2012-2013 University of Pittsburgh Application Thread

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jesse120 said:
I pay $510 + electric/water/gas which comes out to about $650 on average (free parking as well). It's a pretty sizable single -- much larger than Darragh
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niiice. that's about what i pay for half of my 2 bedroom in n. oakland...but have to pay for parking 🙁 good to know there are reasonably priced single apts out there 👍
 
Blais said:
It was more of a tongue-in-cheek jest.

I suppose if primary care interests a student, there are always "loan forgiveness" programs to check out (assuming they're still around in the future); however, those fields weren't in my original plan to begin with...

On the flip side, in reality, this DOES change my original plan for life after residency. Apparently I will be working even more than I anticipated for those first couple years out.
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I understand your frustration. I'm here completely on loans, as I didn't qualify for any aid whatsoever. I did manage to snag a small external scholarship, but it's nothing compared to what some students get in merit or need-based aid from Pitt.

I chose Pitt over a cheaper option because I liked the school more and thought that it would afford me better opportunities in the long run. I don't regret my decision, even if it does mean that I will have more loans to pay back in the future. [I did turn down an even more expensive school though because I couldn't fathom paying >$50,000 in tuition alone, plus the COL was higher.]
 
penguinism said:
I understand your frustration. I'm here completely on loans, as I didn't qualify for any aid whatsoever. I did manage to snag a small external scholarship, but it's nothing compared to what some students get in merit or need-based aid from Pitt.

I chose Pitt over a cheaper option because I liked the school more and thought that it would afford me better opportunities in the long run. I don't regret my decision, even if it does mean that I will have more loans to pay back in the future. [I did turn down an even more expensive school though because I couldn't fathom paying >$50,000 in tuition alone, plus the COL was higher.]
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+1. I received a tiny tiny amount of need-based aid (I know that every little bit counts, but in the big picture, it's actually quite negligible) and I'm completely on my own for paying for med school, so loans it is. I turned down a $10k/year scholarship at another similarly-priced school that would have saved me $40k over 4 years simply because of the opportunities that Pitt and UPMC offer, both in my med school years and for the future. Pitt students do extremely well in the match (all of the 4th years I've spoken to so far matched to their #1 or #2 choice) and Pitt's reputation is huge in the medical world.

You guys will have a lot of options to weigh in the next couple weeks, and if the price difference is huge, it is understandable to go with the cheaper option. While I was "okay" with spending $10k extra each year, I might have changed my tune if Pitt was $20k+ extra. Pitt will give you a top-notch education with amazing faculty and clinical opportunities, but you will also get a great education no matter where you go, so make the decision that you feel is right for you. (But we hope you choose Pitt 😀 )

:luck:
 
Thanks for the empathetic words, you two.

I do like Pitt. And it is frustrating. But, I'll tell ya, running some calculations leads me to be angry with only one entity: old Uncle Sam -- charging ~7% interest on unsubsidized, nondischargeable loans. Boy, I hate that guy. 😉
 
I third penpen and ismet on choosing Pitt despite the so-called cost. I did receive some need-based aid which I'm grateful for, but on the whole I feel that I am spending about the same if I attend school elsewhere.

I worked in an adademic center hospital prior to coming to Pitt and I remember telling attendings that I'll be attending PittMed and they all said something along the lines of, "Oh, that's a great program. You'll definitely have opportunities coming out from there." People know people, and in the medical world, Pitt definitely stands out.

You may be pressed to consider your state-school alternatives perhaps, and while I think it might be cheaper, having the connections from a school like Pitt allows you to truly have a higher level of freedom to choose whichever specialty you want to pursue. Many state schools tend to perform stronger in primary care fields, whereas Pitt has a decent balance between the two, if I may say so. And to be honest, people aren't lying you when they say that "you'll change your mind in terms of specialties over the course of med school." I mean, that's what the purpose is, for your four years in school-so why not go to an institution that has the resources and flexibility to choose whatever path you want to take?

If I had chosen my state school, I know my outlook in EM would be more shaky simply because it's program is not as developed as Pitt's. Did I know I wanted to pursue EM during the interview trail? Nope. I actually was considering primary care. But things change. You learn more about yourself and the specialties as you shadow, and connect with attendings/faculty. Can't blame yourself or anyone for having a change of heart.

