<p>I have been on Pitt's campus a ton so I can take any questions you have about it. However, I'm not a student, so I can't answer everything.</p>
<p>How is the wireless network? Laptop or desktop?</p>
<p>I got a laptop last summer and have been abroad ever since so I have not tested the wireless....I think it is pretty good though because I have seen lots of students on campus using their laptops on the common grouns.</p>
<p>I have a desktop in storage, but if I could turn back time, I would have gotten a laptop in the beginning. Having one later on made me realize that it's just so much more practical....the only problem you may have is theft....it;s easy to steal a laptop vs a desktop...so just be careful. What it comes down to is do you want the portability? My rec would be to get a laptop. I am not completely against desktops, but they are much better suited if you have a permanent residence to keep it and you are not moving it back and forth every year (if you stay in a dorm).</p>
<p>Mac and PC support on campus....I have a PC but I like to play with the Macs at school from time to time. No preference really. 24 hr phone tech support....it's great when you are working on a late night paper and you have no idea how to do something or you are having comp probs....</p>
<p>Dorms: I stayed in a dorm for 1.5 years (started school int he spring) but I prefer to live off campus....I am on the waitlist so there is a possibility that I will not get housing or at least the housing I requested (if they try to put me in some building I don;t want, I will cancel the housing contract...you can do that before you move in...and get my $325 deposit back and live off campus).</p>
<p>Safety: Campus is pretty safe for the most part. Some shady things happen but I suppose you will find that once in a while everywhere. Pittsburgh in general is pretty safe.....lots of bums, traffic, and dirt though. </p>
<p>Classes: I have had good experiences for the most part...I like my classes at Pitt....the thing that can make or break the class though is the teacher...UTILIZE THE ADD/DROP PERIOD! First impressions are important to me...I can tell whether or not I will like a eacher on the first day....I change my schedule a LOT :D .</p>
<p>Weather: I love cold weather so the snow and so on don't bother me! I love it! It snows in March...I love a snowy birthday :) Don't expect to have classes canceled though....they usually go on. My freshman year they did cancel class for one day though...I hear tha tis very rare.</p>
<p>Sports: Not into sports....the kids get excited around basketball season though</p>
<p>Clubs/bars: not my thing.</p>
<p>Museums and stuff: Lots of that stuff....I have not gotten to take advantage of it yet but I would like to. You have museums and symphonies and operas and even the Pittsburgh Zoo! I like that kind of stuff....when I get back I am going to get more into it. The Pit Program Council also sponsors some things like trips to NYC and wine tasting and other stuff of the sort to take a break from school work.</p>
<p>Tansportation; Great...I come from a city with basically no transportation and I do not drive....so Pittsburgh is great as far as the bus system. It can be a little slow at times and traffic can be a nightmare, but you can always get where you want to go if not by foot, by bus. There is even a shuttle that goes to and from the airport everyday from the school area. It's a great setup and access to Pitt and City buses are "free" (aka included in the $$$$ tuition).</p>
<p>bonafide20,
Thanks for the great summary! My son was leaning toward laptop pc, but is undecided on a brand or model. Any suggestions? I heard IBM support is the best, but Dell has a discount at Pitt.</p>
<p>Was the dorm you stayed at on the Oakland campus? What building do you want to live in? I heard from another parent that Sutherland is nice, even though it's at the top of the hill. I guess freshmen don't really get any choice. </p>
<p>I went to Pitt and back then they had pretty frequent shuttles up and down and around campus. I wonder if they still have those?</p>
<p>Also, any food plan suggestions for a big eater? I have no idea how the cafeteria food is, so any input would be appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>they do have shuttle buses i know. i often see them driving on craig and center, but i don't know their routes. i don't think their food is that great really. When i went to their cafeteria they had stores like a pizza place, chicken place, smoothie place, and sub place. maybe one other store. I'm not sure what breakfast is like. however, oakland has tons of restaurants that make up for that.</p>
<p>maybe i should define myself better, I think the food probably tastes good, there is just not a huge selection. a current pitt student should probably verify this too.</p>
<p>oh, and like bonafide20 said, you can ride the city buses with a pitt ID card. these of course are all over the place and can take you all around the city.</p>
<p>The free bus transportation is a nice benefit!</p>
<p>The free bus transportation is a nice benefit! Are you a future or past Pitt student, estargrl?</p>
<p>actually my high school is just a few blocks from their campus so i am on it a lot and i am aware what's happening at pitt for the most part (i do take one class there), but i am definitely not informed as a regular pitt student.</p>
<p>What a nice opportunity for you to take a college class, estargrl! Having been to school in an urban environment, do you think you will look for an urban, suburban or rural college location?</p>
<p>i would prefer urban, or a place easily accessible to a city. actually i would love to find a college that mirrors pitt's location, since just around campus are two museums, a huge park and recreation area, and shops.</p>
<p>Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is alot like Pitt. In fact, Cleveland is alot like Pittsburgh. Case is on University Circle with Severence Hall (home of the CLeveland Symphony), an Art Museum, Botannical Gardens, etc. There are also major league sports, a Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I hear it is very easy for students to get to fun parts of the city, too. Case and Pitt were neck in neck up until the last week of April. I think my son would have been happy at either. (Although Case is pretty expensive...$38K?...they give excellent financial aid based upon grades and test scores)</p>
<p>awesome, thanks. i know i was kind of looking at case but i didn't know all that about it's locatoin.</p>
<p>I was up at University Circle today, Case's neighborhood. I've visited Oakland several times, daughter spent a summer at CMU. While both areas are urban and have museums (not to mention crappy weather!), they seem very different to me. Oakland has much more of a university area feel than U Circle. Case seems a smaller fish in the U Circle pond, while Pitt/CMU students are a majority presence in Oakland. Some Pitt students have commented positively on the bus system in their area; I don't think the service around Case is as good.</p>
<p>I probably had a somewhat inaccurate view of Case because of when I visited. The only time I accompanied my son to Case was on a massive open house and tour day last summer. We walked around for hours, but really didn't get the true feeling of the place. My son visited two other times, one of which had a snowstorm in April! I do feel that Case seemed "smaller" overall than Pitt, and my husband concurs with your opinion of the college presence in the town.</p>
<p>What else would you recommend?</p>
<p>liberrame11,
Recommend for what?</p>
<p>We will probably attend one of Pitt's visit days late this summer.</p>
<p>We recently visited OSU, and my daughter liked the urban location, but not too wild about the school's size. Pitt is smaller, but not "small", and I think Oakland has a more urban feel than Columbus.</p>