<p>Meal plan is only available for on-campus residence, is it not? Will the meal plan be cheaper than eating out? </p>
<p>What if I decide to move out before the commitment period ends because I’ve found off-campus housing? Will I be penalized or anything like that?</p>
<p>Also, how is the vibe between staying on-campus and off-campus? Is there much difference? My thought is if you stay in on-campus, the chances of making new friends are faster than off-campus and there are more party or activities available in on-campus.</p>
<p>Most students plan to live in the dorms for the academic year( fall and spring semesters). For summer, you might live on campus in the towers or find a sub-let ( rent from someone who has a year-round lease just for the summer). </p>
<p>You are probably right that is is easier to meet people living on campus. There are lots of activities planned to help new people on campus to get acquainted.</p>
<p>As far as cost for eating out versus dorm meal plans, most people get a meal plan(there are lots of different levels) and then supplement the plan with meals out. Both dorm meal plans and eating out can be expensive. If you eventually end up in an apartment, you can save money by cooking for yourself. My daughter currently lives in an apartment, but tends to eat in restaurants quite often, so she doesn’t save a lot of money on her food.</p>
<p>As far as the vibe of on and off campus, it is mostly juniors and seniors who move off campus.</p>
You can stay on-campus during the summer, you just need to sign a new contract and apply again. You probably won’t be in the same dorm, as they tend to just open a few.</p>
<p>
Anyone can have a meal plan; on-campus residents have to have one. I think it’s more expensive than cooking (if you’re living somewhere with a kitchen), but less expensive than eating out.</p>
<p>
You could technically move out before the end of your contract, but you will still have to pay. There are a few exceptions, such as transferring or studying abroad, but the contract pretty much says you have to pay for the time you’re committing to.</p>
<p>
For first year students, staying on campus is a lot better for all the reasons you mentioned, plus it’s more convenient while you’re still figuring out where everything is. Starting sophomore year, a lot of students start moving into off-campus apartments and houses and more and more move off every year after that. It’s not hard being off-campus after the first year if you’re close simply because the campus is not defined (like your apartment could be close to within campus “limits”), but it’s easier to meet other new students in freshman housing.</p>
<p>I would add to MedSchHopeful’s comments that it may be in your interest to find someone to sublet from during the summer. People always need renters, and it would definitely be cheaper than staying in the dorm and buying a meal plan.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Again adding on to MedSchHopeful, I believe that once you move off campus you have broken your housing contract with Pitt and it becomes MUCH harder to move back on. The exception to this is studying abroad.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Definitely need to stay on campus your first year-- especially as an international student this will give you an opportunity to meet and interact with many of your peers whom you might otherwise not meet. I would say, personally, as someone who lives “far” away as well (OOS) that I preferred the convenience of living on-campus to the hassle of moving off-campus earlier on. Admittedly, I lived in an apartment-style dorm sophomore and junior year, so I was able to keep my meal plan to a minimum which made food a LOT cheaper. It also saved me the hassle of finding furniture to move or a good apartment to live in or a summer sub-letter.</p>
<p>The exception for you would be that if you KNOW that you will be in Pittsburgh for the summer terms, then it might be easier to move off campus sooner. But I also think that it may be harder for you to find certain places to live in, since some apartments require things like a credit check or background check (not sure how that works for international students).</p>
<p>Apologies for the delay in answering, I was on vacation without access to a computer.</p>
<p>As informed, two events all international students are required to attend: OIS to register official attendance with SEVIS (17 August)and International student check-in(August 20). Failure to attend these programs may result in the loss of legal status …</p>
<p>How about if I have very important affair that I might not attend these two events on time, but only arrive campus after 23 August, can I request for amendment or delay about the dates?? Please help.</p>
<p>I don’t know. You should contact Admissions and/or Panther Central to see what they say. I have to say though, I can’t really see what is more important than ensuring that you’re registered as a student at Pitt, ensuring that you get to legally stay in the country to study…</p>
<p>Hello, I was wondering if anyone could answer my question. I am a junior in high school and was thinking about applying to Pitt in August…but the earliest I can retake the sat is in October and I will probably take the act for the first time in early September. Should I wait to apply considering my weak sat scores? Will they make the decision before I send in my act and sat scores in the fall?</p>
<p>This is a hard decision because your ACT scores would be done before the decision, but if your ACT scores are low, you wouldn’t get your new SAT scores in before the first round of admissions (early October). My advice to you is to wait until your ACT scores are back. If they’re good, submit your application then. If not, wait until you get your SAT scores in October/November and apply right away afterwards.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice! If I were to do great on the act (30 or so) would I need to bother sending in my sat as well? Does Pitt need to see every sat/act you took?</p>
<p>No. I’d say anything before mid-to-late November is fine. In terms of scholarships (if you need them) you’d want to apply ASAP, but if you just want admission, sometime in that time frame should be fine.</p>
<p>So would you say September would be okay for scholarships? And also since on the application there isn’t much room for EC’s, should I submit a resume? I was going to talk about sports in my essay but I still have student government and stuff like that</p>
<p>Anything before early October is fine for scholarships, since the first acceptances don’t come out until then.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Like MD Mom said, you can email in a resume after you complete your application. I don’t remember if you will get your application reference number after you submit your application online, but either way, you can send an email to OAFA and just attach the extra documents and explain that it’s your resume/list of activities that you wanted to include in your application packet.</p>
<p>Someone confirmed this on your thread as an 8 or higher. Can anyone else confirm this?</p>
<p>Also-- I will be on CC sparingly until May 31. I am in the process of moving apartments and don’t have a steady internet connection currently! Apologies in advance for delayed responses</p>
<p>How is Pitt? I’m a current junior and i’m gonna have to apply to colleges in the fall and I like Pitt a lot from my research. I want to major in neuroscience since Pitt has a very prestigious neuroscience department. Do you think it has good diversity as well? How is the city too?
Thanks</p>