2010-2011 University of Pittsburgh Application Thread

Hi, there! I just couldn't resist being the first person to post on the Pitt thread. This is my dream school, you'd be hard pressed to find a school with a wider breadth of clinical and research options. I am applying here this year but it is a real long shot for me. I am statistically more likely to get attacked by a shark or struck by lightning or killed by a blow to the head from a falling coconut than get an acceptance here.

Anyway, I happen to work for UPMC just a few blocks away from the med school and am a life long Pittsburgh resident. If anyone has any questions about the hospitals or the area, I'd be happy to share what I know.

I agree. My top choice too, it's a great school - I'm not a local, but you can learn a lot about Pittburgh (the city) by watching "the dahntahn song" on youtube... hopefully we get the secondaries soon!

Good luck to everyone applying to pitt this year. I'll be an MS1 starting in just over a month. I couldn't be more excited, as Pitt is an incredible school.

Word to the wise with applying to Pitt is to get those apps in early. Pitt starts interviewing early, and offers interviews very shortly after receiving secondaries (they were my first offer). Feel free to post or PM with any questions, and good luck!

Pitt's Secondary is out.

jmr86 said:

pitt's secondary is out.

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amen!

Now this is a secondary! Not like Einstein, which just asks for $120, and not like Columbia, which has seven different prompts. This one hits the sweet spot.

DoctorKazefa said:

Now this is a secondary! Not like Einstein, which just asks for $120, and not like Columbia, which has seven different prompts. This one hits the sweet spot.

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I do rather not write anything. Why do additional work.

Both of the essays are hard too. Especially that moral dilemma one. I dont have any seriously

After thinking for hours, I just wrote some crap for the moral dilema last year that was just awful. I'm super excited that it's here again... I have no idea what to write...

possible essays:

NHBPFA5 said:

possible essays:

lmk what you guys think is best (or none at all)

1. Went to a party, and found someone very ill where the friends did not want to take him to the hospital. Obviously I took him (Topic from last year without any real dilemma....)

2. Friend I vouched for sublet an apartment with my other friends and he turned out to be very shady and would steal and disrespect them. He told me everything was going great, but I confronted him about it...

3. I found this girl on the verge of passing out on the street when we were leaving the house, and the guy she was with said he's her friend and he's got it under control, but he seemed weird. So I stayed behind and carried her for a few blocks toward her sorority house where someone she knew could be of more help. He was very unhappy that I was helping her, but when she stopped talking I called 911 and the guy bolted. He was with her for obviously sleezy reasons.

I like #3, but i feel like Pitt would think my life is just one big drunk fest. I have to disclose a drinking ticket as well, so these stories wouldn't help my cause there...

Input very welcome...

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None of those are dilemmas lol

ownage said:

None of those are dilemmas lol

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not good ones, but I think they are.


a decision to make between unfavorable situations.


Idk... I don't have anything with less of an obviously right answer. In each scenario, there are options, but the dilemma in #3 is weather to trust this irate man who claimed to know the girl or take her myself and risk angering him (as well as taking responsibility of this girl). He just screamed at me as I carried her. Of course it's the right thing to do, and what I did, but people were all just walking past her before we got there.

In most dilemmas there's obviously a "right" answer, ie turning in a friend for cheating, but both choices are not pleasant.

lol.... got any better ones?

I kicked a guy out of school for harassing girls (including me) +some other weird stuff . I lived in the same dorm floor as he for an entire semester + some, and he was really nice -- we had been friends (I had borrowed his laptop, brew beer with him, ect)... but I think he most of gotten back into drugs or something. Felt horrible because he has been so nice, but then got so creepy and I had to sit in the same room as him, right next to him, and tell my school why he needed to get help. Honestly though, I don't know if this was a big moral or ethical dilemma... it was just the right thing to do, even if I feel so bad. He was less than a semester from graduating, and now he will never get that degree.

wow. that's tough...
but I think it's a really good topic to write about. Idk where the line is between just doing what you're supposed to do and a "dilemma" though. This is where I'm having trouble thinking of something I guess..

Avoidthetiger said:

I kicked a guy out of school for harassing girls (including me) +some other weird stuff . I lived in the same dorm floor as he for an entire semester + some, and he was really nice -- we had been friends (I had borrowed his laptop, brew beer with him, ect)... but I think he most of gotten back into drugs or something. Felt horrible because he has been so nice, but then got so creepy and I had to sit in the same room as him, right next to him, and tell my school why he needed to get help. Honestly though, I don't know if this was a big moral or ethical dilemma... it was just the right thing to do, even if I feel so bad. He was less than a semester from graduating, and now he will never get that degree.

