<p>there is no express elevator. you're experience was accurate you have to wait and wait for the elevators, unless you want to walk 35 flights of stairs. It doesn't get to busy, there are probably a max of like 7-8 people studying up there and a couple clubs through the honors college meet up there. I wouldn't say at all the the HC kids form cliques, but the HC kids do tend to stick together just because they live together and do activities together. There is definitely a much tighter closer bond with the Honors floors than the normal dorm floors on campus, but nothing that would be considered cliques.</p>
<p>Thanks, tennisguy. What else can you tell us about the socal life in the HC and on campus, in general? How do the students do academically during their first year (considering that many are scholarship recipients)?</p>
<p>In response to:lkf725 </p>
<p>I do not know how you could make the basis that the Honors Housing is a social popularity contest. We had to write an essay to get in which was reviewed by the honors committee. Without even knowing us it would seem hard to get a spot because we were in the "in" crowd.</p>
<p>With that in mind I think they do look for people who are more social and able to build the community. There are 24/7 quiet floors if you just wish to concentrate on your studies all day. And in how they create the community might be finding people of all different areas of study like in college admissions (hey not all 4.0 students get into Harvard)</p>
<p>The main difference between honors housing and the rest of the housing was a bigger sense of closeness because we moved in a week before school to just do activities with those students in the honors housing. When the other students were moving in I was hanging out with my friends in the honors housing (which is a lot less daunting to meet friends in a group of 100 or so then 4000). All of the activities of the honors college are open to all honors students but a majority of those participating were in the honors college (with the exception of floor events in the honors lounge in Tower B which would be hard for students in other buildings to get into).</p>
<p>Also I did not find the HC in the cathedral to be a good place to study. Id rather be in the library or main floor of the cathedral.</p>
<p>Of course, essays count for first year assignment to honors housing. They have almost nothing else to go on. If you got into honors housing for the second year, waterpolo, you know how it works, or else you will soon. ;) For example, you know there are students in it who don't even meet the published requirements, while some students who got top grades and held a campus job, but attended only a few of the parties did not.</p>
<p>It is what it is. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>For the kids who didn't get honors housing, what about moving in early and doing the bonding thing with the other honors kids? Does that not happen?</p>
<p>I think they should let those students also move in early to better integrate into the honors community, but I don't think they have in past years. I'm with the posters who think that Pitt should expand honors housing to meet the demand. After all, the students have to live somewhere so why not give them their desired community?</p>
<p>Still, there are top students and wonderful "families" all over the campus, so don't worry too much if you don't get picked for the limited honors housing. I know lots of kids who qualify but have found very satisfying living arrangements elsewhere and do not even apply. I think ultimately, students tend to bond with others in their own major, or sometimes with the brothers/sisters of the Greek system.</p>
<p>the early move in was for the honors housing program before school. Yes i would agree that those who are selected in the 2nd year are partly choosen on who they know. But also by the second year it is not as big of a deal (at least i feel) because you have met friends and there seem to be less benefits of honors housing to sophmores (maybe living in the forbes craig apartments is a plus since they are apartments). For me i didnt even apply for the honors housing the second year because i did not like the location they moved the housing to and I had a roommate already lined up for next year.</p>
<p>
[quote]
by the second year it is not as big of a deal (at least i feel) because you have met friends and there seem to be less benefits of honors housing to sophmores
[/quote]
Totally agree!</p>
<p>IMO, the honors housing is an enticement for prospective students. It's the kind of offering that's available at the "elite" schools. (Great promo.) It's also a good way for newcomers to initially meet people and be introduced to the campus. After freshman year, probably no one really cares one way or the other if he/she is in honors housing or not.</p>
