U. Pitt c/o 2009!!!! [Archive] - Student Doctor Network Forums

iggyboop

03-05-2005, 04:59 PM

Omigosh. I can't believe it. I'm in! I thought I was hoping for a waitlist at best since I received no special e-mails. Congrats to everyone here! Alright, off to go celebrate. :D

Congrats docinthemaking! :D Good to see that you got in!

...

Well, I got a waitlist - although the letter was written so that it practically could have been written for an acceptance, so that made me happy...but the truth of the matter is, I can't help but think that it's all just false hope. I've been told left and right, "you'll get in, don't worry" - yet 7 (and 5 others planned) interviews later, still no acceptances. Sigh.

j04177117

03-05-2005, 05:02 PM

Congrats docinthemaking! :D Good to see that you got in!

...

Well, I got a waitlist - although the letter was written so that it practically could have been written for an acceptance, so that made me happy...but the truth of the matter is, I can't help but think that it's all just false hope. I've been told left and right, "you'll get in, don't worry" - yet 7 (and 5 others planned) interviews later, still no acceptances. Sigh.

same boat here, iggy... 7 interviews, zero acceptances. the pitt waitlist letter does give me some hope. hang in there. congrats to y'all that got a big envelope.

Kazema

03-05-2005, 06:52 PM

same boat here, iggy... 7 interviews, zero acceptances. the pitt waitlist letter does give me some hope. hang in there. congrats to y'all that got a big envelope.

Yeah me too, 3 waitlists so far.

Good luck to us! ;)

crazyvladif

03-05-2005, 06:58 PM

aw YEAH -- acceptance in the mail. by the by, i never received the "special emails" or any notice from interviewers. so, anyone still waiting, hold on to hope!

ads99

03-06-2005, 02:03 PM

I just got the congratulations email from my interviewer!! After running around the house jumping up and down and screaming 'Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!' I was finally able to sit down and write this post, which I'd been hoping to do for days now. See you all at the second look weekend in April!

Tristy

03-06-2005, 04:30 PM

A HUGE congrats to all of you guys!!!!!! :thumbup: Enjoy!!!

CalGirl

03-06-2005, 05:40 PM

Hi everyone - this is my first post! I just found out I got into Pitt...still unsure of if I'm going there tho cuz I am waiting on a UC school. Congrats to everyone who was accepted tho!

CalGoldenBear

03-06-2005, 10:56 PM

does anybody here know where i can find pitt's match list (if they even have one posted)? thanks!

by the way, how is the weather in pittsburgh? the day i was there, the city flooded, so i'm really hoping that was an anomaly. and i'm from california, so please don't tell me it snows that much. but honestly, what's it like for those of you who may know?

and congrats to everyone that got in! do you know if pitt is where you're going to be going, or is it too early to know?

Kazema

03-07-2005, 06:25 AM

It does snow (and rain) fairly often but there's usually not too much accumulation, compared to areas even an hour to the north. But you should be prepared for gray skies more than half of the time - seeing the sun is cause for celebration in Pittsburgh ;).

PowderPhan

03-07-2005, 08:39 AM

Gid'yup! Got the go from Pitt today. What a nervous weekend. Tho, now it means decisions ahead. I was pretty sure I would be waitlisted/rejected and was settling in nicely to my chosen(?) school and my springtime plans to forget about this whole process.

Still great news and very happy. Any other mid-westerneers?

Uff-da,

PP

samiam

03-07-2005, 09:42 AM

Haybrant

03-07-2005, 10:21 AM

Hey,

I was wondering if anyone interviewed Mid-Feburary at Pitt. I interviewed Feb 18, and I am pretty sure the adminsitration said that we wouldn't hear in early March, like others that interviewed earlier. So does that mean then that I'll have to wait until the next batch, whenever that will occur. Or is it rolling now? Thanks.

i was told it's rolling now; i believe they probably offered a bit more than the number they need to fill the class but are a school that likely offers twice the number of acceptances as spots so our chances are still high, if not close to the same as prior to this first round; good luck!

msafain

03-07-2005, 10:22 AM

I am accepted. Loved the school, if Aid holds up then maybee I will see you all next year. Congrats to all

pinkice

03-07-2005, 10:59 AM

Meeeeeeeeeeeee tooooooo!!!! I'm in I'm in I'm in I'm in I'm in!!

SPECIAL congrats out to CriminallyInane and SeeThrew :) ...we were all stressing out on the "waiting to hear from Pitt" thread...see you in April (or August)???!!!!

Singing Devil

03-07-2005, 12:38 PM

el list de la waiting.

coulda been worse. Now I gotta figure out how to get in from the list.

criminallyinane

03-07-2005, 01:35 PM

SPECIAL congrats out to CriminallyInane and SeeThrew :) ...we were all stressing out on the "waiting to hear from Pitt" thread...see you in April (or August)???!!!!

Aw shucks pinkice, thanks for the special shout-out :) I am definitely going to second look and also (almost) definitely going to Pitt! Will I see you at second look? Congrats to everyone who got the big envelope and good luck to our waitlisters... getting into Pitt was worth the emotional rollercoaster!!

pinkice

03-07-2005, 02:30 PM

Aw shucks pinkice, thanks for the special shout-out :) I am definitely going to second look and also definitely going to Pitt! Will I see you at second look? Congrats to everyone who got the big envelope and good luck to our waitlisters... getting into Pitt was worth the emotional rollercoaster!!
I definitely plan to be there for second look...I really have my heart set on Pitt the only thing that could change my mind would be an irresistible financial aid package from my state school!

criminallyinane

03-07-2005, 02:54 PM

Yeah, the only thing that will change my mind is fin aid too, but I think it would take an awful lot for me to turn down Pitt, so I am 98% sure I will be there in the fall!!! YAY to us new Panthers!

CalGirl

03-07-2005, 05:41 PM

criminallyinane

03-07-2005, 10:12 PM

Hey everyone - I just got my acceptance letter from Pitt today in the mail. For those of you who are pretty set on going to Pitt, can I ask what really sold you on the school?? I know its a great place, great reputation, but I had a not-so-great interview day so I am trying to find out why/how people are choosing it. Thanks for any help!!! :)

Here is my list of reasons for choosing Pitt Med:

1. I think the hospital system is quite amazing. Pitt Med basically runs every hospital in Pittsburgh! So lots of different experiences await us. Children's is awesome, Shadyside and Presby are great, the Psychiatric center is awesome, Magee provides excellent OB/Gyn training... etc, etc, etc.

2. I like Pittsburgh as a place to spend four years of med school. It's safe but with enough "city life" to keep me happy: sports teams, bars, clubs, culture, etc, without the hassles of living in an extremely large and urban city. Cost of living is much lower than other cities, which will cut down on the financial investment quite a bit.

3. I like the curriculum. A good mix of traditional lecture and PBL without too much of either. It seems like a lot of time is spent in class, which I'm not thrilled about, but it also seems like class is pretty optional! And you only have to take one test per block unless you're going for honors, I think... so you can learn/study at your own pace.

4. WISER!!!!! So, so cool... I want to deliver the mannequin baby :laugh: Think they'll let me do that at second look?

5. I like the longitudinal concentrations and may pursue one.

6. Excellent research opportunities.

7. Nice people.

8. Closer to home than my other choices.

9. (Last but not least...) I'll be honest: it is the "best" school, objectively, that I have gotten into thus far. By best I mean highest ranked, with well-respected hospitals, good research, etc. This is moderately important to me. But more important to me is that it's a school with an excellent reputation that hasn't lost its heart in the process. I feel like I am going to a "prestigious" medical school, and I feel lucky for that, but I feel like Pitt offers so much more than the name -- it offers a caring and collaborative environment. Throw in that it's highly ranked and that is just the cherry on top :)

In all... I love Pittsburgh!

Singing Devil

03-07-2005, 10:33 PM

Here is my list of reasons for choosing Pitt Med:

1. I think the hospital system is quite amazing. Pitt Med basically runs every hospital in Pittsburgh! So lots of different experiences await us. Children's is awesome, Shadyside and Presby are great, the Psychiatric center is awesome, Magee provides excellent OB/Gyn training... etc, etc, etc.

2. I like Pittsburgh as a place to spend four years of med school. It's safe but with enough "city life" to keep me happy: sports teams, bars, clubs, culture, etc, without the hassles of living in an extremely large and urban city. Cost of living is much lower than other cities, which will cut down on the financial investment quite a bit.

3. I like the curriculum. A good mix of traditional lecture and PBL without too much of either. It seems like a lot of time is spent in class, which I'm not thrilled about, but it also seems like class is pretty optional! And you only have to take one test per block unless you're going for honors, I think... so you can learn/study at your own pace.

4. WISER!!!!! So, so cool... I want to deliver the mannequin baby :laugh: Think they'll let me do that at second look?

5. I like the longitudinal concentrations and may pursue one.

6. Excellent research opportunities.

7. Nice people.

8. Closer to home than my other choices.

9. (Last but not least...) I'll be honest: it is the "best" school, objectively, that I have gotten into thus far. By best I mean highest ranked, with well-respected hospitals, good research, etc. This is moderately important to me. But more important to me is that it's a school with an excellent reputation that hasn't lost its heart in the process. I feel like I am going to a "prestigious" medical school, and I feel lucky for that, but I feel like Pitt offers so much more than the name -- it offers a caring and collaborative environment. Throw in that it's highly ranked and that is just the cherry on top :)

In all... I love Pittsburgh!