Another consideration I would make is that Pitt is also a highly regarded academic institution. Academic as in "academic medicine." Therefore, if you're one of those who wants to be at an academic residency (which most often tends to be the more coveted ones), it's far better having coming from a bloodline that is part of the academic atmosphere. This also applies to those who want to pursue a fellowship, etc etc. To give an example, PittMed strongly boasts a research component to their curriculum. And yes, I hated research in undergrad. I did bench research for four years, and yeah I got a pub out, but seriously, I hated it. I even had an AMAZING PI but bench research was not my thing. But, there are so many clinical research opportunities here and it's definitely an amazing way to connect with departments and professors while improving your CV that it's common sense why students truly benefit from it. And, because research is a common facet to the PittMed experience, professors are conditioned to take students under their wing and really become accessible to students. Other schools put research as a lesser priority, and I believe students can suffer because they lose a fine opportunity to become involved in a specialty/division/department in a meaningful way other than shadowing during the first two years.

A neat thing I found out was that while I was approved for a summer research program that funds most projects students come up with, one of the deans just sent me an email saying my project qualified for a T35 NIH training grant and they just asked if I wanted to accept it. Boom. Did I even apply for it? Nope. Now I can't say that this will happen to everyone, but I'm just providing a testament to the fact that UPMC has the resources and connections to help its students out.

Where you go, and who you know, does play a role. Why? Because at the end of the day, there will be many many many qualified applicants that want those coveted spots, and it may come down to the fact that a PD might respect one of their friend's opinions who happens to be your letter writer. People from highly regarded academic institutions are revered and their recommendations are taken seriously. So, take what you want from that, but for me that was something that paying a little more was well worth it.

I can go more in depth but I think I'm going to stop on volume ONE for now. lol. PM if you have any further questions. haha.

(PS: because my response was longer than penpen's and ismet's...this also implies I'm going to bomb friday's neuro exam for not studying now...lolz)
 
Oh, and one more thought. Some of you might have voiced concerns about merit-scholarships...I haven't spoken to the finaid office about this, but my hypothesis could be that the merit-scholarships are particular to certain associations an applicant might have rather than just a raw "highest mcat/gpa composite merit scholarship."

I imagine some of these merit scholarships are those who created endowments for certain applicant/matriculants, such as those with a certain racial/ethnic background, or student organizations you're affiliated with, or those who have an initial interest in a certain specialty, or even just geographical origin! (I remember that there was one scholarship that was particular to matriculants from some random area in PA...yeah. definitely did NOT get that one...haha.) I bet there could be one that was like just for nontraditionalists-those who had the most interesting life story that decided to pursue medicine. It all depends on what endowment missions are.
 
Alejandro, I'm glad that you distracted me from actual studying to tell me that you nicknamed me "penpen" on here (which my computer just tried to turn to penmen...).

You just wait until I come up with an embarrassing one for you. :naughty: After neuro.
 
Withdrew from the other place I was accepted and made it official today! (I was waiting on financial aid)
 
wizedw said:
Withdrew from the other place I was accepted and made it official today! (I was waiting on financial aid)
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Same here! I suppose that means a few people will be accepted off their schools' waitlists soon?

Waitlists... *shudder
 
If my family's financial situation changes during the course of first year, I can re-apply for need-based awards next year, right?
 
Absolutely. Just to add, for those of you who are taking a gap year(s), do realize that your financial aid situation will change come next year, because you're currently applying with an income.
 
Alejandro said:
Absolutely. Just to add, for those of you who are taking a gap year(s), do realize that your financial aid situation will change come next year, because you're currently applying with an income.
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This does not necessarily change the outcome, as in my case.
 
Ismet said:
I like your status change under your username...does that mean we're MS2's? Do we finally belong in the 5th floor PBL rooms? 😀
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Nope, at the very minimum, you have to finish neuro and psych. Until then, you're exiled to downstairs! 😛
 
Blais said:
Thanks for the empathetic words, you two.

