Congratulations! And thanks for sharing!
2015-2016 University of Pittsburgh Application Thread
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Yep, still waiting on the packet too
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Just withdrew from the fist tier waitlist, good luck everyone!
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Just withdrew my acceptance. Hope it goes to one of you guys!
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Thanks for (potentially) opening up a spot early, and best of luck wherever you decide on attending!
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I was wondering if any of the current students could speak a little about the neighborhoods they live in etc. I'm a little older and would likely buy a house and am scoping out all potential options. All suggestions welcome! Also, feel free to PM me if you prefer to keep the convo more confidential.
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Oakland - Where campus is, undergrads. It's divided into sections. "West Oakland" on the map above is where Scaife is. Central Oakland is where the Cathedral of Learning is and all the undergrad buildings.
South Oakland - Cheap places, many of which are falling apart, lots of undergrads, can get pretty loud. There are some nicer sections where some med students live but in general I wouldn't recommend it.
*North Oakland - Junior/senior undergrads typically live here as well as many graduate students (there are a couple leasing companies that will only lease to non-undergrads). A bit quieter but there are some off campus frats there that can get a little loud on weekends depending on what street you're on. Main buses run through here as well as the Pitt shuttle which drops off right in front of Scaife. Pricier because of convenient location.
*Shadyside - Probably most popular place to live. Despite name, it's one of the nicest neighborhoods (think shady because of trees, not because of sketchiness). Again, you can access all the main buses and be at the school in less than 15 minutes. Lots of places to eat, grocery store, hospital where you can rotate for IM and surgery, and shopping.
*Bloomfield/Garfield/Friendship - This is close to Children's Hospital. Older neighborhoods, cheaper, many houses. Several people live out here, but there are fewer buses that connect them with Oakland. A bike would come in handy here.
Lawrenceville - Used to be worse but has been gentrified, now is the "hipster" neighborhood of Pgh. They literally call Lower Lawrenceville "LoLa." No idea about how much it costs to live there, but there are a lot of new, good restaurants. Probably one of the reasons Pittsburgh is #1 in Zagat this year. Harder to get to campus from here via bus.
East Liberty - Another neighborhood going through gentrification, there's a pretty big divide in SES living here which is a topic of debate. Generally cheaper to live here, but they're building a bunch of fancy new high tech apartment buildings there, right across the street from dilapidated store fronts and Section 8 housing. This is also where Target is, down the street there's stores like Anthropologie and West Elm. It's weird and somewhat uncomfortable. I feel totally safe there, even alone at night, more like uncomfortable because of the stark divide and the middle to upper class take over.
Highland Park - This would be a little too far away for my comfort, but people do it. Nicer area, lots of houses, lots of doctors. Probably pricier but I'm not sure. This is where the zoo is! Had a friend who lived adjacent to the zoo and could hear lions roaring from her place.
Point Breeze - Bit longer commute (15-20 min) but doable. Lots of apartments in houses, decently priced. Couple blocks away from Trader Joe's and the relatively new Bakery Square with fancy stores and stuff.
*Squirrel Hill - A bit farther out, you can find some cheaper places, older neighborhood again with a ton of places to eat and shop. There is a large Jewish community in SH, ton of doctors live here. Several buses run from SH to Oakland but not as much as Shadyside, and it's farther so it will take you a bit longer to get to school. Closest hospital is in Shadyside.
Greenfield - I just think of this as "a little past Squirrel Hill" because I don't exactly know where SH ends and Greenfield begins 😛 Some students live here, pretty much the same applies as SH.
Regent Square - Pretty much all houses, a lot of doctors live here. I know a couple med students who live here but they're married/families. Pretty far away from campus but the commute is doable. This is a really really nice neighborhood if you're coming in with a family.
Southside - I would not recommend living here. Apartments are hella expensive in the newer area of town, and the older side has a lot of bars/clubs that are loud and more of the undergrad scene. Fine to visit, not to live.
Also rule #1 of Pittsburgh is to avoid crossing a bridge or going through a tunnel on your commute. Despite being the "city of bridges" and having multiple tunnels to get in and out of the city, Pittsburgh drivers are afraid of the tunnel monster and there will inevitably be traffic on any given bridge/tunnel. Basically disregard everything below the Monongahela and above the Allegheny in terms of living unless you want to spend like an hour trying to get into campus in the morning.
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If in anyone's apartment/house search they come across a place or an area they want to know more about, feel free to shoot me a PM.