I couldn't agree more, for all the reasons you said (that's my exact list) ... I really, really like Pittsburgh (I think I need to get to know it a bit more before I'm ready to commit to love, but I've got a definite crush :rolleyes: ).

If only I can get off the waitlist... :luck: :luck: :luck:

CalGirl

03-07-2005, 11:39 PM

Hey thanks a lot for all your info...yeah I am sort of confused as to where I am headed right now. I'm waiting on a Cali school so I gotta see what happens with that. Thanx for your help!! :)

beep

03-07-2005, 11:57 PM

when is 2nd look?

docinthemaking

03-08-2005, 12:03 AM

when is 2nd look?

I don't have the packet in front of me now, but I believe it is scheduled for April 8 and 9. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Kazema

03-08-2005, 05:12 AM

I couldn't agree more, for all the reasons you said (that's my exact list) ... I really, really like Pittsburgh (I think I need to get to know it a bit more before I'm ready to commit to love, but I've got a definite crush :rolleyes: ).

If only I can get off the waitlist... :luck: :luck: :luck:

Heh, me too, pretty much. I think I'd be happy at other schools, but I'd be ecstatic to go to Pitt.

jennben4

03-09-2005, 02:02 PM

Ok, so I see I'm not the only one with the late interview concern. I interviewed Feb 14th and I remembered them saying mid-March for some news to maybe come our way. Any thoughts on this matter or has anybody in the same boat heard anything?? I'm already in elsewhere, but Pitt is my first choice and I'm anxiously awaiting closure....

cece

03-09-2005, 02:12 PM

seekanddestroy

03-09-2005, 03:56 PM

read
Here is my list of reasons for choosing Pitt Med:

1. I think the hospital system is quite amazing. Pitt Med basically runs every hospital in Pittsburgh! So lots of different experiences await us. Children's is awesome, Shadyside and Presby are great, the Psychiatric center is awesome, Magee provides excellent OB/Gyn training... etc, etc, etc.
Correct

2. I like Pittsburgh as a place to spend four years of med school. It's safe but with enough "city life" to keep me happy: sports teams, bars, clubs, culture, etc, without the hassles of living in an extremely large and urban city. Cost of living is much lower than other cities, which will cut down on the financial investment quite a bit.
Not much culture in the city, in fact the city sucks...

3. I like the curriculum. A good mix of traditional lecture and PBL without too much of either. It seems like a lot of time is spent in class, which I'm not thrilled about, but it also seems like class is pretty optional! And you only have to take one test per block unless you're going for honors, I think... so you can learn/study at your own pace.
I have never been to class and I have easily passed every course, and honered a few exams on the way. PBLs are a waste of time.

4. WISER!!!!! So, so cool... I want to deliver the mannequin baby :laugh: Think they'll let me do that at second look?
As a medical student you will NEVER see WISER. You only use WISER if you take a fourth year elective, which is ultra competitive.

5. I like the longitudinal concentrations and may pursue one.
Not a bad plan, have fun wasting 4 years of your life doing a worthless concentration.

6. Excellent research opportunities.
Resaerch is easy as hell to get, plus getting funding is easier than Paris Hilton.

7. Nice people.
Everyone is nice, but everyone studies ALOT. Be prepared to study!!

8. Closer to home than my other choices.

9. (Last but not least...) I'll be honest: it is the "best" school, objectively, that I have gotten into thus far. By best I mean highest ranked, with well-respected hospitals, good research, etc. This is moderately important to me. But more important to me is that it's a school with an excellent reputation that hasn't lost its heart in the process. I feel like I am going to a "prestigious" medical school, and I feel lucky for that, but I feel like Pitt offers so much more than the name -- it offers a caring and collaborative environment. Throw in that it's highly ranked and that is just the cherry on top :)
Pitt does kick major ASS!!

In all... I love Pittsburgh!

CalGirl

03-09-2005, 04:01 PM

ummmm SeekandDestroy what do you mean?? You don't agree with those reasons? Help....I'm gonna end up choosing b/w Pitt and some other schools and i'm sorta lost rite now! :eek:

criminallyinane

03-09-2005, 04:14 PM

ummmm SeekandDestroy what do you mean?? You don't agree with those reasons? Help....I'm gonna end up choosing b/w Pitt and some other schools and i'm sorta lost rite now! :eek:

Could Seek and Destroy please edit his post to make it clear that I didn't write those things? He added his own comments...

I just wrote a long reply only to have my computer eat it, but basically, I am wondering if you are a current student or not. I was under the impression that training in WISER started in the second year and was a required course... is that untrue? Also, don't EM and gas electives in the fourth year use WISER? How hard could it be to get an EM or gas elective? Those are both huge departments. If the students really don't use WISER at all as you claim, then I am wondering why they take us on that long tour of the facility and show us videos of med students learning in there. Is it all a big lie? :laugh: Bummer...

seekanddestroy

03-09-2005, 04:43 PM

Sorry about that, let me clear myself. Don't get me wrong, UPITT is a great school, and I have no regrets coming here (well except for a couple). I am a current student at PITT. I'll give you a no BS lowdown on how it is here at PITT, I just wish someone would have done the same for me when I was deciding between medical schools.
GRADES AT PITT:
Honors, Pass, Fail
Hard as **** to honors, easy to pass. You have to be a f**king idiot to fail. You have to get 2 standard deviations below the avergae to fail. Which is usually in the mid to upper fifities.
CLASS/PBL:
PBL is a waste of time, usually disorganized and noone really gets anything out of it. PBL is mandatory. Class is usually 8 to 12, with labs in the afternoons, or BS classes like ethics and Medical Decion Making. Trust me, these BS classes get old after a while. However, there are some science courses (BIOCHEM, CELL BIOLOGY) in which one day a week you will have class vrom 8 to 5pm. Good news is, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO CLASS. Class notes are excellent, and all the powerpoint slides are online. I have not gone to one class since september, and I have comfortably passed every single exam, and even honored a few. Classes are NOT taped.
CLASS ATTITUDE:
I don't go to class, so I can't give an honest answer to that question.
CITY LIFE:
SUCKS MORE THAN PARIS HILTON. Enough said. Everyone leaves town after exams. I kid you not, after everysingle exam there are mass emails sent, with people begging fro rides out of town. Plus it is F**KING cold here, and the public transportation sucks. Honestly, if it were not for UPMC the Pittsburgh would become a ghost town. By the way, average age in Pittsburgh is 63.
BOARD SCORE AVERAGE/MATCHING
Our Matching is F**king awesome. If you want a spot in any field, you will get it. Look at the match list if you don't believe me.
CURRICULUM:
This is the worst and best aspect about this school. Rotations start in March of your second year. This is a new change that will affect current first years, and new incoming classes. Therefore, you have to basically cram everything in in one and 4/7 years. WHat this means is that you will do Biochem in two weeks, and the entire antomy course in about 5 to 6 weeks. It is fast paced here. If you can't handle memorizing Sh*t really fast, don't come here.
WISER:
HAHAHAHA... you will find out about that when you come here :)

Seekanddestroy

SharkFan3

03-09-2005, 04:45 PM

Hey guys, I'm a first year at Pitt and wanted to just clarify for you how much we use WISER. First, there are plenty of optional times you can use it, like the intubation workshop last month. Also, I just used the center as part of our advanced physical exam class. We had an "exam" (which actually didn't count) where we performed a physical and history on a standardized patient there while being videotaped. We then got to take the video home to go over how things went. It's a great tool, and we do use it. I love it here, Pitt is a great place. Congrats on your acceptances.

FutureNobel

03-09-2005, 04:50 PM

I'm in the same class as Seekanddestroy, he's the smelliest kid in the class. He wants to come to lectures but was banned from coming because of his awful odor.

What he says is true though - Pitt name is great, people study a lot and it is difficult to honor, and the city sucks balls.

seekanddestroy

03-09-2005, 04:54 PM

Future NObel is angry because he hasn't sex in a year. Shark fan obviously has not idea what he is talking about. The test he is talking about was interviewing a standardized patient, not using any simulationss. You could have just as well done the interview in Sharkfan's nasty ass bathroom.
I'm in the same class as Seekanddestroy, he's the smelliest kid in the class. He wants to come to lectures but was banned from coming because of his awful odor.

What he says is true though - Pitt name is great, people study a lot and it is difficult to honor, and the city sucks balls.

criminallyinane

03-09-2005, 05:03 PM

Hey thanks guys for giving the incoming class the scoop :) Here is one q I have... if rotations start in March, when are people preparing for step 1? Do you feel like there is enough scheduled time to do this? Thanks!

LionInTheDark

03-09-2005, 05:11 PM

Future NObel is angry because he hasn't sex in a year. Shark fan obviously has not idea what he is talking about. The test he is talking about was interviewing a standardized patient, not using any simulationss. You could have just as well done the interview in Sharkfan's nasty ass bathroom.

