2014-2015 University of Pittsburgh Application Thread

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I did as well, but I don't feel compelled to apply (even though I do have interest in the program) because
a) I don't feel like I have a good shot at being one of the 8 accepted of the 60 that apply, I just don't believe I have enough research experience
b) I would have to pay for another transcontinental flight
 
I believe everyone is invited to apply for PSTP.

Temerit said:
I did as well, but I don't feel compelled to apply (even though I do have interest in the program) because
a) I don't feel like I have a good shot at being one of the 8 accepted of the 60 that apply, I just don't believe I have enough research experience
b) I would have to pay for another transcontinental flight
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Well, only about 20 people are invited to interview, so that would be a better shot than 8 out of 60! Also, they accept more than 8 (last year they accepted 11) because some people choose to go elsewhere. They just matriculate 8. If you have an interest in the program, it doesn't hurt to apply and see where it lands you!

There's also an opportunity to apply for PSTP, CSTP, or even MSTP in MS2, so if you don't think you have enough experience to qualify now but you are really interested in one of the programs, then get involved in research throughout MS1 and MS2.
 
Does the admissions office send out an email with information about the interview day perhaps a week or a couple of days before the interview telling you where to go that morning and when to go? I haven't gotten an email but my interview day is coming up. Thanks!
 
Thank you for reminding me about that email, cj_cregg! Almost forgot about it and just found it in my inbox! Also, congrats on getting accepted into medical school, that's awesome 🙂
 
Hi, are the student interviews closed or open file?
 
Rejected just now. Completed around mid-Oct. I went to the website to check my app status, just to find out that they already deactivated my account.....🙁
 
TTTW said:
Does the admissions office send out an email with information about the interview day perhaps a week or a couple of days before the interview telling you where to go that morning and when to go? I haven't gotten an email but my interview day is coming up. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I did receive an interview reminder email the day before the interview.
 
Rejected today after submitting the 2º on the 15th. That'll teach me to procrastinate 🙁
3.7+, low 30s MCAT, graduated 2012.
Best of luck to the rest of you!
 
FriendlyFH said:
It's been 1.5 months since the beginning of our love at first sight. I just want to say that I miss you Pitt. Very much. Jan 30th cannot come sooner.
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Good thing you're in love with Pitt because I think the MS1s fell out of love with the extra-early cold and despair of still having a month until winter break! For those of us who have been here longer, we just had to dig out the real winter gear a bit early.
 
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redpanda said:
Good thing you're in love with Pitt because I think the MS1s fell out of love with the extra-early cold and despair of still having a month until winter break! For those of us who have been here longer, we just had to dig out the real winter gear a bit early.
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I think we enjoyed approximately 3.5 days of Fall. 😛

The 4 seasons of Pittsburgh: winter, more winter, construction, and stinkbugs.
 
Ismet said:
I think we enjoyed approximately 3.5 days of Fall. 😛

The 4 seasons of Pittsburgh: winter, more winter, construction, and stinkbugs.
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I saw a stinkbug on my window Tuesday morning...when it was 15 degrees outside. WTH. Doesn't the cold kill them?
 
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redpanda said:
Good thing you're in love with Pitt because I think the MS1s fell out of love with the extra-early cold and despair of still having a month until winter break! For those of us who have been here longer, we just had to dig out the real winter gear a bit early.
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All my life I lived on the latitude line of 40N. In two different continents. Pittsburgh's winter should feel just like my hometown and like NYC. Layer is the key as we all know. 😉 To be fair, this past Tue everybody hates life. haven't you heard all 50 states had areas that were below freezing temperature?

Ismet said:
I think we enjoyed approximately 3.5 days of Fall. 😛

The 4 seasons of Pittsburgh: winter, more winter, construction, and stinkbugs.
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Construction might be a good sign--that Pittsburgh continue to reinvent itself as how it has been doing in the past 10 years.


redpanda said:
I saw a stinkbug on my window Tuesday morning...when it was 15 degrees outside. WTH. Doesn't the cold kill them?
Click to expand...



Ismet said:
They don't die!!
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Can't comment on the stink bug problem. I've seen them around always when growing up. They never reached a point where I find them annoying. Some quick fact searching reveals that they do die in cold, but they survive by trying to enter buildings. Which is why they are more likely to be seen being active around windows and indoors during the fall. I guess the one you saw didn't get the memo about the arctic vertex in time...
 
FriendlyFH said:
Construction might be a good sign--that Pittsburgh continue to reinvent itself as how it has been doing in the past 10 years.
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Building construction? Yes.
Road construction? It's just PennDOT being PennDOT. 😛
There's an area of the main road near Children's Hospital that has been closed to outbound traffic for probably almost a year now. And I'm pretty sure the Squirrel Hill tunnel has been under construction for the entire 6.5 years I've lived here.

