It is ranked by US News and the Princeton Review in the northeast region so it is a highly regarded school in its own right. It has about 3,000 students, many of which spend all four year there although some programs require moving to the main campus in Pittsburgh after 2 years. It sponsors Division II sports.</p>
<p>[UPG</a> (Pitt-Greensburg)](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh_at_Greensburg]UPG”>University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg - Wikipedia) is the closest to Pittsburgh, about 35 miles from the main campus. It has a 200+ acre campus close to the town of Greensburg, but is located on a former estate next to a nature trail and creek. A defining feature could be its its academic villages, set up with the residential college model. It offers a lot of programs that are co-sponsored by schools on the main campus. It is about half the size of UPJ student-wise, and also is a place where many students spend all four years depending on the program. It sponsors Div III sports</p>
<p>[UPB</a> (Pitt-Bradford)](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh_at_Bradford]UPB”>University of Pittsburgh at Bradford - Wikipedia) is very rural, and the farthest away from Pittsburgh as it sits along the NY state border in northwestern Pennsylvania. It is also the smallest of the four year regional campuses student-wise, although just a tad smaller than UPG. It has all apartment-style student housing and it sits in what you might call the middle of nowhere, but has a ~320 acre, scenic campus that is close to many outdoor activities. It has some programs not available elsewhere, like forensic science, and is well regarded as it is also ranked by US News and the Princeton Review in the northeast category. Like the other two regionals, depending on the major, many students spend all four years there. It sponsors Div III sports.</p>
<p>[UPT</a> (Pitt-Titusville)](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh_at_Titusville]UPT”>University of Pittsburgh at Titusville - Wikipedia) is the only two-year campus and is by the far the smallest in both land (10 acres) and in students (~550). It offers some associate degrees and certificate programs as well as some bachelors in collaboration with UPB. As primarily a two-year campus, most students transfer to finish their degrees. It is essentially Pitt’s junior college.</p>
<p>Here are the raw numbers for the regionals from the common data sets:</p>
<p>SAT M+CR 25-75 percentile, Top 10% of H.S. class, average GPA
Pitt (main):1170-1370, 51%, 3.91
UPG: : 920-1110, 11%, 3.39
UPJ : 910-1110, 13%, 3.36
UPB : 870-1110, 11%, 3.18
UPT : 783 - 990, 6%, 3.02</p>
<p>Princeton Review’s academic rating score is only assigned to schools that have made its Best Schools rankings. Just for comparison, here is the equivalent sort of the public schools in Pennsylvania which landed academic rating scores.</p>
<p>Pitt-main 83
PSU-main 77
Temple 73
Pitt-Bradford 70
Slippery Rock 69
Pitt-Johnstown 68
California ¶ 67
Indiana (IUP) 67
Kutztown 66</p>
<p>No other public schools in PA were assigned an academic rating. </p>
<p>Selectivity falls out this way in Princeton Review’s scores:
Pitt-main 92
Pitt-Greensburg 74
Pitt-Bradford 71
Pitt-Johnstown 71 </p>
<p>In US News, UPJ was ranked #21 and UPB was ranked #31 in their Regional College North Rankings.</p>
Do you know anything about relocation？ Is it hard from Bradford to main campus？