You have too much time on your hands, man. Get back to studying for the summative so that you can get into a non-patient care specialty (or did i guess wrong as to your identity?). :D Ha! Anyway, peace.

CalGirl

03-09-2005, 08:55 PM

Ummm thanx everyone for your input on Pitt, especially the Pitt students...I really appreciate that. I guess my problem is I really am not keen on the location, especially coming from California...I'm trying to figure out how much to take that into consideration. Thanx for ur help! :)

Kazema

03-09-2005, 09:07 PM

I have a couple friends who came to CMU from cali. They all got used to it; as long as you don't mind being so far from your family you will too I think.

Kateroni18

03-09-2005, 10:03 PM

I have to totally disagree with what people have been saying about Pittsburgh. I'm originally from the Denver area in Colorado and went to CMU for undergrad. I totally fell in love with Pittsburgh and ended up staying there for the summers and recently moved back here after finishing my post-bacc program elsewhere. I think this city is rich with culture and has tons of things to do. There's bars and clubs in the South Side, excellent restaurants all over the place that serve abnormally fattening foods (yes, some places still put french fries on top of the salads), half priced food after 11 (and early bird specials) at restaurants on Atwood which is right next to Pitt, theaters downtown that the major touring shows come to, good symphony with cheap tickets, plays and musicals at CMU (which are often better than professional productions), art museum and natural history museum within walking distance of Pitt, farmers market in the Strip district, yuppy shopping in Shadyside, baseball, football, and (hopefully next year) hockey games and their accompanying fans, a zoo, crazy Christmas decorations downtown, Kennywood amusement park, Carnegie Science Center w/ IMAX...I guess I'm not sure what else people would want/need in a city. What do other cities have that Pittbsurgh doesn't? Okay...I admit half the population still wears the same clothes as they did in the 80's, but that's okay with me because it makes me look cooler.

I also disagree about the public transportation...I have a car, but I usually ride the bus to work in Oakland (near Pitt) because it's just more convenient. I rarely wait longer than 5-7 minutes to catch a bus into Oakland from Squirrel Hill. On the weekend, I admit the bus service is not as quick so you may end up waiting 25 minutes. Also, it can be difficult to get to certain areas of Pittsburgh by public transportation, but even before I had a car I didn't find it much of a problem because I could mooch a ride.

I don't want to start an argument...I just wanted to reassure some of you that at least used to think Pittsburgh was a nice place until reading some of the previous posts that it actually is. Everyone has personal taste so not everyone will love it, but I do, and I imagine some of you might too. If Pittsburgh is good enough for Fred Rogers, it's good enough for me :)

crazyvladif

03-09-2005, 10:10 PM

Kateroni -- thanks for your input. i've had my apprehensions about the city . . . everyone i know hates it, but i doubt half of em have ever even been there before. every city in the world has its sketchy parts, but nice to know theres the good parts too.

criminallyinane

03-09-2005, 10:33 PM

I currently live in Boston, which I love... the reason that I also liked Pittsburgh when I visited is because it struck me as a smaller, cleaner, quieter city that still had plenty to do. I am originally from a small town, and I like quiet, safe places... as long as there are some nice restaurants, bars, etc, I am happy :) I can't wait for second look, to explore the city some more and get an idea of where is a good place to live!

Kazema

03-10-2005, 05:35 AM

I don't know why there's so much hate for Pittsburgh. Yeah, the population is on the old side, but there's still plenty to do, like Kate's post described in more detail. There's also the Waterfront which popped up out of nowhere a couple years ago, Station Square, and of course skiing not too far away. Sure, if you're from NYC or LA Pittsburgh won't be anything like those cities, but it's a nice city just the same. Anyone who isn't sold can take a drive up Mt. Washington at night and look down on the city. The Pittsburgh skyline was voted the #2 sightseeing...sight in the US either last year or the year before, I forget.

I only really dislike two things about Pittsburgh: the road system design (stupid, stupid, stupid!) and the weather. It's very love-hate for me and northeast weather.

criminallyinane

03-10-2005, 07:02 AM

Right on, Kaz :) Sounds good to me!

beep

03-10-2005, 12:30 PM

how would pittsburgh be with no car and limited ability to walk up steep hills?

jrmgarbage

03-10-2005, 01:17 PM

how would pittsburgh be with no car and limited ability to walk up steep hills?

unless you live in ruskin, it would be a nightmare.

noodley

03-10-2005, 07:10 PM

Kazema

03-10-2005, 07:17 PM

Uh, you probably walked through the Hill district. Just don't go anywhere near the Hill district and you'll be fine. With the exception of the Hill district, Pittsburgh is generally a pretty safe city.

I remember one of my friends once got really drunk at a...gentlemen's club, met up with one of the strippers in a restaurant against our collective advice (not that I was there...yeah...), accepted a ride home from a pimp (his words) who instead dropped him off at the Hill district, walked by himself past midnight until he ran into a crack dealer who took pity on him and escorted him (paying off some thugs along the way with crack to keep them from robbing my friend) back to Oakland. My relieved and still rather intoxicated friend gave the guy the entire contents of his wallet (about $100) out of gratitude and a realization of how stupid he was and how lucky he was to get home in one piece.

Kazema

03-10-2005, 07:23 PM

And yes it really is that dreary all the time. Sunny days are truly a cause for celebration :laugh:.

Biking and running are both really popular. There's lots of hills so you'll get a great workout.

Kateroni18

03-10-2005, 07:34 PM

Ditto to everything Kazema said...just wanted to add that Shenley Park is a really nice place to jog and bike and it's very close to Pitt. It was probably pointed out to you during your Pitt tour from the BST.

jrmgarbage

03-10-2005, 07:34 PM

I really loved Pitt. The only thing stopping me from making a decision is the city itself. I didn't have a great experience with it, and I am wondering if it was the exception or the norm.

-safety... I heard some bad stories. I like being able to walk around without looking over my shoulder all the time. I walked from downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland and felt totally freaked out the whole way because the buildings were rundown and there was nobody around except for the random guys standing at the corner apparently doing nothing. In one area, people were actually standing behind their screen doors as if waiting for something... of course, I felt they were staring at me.

-I'm used to cold weather, but I need sunshine. When I visited in January, it was just really dreary. Is is like that more often than it is sunny? Do people run or bike in the city? By the river?

Thanks in advance for your help!

i need a study break. so here is my take...

i really think that the city is relatively safe. the area which you walked through (along 5th from downtown) has some rough places, but there is really never any reason for students to be there. the "most dangerous area" you need to be in is probably oakland (where the med school & hospitals are), however that is probably because it is where all the undergrads are rather than because you are going to get jumped there. i am living in shadyside, and i know quite a few people that live in squirrel hill....these areas are pretty calm and are very family/med student friendly. over our holiday break, our front door accidentally was left wide open for several days. when we returned everything was where it was before. that either says something about the area or our luck.

as far as running and biking, i actually do both. shadyside and squirrel hill both have nice streets/parks to run and bike on. there are also several trails and roads that run right along the rivers that are very nice. as with any city, biking or running in the more congested areas can be a pain in the ass, but it is feasible. when the weather is nice enough i ride from shadyside to scaife (takes about 10 minutes), and i have never had any problems.

the weather is pretty hit or miss. it is either really nice (no clouds and warm) or sh*tty (clouds and cold), in my opinion. in the summer when classes were first beginning, we would go weeks without clouds in the sky it seemed. this winter has had it's warm spells and it's cold ones, but overall has been tolerable (i am from central PA, so you can make your own inferences about that). either way, i don't think you are going to lose it due to lack of sunshine.

overall i think the city is pretty accomodating when you consider the life of a medical student. there is enough to do on the weekends that you shouldn't get bored, and the hospitals/school are pretty amazing.

hope this helps. see ya'll second look.

baldguy

03-10-2005, 08:19 PM

CalGirl

03-10-2005, 08:23 PM

Thanx for everyone's input on Pitt and Pittsburgh...helps a bunch! Baldguy, I will most likely end up going elsewhere so it'll open up one seat hehe. Gluck! :luck:

criminallyinane

03-10-2005, 08:31 PM

Congrats to all of the people accepted, but please go elsewhere :)

:laugh: Sorry buddy, I am not giving up my seat, but I do hope that you join us in the fall :) Looks like there will be some movement for sure!

uptoolate

03-10-2005, 09:34 PM

I've actually looked into the statistics on this a lot because its the main reason my family is interested in leaving our current city. We have a great house and neighborhood, my husband works three blocks form my in-state school and my daughter's pre-school is one block away-and it is scary dangerous, more so of late.

Pitt has been named safest large city by Century 21, FBI and CIA stats back this up. I've looked up the murder rate/acts of violent crime per 100,000 and Pitt consistently comes up within the top 5 lowest of major cities assessed. in each of the different sources I've checked. Don't live there myself, but that's what I've dug up.

beep

03-10-2005, 11:02 PM

unless you live in ruskin, it would be a nightmare.

is ruskin a dorm or a neighborhood? and are you serious that it would be a nightmare?

Without Wax

03-10-2005, 11:16 PM

if you look at Forbes list, it lists Pittsburgh at #40, best places for singles.