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I have a scenario that's fairly similar to that (creepy guy), except my school didn't do much of anything. Until he became potentially suicidal. It was a bad situation all around.

My issue is that both of mine are about 100 words over. Cutting them down is really hard.

for those who are on a quarter system how do you input your prereq classes, esp. for writing? They only offer two spots.

*somehow I double posted *

whimsical said:

I have a scenario that's fairly similar to that (creepy guy), except my school didn't do much of anything. Until he became potentially suicidal. It was a bad situation all around.

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whimsical, I am sorry your school didn't respond as much. The guy was being alittle bit more of a creep, but well, it's gets alittle bit more complicated from there. I think my story was alittle bit more of a dilemma as I had to round up the girls to talk about what had happened and well, everyone felt bad because he was suppose to graduate. He was suppose to take a year off and get help -- but I guess he never did that because my school sent me an email saying he was never returning (which is good for me, because I am still at that same school and would not wish to see him walking around). BUT thank you for thinking it's an appropriate topic. I feel weird using it as it feels like such a private issue -- i didn't even tell my parents about it, until I decided to use it for a few essays.

My issue is that both of mine are about 100 words over. Cutting them down is really hard.

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I have a hard time cutting my story down too. I think just sticking to the main points of what happened is what is must important -- don't elaborate too much, or use adjectives. 250 words isn't alot.

NHBPFA5 said:

possible essays:

3. I found this girl on the verge of passing out on the street when we were leaving the house, and the guy she was with said he's her friend and he's got it under control, but he seemed weird. So I stayed behind and carried her for a few blocks toward her sorority house where someone she knew could be of more help. He was very unhappy that I was helping her, but when she stopped talking I called 911 and the guy bolted. He was with her for obviously sleezy reasons.

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I like number 3 too. It's a dilemma of sort... perhaps a moral dilemma of if you should trust this person. Man, I feel like I need to look up the definition of moral.
(30 seconds later)
First definition of Moral -- "of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior." ... also capable of right or wrong action.

So yes, in number 3, you could have seen the shady guy and kept going... but instead you did the right thing, helped her out, scared the shady guy away, and got her the help you need. That was a moral decision. You could have easily kept on walking -- as I am sure many people were.
Maybe don't mention that you were drinking... just leaving some place and saw her, since you don't want medical schools to think you were an alky.

I feel like I need to return to 2nd grade for having Pitt make me question the definition of moral. <sigh>

That moral question reminds me off that "what would you do?" show on ABC.

I saw some dude beating his hot wife. he was 6'5'' 300 pounds. Should I rescue her or do I mind my own business? I had some karate moves and beat him up. I became a hero and got her number

Avoidthetiger said:

whimsical, I am sorry your school didn't respond as much. The guy was being alittle bit more of a creep, but well, it's gets alittle bit more complicated from there. I think my story was alittle bit more of a dilemma as I had to round up the girls to talk about what had happened and well, everyone felt bad because he was suppose to graduate. He was suppose to take a year off and get help -- but I guess he never did that because my school sent me an email saying he was never returning (which is good for me, because I am still at that same school and would not wish to see him walking around). BUT thank you for thinking it's an appropriate topic. I feel weird using it as it feels like such a private issue -- i didn't even tell my parents about it, until I decided to use it for a few essays.


I have a hard time cutting my story down too. I think just sticking to the main points of what happened is what is must important -- don't elaborate too much, or use adjectives. 250 words isn't alot.

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Yeah it's always hard when a school doesn't respond. I mean this kid was on a stalker level, and I had several females who would vouch for me, but such is life. I absolutely think it's an appropriate scenario, and I think it shows something unique about you.

300 words! I'm hoping to submit soon.

ownage said:

That moral question reminds me off that "what would you do?" show on ABC.

I saw some dude beating his hot wife. he was 6'5'' 300 pounds. Should I rescue her or do I mind my own business? I had some karate moves and beat him up. I became a hero and got her number

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well played

I thought of another dilemma which wasn't as clear-cut, but the story isn't that thrilling or alcoholic (lol), and I don't know if I did the right thing.

Long story short: Guy i volunteered with has no verbal filter, blurts out GRAPHICALLY that he's so tired because the girl he was seeing ended a certain monthly cycle and certain things occurred for long periods of time. Patient is a curtain away, nurse rips open curtain and says that our conversation is upsetting the patient. I apologize my brains out without thinking, I look like a creep. I didn't know what would happen, and since it really could have gotten "us" kicked out for being so disgusting, I was freaking out. I didn't know if I should tell the supervisor my story, or let it go. I let it go, since I wasn't sure that I would be punished. Nothing happened to either of us, and he got way better with not being so gross. This kid was a good guy and I would have felt terrible selling him out because I thought I'd get in trouble. But if the nurse told anyone, I don't know if he would have taken the blame, so I don't know what the right thing to do was.

