University of Pittsburgh - Housing

My daughter is in her Soph,ore year at PITT. We have had difficulty finding pictures of the different on campus housing options and very little information that shared measurements, ideas on possible room configurations etc…so I am starting this thread in hopes that other PITT students will share some of their experiences. #H2P

I will share pics of where she has lived, Holand & Lothrop, and I am looking for information on the SINGLES in Ruskin Hall, off campus apartments, University Owned Apartments, and Boquet Gardens. Thank you,

Here is a link to a map and a description of all the Pitt residence halls.

https://www.pc.pitt.edu/housing/halls/index.php

If you click on the name of any dorm, it will take you to a page with more detailed information. Its not perfect, but its a start.

FYI, Its too late for her to be considering Bouquet Gardens for this year. Requests for apt style dorms and suites were due a few weeks ago and room selection for those units happened this week.

There is a fairly active reddit thread for Pitt with a megathread on housing - kids share pics and layouts in the past. Might want to try posting over there.

Did she pay her housing deposit and renew her housing contract before 2/1?
Does she have a good lottery number?

I think room selection for rising juniors is on 3/13 and 3/14.
Her selection date and time depends on her lottery number.

She will need to see if there are single rooms available in a residence hall or on campus apartment.

I think Brackenridge, Lothrop and Tower C have single rooms,
Centre Plaza and Forbes Craig (honors) have some single rooms.
Ruskin has studios but might be full already.

If she can’t get a single apartment on campus then she can try to see if she can get on the waiting list, maybe something will open up, or rent a studio apartment off campus.

The Off campus Living office at Pitt is very helpful, providing resources to students looking for an off campus apartment.

My daughter is a sophomore and the campus housing has already happened she will be in Ruskin in the Fall.

The suite/apartment style selection process has already happened (this week).
But if you didn’t bid on a suite or apartment then rising juniors are selecting rooms on 3/13 and 3/14.
There are selection times depending on lottery number.

At least that’s what the housing selection calendar says.
https://www.pc.pitt.edu/documents/SelectionCalendar2018_000.pdf

Hello all! Our virtual tour will also give you a look at our residence halls: https://oafa.pitt.edu/visit/virtual-tour/

Best,
A Pitt Admissions Staffer

My daughter is an accepted Freshman and we haven’t done housing yet. Are we too late? Does she have choices?

@Melgaye - you aren’t too late. Incoming Freshmen have to sign-up for housing by the deadline. If they do that they aren’t disadvantaged vs. any other student who might have signed up earlier. They can select a LLC or give preference to dorms. My daughter lived in Southerland with the Honors LLC and was very happy. It also helped her land where she wanted to this year in on-campus apartments as a Soph. Hope that helps. Can’t remember the deadline, but it was something like early May.

Some of the nicer dorms are hard to get into - i.e. Nordenberg. It sometimes comes down to chance for the newer/nicer ones on lower campus. Also, if you have a roommate preference, make sure both sign-up for each other on the application.

@melgaye, She is not too late! Students who commit to Pitt by May 1 will receive housing information from Panther Central (the first batches of packets should be going out very soon, if they have not yet). There is a deadline printed on that packet, your daughter will just need to make her housing choice and fill out the contract before the deadline provided to her: http://www.pc.pitt.edu/housing/index.php

We are also hosting a Facebook Live event today with Panther Central and Pitt Residence Life if you want to learn more and ask any questions about the process. The live stream starts at 4 p.m. and the video will be available on the PittAdmissions facebook page afterwards.

Best,
Michele

@Melgaye freshman housing is guaranteed if you pay enrollment deposit by May 1 and housing deposit by the deadline printed on the housing contract.

Pitt doesn’t do housing on a first come first served basis.

Freshmen put down choices in order of preference and there is a mass allocation in the summer.

Upperclassmen have a deadline in early February usually to pay their housing deposit and renew their housing contract, to continue being eligible for on campus housing for three years total. Housing for upperclassmen goes by housing lottery.

Anyone know where the Heath Sciences LLC has been located for freshmen besides on a floor of one of the Towers? Thanks.

Just wanted to let you know that Lothrop Hall is located right next to where a brand new Presbyterian University Hospital is going to be built. Will be a massive construction site! Plan accordingly!

Has anyone’s kid gone to pitt and not been a part of an llc? if so, how’d it go?

I think it’s a no Brainer to be in an llc, but my D isn’t wanting one. (Don’t think you have to convince me about them. I am aggravated that we are even having this conversation. )

My D was not in an LLC. She actually applied for one (appreciation of the arts? I think) but didn’t get in. She was in Tower B her freshman year, on the 17th floor. It was fine.

With or without an LLC, RAs still plan events to get their floors to socialize and enjoy Pitt. The LLC is just a flavor which gives a focus maybe to additional events on that theme. Noone is forced to attend all events in either situation so there’s really nothing to get stressed out about here!

This is stressful for me. I worry she won’t be connected and her start will be harder potentially than she anticipates.

There is really no need to worry about this. She will get to know kids on her floor. The floor will have activities together. This is not an issue at all.

Thanks everyone

@Winky1 - my son was at Nordenberg this past year - no LLC. Lot of group activities were planned by the RA in the beginning - and he made friends with many on his floor.