Upitt is a great medical school but Pittsburgh is the worst city in the US

Mediculous

03-10-2005, 11:22 PM

Upitt is a great medical school but Pittsburgh is the worst city in the US
Two words: Gary, Indiana.

Economist

03-11-2005, 06:21 AM

is ruskin a dorm or a neighborhood? and are you serious that it would be a nightmare?

Out of curiosity, about how many med students live in Ruskin? Is it something a lot of first-years do? I don't think our tour guide even mentioned Ruskin on interview day... she only talked about housing in the neighborhoods.

jrmgarbage

03-11-2005, 06:49 AM

is ruskin a dorm or a neighborhood? and are you serious that it would be a nightmare?

ruskin is a pitt-run graduate student apartment building a few blocks away from the hospitals & medical school. the only reason that i said that it would be a nightmare otherwise is because when walking from ruskin to scaife you would only have to walk up half a hill. i suppose ruskin isn't the only place where that can happen, but your options are limited if you don't want to walk up hills. one other way of getting around it is by living near a pitt shuttle stop (not the same thing as a port authority bus)...these stop right in front of scaife. i guess you could also take a series of elevators through the hospitals (start in childrens-->presby-->scaife). you can make it work...it is just that pittsburgh isn't going to be the most friendly city for you if you don't like hills.

as for how many people live in ruskin and the demographics there....i have no idea. a decent number of my classmates live there, but i can't give you any exact numbers. maybe try searching for last year's thread and see if they have anything about it there.

noodley

03-11-2005, 08:01 AM

boardchic

03-11-2005, 08:12 AM

criminallyinane

03-11-2005, 08:17 AM

I have an obnoxious question for all those accepted or waitlisted... has anything changed on your status page? Have you gotten any emails from the school?
According to the admissions office, a decision was made on my file and was sent with the rest of the decisions, but it appears to be lost in the mail somewhere and they refuse to tell me anything over the phone... This waiting is driving me insane.
Is there any other way to know where I stand?
Thanks, guys, and congrats!!!

Hey there, nothing changed on my status page, but I got an email and phone call from my student interviewer. If you have his/her contact info, emailing and asking if they have any info would be your best bet, since they CAN tell you about acceptances over the phone. Also, I talked to the admissions people yesterday and they said that if the package is lost in the mail, they will send another... so if it doesn't come within the next week, they will send another. I know it's a long time to wait though. :( Good luck, I really hope you get in :)

jrmgarbage

03-11-2005, 08:17 AM

Thank you, everybody for your input about Pittsburgh! It has definitely given me a more positive feeling about it. I will definitely have to go see it again myself.

One more question... about transportation, how many students own cars? Could you get by without one? I am used to taking public transportation everywhere and am not particularly excited about driving in medical school. I don't mind walking up hills. Could I get to most places (in med school and outside for fun during weekends) by bus/train plus a 20-minute walk?

Btw, it is SO great to get these questions answered from med students!! SDN is awesome!

a good number of people have cars, but they are definitely not necessary. the port authority buses are kind of annoying if you are used to using a subway, but they will get you where you need to go nonetheless. you could easily get everywhere you need to go in a bus with less than a 5 minute walk from there.

uptoolate

03-11-2005, 08:30 AM

stanford05

03-11-2005, 08:37 AM

for those who applied, they received well over 200 apps for the 15 dean's merit scholarship.. good luck!

favorite

03-11-2005, 08:41 AM

for those who applied, they received well over 200 apps for the 15 dean's merit scholarship.. good luck!

Any idea when the merit awards will be announced -- will it be included in the financial aid package? Has anyone received financial aid information from Pitt since their initial packet w/acceptance?

PowderPhan

03-11-2005, 08:59 AM

Could someone post the status page address?

uptoolate

03-11-2005, 08:59 AM

for those who applied, they received well over 200 apps for the 15 dean's merit scholarship.. good luck!

Oh boy, just when I thought I could go back to being normal again...

Are those total applications among people interviewed or 200 applications among people who were accepted? BTW- What's your source of info?

Thanks!

uptoolate

03-11-2005, 09:02 AM

Could someone post the status page address?

https://admissions.medschool.pitt.edu

boardchic

03-11-2005, 09:03 AM

Could someone post the status page address?
do i have it bookmarked? maybe......

https://admissions.medschool.pitt.edu

docinthemaking

03-11-2005, 09:04 AM

jennben4

03-11-2005, 01:03 PM

I just found out I am waitlisted at Pitt today. Current Pitt students, do any of you have any insight into how big the waitlist is? I would love to go to the school, but I am weighing other acceptances against waiting around for Pitt which may not happen.

Thanks......

Congrats to all of the people accepted, but please go elsewhere :)
I'm with you baldguy... I got my wait list letter and i'm now quite torn. I'm contemplating acceptances elsewhere, but i love pitt. What is the movement like? Any guess on how likely the chances are or when I would hear anything??? Man I want this to be done.....

Please help!!

Congrats to everyone who got in the first time around.

LionInTheDark

03-11-2005, 05:40 PM

For current Pitt med students, do you guys know about the schedule for 2nd look on April 8 and 9. When should we arrive-morning of April 8? and leave? And are we going to be allowed to stay with current students? or should we make other arrangements? Just wondering cuz I wanted to book airline tickets soon since I saw some for $105. Thanks!

last year, they accomodated everyone with a student host. i think it should be the same this year. the schedules not final yet, but i'm pretty sure activities continue through saturday night. i'd figure on leaving sunday. plans are at least in the works.

beep

03-11-2005, 07:13 PM

i'm going to join the party! yay!

boardchic

03-15-2005, 09:46 AM

Well, two weeks after the letter was sent (and lost in the mail), they finally told me on the phone that I've been accepted!! Yay!!

pinkice

03-15-2005, 10:06 AM

Just wondering...
a) On a scale of 1 to 10 how certain are you that you'll be attending Pitt in the fall - comments welcome
b) Are you attending second look weekend? What do you expect out of it or what have you heard from others?

My responses
a) 8 - Comparison of financial aid packages will make the final decision
b) Yes - I'm hoping that upon further scrutiny Pitt will live up the great impression I got on interview day and that I'll get to meet more of the students and get a feel for them.

liverotcod

03-15-2005, 10:10 AM

a) On a scale of 1 to 10 how certain are you that you'll be attending Pitt in the fall - comments welcome
b) Are you attending second look weekend? What do you expect out of it or what have you heard from others?
a) 3. I would love to, but the price is probably out of my range, and it's far from home. If the scholarship were to come through, we're talking 10.
b) Nope.

mwhelan

03-15-2005, 10:11 AM

i got in to pitt's md/phd program actually quite a while ago but my friend just told me about this site. i'm pretty-sure, almost-certain, pretty-certainly going to be going to pitt. congrats to all the rest of you who got in.

just some thoughts on pittsburgh:
i'm originally from pittsburgh (squirrel hill, not the suburbs), went to college in new haven and i've been living in new york city for the last 3 years. and i must admit that i'm VERY excited to be going back to pittsburgh. there are good places to work your first job and be a 20-something, good places to raise a family and good places to go to med school. Pittsburgh is a good place to go to med school. it's a real city (not like new york, admittedly) but with lots to do - and who really has time in med school to be taking advantage of all that a big city like NY or LA has to offer? and, the different neighborhoods offer interesting restaurants and bars and there are affordable areas to live and decent culture downtown. the standard of living is much better for the amount of money. and doesn't it make sense to live in an 'easy' city while you're doing something as difficult as going to med school?

i've thought long and hard about this because one day in new york i love it and the next i can't wait to move. but, in the end i'm totally looking forward to moving back to pittsburgh.

and as for the weather - no it's not california, but it's better than new york for sure. and i like the snow, so getting a good snowfall during the winter provides just the right excuse to go sledding in schenley or frick park and then curl up with some hot chocolate and your anatomy book...what could be better?

there's my two cents. hope it's helpful for someone.

PMinty44

03-15-2005, 10:15 AM

a) 3. I would love to, but the price is probably out of my range, and it's far from home. If the scholarship were to come through, we're talking 10.
b) Nope.

a. Probability that I'll go to Pitt: 7 (I looooove Pitt, but I have to make sure that Case and UMass aren't better fits/$-deals. If I get the research scholarship, that would bump it up to a 9. If I get into Cornell off the waitlist, I would go to Cornell for shizzy, though.)

b. Yes, I will be going to second look weekend. Can't wait!

liverotcod

03-15-2005, 10:16 AM

there's my two cents. hope it's helpful for someone.
Thanks, mhwelan. Everything I hear/read about Pittsburgh seems pretty positive, and a recent search of realtor.com turns up what appear to be some amazing values in terms of a housing purchase.

Can I ask your advice? I have a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. The former will be in Kindergarten next year. What neighborhoods should we be looking at? Did you go to Pittsburgh public schools?

mwhelan

03-15-2005, 10:30 AM

Can I ask your advice? I have a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. The former will be in Kindergarten next year. What neighborhoods should we be looking at? Did you go to Pittsburgh public schools?

