<p>Hi guys! I'm having a tough time deciding between Pitt and Oberlin! With financial aid they are going to cost about the same so that's not a factor. I'm from PA and Pitt is three hours away while Oberlin is five and half hours away. I want to study biology and statistics so I'm wondering which school would be better. I'm also thinking that I would fit in better with the student life at Pitt especially going to games and other events. I'm wondering what any of you guys think. Anybody worried about living in a city? Oberlin is rural and I'm from a rural area, but I've also heard that Pittsburgh is awesome. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m an Oberlin grad (from the old days) and have two kids at Pitt - do you realize these schools are about as night and day as they come? Oberlin is small town, small school, great program with research going on, highly personal relationships with profs, sports exist but um not like rah-rah, the drum major for the marching band (if that still exists) was a guy in a chicken suit…Pitt is big city, big school, great program with research everywhere on everything and you have to make the effort to get to know or interact with your profs. Oberlin (and I say this with the upmost respect) is hippy and Pitt is pretty apolitical. You really have to visit each and decide where you would like to be.</p>
<p>@amandakayak I do know that they are very opposite, but I am attracted to both of them. I have visited Oberlin and my mom is a grad so I know all about it. I was just wondering how people felt about it now. I also know that Pitt is a big city school and has a lot more medical research opportunities. I want to go into Public health and I’m not sure of both schools will give me a good chance to get into a graduate program. I was trying to get an idea if which student population I would best fit with great academics from both.</p>
<p>Pros and cons of each to you? You mention going to sporting events, Pitt has those - Oberlin, well not really. It also has the cultural events of a city, buses are free so those are easily accessible…lots of restaurants while Oberlin has what, like 4-5? Not knocking it, I couldn’t deal with living in a city, too much noise and bustle for me personally.</p>
<p>When you are thinking about graduate school, Pitt has the reputation and opportunities to enhance your application whereas not sure what you could do for internships or shadowing public health at Oberlin, maybe there are opportunities in Elyria, but I don’t know. GPA wise - it is harder perhaps to keep a strong GPA when you are in larger classes. Harder to make relationships with professors to write your grad school recommendations - unless you make the effort. </p>
<p>Hopefully, AwesomeOpposum and some others will chime in here but maybe you could give more info as to what you are looking for or what’s on your pro/con list?</p>
<p>Biology or biostatistics -> Pitt wins, easily</p>
<p>If you want to explore what a career in public health might be like before taking the plunge in grad school, Pitt has one of the best public health schools (graduate level) in the nation to poke around in. Find some professors in the school and ask to talk to them about their work and career, and then maybe even ask to volunteer with them on one of their projects.</p>
<p>At Pitt, you’re going to have to go out and be more self motivated to take advantage of the opportunities that are there. It is larger, and there won’t likely be as much hand holding.</p>
<p>As mentioned, the two schools couldn’t be more different: setting, size, scope…you really should go to the one you envision being happiest at. You sound somewhat excited but hesitant about moving from a rural to urban setting. The answer to whether that difference in environment is a real issue is very much a personal one that you have to decide for yourself. </p>