Pitt vs Penn State

<p>ignore me. i was obviously a bit delusional when i typed that. yes, i meant UPenn. sorry to be a killjoy to those who had their hopes up...</p>

<p>See Dilo i respect that..like i sed i DID apply to PSU so its not like i hate it...but jec doesnt have 2 b a d-bag about it</p>

<p>Dilo: I don't think it's an "unfortunate attitude" or a "superiority complex" that Penn Staters have, it's more a reflection of the pride they carry for the school and the fact that the vast majority of students who go there really, really enjoy their college experience. I know graduates from many other schools who enjoyed their colleges, but can't really relate to that intense degree of loyalty and enthusiasm, especially after they graduate. PSU has the #1 alumni association in the country which also indicates the way people feel about the school and their experiences there. In essence, you go to Penn State for 4 years, but you are a Penn Stater for a lifetime. Yes, we do think it's a great place and have a hard time understanding how someone wouldn't like it there, but we don't think they're "idiots." If anything, we face the attitudes of the private school elitists who think we are the idiots for being so excited over a public school. To them I say: they mock what they don't understand.</p>

<p>Fair enough PSUFan. Looking at it from your point of view, then perhaps you're correct. That said, it does get old when every person I meet from PSU....and that's not an exaggeration....acts as though Happy Valley is the only place one should go to school. However, it's good for me to see how you look at, and perhaps you'll take what I've said into consideration.</p>

<p>University Of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus</p>

<p>"The University of Pittsburgh “is the perfect-sized institution,” a place with “all the benefits of a large urban university, including research, internships, and lots of amazing experiences,” but also small enough “that people truly have a chance to make a name for themselves on campus. You can’t go five minutes without bumping into someone you know here.” Many departments stand out; all medical fields benefit from the school’s affiliation with the renowned research-oriented University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and programs in dentistry, pharmacology, physical therapy, neuroscience, and biology are all considered outstanding. Programs in engineering, business, and the liberal arts are also noteworthy. Students appreciate the fact that “professors here are all very accessible and really want their students to learn and understand their courses. They are willing to work with the students to [help them] achieve better grades and enhance the learning experience.” Opportunities to study abroad abound, and undergrads “can often find study-abroad programs that are cheaper for them than their tuition would have been.”" "A “very diverse population” of 16,796 undergraduates virtually guarantees that “everyone is bound to meet someone whom he or she would have never met staying in his or her hometown.” The school has “over 450 organizations, and all those groups provide a place for students to come and be their own people in a group they feel comfortable with.” Highly competitive admissions mean that “kids here are definitely intelligent and have a lot going for them.” They’re not just brainiacs, though—in fact, Pitt students “like to have a good time too, not just going out to parties. Many students really take advantage of the free admission to numerous museums and free city busing to visit the many neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.” The most dedicated students here, our respondents report, can be found in the medical sciences (neuroscience, chemistry, and biology) as well as in some of the humanities (writing, literature, philosophy)." "Pitt is located in Oakland, a “really nice location relative to downtown Pittsburgh and the surrounding neighborhoods.” Thanks to “the school’s arrangement” with the city of Pittsburgh, “every Pitt student gets free city busing,” a perk that allows and encourages undergrads to explore the city. Further such encouragement comes in the form of PittArts, a program that “heavily subsidizes cultural events in the city. When Broadway shows come to Pittsburgh, you can get tickets for $10, a dinner at an Italian restaurant, and free transportation downtown. They also offer free lectures, operas, and symphonies.” No wonder students tell us that “Pittsburgh is a college city, one that really caters to students. Bigger cities may offer more renowned acts coming through, or more famous museums, but in Pittsburgh we can actually afford to experience them!” The campus is also busy, with “many campus organizations,” “free movies in the Union, student performances on campus, lectures (Maya Angelou came recently)”; these offer students lots of opportunities to socialize. Pitt athletics are also popular, with basketball and football drawing the biggest crowds. All of these options “make socializing easier and less alcohol-centric. While there is a lot of drinking on campus, it is just as easy and socially acceptable to sit down to coffee.”"</p>