<p>However, the students not in Forbes should be able to move into their dorm earlier in order to participate in the Honors orientation. My guess is that the only other students who could probably participate are commuters, or students whose family could afford to arrive a few days sooner and they all stay in a hotel so the kid could participate in the honors orientation....</p>
<p>from what i hear kids who both are and are not in honors housing have gotten info about moving in early. someone speculated that it might just be those who were given scholarships, but who knows. i hope everyone from honors is able to do the early move in/ orientation, it sounds like a lot of fun.</p>
<p>Hey oceangirl, can you give any specifics about early move-in for non-honors housing?</p>
<p>Has notification for early orientation been sent out? My D is in Forbes but has heard nothing about arrival. We've heard nothing from Pitt at all since Pittstart at the beginning of the month. My D can't even get a return email and/or phone call from her advisor, after 6 messages, about her scheduling conflicts! I'm starting to get peeved.</p>
<p>I was informed through email that if you are not in Honors housing at Forbes you are not invited to the orientation which is for the "Honors Community" =Forbes. The email went on to say that other honor students are provided with adequate orientation through PITT START. </p>
<p>My son didnt get into Forbes so I assume he doesn't move in early or participate in these orientation activities. This "Honors" designation has been pretty misleading..................... Although he is taking two honors classes which I guess is the most important part!</p>
<p>I'm feeling that my daughter, who also didn't get into Forbes, is missing out on a lot of the perks of being in the honors college. However, I'm trying hard not to convey my disappointment when she's within earshot. I wrote an e-mail to someone in the honors college and he recommended that she hang out on the honors floor to "soak up the atmosphere." That's supposed to take the place of honors orientation. I don't think so!</p>
<p>Let me just relay a little of my D's experience, fwiw, to those who didn't make it into Forbes. I have stated this before, but maybe it bears repeating. D's very best friends, her "group" are honors kids whom she met thru honors classes. NONE of them (other than D) were in honors housing last year. One girl was in SPACE, the others were in Lothrop and Holland. They met in class, hung out in the UHC lounge, went to UHC activities together (the activities are all posted on the calendar on the website), plus the library, coffee shops, museums, athletic events, movies, etc.</p>
<p>Some of these kids were in her engrg classes, some were in math or physics with her. They are all paired up different ways for housing next year. NONE of them signed up for sophomore honors housing. NONE of them ever thought they'd made a mistake choosing Pitt. Several are doing summer internships for professors/research scientists; some because of contacts made at Pitt. They have leadership positions for next fall; they have made good close relationships with profs and staff in UHC w/o having lived in honors housing, just by seeking out opptys and participating in activities and classes and getting to know their profs outside of class.</p>
<p>Honors housing IS a lot of fun and a really good experience. It is a good selling point for Pitt, but it is by no means the alpha and omega of UHC or what UHC and Pitt can do for you. One of D's "group" did the most extensive college search I've heard of yet. She visited 30 schools and applied to 22 (yes, twenty-two), got admitted to at least 12, maybe more, lots of scholarships and good finaid. She chose Pitt, she is happy, she loves it, she knows lots of good profs, has many opptys, is successful and did NOT live in honors housing.</p>
<p>Thanks mercymom for taking the time to post your message. It might just be we are having a little pity party here. Thanks for sprucing up the party! I guess we just can't help but feel that our kids are the last ones on the side to be picked and we want them to feel just a little bit special, too.</p>
<p>My son is very happy rooming with his best friend in the towers. I guess I was the one pushing for the "quality" of the Honors housing experience. He wanted to live in Forbes initially and wrote the essay but he has soooo moved on ...."senior week in Ocean city!" so I guess we should too!!!</p>
<p>megnut, living in the towers is the quintessential freshman Pitt experience. i did ask D about this and she said she might actually prefer being in towers over Forbes because of all the action in the towers and the quad. it will be interesting to see how this plays out for you guys next year. there are pros and cons for both situations. the only kids who really didn't like their dorm that much were the girls in Holland. apparently no one these days likes single sex dorms (except maybe parents?)</p>
<p>I think Holland would be really nice! All girls, convenient, safe area and close to the center of activity. Of course I am a parent!</p>