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<p>I’m sure they are, provided they have sufficient background knowledge (or are willing to learn) the subject. It all depends on the professor or PI leading the research.</p>
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<p>Generally you live on campus all of your freshman year (the only freshman I know who didn’t do that were commuters). After that, you can move out. I preferred to live on campus until senior year because of the ease of it (no dealing with furniture).</p>
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<p>My OOS roommate would heavily pack two bags of her essentials (clothes) and a carry on with whatever else she needed. Anything else she might have needed was shipped via USPS. Or, you can go shopping for whatever you need after you arrive (like winter clothes for example). When/If you go home for the summer, box up unnecessary items (like winter clothes) and put it in a storage unit for the summer (I did this with a LOT of my stuff that I didn’t need and it was pretty cheap and convenient).</p>
<p>I was wondering what anyone had heard about/experienced with the academic communities. I was considering taking a few of the classes that are offered in the categories like bio and chem, but it doesn’t look like they are honors versions. Should I still look into it or would honors classes be better? What other recommendations do you have for choosing first semester courses?</p>
<p>I’m hoping to get involved with volunteering at the hospital or shadowing as a freshman next year. What steps should I take before arriving at Pitt and who/where should i contact to get on track for this? Thanks!</p>
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<p>I’m not sure I understand your question. In terms of honors classes, there is honors chem, bio, organic chem, and neuroscience. (I think there may be more than that, but there is at least that).</p>
<p>My opinion for honors classes is that you shouldn’t take them if you haven’t had a strong fundamental in high school (AP Bio/Chem or similar). The honors classes are NOT like AP Classes, you do not learn the same material, and they are considered harder and more in-depth. So it depends on how comfortable you are with the material now on whether or not you should take the honors version in the fall.</p>
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<p>Contact whomever is in charge of volunteering at UPMC Presbyterian (closest hospital). If kids are your thing, you could also contact the Children’s Hospital in Lawrenceville. Be warned though-- it’s difficult/annoying to bus to Lawrenceville whereas Presby is 2 blocks from campus.</p>
<p>^^(If nova415 is talking about what I think they are) Academic communities are groups of classes freshmen with certain interests can take together. The “community” all takes the same sections and they have TA’s to tutor them and maybe organize study groups(?). My RA was one of the TA’s for the medicine based one. I looked at them my freshman year, but you have to take Intro to Arts and Sciences, which is a kind of “learn to be a college student” class that I thought covered stuff too basic for me and would bore me to tears. Otherwise though, they seem cool enough, especially if you have to take the classes in the community anyways. The only downside is you won’t have your pick of professors, because you have to take the one designated section, not that trying to choose from what you hear or read online always works out. I mean, no honors classes could be a downside, because you’re right that they are not part of the communities, but I’m with Awesome on that one.</p>
<p>Thanks! That’s exactly what I was talking about; sorry if the question was unclear.</p>
<p>Not to get technical, but UPMC-Presby two less than two-blocks from campus since it is surrounded by Scaife Hall, Biomedical Science Towers, the Petersen Events Center, and Lothrop Hall which are all university buildings. Technically, UPMC leases Falk Clinic and Western Psych from Pitt too.</p>
<p>Here’s a [link</a> to UPMC Volunteer Services](<a href=“http://www.upmc.com/supporting/ways-to-give/pages/volunteer.aspx]link”>http://www.upmc.com/supporting/ways-to-give/pages/volunteer.aspx).</p>
<p>Be aware that it is actually not hard to get to Children’s Hospital as there are UPMC Shuttles that loop to it and back constantly. The Oakland-Children’s [shuttle</a> schedule for UPMC is here](<a href=“http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/pdfs/sa/coordinatorportal/CHP_Lparkinginformation.pdf]shuttle”>http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/pdfs/sa/coordinatorportal/CHP_Lparkinginformation.pdf). (Both Pitt and UPMC shuttles also go to UPMC Shadyside/Pitt Cancer Institute).</p>
<p>I’ve been looking all over for an e-mail address for Band Director Jack Anderson so I can set up an audition during my PittStart–or is there another way to do so? All I see on the Pitt Band site is an e-mail for the site admin?</p>
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<p>I will PM you an email and phone number for contacting him.</p>
<p>Thanks! Does any specific hospital offer better opportunities or is it just based on personal preference? Also, since it looks like I’ll need to interview according to the volunteer opportunities site, should I wait to apply until I’m at Pitt in the fall or should I try to start that process earlier?</p>
