<p>Thanks guys for your reply. Sorry I haven’t been online for a week or so. </p>
<p>So, I have decided to stay on-campus for my first two terms, then I would probably find a housing somewhere else. I’ve looked into the resident halls and I’ve got my eyes on Holland Hall (Quad). First of all, it’s the cheapest. I’m not sure whether staying with so many people is a good thing or not but I was thinking it’s shared with 3 other mates, so i would have more people to talk to and have fun with.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any memorable or awful experience staying in a quad-style accomodation? I’m okay at listening to experiences staying in single, double, etc too :P</p>
<p>I have no idea at all which meal plans I should choose since I’m not familiar with the expenses in the US (I’m from elsewhere :P) If I choose a plan that’s too cheap and later run out of dining passes, I might have to purchase more passes which cost a lot (in $50 increment…) and if I choose a plan that’s offer too much dining passes and end up not finishing them, it would be a waste to what is paid.</p>
<p>What do you guys think?
How much does an average adult male pay to fulfill his hunger for 15 & a half weeks? (the meal plan term last 15 & a half weeks, isn’t it?)</p>
<p>Appreciate the inputs! :D</p>
<p>PS: To those who are wondering, I’m applying to be put under waitlist. So, yeah.</p>
<p>okay, so my sophomore year i failed advocate which technically isnt really a class we just have to come to the class room and sit for 20 minutes while the other half of the school eats lunch! will that effect me getting scholorships or getting into a good college? i am only a sophomore?</p>
<p>Ya, thanks quakerstake for mentioning that. I’ve just found out yesterday as well. </p>
<p>Anyway, if we do not use up the dining passes before the end of the term, are we allowed to use the remaining dining passes during the next term?</p>
<p>Dining passes expire before the end of the term, so if you don’t use them, you lose them. For this reason it’s really best the get a smaller dining plan than you think you will need. I would not get more than one meal pass per day and minimal dining dollars because you can always buy more dining dollars during the term and they can be used in lots of places. In fact, those same places take cash, so you would not even have to get more if you run out since in that case, you can pay cash. Dining dollars will also expire but at least you can buy snack and food at convenience stores with leftover money.</p>
<p>While both meal passes and dining dollars expire, keep in mind the passes are only accepted at two places on campus while the dining dollars are accepted everywhere.</p>
<p>Pitt is really well known for neuro. You can’t go wrong going here! (Please search through old threads for more info, as I don’t feel like repeating myself :P)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Um…probably in neuro it will. Overall, Pitt lacks diversity (in my opinion). It’s like 80% caucasian. I came from a town WAY more diverse than that. But if your town is less diverse…then there you go!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Awesome! Pitt itself is in Oakland, a neighborhood about 2-3 miles from down town (a quick bus ride away). There’s a TON of stuff to do (museums, parks, lots of restaurants) in Oakland, and a lot of other neighborhoods (South Side, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Waterfront) are all a bus ride away with their own amenities/attractions (shops, bars, movie theater, grocery store, etc.) It’s a really livable place (lots of walking/biking/public transport) filled with friendly people!</p>
<p>The lowest tier, choose a medium plan (between passes and DD). The passes can ONLY be used at Market Central (under Towers) or The Perch (at Sutherland). DD can be used at any ON CAMPUS eatery (Towers, the Union, Benedum, Sutherland, Cathedral, Chevron, Posvar). DD cannot be used off campus (i.e. Panera, IGA, etc.) The nice thing about lower DD/passes is that </p>
<p>A) If/when you run out of passes, bum off of friends who got too many (trust me, this will happen), or
B) You’ll be so sick of Market that you’ll just eat out or get microwave food that is cheap (trust me, this will probably happen). </p>
<p>Your dining passes (for Market/Perch) and Dining Dollars (for any on campus eatery) expire every semester, whether or not you used them all.</p>
<p>Do you know if the single rooms at Lothrop have beds that can be raised? and if so, how much room is there under the beds, my daughter would like to purchase containers to store extra items. She has requested Lothrop as her first choice.</p>
<p>There are two types of beds at Pitt: board beds, and post beds (for lack of better terms). Board beds are mattresses that lay on top of a huge piece of wood (I think maybe plywood or something?) The height of these beds can’t be changed except with bought raisers, but at the same time, I think these only come in the “high bed” position.</p>