Edit: Just went through and starred the places I'd highly recommend in terms of ease of getting around, quality of living, as well as price (somewhat).
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Oakland - Where campus is, undergrads. It's divided into sections. "West Oakland" on the map above is where Scaife is. Central Oakland is where the Cathedral of Learning is and all the undergrad buildings.
South Oakland - Cheap places, many of which are falling apart, lots of undergrads, can get pretty loud. There are some nicer sections where some med students live but in general I wouldn't recommend it.
*North Oakland - Junior/senior undergrads typically live here as well as many graduate students (there are a couple leasing companies that will only lease to non-undergrads). A bit quieter but there are some off campus frats there that can get a little loud on weekends depending on what street you're on. Main buses run through here as well as the Pitt shuttle which drops off right in front of Scaife. Pricier because of convenient location.
*Shadyside - Probably most popular place to live. Despite name, it's one of the nicest neighborhoods (think shady because of trees, not because of sketchiness). Again, you can access all the main buses and be at the school in less than 15 minutes. Lots of places to eat, grocery store, hospital where you can rotate for IM and surgery, and shopping.
*Bloomfield/Garfield/Friendship - This is close to Children's Hospital. Older neighborhoods, cheaper, many houses. Several people live out here, but there are fewer buses that connect them with Oakland. A bike would come in handy here.
Lawrenceville - Used to be worse but has been gentrified, now is the "hipster" neighborhood of Pgh. They literally call Lower Lawrenceville "LoLa." No idea about how much it costs to live there, but there are a lot of new, good restaurants. Probably one of the reasons Pittsburgh is #1 in Zagat this year. Harder to get to campus from here via bus.
East Liberty - Another neighborhood going through gentrification, there's a pretty big divide in SES living here which is a topic of debate. Generally cheaper to live here, but they're building a bunch of fancy new high tech apartment buildings there, right across the street from dilapidated store fronts and Section 8 housing. This is also where Target is, down the street there's stores like Anthropologie and West Elm. It's weird and somewhat uncomfortable. I feel totally safe there, even alone at night, more like uncomfortable because of the stark divide and the middle to upper class take over.
Highland Park - This would be a little too far away for my comfort, but people do it. Nicer area, lots of houses, lots of doctors. Probably pricier but I'm not sure. This is where the zoo is! Had a friend who lived adjacent to the zoo and could hear lions roaring from her place.
Point Breeze - Bit longer commute (15-20 min) but doable. Lots of apartments in houses, decently priced. Couple blocks away from Trader Joe's and the relatively new Bakery Square with fancy stores and stuff.
*Squirrel Hill - A bit farther out, you can find some cheaper places, older neighborhood again with a ton of places to eat and shop. There is a large Jewish community in SH, ton of doctors live here. Several buses run from SH to Oakland but not as much as Shadyside, and it's farther so it will take you a bit longer to get to school. Closest hospital is in Shadyside.
Greenfield - I just think of this as "a little past Squirrel Hill" because I don't exactly know where SH ends and Greenfield begins 😛 Some students live here, pretty much the same applies as SH.
Regent Square - Pretty much all houses, a lot of doctors live here. I know a couple med students who live here but they're married/families. Pretty far away from campus but the commute is doable. This is a really really nice neighborhood if you're coming in with a family.
Southside - I would not recommend living here. Apartments are hella expensive in the newer area of town, and the older side has a lot of bars/clubs that are loud and more of the undergrad scene. Fine to visit, not to live.
Also rule #1 of Pittsburgh is to avoid crossing a bridge or going through a tunnel on your commute. Despite being the "city of bridges" and having multiple tunnels to get in and out of the city, Pittsburgh drivers are afraid of the tunnel monster and there will inevitably be traffic on any given bridge/tunnel. Basically disregard everything below the Monongahela and above the Allegheny in terms of living unless you want to spend like an hour trying to get into campus in the morning.
-----------------------------------
If in anyone's apartment/house search they come across a place or an area they want to know more about, feel free to shoot me a PM.
Edit: Just went through and starred the places I'd highly recommend in terms of ease of getting around, quality of living, as well as price (somewhat).
What is your opinion of the Darragh apartments? I know it's a bit pricier than some other places, but it's still cheap compared to some other cities where I've lived and it's super close to the school. I am a very social person and would love to live close to friends/classmates.
