<p>Ok guys, so far I've gotten into Pitt and Tulane, so right now that's the school you have to convince me Pitt is better than, but also tell me why in general I should want to go.</p>
<p>I literally know next to nothing about the school so even the most basic things I'd still love to hear.</p>
<p>Also, I got to be honest, I really just don't like saying Pittsburg. I know that's a dumb reason not to want to go to a school, but it just does not roll off the tongue at all and I don't like the idea of having to say it for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>Well, you might not like saying it, but you can at least spell it right, lol. Pittsburgh. The one you spelled is in Kansas or California.</p>
<p>OK, being more serious I am a Tulane grad, have a daughter there now (freshman, and she loves it btw), and generally boost Tulane. However, I lived in Pittsburgh for 11 years and know it well. It actually is a great city to raise a family in, but for a college student not so exciting. But there is plenty to do. Do I think that, for a college student, Pittsburgh compares to New Orleans? Not even close. Also, Tulane’s campus is far nicer than Pitt’s.</p>
<p>Both schools offer a fine undergraduate academic education. Tulane’s average student is academically stronger than Pitt’s, based on average SAT/ACT scores and class ranks. But if you were going for engineering, Pitt might be a better choice. However, you are interested in film and related areas, I take it. That you would have to research. Tulane has a good theater department, but I don’t know much about film.</p>
<p>Pitt has over 15,000 undergrads, Tulane about 6,000. 75% of Pitt students are from Pennsylvania, 75% of Tulane students are from over 500 miles away. Pitt is very competitive in major sports, Tulane isn’t except for baseball. Bottom line, either school will provide you with an excellent liberal arts education. What you have to decide is which gives you the better “vibe”. Try to visit both, staying overnight and attending some classes. Talk to a prof or two in the areas that interest you. That is all you can do, pretty much, to get some idea which is best for you.</p>
<p>I think that this is something that you need to decide for yourself - visit the school, look at the website at their academic programs, and look at other threads here on CC. There are a TON of threads on this forum that discuss social activities, where to live, what the food is like, etc. It is getting to the point where people are constantly repeating themselves on topics that have already been discussed a trillion times, so it’s not hard to find. Your answers are all here on this forum!</p>
<p>And as a note on not liking how “Pittsburgh” doesn’t roll off the tongue, I felt the same way before coming here. I was accepted into Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, MiamiU, and list goes on of “better sounding” schools. So of course, I saw the University of Pittsburgh as some mediocre midwest school. But now I am here, I love it, and I am actually glad I didn’t attend Columbia or any of those other “elite” schools.</p>
<p>Btw fallenchemist, what are your reasons you think Pittsburgh isn’t as fun as New Orleans for a college student? I haven’t been complaining because food and entertainment are pretty cheap and easy to come by in Pittsburgh and Pitt’s location still beats a lot of college locations. I’m not familiar with New Orleans so I can’t really compare it to Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Schrizto - A legitimate question. Just to repeat for background, I went to Tulane, have been back to New Orleans many times over the intervening years, and have a daughter there now. I also lived in Pittsburgh for 11 years, so I do know both.</p>
<p>New Orleans is a very unique place. The warmer weather helps make for more entertaining activities, and the food is outstanding. So at any time there are crawfish parties, oyster shuckings, great music, there is the French Quarter, Jazz Festivals, and I probably could have just said Mardi Gras and stopped there, but there is so much more. And it is a city rich in history, architecture and ambience. Not too many people associate Pittsburgh and ambience.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh is more of what I call a “solid city”. It is just normal, lol. That’s great for a lot of things, and of course there are lots of things to do. More pro sports, probably more theater, and of course the school itself provides a lot. But I honestly think if you went down to New Orleans, took the streetcar up to Tulane, saw the whole picture and lived it for a few days even, you would see the difference. Especially, as someone pointed out, if you went in January. There were more than a few days in the 70’s that time of year. It is normally in the 50’s to low 60’s, which isn’t bad at all. It just lends itself to more fun. But I completely agree with you that Pitt’s location beats tons of other colleges/universities. My son goes to a university in a very rural location and he loves the school, but it does get a bit old sometimes.</p>
<p>To be sure, this is a generalization. Some people just don’t like New Orleans. Some don’t like Pittsburgh. Personally I like both, but for very different reasons, and they are extremely different. But being a college student is rarely like being a “regular” resident, and most schools provide an entertaining atmosphere if you are willing to participate. It is just a little easier in New Orleans, I think.</p>