<p>So Pitt sent me a free T-shirt today that said "University of Pittsburgh University Honors College". Did anyone else get one. I feel lucky, because Pitt also had the graciousness to waive my application fee, and give me some big money.</p>
<p>Is anyone else in this kind of situation?</p>
<p>My son received his Honors College T-shirt the other day. He got a T-shirt from the Engineering School several weeks ago. Pitt has given him two scholarships - a Chancellors Nominee scholarship and one from the Engineering School. It seems as though he has been receiving one or two things a week from Pitt lately. One of the teachers who wrote a recommendation for my son told him today she received a poem from Pitt in the mail. She said she had never received a poem from a college before in all the years she had been writing teacher recommendations. I do think Pitt does a nice job promoting itself.</p>
<p>What's weird about receiving a T-shirt? I agree with jdasmom that Pitt has been great promoting itself. Since my daughter was accepted in December, we've gotten something every week: a calendar, guaranteed admission to graduate school, info regarding her intended major, etc. I say "we" because some of it is addressed to her, some of it addressed to the 'rents. I say, keep it coming! I am looking forward to visiting the school in March.</p>
<p>GO PITT! Pitt has some wonderful programs and opportunities for bright students. It is terrific that they are marketing the university and going after the students. A visit to Pitt often secures the deal for the students!!</p>
<p>Hey, we be THRILLED to receive all those goodies, particularly the big money part! We just receive tuition bills, with a big out-of-state fee added on! Oh, yes, we did get a free t-shirt at Pitt Start!</p>
<p>Mikenthemaddog66: For a large university, Pitt makes every attempt to make the prospective student feel welcomed. It's not a snobby, stuck-up place. Have you visited? We found it to be a very friendly campus, and the school presents a professional admissions info session/tour. Pitt is attracting academically successful students who appreciate the many opportunities Pitt offers.</p>
<p>Mike, there are lots of schools that send "gifts" to the kids they want. Last year our Pitt D got t-shirts, hats, mugs, etc. from a variety of schools. Part of the competition these schools find themselves in devolves into a marketing campaign not unlike any other entity who is selling a product, only in this case the product is a school and its education.</p>
<p>Have you visited Pitt yet? What is your intended major? You really owe it to yourself to see first hand the various labs and research facilities that Pitt has, visit with the profs in your intended dept, and question people at length about your goals and how what you want to do can be achieved at Pitt. Also, read the website, including the recent press releases part, and see the multitude of funding, endowment, national research grants, Rhodes scholars, etc. This place has so many opportunties for anyone with ambition and a thirst for knowledge, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of that, esplly if you are looking at financing grad school or some such down the road and Pitt is offering you good money to attend.</p>
<p>The Honors College page under News has the most easily accessed articles on the Rhodes, Marshall, and Goldwater scholars, plus the Fulbright stuff. The news archives on the Pitt home page has stuff like the fact that Pitt is in the top ten nationally of universities, public and private, with endowments over $1 billion for fiscal year 2006 percentage increases in endowment. Pitt's endowment is now $1.8 billion. Since a large part of the USNW rankings has to do with the endowment, that will probably translate into a higher overall ranking for the university next year.</p>
<p>They have pretty generous scholarships. I got a couple of them :D</p>
<p>I also got a T shirt! I'm super psyched. They sent me a large, so it's huge, but I'll cut it or something so I can wear it to school.</p>
<p>Or you can try to get big so you can fit into it.</p>
<p>The T-shirt idea is a novel one, IMO. They probably sent everyone a size large because you could always wear it over another shirt, like a turtleneck. It gets cold in Pittsburgh; you need to dress in layers, anyway....</p>
<p>I loved the little package they sent mine in. I had read this thread and knew that the soft lil package I got was a t-shirt before I opened it, but for a second I thought they were sending me Honors College Bedsheets. Now that would be awesome. </p>
<p>I'll go to the first college that either sends me a) bedsheets, or b) an official university backpack. lol. I could really use those things, as mine are getting old.</p>
<p>rather go to pitt than cmu?</p>
<p>It depends on what you want, Futureholds. First of all, CMU is harder to get into. CMU has one of the top engineering programs in the country. I would rank it below only MIT and CalTech. It is also very strong in the math and sciences and has a great theater program. Career opportunites are great at CMU. Google has its Pittsburgh office set up on CMU's campus.</p>
<p>However, if you are looking for a rah-rah type school, CMU is not it. Although students take pride in CMU and love the opportunities it offers, school spirit at sporting events and such is limited. Many students are focues on their studies and definately are less social than the average college student. However, CMU fraternity parties are extremely popular, sometimes even more so than Pitt frats.</p>
<p>So basically, it depends on what you want.</p>
<p>If fiinances are a serious concern, go to Pitt. It's an outstanding state uni.</p>
<p>I want a tshirt! All I got is a sticker hahah. :P</p>