Thoughts? or

on a side dilemma: I drove through the bank today and in the drawer mechanism there was $100 bill caught in the gears, easily reachable. I told the teller about it.

NHBPFA5 said:

well played

I thought of another dilemma which wasn't as clear-cut, but the story isn't that thrilling or alcoholic (lol), and I don't know if I did the right thing.

Long story short: Guy i volunteered with has no verbal filter, blurts out GRAPHICALLY that he's so tired because the girl he was seeing ended a certain monthly cycle and certain things occurred for long periods of time. Patient is a curtain away, nurse rips open curtain and says that our conversation is upsetting the patient. I apologize my brains out without thinking, I look like a creep. I didn't know what would happen, and since it really could have gotten "us" kicked out for being so disgusting, I was freaking out. I didn't know if I should tell the supervisor my story, or let it go. I let it go, since I wasn't sure that I would be punished. Nothing happened to either of us, and he got way better with not being so gross. This kid was a good guy and I would have felt terrible selling him out because I thought I'd get in trouble. But if the nurse told anyone, I don't know if he would have taken the blame, so I don't know what the right thing to do was.

Thoughts? or

on a side dilemma: I drove through the bank today and in the drawer mechanism there was $100 bill caught in the gears, easily reachable. I told the teller about it.

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Honestly, I would go with the $100 bill story or the helping the super-drunk girl out. That fourth story though... not very good. It doesn't make your associates look good and the fact that no one maybe 'educated' this guy that his behavior was inappropriate (if the nurse wasn't enough) because you didn't tell the supervisor, isn't very good either. I mean, I understand you not saying anything... but definitely didn't make the "right" decision then... though I think everyone has stayed quite after comments like that.

exactly what I was thinking.... to this day I don't know what I should have done. He was really well behaved after that incident, so the situation ended up "ideal" but i still don't know.

Thank you for helping me with these. It helps to hear someone else's opinion of it!

edit: but really? even the 100$ story over it lol? Rob a bank or tell them about it? it's like... commit a crime or don't.

For the moral dilemma, if I tell a personal story about a friend and change his name, do I need to note that I changed it? I'd rather not waste characters but I don't want to seem inappropriate.

I just left names out of mine. Just say a friend of mine or this guy or something. Since it's so short, you don't really have room to say the name is changed. Idk though, maybe someone has better advice

On the coursework section, does anyone know why they give 5 slots to list lecture for chem, bio, orgo, and physics? Are you supposed to list all of the coursework you've taken in those subjects, not just the pre-reqs?

RB93 said:

On the coursework section, does anyone know why they give 5 slots to list lecture for chem, bio, orgo, and physics? Are you supposed to list all of the coursework you've taken in those subjects, not just the pre-reqs?

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I don't think so. They probably have extra spots in case your school is on a trimester or quarter system, or if you took the classes multiple times. So I think you're good with just listing the basics.

Hydrogen5040 said:

I don't think so. They probably have extra spots in case your school is on a trimester or quarter system, or if you took the classes multiple times. So I think you're good with just listing the basics.

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anyone else with an opinion on this--whether we include all advanced level courses or just those that fit the requirements?

Hydrogen5040 said:

I don't think so. They probably have extra spots in case your school is on a trimester or quarter system, or if you took the classes multiple times. So I think you're good with just listing the basics.

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anyone else with an opinion on this--whether we include all advanced level courses or just those that fit the requirements?

I put in all my courses. It doesn't say anywhere not to, and I always did better in the advanced bio's and chem's than my pre med required coursework... It makes it look better, but IDK if it's necessary. I don't think it could hurt.

By all means though, if someone knows for a fact that we aren't supposed to put them, let us know...

When I select the areas of study I am interested in case of an interview (Page 4 of Supplemental), it will not save. I click Save, go to a different part of the application, and when I return it is not there anymore. Did anyone else have this problem? I wanted to submit tonight

Just submitted my Pitt secondary! Everything is done except that I am waiting on one of my letter writers who should have his letter done in 2-3 weeks. I hate the delay to being complete here but I really want that letter in my packet...

Goirish9 said:

When I select the areas of study I am interested in case of an interview (Page 4 of Supplemental), it will not save. I click Save, go to a different part of the application, and when I return it is not there anymore. Did anyone else have this problem? I wanted to submit tonight

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I had that same problem. After going back and re-entering the info like 5 times I finally said "screw it" and submitted anyway. I mean, if I do I get an interview, I not too concerned about who it is.