Good neighborhoods for families:
Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Highland Park. Some parts of Greenfield. Those are all in the city limits. Just outside is Edgewood, which is very nice. Squirrel Hill and Shadyside are probably the best in terms of being close to Oakland, where Pitt is. The East End in general is nice and has great things like sports leagues, good nursery schools, food co-ops, etc.
I went to public school all the way through. The magnet schools for elementary school are based around languagues (Liberty=Spanish, East Hills=French, etc one even has Japanese these days, i think). Kids start learning languagues in kindergarten. You get in by lottery, so it's a tad difficult, but the neighborhood schools are also good for elementary.
A little anecdote: When I had just completed 2nd grade we moved to Northern California for a year. In CA I was placed in 4th grade instead of 3rd grade. When I moved back to Pittsburgh the next year I was placed back in 4th grade. The Pgh Public Schools were a full year ahead of the elementary schools near Stanford.
There are two good public high schools in the city - Allderdice and Schenley. They send students to better colleges than the private schools a lot of years. There's a tracking program in the Pgh Public Schools that starts in elementary and goes all the way through that offers 'scholars' classes in elementary and middle school and 'CAS' classes in high school that are better/more challenging than AP classes in a lot of cases. I was totally prepared to compete at Yale after my public school education.

I'm sure things have changed a bit since I left 7 years ago, but I am a BIG proponent of public schools based on my own experience in Pittsburgh. If you do decide on Pittsburgh, you might want to look into the magnet school lottery for elementary schools pronto.

liverotcod

03-15-2005, 10:43 AM

That's great info, thanks again. :thumbup:

cece

03-15-2005, 11:56 AM

Just wondering...
a) On a scale of 1 to 10 how certain are you that you'll be attending Pitt in the fall - comments welcome
b) Are you attending second look weekend? What do you expect out of it or what have you heard from others?

a.) 9. Unless some other school gives me great financial aid...
b.) Unforunately, no, I have a schedule conflict. I'd love to check out the school again, though, and meet some potential firstyear classmates. People who go should report back... :)

Without Wax

03-15-2005, 01:35 PM

Thanks, mhwelan. Everything I hear/read about Pittsburgh seems pretty positive, and a recent search of realtor.com turns up what appear to be some amazing values in terms of a housing purchase.

Can I ask your advice? I have a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. The former will be in Kindergarten next year. What neighborhoods should we be looking at? Did you go to Pittsburgh public schools?

I am going to repeat what I said before. I have lived in many different places, many different countries and by far Pittsburgh is one of the worst cities to live in the world. Depressed people, failing economy, horrible weather, all young people are living Pittsburgh, that is why geriatrics is so big in Pittsburgh

mwhelan

03-15-2005, 01:58 PM

criminallyinane

03-15-2005, 07:17 PM

Just wondering...
a) On a scale of 1 to 10 how certain are you that you'll be attending Pitt in the fall - comments welcome
b) Are you attending second look weekend? What do you expect out of it or what have you heard from others?

a) 9. If I get into one other school I am waiting on that is closer to home, I might, might consider it. But for now I am pretty set on Pitt :)
b) I am definitely going. I want to see the school again, talk to students, look for apartments, and see how things work at Pitt without the high-sheen of interview day when everyone is on their best behavior. Also, since I didn't think I was going to get in, I didn't pay enough attention to important stuff on interview day :) I was too nervous. So I need to learn some more about the curriculum, etc.

Wax - thanks for your opinion on the city, but it's depressing!!! I am sure people appreciate the honesty, but this thread is where we come to get excited about Pitt :) Can you think of anything about Pittsburgh that is good for medical students to know?

Mwhelan: thanks for the info! I love to hear about Pittsburgh!

Boardchic: congratulations!! :clap: :clap: I was rootin' for ya! Do you think you're going to come?

cappymo

03-15-2005, 07:43 PM

Does anyone know when any movement, or how much for that matter, typically occurs on the Pitt waitlist?

P.S. Congrats everyone-- you big bunch of smarty pants.

criminallyinane

03-15-2005, 09:07 PM

Hey there, I think they have a fair amount of movement as seen in waitlist threads from years past. GOOD LUCK! :)

favorite

03-16-2005, 05:08 AM

PMinty44

03-16-2005, 06:33 AM

have any of you who were accepted to Pitt -- received any further information since the original acceptance packet -- any financial aid applications or 2nd look information (other than the announcement that there would be one) Thanks!

I received an email before I was accepted (it was supposedly sent to all applicants) that gave me the website to look up financial aid stuff. Go to the Pitt website nad click on financial aid. They have a list of due dates (April 1st if you are applying for school need-based aid). Yeah, I would get on that if I were you (at least file the FAFSA...it's a b*tch), if you plan on applying for aid.

boardchic

03-16-2005, 06:48 AM

Boardchic: congratulations!! :clap: :clap: I was rootin' for ya! Do you think you're going to come?
Thanks! I appreciate the support.
I'm not sure yet where I'm going... but Pitt definitely seemed like it would be a great place to be. The students there seemed more laid back and friendly and normal than at any other school I visited.
What are the dates of second look? I'd like to go back and see the school again and meet all of you!

pinkice

03-16-2005, 07:32 AM

mwhelan

03-16-2005, 07:42 AM

Thanks! I appreciate the support.
I'm not sure yet where I'm going... but Pitt definitely seemed like it would be a great place to be. The students there seemed more laid back and friendly and normal than at any other school I visited.
What are the dates of second look? I'd like to go back and see the school again and meet all of you!

Second Look Weekend Info:
Arrive by 6:00pm on Friday, April 8. Leave after 2:00pm on Sunday, April 10. I received a packet with information, a schedule and a form about staying with a student that I faxed in. However, I was accepted to the MD/PhD program at Pitt in December so I might just be receiving everything earlier. I'm sure you could get in touch with the Admissions Office for further info.

Financial Aid info (from the email they sent me):
The financial aid section of our website is now ready for you to apply for financial aid for the 2005-2006 academic year.
School of Medicine Need-Based Scholarships and Loans:
The deadline for applications for School of Medicine Need-Based Aid is April 1, 2005. Go to: http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/future/future_04.asp and choose Filing Dates: School of Medicine Need-Based Aid for details and links to the necessary forms.
Please read our instructions carefully before completing your FAFSA.

ONLY Stafford, Unsubsidized Stafford, and Alternative Loans:
Go to: http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/future/future_04.asp and choose Filing Dates: Stafford and Alternative Loans for suggested filing times, details and links to the necessary forms.

If you have any questions, please contact the office.
Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
518 Scaife Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
412-648-9891

uptoolate

03-16-2005, 11:10 AM

Just wondering...
a) On a scale of 1 to 10 how certain are you that you'll be attending Pitt in the fall - comments welcome
b) Are you attending second look weekend? What do you expect out of it or what have you heard from others?

a)This is tough- I LOVE this school but it's too expensive and I'm already chin deep in loans. If the research scholarship came through, its beyond 10. We've already picked out our fave real estate postings but I think we're running mainly on optimism.

b) I think I'm coming for the second day. I'm traveling with family so I don't know how many events will be kid/husband friendly. We want to scope out the city and surrounding areas anyway.

chicamedica

03-16-2005, 11:51 AM

I am going to repeat what I said before. I have lived in many different places, many different countries and by far Pittsburgh is one of the worst cities to live in the world. Depressed people, failing economy, horrible weather, all young people are living Pittsburgh, that is why geriatrics is so big in Pittsburgh

Wow, must have been staying in a REALLY bad part of pittsburgh!

well it is true that the yuppies tend to leave, and that as a result geriatrics is so big, but i think it's more about Pittsburgh not having quite as much interesting varied things to do as maybe a NYC or a DC or an LA (as mwhelan put it so well--btw mwhelan, i remember you from hs!!!! Congrats on Pitt MD PhD!!). But then again, are you going to be going out for fun most of the time, or studying?

Pitt is an awesome med school. I underestimated its caliber before I actually got on the wards, and being outside of pittsburgh currently, I'm constantly surprised by how well known the name is, and how impressed people are by both the medicine and the research goign on at pitt.

Tra La La

03-16-2005, 01:43 PM

The dates for second look are April 8 & 9...looking forward to meeting all of you!

Does anyone know if Pitt pays for students to come out?

I'm hurting for $, but I would still like to visit.

Tanzo

03-16-2005, 08:19 PM

Could Seek and Destroy please edit his post to make it clear that I didn't write those things? He added his own comments...

I just wrote a long reply only to have my computer eat it, but basically, I am wondering if you are a current student or not. I was under the impression that training in WISER started in the second year and was a required course... is that untrue? Also, don't EM and gas electives in the fourth year use WISER? How hard could it be to get an EM or gas elective? Those are both huge departments. If the students really don't use WISER at all as you claim, then I am wondering why they take us on that long tour of the facility and show us videos of med students learning in there. Is it all a big lie? :laugh: Bummer...
Hmmm, don't listen to a first or second year on Wiser. Unless things changed (I'm a third year), we typically start going late 2nd year and then continue during select rotations third year, and in many 4th year electives. During anesthesia you go twice/week ,once per week for 4 hours in medicine, and then daily in CCM elective, and in other 4th year electives, including EM, anesthesia, etc. And the CCM elective is popular, but it is held during virtually every period of fourth year, so if you want to do it, you can. I've found Wiser quite useful - when it came time to intubate, etc during anesthesia, I had done it on a dummy which at the time (after intubating "his" esophagus) I thought I had killed. Better to do THAT on a dummy.