I do like Pitt. And it is frustrating. But, I'll tell ya, running some calculations leads me to be angry with only one entity: old Uncle Sam -- charging ~7% interest on unsubsidized, nondischargeable loans. Boy, I hate that guy. 😉
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+1 has anyone put their expected loans into the AAMC medloans calculator? The monthly payments are crazy. Yes, ibr exists, but every financial aid office seems really uncertain about 10-year PSLF forgiveness and forgiveness after 25 years is taxable income.
 
has anyone NOT recieved their financial aid package from pitt yet?
 
oberon said:
has anyone NOT recieved their financial aid package from pitt yet?
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I think we were all supposed to get it on Monday morning (they were originally supposed to come out May 1st, but they told us at Second Look that they should come out a few days early).

Have you tried checking your spam folder? If you haven't received the email yet, it's likely because the financial aid office doesn't have all of the information they need from you (W2s, tax return forms, etc.). Just send them a quick email; they're friendly people. 🙂
 
I didn't get an financial aid email either. I called the admissions/financial aid office yesterday so I could bet 100% sure everything was in for me. Even though my stuff was in on time, they said it should be out someone before the end of next Monday.
Therefore, I would not worry about not receiving the email until some point next week because the way she worded her response made it sound like other people were waiting too..
 
jesse120 said:
I pay $510 + electric/water/gas which comes out to about $650 on average (free parking as well). It's a pretty sizable single -- much larger than Darragh



I'm on the school UPMC insurance plan which is pretty expensive (~ $3k).
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Please, please, please tell me where you live!
 
well made it official today and withdrew from everywhere else. excited to meet you all in the fall!
 
Officially just withdrew my acceptance here. Congrats to those who have been accepted and good luck to those waiting to get off of the waiting list!
 
Also withdrew my acceptance. I really loved loved loved Pitt and my interview day, but in the end am just not ready to move that far from home. Congrats to those getting in off the waitlist!
 
So this might be kind of a dumb question, but can someone explain how exactly the loan disbursements work? Say I accept the full amount of loans that Pitt budgeted out for me. I would expect a portion of it to go directly into my tuition fees, but what about the portion that goes towards my living expenses? Is it like a savings account that I can withdraw from whenever I wish?
 
oberon said:
So this might be kind of a dumb question, but can someone explain how exactly the loan disbursements work? Say I accept the full amount of loans that Pitt budgeted out for me. I would expect a portion of it to go directly into my tuition fees, but what about the portion that goes towards my living expenses? Is it like a savings account that I can withdraw from whenever I wish?
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Half of the loan gets disbursed at the beginning of the fall semester, and the other half in the spring. The money first goes to cover your tuition and any fees, then the rest is yours to use for living expenses, but you set up a direct deposit to your bank account and the money will be there within 3-5 days of disbursement. Works the same as undergrad loans, if you had those.
 
Ismet said:
Half of the loan gets disbursed at the beginning of the fall semester, and the other half in the spring. The money first goes to cover your tuition and any fees, then the rest is yours to use for living expenses, but you set up a direct deposit to your bank account and the money will be there within 3-5 days of disbursement. Works the same as undergrad loans, if you had those.
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Oh okay, makes sense. So what happens to the unused aid money at the end of the year?
 
oberon said:
Oh okay, makes sense. So what happens to the unused aid money at the end of the year?
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After it gets put in your bank account, it's just money. You can use it for whatever you like. If you don't use all of it, it just stays there. That's why you shouldn't take out too much more than necessary. You can always take out more loan money if you find you need it before the next disbursement.
 
I'm not sure how interest accrues on the loan, but can't you just use what you did not use to pay off the excess loan? How and when can you begin paying the loan back? Only after you graduate, when interest has already compounded? I realize financial aid would be the best contact for this.
 
churrytree said:
I'm not sure how interest accrues on the loan, but can't you just use what you did not use to pay off the excess loan? How and when can you begin paying the loan back? Only after you graduate, when interest has already compounded? I realize financial aid would be the best contact for this.
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Yes, you can do that.
 
It was a difficult decision. I know firsthand Pitt is a fantastic school with amazing opportunities. However, for the sake of location and family, I believe I will be withdrawing. I hope this can help one of you on the waitlist out.

Now, how do I change my username 🙂
 
I'm OOS-er applying next year with a 3.78 and 32 (10/9/13). I really want to apply to Pitt. I know their stats are higher but I saw they like research (I have 3 years of working in a psych lab and 3 poster presentations) and they say they give weight to PI letters, which I think I will have a strong one of.