I am having such a hard time with this prompt (as everyone else is/was) but I was thinking of using this one:

During college I had a very close friend who was having issues with her classmates (who happened to be her roommates). They started spreading negative gossip to everyone else they knew, telling others that she's selfish and mean and only out for herself. All these bad gossip made it hard for her to mingle with other students for study groups and also stressed her out. She was really miserable. It so happened that one of these roommates happened to be a friend of mine as well, so when the first friend confided in me, she made me promise not to tell anyone. Later on, I met with my second friend, and I really wanted to help my first friend by trying to resolve this gossip issue, but doing so would risk escalating the situation, not to mention I would be breaking my promise. I tried to carefully get the second friend to tell me the same story so I wouldn't have to reveal anything my first friend told me, somehow find an alternative reason to get involved, but that didn't work. I ended up keeping mum because my first friend was having this issue with multiple people so accosting the second friend wouldn't solve everything, and I shouldn't be arrogant enough to believe I can just magically solve this for them. Things ended up resolving in the end so I didn't make the wrong decision, I think. I'm wondering if this scenario would be considered juvenile, and how this would reflect me as a person. Any thoughts? Thanks guys!

Can I just say that this question is EXACTLY how medical school application essays should be? haha sorry...I just think it's really fun to ponder over.

NHBPFA5 said:

I put in all my courses. It doesn't say anywhere not to, and I always did better in the advanced bio's and chem's than my pre med required coursework... It makes it look better, but IDK if it's necessary. I don't think it could hurt.

By all means though, if someone knows for a fact that we aren't supposed to put them, let us know...

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I dont think it matters either way, but I really think it is intended just for required courses.

Avoidthetiger said:

I kicked a guy out of school for harassing girls (including me) +some other weird stuff . I lived in the same dorm floor as he for an entire semester + some, and he was really nice -- we had been friends (I had borrowed his laptop, brew beer with him, ect)... but I think he most of gotten back into drugs or something. Felt horrible because he has been so nice, but then got so creepy and I had to sit in the same room as him, right next to him, and tell my school why he needed to get help. Honestly though, I don't know if this was a big moral or ethical dilemma... it was just the right thing to do, even if I feel so bad. He was less than a semester from graduating, and now he will never get that degree.

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I actually wrote a really similar topic. I didn't say it exactly like this in my essay, but I essentially saved some girls from dudes who were trying to rape them in the club.

Interview Invite! Yay!

Did any of you schedule an interview yet? I tried and received an email with the date I chose, but the secondary webpage says I am "currently not scheduled" so I am not sure what happened.

Thx

goteamUSA said:

Interview Invite! Yay!

Did any of you schedule an interview yet? I tried and received an email with the date I chose, but the secondary webpage says I am "currently not scheduled" so I am not sure what happened.

Thx

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what what what?!

congrats!
care to share your stats? If not, that's totally fine.

do we enter in hours as in the semester hours that amcas assigns, or the hours that our college listed them as?

NHBPFA5 said:

what what what?!

congrats!
care to share your stats? If not, that's totally fine.

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I don't have an interview yet, but others do. I don't think this is solely a stats-based interview invite. (the other person I know has a baller PS)

FlowRate said:

. (the other person I know has a baller PS)

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I don't have an interview either, I'm not sure what you are trying to say, and am not sure what the term "baller" means. Sorry, I'm from the south and speak southern

goteamUSA said:

Interview Invite! Yay!

Did any of you schedule an interview yet? I tried and received an email with the date I chose, but the secondary webpage says I am "currently not scheduled" so I am not sure what happened.

Thx

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Me tooo!

I scheduled mine and it shows up as being scheduled. Maybe log in and out and double check?

May I ask when you submitted your secondary application, whimsical and NHBPFA5? Submitted mine earlier today, so I doubt they have reviewed it yet, so just wondering... Thanks and Congrats!

whoops-- I mean whimsical and goteamUSA

Uh, I submitted mine on the 30th? It was realllllly quick turnaround. I'm crossing my fingers for you! They have a lot of interview dates. Pretty much every day of the week except Wednesday.

Nessy said:

I don't have an interview either, I'm not sure what you are trying to say, and am not sure what the term "baller" means. Sorry, I'm from the south and speak southern

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Oh come on, I knew what baller meant when I was going to a private middle school in Watkinsville =P

(it means amazing, in this case and mine was def. run-of-the-mill in comparison)

Anybody else have "Invited to interview; currently not scheduled" under App Status, even after selecting an interview date?

Thx

goteamUSA said:

Anybody else have "Invited to interview; currently not scheduled" under App Status, even after selecting an interview date?

Thx

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Oh wait, I see what you mean. On the interview tab it says I'm scheduled for the date I chose. the other tab says "not scheduled". Maybe once they actually put it on the schedule in the office it will change?