[ENGINEERING] Should I transfer to Pitt Oakland, State College, or Behrend?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pittsburgh
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<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I'm looking for people who are experienced with at least one of these colleges and I desperately need help very quickly.</p>

<p>I was born and raised in Bradford, PA and am currently in my second year for Computer Engineering at the UPitt Bradford Campus. I'm doing very well in my classes and am guaranteed to be able to transfer to the University of Pittsburgh, and am very likely to be accepted as a transfer to Penn State, given my GPA is a 3.96 with approximately 60 credits (after this term).</p>

<p>Only life isn't that simple. I'm not financially strong and neither is my family. My girlfriend lives with me and will be looking to move together when I transfer. We have to find somewhere to live for Fall 2013 and we want to be prepared ahead of time.</p>

<p>Here are a list of things to consider for my situation:
-My girlfriend and I need to be able to afford monthly rent
-My girlfriend wants to start college and may not be able to get into either place
-My girlfriend wants me to go to PS Behrend because it's not Pittsburgh.
-I am into Computer Engineering and my girlfriend is into Biology
-We're both wary about moving into a big city and we're not sure what to expect
-The friends I've made at UPitt Bradford help me study and they won't go to Penn State
-I'm so stressed and unaware as to the condition of all of these colleges</p>

<p>Here is a consequent list of questions I want answered with the more insight the better.
-Which colleges are cheaper for in-state transfers, do you think?
-What are the environments like at UPitt Oakland, PS Behrend, or PS State College?
-What is housing like for them (most likely off-campus living)?
-What colleges can more easily guarantee job placement after?
-Is Pittsburgh a bad place? Especially compared to Erie or State college?
-Can anyone give me any advice to make my decision or towards each scenario? </p>

<p>I really appreciate any help I can get from you all-- I know this is all information I can get on my own but managing my own life is very taxing and it is helpful to be able to get information like this passively through forums.</p>

<p>Thank you,
DarkIron112</p>

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<p>First of all, congrats for having 3.9 GPA in engineering…I suggest taking behrend off your list since that campus is only for people that weren’t able to get into the main UP campus. Given, there might be some people who came to behrend due to financial problems or proximity, but only a small percentage of the total students…</p>

<p>Now, about the other colleges…State college will give you somewhat same experience that you are getting at Bradford since both are small towns but colleges are whole different story…Pittsburgh is a big city so I am sure it has good job placement and we don’t have to talk about penn state(it was ranked number 1 by recruiters)…It all comes down to whether you prefer big or small college…If I was in your situation, I would just come to the Pitt main campus, get some cheap 1 or 2 bed apartment and live there…you get free bus pass so, your girlfriend should start in a fairly small college in Pittsburgh or even community college and then transfer somewhere…</p>

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<p>Pittsburgh is definitely not a bad place. It’s one of the nicer cities in the country to live and you will get a free bus pass to go anywhere you want. There are lots of smaller colleges for your girlfriend.</p>

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<p>What is your limit on affording rent? I had a friend live in a 1-BR in South Oakland (about 10-15 minute walk to campus, max) for $200 a person plus some utilities. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that. (And if you can find a house with a room or some roommates, rent really won’t be much for the South Oakland area).</p>

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<p>Like others said, there are other schools in Pittsburgh (Chatham, Carlow, Duquesne) that she might like. OR she could go to CCAC (community college) and get a bunch of credits for cheap before transferring over into Pitt.</p>

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<p>The engineering school here is fantastic. Basically everyone who wants an internship or co-op can get one using the career services. We also have an awesome employment rate upon graduation. And I’m sure I don’t need to explain how Pitt’s Bio-sciences/Med-related tracks are some of the best.</p>

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<p>Pittsburgh itself isn’t a big city (the actual city population is <400,000) and where Pitt is located is a neighborhood OUTSIDE of the city (Oakland). The nice thing about Pittsburgh is that it’s divided into these neighborhoods that each have their own unique identity. Oakland/South Oakland is mostly where you’ll find the big colleges (Carlow, Chatham, Pitt, CMU), students, cheap varied food, the parks, etc. I consider Oakland to be kind of small because I’m always running into someone I know on the street! Oakland is also walkable.</p>