My thing about the seasons came from this hilarious and completely accurate video from Pittsburgh Dad:
 
Ismet said:
Building construction? Yes.
Road construction? It's just PennDOT being PennDOT. 😛
There's an area of the main road near Children's Hospital that has been closed to outbound traffic for probably almost a year now. And I'm pretty sure the Squirrel Hill tunnel has been under construction for the entire 6.5 years I've lived here.

My thing about the seasons came from this hilarious and completely accurate video from Pittsburgh Dad:
Click to expand...


"It's a tunnel! Not a black hole". "Instead of fixing it, they built a second bridge to catch it if it falls"
HiLAHrious! I've got to admit that driving in Pitt was a bit of an odd experience. The roads were weird and there were a lot of random hills and slopes. But I'll probably try to find a way to live in one of those amazing mansions on the 5th ave and take the bus to school everyday.

I'd love to see him trying to get out of the Westwood area in LA (where UCLA is) around 5pm (when all the dogs and cats are going back home at once). On Wed I spent a solid 20mins trying to make one turn to get off this one road. I could have walked faster on my crutches I promise.

Hang in there, Boston was kind of like that for a long time, it felt like the Big Dig (a project to create underground tunnels in the inner city) never was going to end, until it did and it has been pretty nice.
 
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FriendlyFH said:
"It's a tunnel! Not a black hole". "Instead of fixing it, they built a second bridge to catch it if it falls"
HiLAHrious! I've got to admit that driving in Pitt is a bit of an weird experience. The road is weird and there is a lot of random hills and slopes. But I'll probably try to find a way to live in one of those amazing mansions on the 5th ave and take the bus to school everyday.

I'd love to see him trying to get out of the Westwood area in LA (where UCLA is) around 5pm (when all the dogs and cats are going back home at once). On Wed I spent a solid 20mins trying to make one turn to get off this one road. I could have walked faster on my crutches I promise.

Hang in there, Boston was kind of like that for a long time, it felt like the Big Dig (a project to create underground tunnels in the inner city) never was going to end, until it did and it has been pretty nice.
Click to expand...

Pittsburghers have this disease with tunnels in which they MUST brake before entering the tunnel. The fun part is going outbound on the Fort Pitt tunnel, which is a bridge that leads into a tunnel, and the bridge is 4 lanes of merging and 2 exit lanes. And don't get me started on all the interchanges downtown. I'm pretty sure they didn't have civil engineers designing the city, someone just drew a bunch of squiggles on a map and they made them into roads. 😛

I do love Pittsburgh though 🙂 And the view of the city coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnel makes all my hatred of the traffic and roads disappear.

Also never ask a local for directions:
 
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Really pumped to be interviewing here in a few days -- is January 30 when ALL of the applicants will hear back or just when they start to release decisions? Aka if my friend interviews in dec on the last day do they hear back on the same day as people who interviewed at the end of August?
 
Norm0cephalic said:
Really pumped to be interviewing here in a few days -- is January 30 when ALL of the applicants will hear back or just when they start to release decisions? Aka if my friend interviews in dec on the last day do they hear back on the same day as people who interviewed at the end of August?
Click to expand...

All decisions (except early decision and MSTP) released on Jan 30.
 
redpanda said:
Good thing you're in love with Pitt because I think the MS1s fell out of love with the extra-early cold and despair of still having a month until winter break! For those of us who have been here longer, we just had to dig out the real winter gear a bit early.
Click to expand...

It was pretty cold last week but not that much different from much of the country. And now it's in the 60s, so I guess I'll take it.
 
daemon14 said:
It was pretty cold last week but not that much different from much of the country. And now it's in the 60s, so I guess I'll take it.
Click to expand...

We have yet to progress to the part of the winter where one does not glimpse the sun for 3 solid weeks despite being outside during daylight hours. 😀
 
redpanda said:
We have yet to progress to the part of the winter where one does not glimpse the sun for 3 solid weeks despite being outside during daylight hours. 😀
Click to expand...

Psh, I'm from Seattle. We have 3 months of that 😉🙁
 
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hi there! are there current students on this thread that i can pm to talk about pitt? i'm interviewing here soon!
 
I interviews here in October. Is pitt receptive to update letters post-interview?
 
Ismet said:
I believe everyone is invited to apply for PSTP.



Well, only about 20 people are invited to interview, so that would be a better shot than 8 out of 60! Also, they accept more than 8 (last year they accepted 11) because some people choose to go elsewhere. They just matriculate 8. If you have an interest in the program, it doesn't hurt to apply and see where it lands you!

There's also an opportunity to apply for PSTP, CSTP, or even MSTP in MS2, so if you don't think you have enough experience to qualify now but you are really interested in one of the programs, then get involved in research throughout MS1 and MS2.
Click to expand...

I'm curious if it is worth applying to the PSTP program if I never received the application solicitation through mail. I am interested in the program but wonder what my chances would be.
 