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<p>My guess is that it’s just personal preference. I would wait until you can figure out what kind of free time you have in your class schedule before you have an interview. If you aren’t from the area, it might be a good idea to just take a semester to get used to the area and classes/etc before adding more outside involvement to it.</p>
<p>Okay, that makes sense. I just don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get involved. Would it be harder to get a volunteering spot in the middle of the year or do the hospitals always have room for more volunteers?</p>
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<p>I can’t imagine they ever have enough volunteers. Especially if you consider doing an ER-volunteer (beware-- overnight shifts). You’d also get paid!</p>
<p>That’s good. I just wasn’t sure how hard it would be to get volunteering slots because a lot of people volunteer and/or are thinking about premed. Thanks for all of the advice! You’re really nice answer everyone’s questions:)</p>
<p>before I say ask anything I would like to thank you, AwesomeOpossum its so nic eof you taking your time out to answer everyone question and you have been doing it for a while!please forgive me if these questions have been asked already, I looked through most of the pages…
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<p>Getting the GAP for Med school at Pitt is very hard. Only 10-12 students receive the offer per academic year. The requirements for the HS student are also very strict:
“To compete for the medical school guarantee, applicants must meet the initial eligibility requirements of earning the highest grade point average available in their high school in the context of a curriculum showing the greatest academic rigor possible and earning a minimum SAT I score of 1450 (combined Critical Reading and Math) or 33 ACT.” (link: [Guaranteed</a> Admissions Program | Admission and Requirements | Admissions & Financial Aid | University of Pittsburgh](<a href=“http://www.medadmissions.pitt.edu/admissions-requirements/guaranteed-admissions.php]Guaranteed”>http://www.medadmissions.pitt.edu/admissions-requirements/guaranteed-admissions.php))</p>
<p>That means you have to take, literally, every honors/AP class you can, AND maintain a 4.0 in high school, and get at least a 1450/1600 SAT (or 33 ACT)-- As a pre-eligibility requirement!</p>
<p>The GAP students are also diverse: I can only say that with 79-80% of Pitt’s population being Caucasian, you <em>may</em> have a better chance at GAP if you are a minority student.</p>
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<p>I’m confused. Are you talking about in your high school? Most high schools don’t offer Calc 3 (Multivariable Calculus) or DiffEq, so I don’t know where you could complete that…The AP classes you mention are fine, but honestly, you won’t even need those to get into SSOE (i.e. they’re not required for admission)</p>
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<p>After you fill out your application you can send a “resume” of the activities you have done in high school. Include your research/advanced courses (assuming they are not already on your HS transcript) as part of that resume. Your choice of major as an application to SSOE does not matter, since you will not declare until the end of your freshman year.</p>
<p>Thankyou, since a number of students in my highschool (12 students) have already completed bc calc our school is offering us an opprotunity to take cal 3 and/or diff equations depending on the placement. its through some university program.
I understand the basic reuqiremnts of the GA however i was wondering if there are things that make applicants stand out after that for Instance national/state level leadership awards, and if being a female makes a difference?</p>
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<p>Before you take your school up on that offer, check with Pitt to see if they will accept the credit for those classes (if Pitt is your top choice and you think you will be going there). It would not make sense to take the class in HS, only to find out that Pitt does not accept the credit and then have to take it again in college.</p>
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<p>If you make the basic cut-off, these are deciding factors for an INTERVIEW. The interview is the last step in getting GAP:
–Academic performance
–Medically related experiences
–Research Experience, if available
–Community Service
–Two letters of recommendation (1 from either a school counselor or and teacher and the other from a person who knows the applicant through their participation in the activities above)
–An essay</p>
<p>(link: <a href=“http://www.medadmissions.pitt.edu/admissions-requirements/guaranteed-admissions.php[/url]”>Request Rejected)</p>
<p>So the awards (if not academically related or medically/research related) don’t really have an affect unless they somehow come up in an interview. I don’t think female/male makes a difference since I believe the GAP aims for 50/50 and Pitt itself is roughly 50/50 M/F. I’d say big differences (asides from academics) is the kind of stuff you have done in HS: research and community service etc. Things that show you give back (which is ultimately, what medicine is about)</p>
<p>As a side (/picky) note: Could you please proof-read your responses? It’s sometimes hard for me to understand questions/read posts if there are multiple spelling and grammatical errors. And it makes me take the poster more seriously if the post itself is legible. Thanks! :)</p>