<p>A quick busride away (using your student ID for free rides) will get you to some other areas: </p>

<p>Squirrel Hill- a more residential area with a nice street of shops and restaurants (Forbes between Murray and Shady) as well as a great (in my opinion) and cheap movie theater (The Manor) and more food down Murray. There’s also a Giant Eagle (grocery store) there that is Kosher.</p>

<p>Shadyside- You can bus or walk here. You’ve got a trendy shopping street (Walnut between Aiken and Negley) with lots of coffee shops and clothes options. Also some great food. Lots of Grad students and yuppies live there. There’s also a Giant Eagle Market District (bigger, better choices) in Shadyside (not on Walnut street though).</p>

<p>The Waterfront- An outdoor strip mall kind of place with all the essentials (Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, DSW, Office Max) as well as stores (regular mall stores), some restaurants, and a huge AMC movie theater.</p>

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<p>You will find friends at Pitt who want to study with you. Just talk to people in your classes about HW or whatever and go from there.</p>

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<p>Ok so realistically you can look these numbers up on your own, but to answer the question.</p>

<p>Pitt SSOE per semester: $8,390 per semester
Penn State: (Freshman/Sophomore): $7,781 per semester (Junior/Senior): $9,336 per semester</p>

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<p>I don’t know what Erie or State College is like, but since Pittsburgh is an actual, bigger city, chances are you’ll get better diversity here. Also the abundance of different types of people (yuppies, students, residents, professors, medical workers, etc.) because a variety of things to do in your spare time, clubs that are around the area, etc. Pittsburgh is also probably more liberal leaning than State College (and possible Erie) if those are things that matter to you.</p>

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<p>Wow, State College and Bradford similar??? I have lived in McKean county and a suburb of Pittsburgh. I also went to Penn State UP for 4 years. Anyone who thinks that Bradford is similar to State College has never spent any time in Bradford and State College. Sorry, but really!!! I would say State College has more in common with Pittsburgh than Bradford. Pitt Bradford’s campus would be more similar to Behrend.</p>

<p>Also, Behrend is NOT only for people who couldn’t get into UP. Behrend is a small college (4600 students) that offers over 35 four year degrees. Behrend does have an honors college you may find interesting. Many students graduate from Behrend each year with a degree from Penn State. It is the exact same diploma you get if you go to UP. Behrend is one of the largest commonwealth campuses and is strong in engineering/science. Behrend has been a four year degree campus for decades! Some people attend Behrend becasue they couldn’t get into UP, but some don’t want to move, some prefer the slightly cheaper cost at Behrend. There are lots of reasons people go to Behrend. </p>

<p>Okay, back to your question. Pittsburgh is a city with all the good and bad that goes with that - lots to do, traffic, crime, good transportation, entertainment etc. I personally did not like Pitt’s campus. My son and I both prefered a closed campus. Pitt’s campus is more spread out, mixed in with other city buildings. That is personal preference. The program seemed good (we were looking at chem e), housing is easy to find although safe, decent housing wasn’t cheap, lots of options for the GF. Coming from Bradford, Pittsburgh is the city!</p>

<p>State College and Behrend - you get the same diploma no matter which campus you attend so it doesn’t matter as far as that goes. Behrend does not offer all degrees but does appear to have computer engineering and biology. Both are very nice campuses, Behrend being MUCH smaller. Behrend has some big time givers which has resulted in new buildings and updated labs - if you haven’t visited you should. The campus has an Erie address but there is nothing around it. It is only a short drive (10 min) to the city. You probably want a car if you go to Behrend although like Pitt you can ride the Erie busses for free at Behrend. Housing is cheap and easy to find but limited within walking distance of campus. </p>

<p>State College is a mix of the two with some of the advantages/disadvantages of a city but it is surrounded by countryside. Penn State"s job placement is #1 even if you graduate from Behrend. PSU has so much to offer including a beautiful campus, world class faculty and facilities. The variety of classes offered at PSU is amazing. </p>

