<p>Hi, I'd like to know what are the living costs/expenses at CMU/Pittsburgh? Is Pittsburgh an expensive city to dine/have fun in? </p>
<p>Does the CMU costs estimate take into account for all that?</p>
<p>I moved here from southern California, where going out to dinner at a decent place will ring you up about $25. Went out to eat last night and the total was $12 for a big meal, drink and dessert. 
So it’s definitely cheaper in comparison to most huge metropolises, but as a freshman it’s likely you won’t be going out too often anyways (you’ll be forced to pick a meal plan as a freshman so you’ll eat on campus). </p>
<p>The cost of living is also negligible as a freshman since you will be living in the dorms, which are about $6-7000 a year. Apartment rent prices can range from $300/mo to $900/mo as an upperclassman depending on the area you want to rent in and what kinds of amenities you want.</p>
<p>Great question MARVIN8! We just came back from visiting and leaving our son’s admission deposit (GASP!). However, hubby and I decided it seemed so affordable that we’re considering moving there - only kidding!!
A friend’s son, who goes to UPitt, gave us the grand tour of the areas around the campuses as well as the favorite eateries!! Wish I could go back to college although they’d have to send out the Weight Watchers police after me!!
completelykate -what would you suggest a reasonable allowance would be for freshman son for the extras -not essentials like books, toiletries, etc.?</p>
<p>Many of the restaurants on Forbes offer 1/2 price food after 11p.m.</p>
<p>Our duaghter gets about $200 per month for her expenses. She sometimes gets by on less.</p>
<p>I make my own money between website design and working a campus job (also in web design), and I usually don’t spend more than like $150-200/mo on personal things. I spent more at the beginning of the year because I needed to buy winter clothing (which I had never owned before) but I won’t need to do so next year.</p>
<p>My major expenses for “fun” have been, in order, going out to eat, movies, shopping (boys probably do less of this), date nights with the boyfriend when he’s in town, and fun stuff like a nice soap or shampoo from Shadyside. My friend cuts my hair, my parents pay for basic living expenses (like the ER visit I had to make a few weeks ago) and other things that they would pay for if i were living at home.</p>
<p>My parents didnt give me any kind of allowance. Make your kid get a job. He/she is an adult with his/her own responsibilities now.</p>
<p>I also do web design.</p>
<p>He WILL have a work/study job! I’ve been working since I was 15 yo though my parents felt the first semester was a time for me to get comfortable with college, college-life and studying. I worked in the college bookstore for the remaining 3 1/2 years!! And it was fun!! But “cost of living” has gone up since those years. I was just curious! No need to be so judgemental 
That’s what I don’t like about CC …and on that note: completelykate and Mom2012/2014 PLEASE stop the nonsense re: lucky!!! THANKS!! ;)</p>
<p>Er… I’m not sure what you mean, but okay! :D</p>
<p>completelykate, there is a thread re: lucky2010 and financial aid that sort of got out of hand -unnecessary back and forth’s. Just trying to stick up for you!! ;)</p>
<p>hmmm to get back on topic…what are some of the most sought after work study jobs at CMU? Are the jobs assigned to you or do you get to pick?</p>
<p>so far $200/month is sufficient for some food and fun in Pittsburgh?</p>
<p>for campus jobs, how difficult (or easy) is it to get a job? does demand outstrip supply? are their jobs with major requirements etc?</p>
<p>thanks for the responses!</p>
<p>The most sought after jobs are the ones that pay the most. 'Nuff said. 
In August you will get information to log into your TartanTrak account, which is an online job hunting system where you can upload your resume and cover letters and then submit them to employers electronically. Then if they are interested they will call or email you to set up an interview.</p>
<p>It is easy to get a job if you have prepared your resume and are not snobby about which jobs you will take. Oftentimes you’ll have to start out with a crappy job and then move your way up as better opportunities become available online; but be forewarned, you may start out as a cluster consultant at like $6/hr for the first part of the year. That seems to be one of the more popular and easily obtained jobs. You may also find yourself taking a job that matches your work experience-- if you have lots of volunteer activities but no real work experience, you’ll probably have to take a crappier job. If you have had several jobs in HS, you’ll probably start off working somewhere better. </p>
<p>Demand just about meets supply, it seems. I only have had about 5-6 interviews, but in each one they mentioned that about 2-3 candidates were being considered for the position, which is not a lot. </p>
<p>By “major requirements,” Marvin, I’m taking it to mean “course credit that applies to your major”? Either a job will pay a salary, or you will get course credit from it if you don’t need the money and it is applicable to an area of learning. (IE my friend works in the psych lab doing surveys with people. He could get paid but he chooses to get 15 credits a semester.) But you cannot do both. You cannot get credit -and- get paid.</p>
<p>How does work/study work? Will my son have to go through “job” interviews or will the Admissions office help him find something? Marvin8, were you referring to work/study jobs or getting a job to make extra $$?</p>
<p>@Kate</p>
<p>Are you talking about work study jobs are non work study jobs?</p>
<p>This is what it says on the CMU (high school counselors) info page:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>@Frazzled: Here’s the process:</p>
<p>In August, your kid will sign onto TartanTrak and see lots of postings for jobs. Each job will have a listed salary, an expected amount of hours to be worked each week, and a description of skills the job requires. Your kid can then upload his resume and information and apply to the job electronically, etc, etc.</p>
<p>Employers will call your kid and ask to hold interviews if he meets the job credentials. My current job requires HTML/JS/CSS/CMS knowledge, very strong writing/grammatical skills, the ability to get nerdy robotics professors to stop working on metal hands and talk to me, and the ability to work with the Andrew fileshare system. Other jobs may be as specific. Or they may just require you to be able to bend at the knees and lift boxes over 15 pounds, or they may just require you to be a breathing human being. </p>
<p>Your kid will eventually get a job and accept it. Make sure he/she brings a passport or birth certificate copy to school if he/she plans on working, because the I-9 form they require you to fill out requires one of those two documents. Also drivers’ license or valid ID. They will also have to fill out a W4. (Is it W3 or W4? I can never remember.) Anyways…</p>
<p>He/she will go to work, etc, etc. He/she will get a check in the mail or be able to pick it up on payday from the payment office in Warner Hall. That money can be used to buy books, school supplies, personal necessities, pay tuition, hire mad prostitutes, or purchase cocaine. Hopefully your child will use it for one of the first four things and not the last two.</p>
<p>That’s it. The school gives you the money directly and says HERE, IT’S YOURS NOW, KID. There are no limits on what you spend it on or where it goes. It’s yours.</p>
<p>If you make over $2800, which is the usual amount of a WS award, then sometimes the place you work at will hire you on the university payroll instead of work study and keep asking you to work if you want to. This rocks because it means that whenever you have spare time to work you can make more cash. And more cash is good.</p>
<p>@steelersngators: This is all for work study jobs. Non work study jobs are just… jobs. On campus, off campus or somewhere else. If you don’t have work study but are trying to get a campus job, expect it to be difficult. CMU doesn’t help out with those. </p>
<p>There are usually more jobs than students willing to work, but sometimes those jobs can end up being things like “WE NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE SIGNS FOR CLUSTERS. We will pay you $4 per sign. You can work up to 3 hours a week.”</p>
<p>Last thing: If you haven’t had a job before and don’t have a resume, please PLEASE go visit the career center. It’s in the basement of the UC. They’re good at what they do, it’s free counseling, and you’ll have a classy resume to go in no time.</p>
<p>@completelykate: WOW!! Such great information! Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Great Post! Thank You</p>