<p>Pennsylvania State University - University Park</p>

<p>"At Penn State “You can do anything you want” academically because with “over 160 majors” to choose from, “There are unlimited opportunities” for every undergraduate. Such vast resources are typical of a sprawling public flagship university, but it’s the personal touches that leave students “pretty impressed with how such a large school can run like a small one.” For example, “Professors do a lot to facilitate personal interactions.” They are “really easy to talk to both in and out of class, and they’re always accessible.” Unfortunately, it’s not always a professor students end up with: “They do use a lot of teaching assistants, which can get frustrating.” Still, professors are “thought-provoking” and “You can tell that a lot of them really do want to be teaching.” If you can manage to get into it, the Schreyer Honors College’s “rigorous” curriculum presents “tremendous opportunities.” In addition to more challenging courses, it “offers incredible amounts of money for study abroad, internships, and faculty co-ops,” and its students get perks like “priority registration for classes.” Administratively, “Penn State is a huge machine . . . run with amazing efficiency.” Credit is given to President Graham Spanier, who is praised for not only “holding office hours” and “responding personally to e-mails,” but also for being “very involved in student life.” Despite having “created Late-Night Penn State and the News Readership Program,” he also finds time to be the “advisor to the magician’s club” and “play the washboard in a bar downtown.” Perhaps the greatest long-term benefit of a Penn State education is “the social networking.” With an alumni association of over 159,000 members and growing, opportunities for success through networking are “well in your favor” at Penn State.""“There is a bit of everything” on this huge campus in the center of the Keystone State. That’s why some students find it so difficult to describe their peers succinctly. Rather than a “typical” student at Penn State, for some survey respondents it makes more sense to describe the school’s “multitude of groups of ‘atypical’ students: frat boys . . . jocks, internationals, loners, skaters . . . ‘jokers, smokers, midnight tokers’ . . . city kids, rednecks, country bumpkins, and so on.” In this way, “It’s like a large high school, where everyone is in their own group.” So “if you come to Penn State, don’t worry about finding friends because there is someone up here for everyone.” Yet even “Though there are a lot of differences, everyone wears blue and white on their sleeve.” Ultimately, “All Penn State students . . . love this college.”" "At a university this size, “you can do anything and everything” in your free time. There are, however, a couple of common threads. First, “PSU football is a religion.” During the fall, “Everyone goes to the football games and tailgates on Saturdays.” Second, is the partying. “People party as hard on the weekends as they study during the week.” “Popular choices” for freshmen and sophomores are “frat or apartment parties,” while “For those over 21, Penn State’s College Avenue has a great range of over 20 bars for students to choose from.” However, “If someone is not a partier, there are plenty of activities and organizations” he or she can devote her time to. For example, “substance-free activities that occur during the weekends at the Student Union (such as movies, video game tournaments, concerts)” are alternatives for those that decline to imbibe. In terms of extracurriculars, the options are practically endless. According to several students, “with over 700 student clubs and organizations, there’s something for everyone” at Penn State, offering “virtually limitless possibilities to carve out your own corner” and “help students get involved, build a resume, and network.”"</p>

<p>there is no "better" school. it's all based on preference. visit both and you'll know for sure. both are great schools.</p>

<p>Dilo: I respect your insight as well. And you are right, I do find myself getting overly enthusiastic about PSU --even after all these years :) -- and then try to tone it down a notch because it can come across as obnoxious. Having said that, my son has applied to both PSU and Pitt so I'll definitely have to get my act together one way or the other!!</p>

<p>ok so im currently stuck between the two… at first my mind was set on pitt, but then i got the letter from psu sayign i got in. before i got the letter i was 100% set on going to pitt… then i realized that i love to party and hey i love spirited things and psu has much more of that, after i visited last weekend i realized it may be to much. it seems like im gonna get tired of the same old things all the time… but then pitt when i visited the party was OK, definitely nothing compared to the psu parties. and as of now im undecided and have no idea what i want to major in so really the academics aspects cant be a huge factor in my decision because overall there equal</p>

<p>the kids at Pitt know how to party and there are plenty. i’ve had PSU kids visit Pitt and say our parties are just as good and some of my Pitt friends have gone to PSU and said their parties are no different than ours. </p>

<p>Pitt has a solid football program (should be ranked again next y) and a basketball program that one of the elite in the country. definitely a lot of support for our sports. but you probably shouldn’t be picking a school based on parties and sports haha. don’t forget about location… PSU is in rural state college and Pitt is in an urban neighborhood a few miles from downtown Pittsburgh.</p>

<p>I am a parent and a Penn State Alumnus. As I reflect on my time there, I had a good time and I got a decent education, but it really wasn’t the best school for me for a variety of reasons. When I took my d to visit, she didn’t love the vibe (perhaps witnessing several drunken episodes on College Ave didn’t help) and decided against it. No school is the right place for everyone. You just have to visit and trust your instincts. Don’t talk yourself into liking a place just bc everyone else likes it. Pitt is clearly the better school for my d, but that means nothing to anyone else.</p>