<p>You need to visit each campus if you haven’t done that yet. I am pro Penn State, XtremePower appears to be pro Pitt. That is our experience. You need to really think about if you want to live in the city or not. Pittsburgh and Pitt have a lot to offer but you may not like living in the city or maybe you will love it. State College and PSU have a lot to offer but it may not be for you or maybe you will love it! It sounds to me like Behrend may be the prefect place for you and your girlfriend. It is not that far from Bradford, try to make the time to visit.</p>

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<p>I might be wrong about state college and bradford being similar but I am sure Erie is only for people that could not get into the main campus…As I mentioned in my last post, there might be people that go there because its close or cheap, not many people puts that campus as their first choice…There are two branch PSU campuses right near me but I would rather take out loans and goto the main campus than goto erie…there is a reason Behrend’s average SAT score is 1545…There will be so much more opportunies at the main campus than a branch campus and you won’t feel like a second hand student…</p>

<p>" Some people attend Behrend becasue they couldn’t get into UP, but some don’t want to move, some prefer the slightly cheaper cost at Behrend."</p>

<p>Actually most people attend Behrend because they couldn’t get into UP, only a small percentage attend for its cost. OP has 3.9 GPA and he is not a branch college material…</p>

<p>Although you get the same diploma, the transcript will say which classes you took and where…</p>

<p>Message to OP: Behrend should be off that list and I suggest not attending Behrend no matter your conditions</p>

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<p>So I am curious XtremePower, what campuses are you near and what experience do you have with Behrend?</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the responses, guys!</p>

<p>@AWESOMEOPOSSUM
Our personal limit is about $200-$250/person and we’re looking at trying to get a 2-BR with two more friends who REALLY REALLY want to be within walking distance of Swanson Engineering. I’m not sure what that entails but we’ve looked at offers on craigslist and found some nice ones. Sadly, the ones that are nicest are far away. What we care most about is that the place is safe, and the more utilities included the better. Also, no electric heat unless it’s included.</p>

<p>I have no idea what the city’s like. I’ve never lived in one before. I’m used to Bradford and being self-entertained. The fact that there’s so much to do honestly makes me anxious. But I’ll get over that in time. It’s just one of those emotional reactions that I don’t want clouding my judgement for when we move. And my girlfriend is from the Bay Area of Cali, so she’s used to BAD cities… and really, really doesn’t want to go back to one.</p>

<p>We would also have a hard time getting classes for her at CCAC, because even though we’re close, it would be a long walk/bus ride to the campus for her. She will also probably be trying to find a job, because we don’t have much of an income unless I can get a starting co-op, or a work-study session on-campus. Questions:
-Do you know what the weekly hour limit is for Work-Studies? At Bradford, it’s 8hr/wk.
-Do you know many people that have transferred from CCAC?</p>

<p>Thanks a lot, and thanks for the tuition, too!</p>

<p>@SOUTHEASTMOM
Thank you for your input! The free bus rides are indeed a relief, though I am wary of the safety (Bradford doesn’t really have buses).</p>

<p>@PSU85MOM, XTREMEPOWER
I’m not trying to start any kind of flame war here… I’m not sure whether it’s a matter of respectability of degree or not, but I understand the tradeoff in environments between Behrend and Pittsburgh and I know that State College would have to be somewhere in the middle, between those two environments. It would have to be.</p>

<p>@PSU85MOM, Do you know if PSU offers merit scholarships based on GPA? Pitt doesn’t and that would mean a lot in my decision, as I don’t want to incur a lot of debt.</p>

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<p>No idea, but as an engineer you can try to work in a research lab for 10+ hours a week making up to $10/hr. An extra $400/month (before taxes) certainly wouldn’t hurt I imagine.</p>

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<p>Again I don’t know, you might want to check the CCAC website (or, you know, have your girlfriend do that since it’s her education, not yours).</p>