PookieGirl

03-17-2005, 07:41 AM

Does anyone know if Pitt pays for students to come out?

I'm hurting for $, but I would still like to visit.

Ditto. The fact that they haven't sent us any info on second look weekend yet and it's only 2.5 weeks away makes me think that they don't. And the closer that weekend gets, the more expensive plane tickets are. They need to get their act together and send us some info soon.

PMinty44

03-17-2005, 07:54 AM

Ditto. The fact that they haven't sent us any info on second look weekend yet and it's only 2.5 weeks away makes me think that they don't. And the closer that weekend gets, the more expensive plane tickets are. They need to get their act together and send us some info soon.

I second this. I'm *****-broke! I'll call them later today and inquire re: details and maybe getting them to help pay for the plane ticket. Jezz! If Case western can pay for people's second looks and put them up in a hotel and ine them and dine them, Pitt ought to be able to as well (Pitt has more money, right?).

scott858

03-18-2005, 11:27 AM

criminallyinane

03-18-2005, 04:56 PM

Tra la la, if your tag line is 'UCLA or UCSF', why do you think Pitt should pay to have you come out for a free vacation? Some people's sense of entitlement is amazing

Word to your mother.

docinthemaking

03-19-2005, 08:41 PM

Is anyone from the Northeastern region (Penn, NY, Delaware, etc) who is going to second look weekend interested in car-pooling to Pitt? :D

Tra La La

03-19-2005, 08:45 PM

Tra la la, if your tag line is 'UCLA or UCSF', why do you think Pitt should pay to have you come out for a free vacation? Some people's sense of entitlement is amazing, and good luck in Derm, Optho, Gas, or Rads, I'm sure you'll love the ROAD to life.

C'mon, dude. Don't hate.

I'm seriously considering Pitt. I applied for that academic scholarship program and I would definitely considering attending if I were fortunate enough to receive it.

Right now, however, from a financial standpoint, UCSF or UCLA would be better options (esp. if I got no $$$ from Pitt).

Tra La La

03-19-2005, 08:47 PM

...why do you think Pitt should pay to have you come out for a free vacation?

Since when was going to Pittsburg akin to vacationing?

I'm kidding!

RoccoWJ

03-22-2005, 12:29 PM

Since when was going to Pittsburg akin to vacationing?

I'm kidding!

Perhaps you should learn how to spell the name of the city first.....

uptoolate

03-22-2005, 01:05 PM

Perhaps you should learn how to spell the name of the city first.....
RoccoWJ-do you know anything about the Second Look Week-end or when we will get more info about it? Thanks!

Economist

03-22-2005, 05:13 PM

RoccoWJ-do you know anything about the Second Look Week-end or when we will get more info about it? Thanks!

I called the admissions office yesterday and they told me that a current student is in charge of second look and we'll be getting emails about it pretty soon.

Tra La La

03-22-2005, 05:14 PM

Perhaps you should learn how to spell the name of the city first.....

Good one. :thumbup:

Pittsburgh

hapkidochic

03-22-2005, 06:06 PM

congrats to all who have been accepted! I'm a first year at pitt. It's a great place. Just thought i'd chime in with a few of my thoughts

Weather
I'm from Cali and I've managed to survive the winter. In fact, I kind of liked it. We even had a few anomalous near-60 degree winter days. Only recently have I really begun to want the cold to end. The sun does make an appearance, even in the winter. Though i've heard that this winter was sunnier than usual.

Safety
The part of oakland in which scaife and the hospitals are is perfectly safe. If you cross Forbes Ave into the area where the undergrads live, it starts to look a little sketchy. But there's really no need be in that area. I think i've only walked through there 2 or 3 times. The surrounding neighborhoods are also safe and family friendly.

Transportation
There are about 20 buses stop at the bottom of the hill. Then you can either walk up the hill to scaife, or you can go through Children's and Presby hospitals (I highly recommend this route during the winter). It takes the same amount of time to walk through the hopsitals as it does to walk up the hill. So there's no need to have a car for the purposes of getting to class. In fact, it's better to take the bus because you don't have to deal with parking in oakland. However, it might be nice to have a car for errands, groceries etc. I don't have a car and i haven't had a problem all year. But i am likely going to get a car this summer.

Ruskin
Ruskin is the university-owned apartment building (not dorm) for health professional students (med, dental, nursing etc.). I live there and i think it's great. It's a little pricier than other places that you might find, but i think it's worth it for the convenience. It's a 10-15 minute walk or a 2 minute bus ride+5 minutes to walk through hospitals/up the hill to scaife. Many first years live here. There are studios, efficiencies, one and two bedrooms. The apartments are all very different so don't think that if you've seen one, you've seen them all. I think there will be a few Ruskin folks opening up their apartments for second look so you can get an idea of what they're like.

Second Look
It's the weekend of April 8-10. Last i heard, the online rsvp webpage will be up in the next day or two (don't quote me on that though)

hope that helps.

RoccoWJ

03-22-2005, 07:23 PM

couldn't have said it better myself

docinthemaking

03-23-2005, 12:36 PM

For those who are interested, check your e-mail for info on Pitt's second look weekend. Hope to meet some of you there! :D

criminallyinane

03-23-2005, 01:31 PM

I got the email! I'm psyched about second look! See you all there :)

PMinty44

03-26-2005, 02:41 PM

I got the email! I'm psyched about second look! See you all there :)

Geez, I'm kinda pi$$ed....I wish Pitt had sent out info re: the weekend weeks ago (so that I could have bought a reasonably-priced ticket). I just paid an arm and a leg for a ticket to Pitt (from Providence, RI). But, it's ok (I keep telling myself this) because I looove Pitt so much...this is an investment (I'm still trying to rationalize the expense).

See you April 8th!!!

ads99

03-29-2005, 01:10 PM

Due to the expense of buying plane tickets to Pittsburgh and the slowness of train travel, I've decided to drive to Pittsburgh. It's 9 hours from Boston and that's where I'm heading from. Anyone want a ride and willing to help with gas? PM me. I'm leaving on Thursday April 7th sometime between 1-3pm and will return on Sunday, leaving Pitt around noon. If you're on my way to Pittsburgh, I'm happy to pick you up. My husband (also admitted to Pitt for med school) will be joining us for the ride home from Pitt.

Warning: I like to sing in the car.

CalGoldenBear

04-11-2005, 09:44 PM

does anyone know when pitt hands out financial aid packages?

thanks

ads99

04-12-2005, 06:09 AM

does anyone know when pitt hands out financial aid packages?

thanks

I asked them that during second look. I've heard conflicting reports from "they go out next week" to "April 20th."

PookieGirl

04-12-2005, 08:11 AM

I asked them that during second look. I've heard conflicting reports from "they go out next week" to "April 20th."

I talked to Amber at the financial aid/ admissions office and she said that they get finalized April 20th and sent out thereafter.

ADS--sorry to hear you won't be there. Where did you and your husband decide? My SO and I (who you did meet-- he said you were asking my name on here) are still up in the air but feel good about Pitt right now.

M

ads99

04-12-2005, 05:17 PM

I talked to Amber at the financial aid/ admissions office and she said that they get finalized April 20th and sent out thereafter.

ADS--sorry to hear you won't be there. Where did you and your husband decide? My SO and I (who you did meet-- he said you were asking my name on here) are still up in the air but feel good about Pitt right now.

M

Right M, I know who you are. Once again, sorry about messing up your name.
Good luck to you and your SO. I'll PM you.

ADS

PianoGirl04

04-12-2005, 09:27 PM

Hey, for those of you who will be going to Pitt next year (congrats!), my friend has an awesome 2-BR apartment to sublet and/or lease. I've seen it, and the space is really huge. It's right on the 71D and 500 bus routes, and they run very frequently. The parking is really cheap too, and we all know how insanely difficult it is to find parking in Oakland. It's available for sublet starting in either July or August, and then the sub-tenants can take over the lease for the following year. So basically, you could stay there from the beginning of July through next August (and then renew if you like it) or from the beginning of this August to the end of next August. It's really a good deal. Here's the Craig's list ad he posted:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/apa/66593908.html

630 Clyde St. Apt. 302

A huge 2 bedroom apartment available July 1st onwards. It is a quick walk to both the UPitt and CMU campuses. It is right on 5th Avenue so you can catch any bus to class since they all go by 5th.

Comes equipped with a dishwasher, furnished with shelves, and comes carpeted. There is even a patio. Washing machine is located in the basement. There is a garage for a very low monthly fee.

PARKING - LOW Pittsburgh residental fee - just need to get a Zone license for 10 bucks for the whole year since this area is zoned. SAVES you $$$.

All utilities included except electricity. It is already wired for DSL/Cable connection.

The floor plan is here. The place is huge, you can easily have 4 people or more live here comfortably.

http://www.prudentialrealty.com/prc/FloorPlans/CS-1002.swf

http://www.prudentialrealty.com/cgi-bin/ezdb.cgi?my_db/prclist+search+display+900000565&

Please contact the Building manager Ron Womble if you want to see the place. Make sure to let him know it is Apt 302, and we can vacate by July 1.