Norm0cephalic said:
Really pumped to be interviewing here in a few days -- is January 30 when ALL of the applicants will hear back or just when they start to release decisions? Aka if my friend interviews in dec on the last day do they hear back on the same day as people who interviewed at the end of August?
Click to expand...
Yes everybody hears back on January 30. If you are waitlisted you will be placed on a first or second waitlist, and acceptances off the first list usually begin around March and extend into the summer. I am not sure if anyone off the second waitlist has been accepted though.
 
tzarafan said:
I'm curious if it is worth applying to the PSTP program if I never received the application solicitation through mail. I am interested in the program but wonder what my chances would be.
Click to expand...

I'm actually strongly considering applying to PSTP now... although CSTP might be more in line with what I would like to end up doing eventually.
 
Had a dream that they called my workplace to discuss scholarships... I was very disappointed upon waking up.
 
jsquared91 said:
Had a dream that they called my workplace to discuss scholarships... I was very disappointed upon waking up.
Click to expand...
If I wrote down every application related dream that I had in the past year on Microsoft word, it'd be a 100MB file by now.
 
Oh boy, haven't thought about Pitt recently. I guess it's because everyone knows when decisions come out so that's that, cross fingers and hope for the best.
 
does anyone know if this school need transcripts? (post interview)
 
cj_cregg said:
Submitted an end of semester update (post-interview)...one more month until decision day! Hope everybody's cycles are going well!
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I did the same a couple weeks ago! Let me know if they send you a confirmation email in response to let you know they received it. I never got a response.. 😛
 
cj_cregg said:
I did get an email saying they wouldn't be back in the office until after the holidays (the Monday after New Year's, I think), so I don't expect anything for at least a week or two. I politely requested that they let me know they got my update, though...I'll post again if I get anything back!
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It says this on their portal:

"When is it an appropriate time for me to follow-up with the UPSOM?
Our Admissions Committee welcomes letters of intent/interest and updates to your application. The most appropriate time to follow-up with us is following your interview or after the receipt of your official admissions decision. Communications can be sent via postal mail or to our admissions mailbox at [email protected]. Any communication received from the applicant will be included in their admissions file."

So it seems pretty clear they do accept updates, weird that they wouldn't send confirmation of receipt though...
 
cj_cregg said:
Right, I saw that and followed the instructions, and I did interview towards the beginning of the season. I'm sure they got a lot of updates with grades and stuff over the holidays, so I fully expect to wait another week or two for conformation... if I don't hear anything by then, I'll probably call and check that it was added to my file.
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At my interview in dec they said not to send an update after dec 19 because the committee probably would have decided everything by then. But they said that waitlist updates are good too!
 
ProbablyAPenguin said:
At my interview in dec they said not to send an update after dec 19 because the committee probably would have decided everything by then. But they said that waitlist updates are good too!
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Crappy crap...I missed that part....Darn........was going to send a love letter this week.
 
FriendlyFH said:
Crappy crap...I missed that part....Darn........was going to send a love letter this week.
Click to expand...

Australopithekus said:
Me too! 🙁
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I mean, it couldn't really hurt for the future! But I interviewed the first week in December, and they said if we had any updates to send it in the next two weeks!

Still, I'm sure continued interest is always good, esp. cuz Pitt pulls a lot of their students from the waitlist!
 
ProbablyAPenguin said:
At my interview in dec they said not to send an update after dec 19 because the committee probably would have decided everything by then. But they said that waitlist updates are good too!
Click to expand...

Wow, they didn't tell us that at my interview (in Sept), but I sent mine in Dec 17th... just in time.

EDIT: Nvrm just read the post above me haha
 
Man, to know that the admission results might have been generated already but we can't know what they are, for another 25 days...:inpain:
 
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FriendlyFH said:
Man, to know that the admission results might have been generated already but we can't know what they are, for another 25 days...:inpain:
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Ah! Seriously! I am so nervous already. I can't remember if they send an email or if we all just go check the portal?
 
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sahmoc said:
Ah! Seriously! I am so nervous already. I can't remember if they send an email or if we all just go check the portal?
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I think they send an email telling you to check the portal. They also mentioned that portal update might all not occur simultaneously and to not freak out if other people are getting accepted at 8am and you haven't heard from them yet. Apparently two years ago they released in waves alphabetically and had a multitude of phone calls around letter "g" of people asking them why they hadn't heard yet. Then, last year they tried to release them all at once and the portal server thing crashed. So they aren't sure how they are doing it this year, but don't panic. 🙂
 
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ProbablyAPenguin said:
I think they send an email telling you to check the portal. They also mentioned that portal update might all not occur simultaneously and to not freak out if other people are getting accepted at 8am and you haven't heard from them yet. Apparently two years ago they released in waves alphabetically and had a multitude of phone calls around letter "g" of people asking them why they hadn't heard yet. Then, last year they tried to release them all at once and the portal server thing crashed. So they aren't sure how they are doing it this year, but don't panic. 🙂
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Thanks! Well however they do it, it will be an exciting day for all of us 🙂 maybe we should suggest they do it in order of interview date. Waiting five months is killer!
 
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