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<p>The buses are really safe for the neighborhoods that you would bother to travel to. I’m a girl and I always take the bus alone at various times of day/night. It won’t be a problem at all (a LOT of students use the bus).</p>

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<p>Pitt does offer merit scholarships (especially in SSOE) however I’m not sure whether or not they give them to transfer students, since most of them tend to be given to freshman as they come in.</p>

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<p>Aye, that’s what I’m addressing. If I’m not mistaken, merit aid is unavailable to all transfers. Which… is an awful shame.</p>

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<p>DarkIron, it looks as though you have the schools where you want to apply. However, did you check with your college to see where students transfer? This may sound like a really dumb question. However, there should be some schools that offer money to transfer students. Schools that have articulation agreements with your school should have some scholarship money available. </p>

<p>Coca-Cola has scholarships for transfer students, but I do not know the deadlines. </p>

<p>Something else, for which your interest level may be zero, is ROTC. There is some scholarship money for engineers and the National Guard offers programs too. It is something to consider.</p>

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<p>If you girlfriend is serious about Biology, she should be trying to get into Pitt-main. It is one of the best places in the country to get into the biosciences. It’s not even close compared to the other two options.</p>

<p>Remember, biology and such is a research field so getting research lab experience is critical if she actually wants to be a biologist. But if money is a concern, the advice about first taking some credits at CCAC may be a good one. But then transfer into Pitt and explore the research opportunities.</p>

<p>For you, there are lots of great internship opportunities right in Pittsburgh, since it is actually a city, so when you graduate you might be able to stay in the same location. That is a huge advantage if you want to be together and she is still finishing her degree. You’re not going to find a lot of employment options in State College.</p>

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<p>And I wouldn’t worry about Pittsburgh at all. It wins all those most livable city in the US awards for a reason. It will definitely be a change from Bradford, but so would Erie and so would Penn State, which is twice as large as Pitt. Despite Pitt being an urban school, it will feel like a much smaller community than Penn State which is just gianormus both physically and with the number of people there. I’m from the Penn State area and have lived in Pittsburgh, Miami, Philadelphia and San Francisco, and Pittsburgh is definitely one of the safest, most interesting cities in the country. You should look at getting the experience of an urban setting as an adventure and part of your education. If you don’t like Pittsburgh, you probably won’t like any city. The good thing about Pitt too, is that Schenley Park is right next door so you can easily escape the urbaness whenever you want. And if you girlfriend is worried about bad Bay area cities, rest assured that Oakland in Pittsburgh is not anything like Oakland in California.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

<p>Since making this post, I learned that neither Behrend nor Penn State are capable options for my girlfriend and I-- so Pittsburgh it is!</p>

<p>I’ve made a new topic regarding how we can live in Pittsburgh, for more accurate labelling!</p>

<p>And once again, thank you all for your help! :)</p>

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<p>Although both universities have excellent engineering programs, Penn State’s engineering school is better and ranked higher. But if you are going to be in the area, why not consider Carnegie Mellon? If you can get in and afford the costs, CMU outshines them both. </p>

<p>I’m a Pitt alum and the degree has definitely served me well over the years. But engineers are about numbers and facts are facts. Of course, personal fit matters, too. It’s all for naught if you can’t finish due to personal unhappiness.</p>

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<p>I’d agree that Pitt is the best of the three choices for studying biology, though.</p>

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<p>I saw this posting after seeing your other regarding moving to the area. My son did his first 2 years at CCAC and transferred to a state university here (MA) and did very well, graduated on time and was quite happy with his decision to stretch his money. He has said it was the best decision he ever made. Classes at the main campus would be very easy to get to, bus into downtown then take the free T or walk across a bridge to the campus. It could be a little harsh on cold windy days.<br>
Also, there are cheaper places to live a bus ride away although you give up that “walkable” feature. Good luck, it is an exciting time even though it is anxiety provoking.</p>

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<p>I just read through this and was going to suggest Pitt simply because there are more opportunities there for you and your SO. Looks like you came to the same conclusion. Good luck. I think it was a good choice.</p>