His # is: (412) 621-7563

E-mail me at gqtung@yahoo.com if you have any further questions.

Heal&Teach

04-13-2005, 12:14 AM

Congratulations to the incoming c/o 2009 :clap:

Hi PianoGirl04, hapkidochic, and RoccoWJ. :D

CaMD

04-13-2005, 02:01 PM

pinkice

04-13-2005, 02:11 PM

Does anyone know when Pitt's start date is? Is there any kind of orientation thing beforehand, and if so when that starts?

(I did search Pitt's website for this but the only 2005-2006 calendar I could find was for 4th years.)

Thanks. :)
I know their White Coat Ceremony is on 8/14 (which is a Sunday) at the other schools I was accepted to the ceremony fell between the end of orientation week and the beginning of classes. Hope this helps

CaMD

04-13-2005, 02:26 PM

I know their White Coat Ceremony is on 8/14 (which is a Sunday) at the other schools I was accepted to the ceremony fell between the end of orientation week and the beginning of classes. Hope this helps

It does help. Thanks. :) I'd still appreciate exact dates, though, if anyone has those.

cece

04-14-2005, 09:43 AM

So, I had a conflict with Pitt's second look weekend, but my parents want me to go check it out again before making a final decision, and I'd like to go check out apartments around Pitt, too. I e-mailed the admissions office about a self-scheduled revisit, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

So, current Pitt students: any chance I could tag along to class with one of you, and perhaps crash on your floor? Say, May 6th or May 9th? I'm almost certainly going to Pitt, but just to humor my mom... (Or if you have any suggestions for finding someone who'd be willing to take me to class, like e-mailing the people who signed up to host for interviews, post away.)

Thanks!
cw

CaMD

04-14-2005, 08:30 PM

docinthemaking

04-14-2005, 10:32 PM

Kazema

04-14-2005, 10:42 PM

I used AT&T throughout my undergrad career in Pittsburgh. Generally good coverage, can't complain.

Cingular/AT&T in Rochester on the other hand isn't too good. But that's neither here nor there. Well actually it is but you needn't concern yourself with it. Aye cap'n.

Economist

04-15-2005, 05:24 AM

doc, my Verizon coverage was fine everywhere that weekend, including Scaife and Ruskin. However, I did notice that most of the natives seemed to have Cingular, and while I noticed Cingular stores around, I didn't notice any Verizon stores. But like I said, my phone worked fine and I'm not planning on switching.

PianoGirl04

04-15-2005, 07:13 AM

As for cell phones, I can only vouch for Verizon. Even then there are some dead zones in Scaife (library, 3rd floor teaching lab and Lecture Room 4, where we have all our classes). I've been told by people with other carriers that they get absolutely zero reception in Scaife, but I don't know which carrier they have. I've seen people with Sprint and Cingular phones, but T-mobile seems to be nonexistent.

Cece, if you still have the list, definitely email the interview hosts. Or even the second look hosts. The MS2s won't be able to help you since they're ending spring break and jumping into board studying now. Of the MS1s, one of us could probably help you out. I don't think we have any exams around that time - our big neuro exams are this coming Monday and May 13.

CaMD

04-15-2005, 11:32 AM

Sounds like Verizon is the safe bet, even though I really want to go with Cingular. :(

Anyways, I wanted to spread the word that I found that the University of Pittsburgh has a deal with Cingular where students get a 10% discount. (Not that this matters if it's not the right service.)

http://www.bc.pitt.edu/purchasing/Cingular.html

CaMD

04-19-2005, 11:03 PM

Anyone know what Pitt's policy is on AP credits? Do they accept them for the English requirement (or 1/2 the English requirement)?

jays2cool4u

04-20-2005, 12:20 AM

CaMd, you're right on the money. I did my undergrad at Pitt and I had two cell phone plans:Verizon & AT&T(now cingular). AT&T was a joke. Verizon worked everywhere on campus except in some dead spots in Posvar Hall. Since you're a med student you will probably never have to go there. Have fun walking up that hill everyday for the next 4 years to Scaife and Presby. HA!

Jays2Cool4u :cool:

boardchic

04-20-2005, 08:09 AM

Anyone know what Pitt's policy is on AP credits? Do they accept them for the English requirement (or 1/2 the English requirement)?
CaMD, this post confused me... are you going to Pitt for med school or undergrad? If you're going for med school, why do you care about their policy on AP credits?

CaMD

04-20-2005, 08:33 AM

CaMD, this post confused me... are you going to Pitt for med school or undergrad? If you're going for med school, why do you care about their policy on AP credits?

I would be going for med school. :) The reason I care is because they have a 1 year English requirement listed on their website. At my undergrad I was able to use 3 English AP credits towards the English req so I only took 1 other English class. So I'm wondering if I need to sign up for another course over the summer. (I don't want to find out when it's too late that I didn't meet the matriculation requirements!)

CaMD

04-20-2005, 08:34 AM

boardchic

04-20-2005, 08:39 AM

I would be going for med school. :) The reason I care is because they have a 1 year English requirement listed on their website. At my undergrad I was able to use 3 English AP credits towards the English req so I only took 1 other English class. So I'm wondering if I need to sign up for another course over the summer. (I don't want to find out when it's too late that I didn't meet the matriculation requirements!)
I see... I would call the school, but I assume if they accepted you, you've filled all the requirements. :p

criminallyinane

04-20-2005, 09:17 AM

I would be going for med school. :) The reason I care is because they have a 1 year English requirement listed on their website. At my undergrad I was able to use 3 English AP credits towards the English req so I only took 1 other English class. So I'm wondering if I need to sign up for another course over the summer. (I don't want to find out when it's too late that I didn't meet the matriculation requirements!)

What did you list on the secondary for the Eng requirements? If that was acceptable to them for admissions, it's probably fine for matriculation. I would call the nice lady at the admissions office and ask, just to make sure :)

liverotcod

04-20-2005, 09:54 AM

What did you list on the secondary for the Eng requirements? If that was acceptable to them for admissions, it's probably fine for matriculation. I would call the nice lady at the admissions office and ask, just to make sure :)
Not necessarily. For most schools, requirements must be filled before matriculation, not before acceptance. Definitely a "call admissions" situation.

CaMD

04-20-2005, 10:32 AM

Hey guys,

I was told that if I was admitted then I had fulfilled the requirements and had nothing to worry about. (Just in case any of you are in a similar situation.)
I agree this policy probably varies school to school.

CaMD

LionInTheDark

04-20-2005, 02:53 PM

I think this would be useful info for everyone starting Pitt next fall.

I did a search for recommendations for cell phone providers for students at UPitt and only found 1 thread and it recommended Verizon. Can anyone vouch for the quality of any other providers? (Specifically I'm wondering about Cingular. Maybe the new Cingular + ATT is pretty good?)

Did anyone attending 2nd look notice good coverage while wandering Scaif (and any other pertinent areas)?

I have Cingular. It works great around the city, but reception is limited in Scaife Hall. Fine in the PBL rooms and the outer part of the library near the fishbowl, but non-existant in lecture or deeper in the library. So... if you want to take calls during lec, you're probably out of luck. Great otherwise.

By the way, we're putting out a CD of music performed and in most cases written by Pitt med students. If you're in, you should be receiving a copy along with the Murmurs literary magazine in a couple of weeks. There's some real talent here, so don't be scared.

-Lion

seethrew

05-08-2005, 12:43 PM

wow folks. i had totally written off pitt because of expense. but i got a schweet finaid package and pitts back in the game. *shocked* too bad i only got my finaid yesterday and i am *freaking out* about deciding where to go. biggest issue is weather. i lived in upstate ny for a v long time and am familiar and would be v hard to go back! seems like a strange reason not to picka schewl tho. i wasnt able to go to second look - can some of y'all fill me in on the details?

PookieGirl

05-08-2005, 01:34 PM

If I was to move out in August, when should I look for a place? I'm thinking either July or drive out in August and stay in a hotel 'til I find a place. What have others done? I plan to live alone.

Singing Devil

05-08-2005, 03:21 PM

NubianPrincess

05-08-2005, 03:55 PM

A tear came to my eye when I turned down my Pitt acceptance. :(

criminallyinane

05-08-2005, 04:08 PM

Yay! Glad to see this thread back up... I didn't make it to Second Look either, despite having hoped that I would be able to go, so I am going to go to Pittsburgh in a couple weeks to look for housing. I am also looking to live alone (cause it's so cheap, so why not!) and although there are some listings already for August, I am not sure if I will find more selection later or if now is the time to sign... I guess I will find out more when I go visit! I would be happy to post afterwards and tell you all about the real estate market, any info I can get about neighborhoods, etc. I'm probably going to live in Shadyside.

jrmgarbage

05-08-2005, 05:43 PM

For all of you people looking for housing (and wanting to live with some other people), I wanted to give ya'll a head's up about my place. My roommates and I will be moving out of our place in Shadyside in July (at the latest), and I am assuming the place will be ready to move into at the beginning of August.