<p>Post beds are beds in mattress holders that hook into the posts at the headboard and footboard. You can change the height by pulling off the mattress, flipping the bed over, and putting the mattress back on. </p>
<p>In both cases, either the bed is already high enough to put normal storage boxes underneath, or can be flipped to do so. If neither of those work, go out and buy the raisers to raise the bed a few more inches and you should be okay. OR buy a flatter storage box (ex. those boxes for sweaters).</p>
<p>I’m looking at Ivies and other top schools because of my grades (35 ACT, 1550 CR+M on SAT, 3.95 uw GPA), but I’m also considering Pitt because hopefully I’ll snag some scholarship money. Would you say I could have a nerdy, yet social atmosphere if I went to Pitt? When I visited Northeastern, it seemed like the honors kids stuck together which I like the idea of. Intended major(s): CompSci and Economics with minor(s) in some eastern language and/or mathematics. Is Pitt a fit (LOL rhyming)?</p>
<p>That is basically what UHC is ALL about! We’re the nerdy-yet-have-fun sorts! You should definitely come check it out because it definitely seems like you’d fit in. :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Within the housing (at least my year) it was a norm that the kids that came back to the UHC housing (that didn’t live there) were other UHC kids who were coming for study-parties, help on HW, group projects, or sometimes just hanging out because they met their friends through some UHC class. However, one of the nice things about UHC is that we are non-inclusive-- anyone can do anything involved with UHC. Some people will only befriend people through the UHC, but I’ve found a better experience through having various groups of friends–one of which is UHC, but others that are related to my clubs or majors (i.e. I had a group of friends that I knew because we were all in the same major, not necessarily all UHC). It probably helps that my major is Engineering, so you still get the nerdy, yet social atmosphere with kids just from my major.</p>
<p>@AwesomeOpossum That sounds great! I’m hoping to be a walk-on to run track or play soccer so I would have my fix of the jock life too. How would you describe Pitt’s generosity when it comes to merit-based scholarships? Any chance at a full ride?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, more and more great students hear about and apply to Pitt, so each year, it’s become harder and harder to get any money from Pitt. Your stats seem good, but you also need a diversity factor: OOS, gender, ethnicity, major, small town, etc. will all help decide what kind of money you could expect from Pitt. Generally speaking, the farther away you are, the easier it is to get money.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Chance, yes. Likelihood? Very very low. The only academic full-rides are given by the UHC (not Pitt the University). These are VERY hard to get-- only 10-12 students will get them a year. You have to be invited by the UHC to apply separately for it, from there about 100 of the top applications are asked to come back to Pitt for in-person interviews from which the 10-12 Chancellor’s Scholars are picked. Basically, don’t count on getting one.</p>
<p>Can’t really say much because it’s in A&S as opposed to SSOE, so you will have to deal with all those Gen Eds that many people talk about. My friends that are in it tend to like the classes, I have one friend currently interning at Amazon right now-- so the students are quite successful!</p>
<p>Surprisingly yes! I took it my first semester at Pitt. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>We covered about 7 plays (about 1 play every 2 weeks I think). Generally our homework was reading an Act every two nights. I vaguely remember some of the plays: Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Richard III, and more. I believe it’s always changing based on how the professor feels. I thought the class was OK-- I could tell most of the students didn’t like the material and did not do the reading, which was frustrating for me because I did all the reading and wanted to discuss the material, but my enthusiasm wasn’t really shared. My professor was also quite crazy, and I felt like he was a bit discriminating with how he graded…</p>
<p>I had a lot of friends who took the UHC version of the course at the same time that I took regular (didn’t know UHC was offered, don’t know if it still is) but if it is, I highly recommend it. Everyone in the UHC version LOVED it and the professor was great.</p>
<p>Awesome, do you know anything about Sigma Alpha Lambda at Pitt? My ds got an invite and it seems like it’s a service org but he’s never heard about them on campus. Not sure whether it is worth the $68 fee to join?</p>
So, yeah.</p>