<p>Pitt v. Penn State</p>

<p>Pitt is ranked 56th and Penn State 47th in the rankings. So, not much of a difference.
Penn State is more appealing to Out of State kids. It is a better known school.
If you want the “better known” school, PSU is hands down the better choice outside of Western Pennsylvania. But, the University of Pittsburgh has probably one of the best medical and nursing schools in the country, a well respected business school and engineering school, and is enjoyable for someone more into nightlife outside of campus life. </p>

<p>I go to Pitt. I’m not going to lie, it isn’t the best. It was a safety school, and sometimes I get tired of people asking me where Pitt is. I am originally from New England. Am I satisfied with my choice? Yes. Pittsburgh is a wonderful city for young people like me. There are a lot of opportunities with well known companies that you will not get at Penn State. I work for a well known Fortune 500 company and it is a resume builder. </p>

<p>Penn State on the other hand is a better networking school. Everyone and their mother went to PSU. haha. So, there are beneficial things about both schools. </p>

<p>I mean, for someone who is undecided, I would probably recommend PSU because it has stronger programs overall. I came here for Philosophy, and the philosophy department is one of the best in the country. If you don’t find happiness at the parties on campus, go to another school’s parties or go to a club. It’s not rocket science. The steelers are here, and though the Pirates suck, you can see quality teams play here when the Phillies or LA visit. </p>

<p>So, for a better “college” experience, I agree, Penn State is by far the better school. For the city-life, and not so traditional college experience, Pitt is better.</p>

<p>This probably isn’t that convincing. I am only writing this because I am procrastinating. Anyway, good luck in your choice. </p>

<p>P.S. I have to say one thing. Big East Basketball> Big Ten Basketball</p>

<p>Rankings - Pitt and PSU are similar- however, some of Pitt’s programs are internationally recognized(esp. nursing, medical fields). Pitt is as most recognized research university therefore affording students opportunities that are often found only in top LAC or private universities. Pitt is in a college town/city- lots of restaurants, bars, movies, shopping, and a variety of neighborhoods and areas to explore. Also Pitt is close to the airport and not in the middle of nowhere. it’s easy to leave Pitt and go home for holidays without being stuck on a bus for hours
The sports at Pitt are great also. There is a lot of school spirit. I think the partying at Penn State is more visible. Pitt students party but study very hard also. There is an urban feel to Pitt. Kids at Pitt love Pitt. I’m sure that kids at PSU love it there as well.</p>

<p>I think the two schools are so different, as previous posters have said. It’s great that Pennsylvanians have such choices.</p>

<p>They are both nice schools.
Penn State is slightly higher ranking and in the Central PA area, while Pittsburgh is further away.</p>

<p>The atmosphere is very different while Pittsburgh is a busy city, Penn State has the rolling fields, farms nearby, it’s more rural. I suppose that part depends on where you grew up and what you prefer.
Growing up in the middle of nowhere where you can go for walks past farms and miles of beautiful land and trees, and patches of city areas I haven’t had much experience in a big city environment. I enjoy being able to walk outside and see trees and being able to ahve my own organic garden. However others might not like that as much, and prefer seeing buildings and people everywhere they go.
Another thing that goes hand in hand with the different environments is transportation. At PSU you aren’t going to have public transportation everywhere you want/need go and might need to drive or ride your bike if you want to go to liek special events or to visit relatives in PA.
At Pittsburgh there’s more public tranportation since it’s a big city so you can easily find a bus, taxi, etc. to get to where you need to go. </p>

<p>I say follow your heart and go where you feel you were meant to go. Visit each school to get a better idea of what it’s like and the environment around it.
Good luck! :)</p>

<p>Well I love schools in an urban setting so I am a bit biased. But I heard that Penn State is quite racist and not very diverse. Pitt is way more diverse and you’ll get exposure to different people. Plus its in a city with like 5 other colleges, come on.</p>

<p>PSU isn’t racist, and no it’s very, very diverse.</p>

<p>I think you’re both wrong. Pitt and Penn State are both neither too homogenous nor extremely diverse (compared to say, Temple). They are about the same in terms of diversity with Pitt being slightly more diverse. Both reflect the demographics of the state of Pennsylvania.</p>

<p>You mean very. very diverse in terms of alot of, alot of caucasions. lol </p>

<p>& Penn State is indeed racist. Remember the little incident some years back? I definitely wouldnt recommend that school to a minority. If the OP is white then fine. Plus PSU financial aid sucks worst than Pitt’s.</p>

<p>^^^
Is that possible?</p>