Anyway...
it is a 3 bedroom (big rooms) house/apt. the actual house is 3 floors. we have the top two. there is a one bedroom on the bottom floor that will be rented to someone else. we are on kentucky ave in shadyside now. very nice area. about a 10 minute walk to all the stuff on walnut street. the bus stop is one block away, and you can pick up different 3 buslines there (i.e. less waiting). we all currently park on the street (no permits needed, and we never have problems finding places), but you can park in the back if you want (we never do). there is a nice sized living room, kitchen (incl. dishwasher), dinette area, laundry machines in the basement (coin), etc etc. all in all, it is a sweet place that is extremely cheap when you divide it between 3 people (we pay $400 plus utilities/month each). ummm...i can't really think of a whole lot else right now.

the place is nice...we just need more bedrooms for next year. we have kind of procrastinated making the decision to move, so i figured i would try to help the landlord out a little.

if you are interested, PM me. i can take some pics for you if you desire. then i guess we can put you in contact with the owners/landlord.

-jeremy

seethrew

05-08-2005, 06:40 PM

Just wondering, is your financial aid package need-based or merit-based?

If I get off the waitlist, I'm hoping to get some financial aid, although I realize that both are a long-shot.
um, i dunno. it didnt say. they did however expect the most parental contribution of any school. everyone else said like $0 or $151 or something crazy low like that, but pitt estimated $3.5K. wtf??? can't complain tho since they gifted me more than any other place. too bad i'm not psyched about the area. i looked up sunny days and it was like equal to seattle. :(

PookieGirl

05-08-2005, 07:30 PM

um, i dunno. it didnt say. they did however expect the most parental contribution of any school. everyone else said like $0 or $151 or something crazy low like that, but pitt estimated $3.5K. wtf??? can't complain tho since they gifted me more than any other place. too bad i'm not psyched about the area. i looked up sunny days and it was like equal to seattle. :(

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who pays attention to the sunshine. This is the site I use: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgsun.html

Pretty depressing. I definitely get down and depressed when it's not sunny. How do docs treat SAD? I don't want drugs-- just sun. Other than that, I really liked both the school and the area.

criminallyinane

05-08-2005, 07:50 PM

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who pays attention to the sunshine. This is the site I use: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgsun.html

Pretty depressing. I definitely get down and depressed when it's not sunny. How do docs treat SAD? I don't want drugs-- just sun. Other than that, I really liked both the school and the area.

Aren't there "sun alarm clocks" to help you wake up naturally with an increasing light source so that you feel like the sun has risen and it is time to start the day? (No matter how dreary outside!) Also, being in well-lit study areas might help. SAD is tough for sure, a lot of people at my college in [dreary Northeast town] seemed to get really down around wintertime. I imagine we're all going to be spending so much time inside studying, though, that we might not have time to notice the clouds! ;) I come from one of the dreariest and snowiest parts of the country, so I am used to it, and Pittsburgh is actually nicer weather than I am used to, so it's cool for me, but I understand how for people from other areas, the weather doesn't seem too appealing.

seethrew

05-08-2005, 09:11 PM

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who pays attention to the sunshine. This is the site I use: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgsun.html

Pretty depressing. I definitely get down and depressed when it's not sunny. How do docs treat SAD? I don't want drugs-- just sun. Other than that, I really liked both the school and the area.
are u goin to pitt? damn its an awesome school... but everything about the place was GREY to me. grey buildings. flourescent lights. cloudy. eck.
the epitome of a steel town.
curriculum :thumbup: reputation :thumbup: nontrads :thumbup:

i lived in upstate ny for 8 years and actually started to identify with it after a while - and not mind it. but after the hellaciousness of a crazy last year post bac and personal sh!te i feel like sunshine can make or break my attitude. i know it sounds a little crazy. i can prolly get over it. next time i'm on a plane i need to order a special alarm clock that ci saw in sky mall. i just thought fer the longest time i'd be in the sunny south. now i'm not so sure. :confused:

iampurestyle

05-08-2005, 09:19 PM

are u goin to pitt? damn its an awesome school... but everything about the place was GREY to me. grey buildings. flourescent lights. cloudy. eck.
the epitome of a steel town.
curriculum :thumbup: reputation :thumbup: nontrads :thumbup:

i lived in upstate ny for 8 years and actually started to identify with it after a while - and not mind it. but after the hellaciousness of a crazy last year post bac and personal sh!te i feel like sunshine can make or break my attitude. i know it sounds a little crazy. i can prolly get over it. next time i'm on a plane i need to order a special alarm clock that ci saw in sky mall. i just thought fer the longest time i'd be in the sunny south. now i'm not so sure. :confused:

I lived in Pittsburgh for 12 years before I came to college. Although I couldn't wait to get out, now I realize how great a city it is. You will find the cost of living to be quite low, enabling you the chance to go to great restaurants and cultural events around the city.

Best radio stations: 105.9 The X= Alternative Rock, 90.5 WDUQ= Jazz & NPR, 91.3 WYEP= eclectic mix of stuff, 89.3 WQED= classical & NPR

Best restaurants: LuLu's noodles in Oakland, Bona Terra in sharpsburg, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Taj Mahal in north hills, Max & Erma's for cheap eats

Carnegie Museum, Warhol, Mattress Factory, Pirates, Steelers,lots of dance clubs...all around great city

The darkness doesn't really bother you after a while. It is quite conducive to studying and being in a hospital (overcast days make people feel calm & like they should be inside reading).

There are wonderful neighborhoods too, and you have the resources of CMU, Duquesne, Carlow, Chatham, right nearby. The hospitals are also top notch.

I wish everyone who has been accepted the best of luck and enjoy what the city has to offer!!!!

baldguy

05-08-2005, 11:54 PM

Congrats to all of you Pitt 09 people,

I was wondering if anyone has moved off of the waitlist...and when. I called the office last week for an update and they said they have already started sending out some of the letters moving people off of the waitlist. Gulp.

Thanks.

baldguy who wants to go to Pitt.....

j04177117

05-09-2005, 12:02 AM

Singing Devil

05-09-2005, 11:18 AM

See, I don't get this. I called today, and they said NO waitlist responses have been sent out, consistent with their previous statements, and that waitlisted applicants wouldn't be reviewed until after May 15th.

They also said the waitlist is ranked, and that it is inflexible. However, when I called a month ago, they told me that it WAS flexible, they would be happy to receive additional info, letters of rec., etc. and to make sure that I told them if Pitt was my first choice.

Either they're speaking out of both sides of their (collective) mouth, or some admissions people spill the beans and others don't, or some people answering the phone don't know how it actually works.

CaMD

05-11-2005, 03:58 PM

jrmgarbage

05-11-2005, 06:39 PM

I can't seem to dig it up right now, but a few days ago when I was doing a giant search of all references to Pitt on SDN I ran across a mention of someone saying that their host (or someone they met on interview day) said to beware the 1st year financial aid packages, that they were not so generous in subsequent years?

Can any of the current Pitt students who've been kind enough to be posting on this forum please share their finaid experiences? Is the amount of scholarship/grant/loans/etc consistent year to year?

i got basically the same amount of scholarship this year that i did last year (actually $600 less, but my expeceted contribution went up $7000 also). not bad. i even turned in my stuff late. i am sure it is different for others though.

docinthemaking

05-11-2005, 08:16 PM

CaMD,

Have you decided where you're going yet? I'm leaning towards Pitt at this point but I'm still having a really hard time letting go of UCI. And we only have four days left to decide :eek:

CaMD

05-11-2005, 08:28 PM

i got basically the same amount of scholarship this year that i did last year (actually $600 less, but my expeceted contribution went up $7000 also). not bad. i even turned in my stuff late. i am sure it is different for others though.

Thanks for replying, jrmgarbage. That's reassuring. Assuming that your EFC went up due to an actual increase in your income/assets, right?

CaMD

05-11-2005, 08:31 PM

CaMD,

Have you decided where you're going yet? I'm leaning towards Pitt at this point but I'm still having a really hard time letting go of UCI. And we only have four days left to decide :eek:

As of this morning (when I got my UCI package) I think i am going to Pitt. I was holding out to see what the price differential was going to be and it's zero! Going to UCI and going to Pitt I will end up taking out the exact same amount of loans next year! Crazy, huh? So much for state schools being cheaper.

So yeah, I *think* that's my decision but I'm going to take the next day or two and continue to drive myself nuts thinking about it.

Maybe we'll get to be classmates next year!

Wardens

05-12-2005, 07:17 AM

I can't seem to dig it up right now, but a few days ago when I was doing a giant search of all references to Pitt on SDN I ran across a mention of someone saying that their host (or someone they met on interview day) said to beware the 1st year financial aid packages, that they were not so generous in subsequent years?

Can any of the current Pitt students who've been kind enough to be posting on this forum please share their finaid experiences? Is the amount of scholarship/grant/loans/etc consistent year to year?

CaMD, Congrats on deciding on Pitt! I just wanted to add that my aid package was essentially the same as well. Same EFC, and they increased the scholarship according to the increase in tuition (give or take some). I think I still owe about 1/4 of the tuition increase (about $500 owed). All in all, about the same. Look forward to seeing you next year,

Bryan