Worth applying? I don't want to get pre-screened with my stats and just blow the money if I don't have a legit shot.
 
TheThirdLevel said:
I'm OOS-er applying next year with a 3.78 and 32 (10/9/13). I really want to apply to Pitt. I know their stats are higher but I saw they like research (I have 3 years of working in a psych lab and 3 poster presentations) and they say they give weight to PI letters, which I think I will have a strong one of.

Worth applying? I don't want to get pre-screened with my stats and just blow the money if I don't have a legit shot.
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Definitely apply. Your stats are not a concern.
 
BurghStudent said:
It was a difficult decision. I know firsthand Pitt is a fantastic school with amazing opportunities. However, for the sake of location and family, I believe I will be withdrawing. I hope this can help one of you on the waitlist out.

Now, how do I change my username 🙂
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Hahaha! Where are you going instead? Don't tell me Penn...
 
So I've started the housing search and am wondering if anybody (preferably female) wants to join me? I'd like to get a 2+ bedroom apartment or house. =)
 
shirahyuki said:
So I've started the housing search and am wondering if anybody (preferably female) wants to join me? I'd like to get a 2+ bedroom apartment or house. =)
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I think admissions will release a final student list soon, which will help with room mate searches. I'm currently waiting on that...
 
oberon said:
I think admissions will release a final student list soon, which will help with room mate searches. I'm currently waiting on that...
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I don't think that happens, at least I don't remember that happening last year. And there won't be a final list anytime soon, people can still drop and get accepted up until orientation.

The Facebook group is the way to go. That's pretty much how everyone meets each other and finds roommates before actually meeting each other in person.
 
jesse120 said:
I pay $510 + electric/water/gas which comes out to about $650 on average (free parking as well). It's a pretty sizable single -- much larger than Darragh



I'm on the school UPMC insurance plan which is pretty expensive (~ $3k).
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could you please tell me where you live, as well?
 
oberon said:
I think admissions will release a final student list soon, which will help with room mate searches. I'm currently waiting on that...
Click to expand...


+1 to Ismet's comment about the Facebook group. Seems like that's where everyone is connecting. You might not want to wait too much longer, as housing is going fast; 25,000 or so people are looking for fall rentals. I found 2 roommates at second look, and we are applying for a place tomorrow. Good luck, and I look forward to meeting you!!
 
PaddyPlatanos said:
+1 to Ismet's comment about the Facebook group. Seems like that's where everyone is connecting. You might not want to wait too much longer, as housing is going fast; 25,000 or so people are looking for fall rentals. I found 2 roommates at second look, and we are applying for a place tomorrow. Good luck, and I look forward to meeting you!!
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I'd say undergrads have housing plans already set for the most part for next year, they usually do that before they leave. There are a few companies that only rent to grad students and above, and if you live a little farther out in Squirrel Hill or Regent Square you probably won't have trouble finding a place.
 
Ismet said:
I'd say undergrads have housing plans already set for the most part for next year, they usually do that before they leave. There are a few companies that only rent to grad students and above, and if you live a little farther out in Squirrel Hill or Regent Square you probably won't have trouble finding a place.
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Ismet is completely right, and just to add on, a lot of these companies know this so they don't post some houses/apts until around now. I actually just got a place with my roommates a couple weeks ago, in North O. $500/mo incl. all utilities for my own bedroom (I pay for internet but that's it). There still is good and cheap housing around, so don't worry! Just get on that Facebook group and find some roomies 😉

To echo what has been said already, I'd stay away from South Oakland (lots of undergrads--I love undergrads as much as the next person but it is dirty and loud and you'll overpay for what you get) and the Hill District (it's close to the med school but not the best neighborhood), if possible. Neither is a must-avoid neighborhood, but I think there are several better options. Squirrel Hill is nice (actually lived there for the past 2 years), as is Shadyside (very popular with grad students). Regent Square, Bloomfield, Point Breeze, and some others are a little further out, but nice neighborhoods and the commute isn't too bad from what I hear as long as you know the bus schedule. Some people also live in Southside and Greenfield, but these are too far away for my tastes and not on as convenient bus lines. Good luck!
 
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