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Oakland - Where campus is, undergrads. It's divided into sections. "West Oakland" on the map above is where Scaife is. Central Oakland is where the Cathedral of Learning is and all the undergrad buildings.
South Oakland - Cheap places, many of which are falling apart, lots of undergrads, can get pretty loud. There are some nicer sections where some med students live but in general I wouldn't recommend it.
*North Oakland - Junior/senior undergrads typically live here as well as many graduate students (there are a couple leasing companies that will only lease to non-undergrads). A bit quieter but there are some off campus frats there that can get a little loud on weekends depending on what street you're on. Main buses run through here as well as the Pitt shuttle which drops off right in front of Scaife. Pricier because of convenient location.
*Shadyside - Probably most popular place to live. Despite name, it's one of the nicest neighborhoods (think shady because of trees, not because of sketchiness). Again, you can access all the main buses and be at the school in less than 15 minutes. Lots of places to eat, grocery store, hospital where you can rotate for IM and surgery, and shopping.
*Bloomfield/Garfield/Friendship - This is close to Children's Hospital. Older neighborhoods, cheaper, many houses. Several people live out here, but there are fewer buses that connect them with Oakland. A bike would come in handy here.
Lawrenceville - Used to be worse but has been gentrified, now is the "hipster" neighborhood of Pgh. They literally call Lower Lawrenceville "LoLa." No idea about how much it costs to live there, but there are a lot of new, good restaurants. Probably one of the reasons Pittsburgh is #1 in Zagat this year. Harder to get to campus from here via bus.
East Liberty - Another neighborhood going through gentrification, there's a pretty big divide in SES living here which is a topic of debate. Generally cheaper to live here, but they're building a bunch of fancy new high tech apartment buildings there, right across the street from dilapidated store fronts and Section 8 housing. This is also where Target is, down the street there's stores like Anthropologie and West Elm. It's weird and somewhat uncomfortable. I feel totally safe there, even alone at night, more like uncomfortable because of the stark divide and the middle to upper class take over.
Highland Park - This would be a little too far away for my comfort, but people do it. Nicer area, lots of houses, lots of doctors. Probably pricier but I'm not sure. This is where the zoo is! Had a friend who lived adjacent to the zoo and could hear lions roaring from her place.
Point Breeze - Bit longer commute (15-20 min) but doable. Lots of apartments in houses, decently priced. Couple blocks away from Trader Joe's and the relatively new Bakery Square with fancy stores and stuff.
*Squirrel Hill - A bit farther out, you can find some cheaper places, older neighborhood again with a ton of places to eat and shop. There is a large Jewish community in SH, ton of doctors live here. Several buses run from SH to Oakland but not as much as Shadyside, and it's farther so it will take you a bit longer to get to school. Closest hospital is in Shadyside.
Greenfield - I just think of this as "a little past Squirrel Hill" because I don't exactly know where SH ends and Greenfield begins 😛 Some students live here, pretty much the same applies as SH.
Regent Square - Pretty much all houses, a lot of doctors live here. I know a couple med students who live here but they're married/families. Pretty far away from campus but the commute is doable. This is a really really nice neighborhood if you're coming in with a family.
Southside - I would not recommend living here. Apartments are hella expensive in the newer area of town, and the older side has a lot of bars/clubs that are loud and more of the undergrad scene. Fine to visit, not to live.
Also rule #1 of Pittsburgh is to avoid crossing a bridge or going through a tunnel on your commute. Despite being the "city of bridges" and having multiple tunnels to get in and out of the city, Pittsburgh drivers are afraid of the tunnel monster and there will inevitably be traffic on any given bridge/tunnel. Basically disregard everything below the Monongahela and above the Allegheny in terms of living unless you want to spend like an hour trying to get into campus in the morning.
-----------------------------------
If in anyone's apartment/house search they come across a place or an area they want to know more about, feel free to shoot me a PM.
Edit: Just went through and starred the places I'd highly recommend in terms of ease of getting around, quality of living, as well as price (somewhat).
THANK YOU!!!!
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Excellent for social and convenience. In my opinion, way too expensive for the size you get. I pay less and have about 4 times the space and I still live near campus. But a lot of people live there and love it, so it's all about your own preferences.
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Notified via mail (and nothing in portal)? I still haven't gotten a packet and I can't even log into my portal anymore. It keeps asking me reset my password :l
By mail in the acceptance packet
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My guess is that it depends on who withdraws an acceptance. They probably want to keep a certain ratio of IS/OOS, and if a bunch of IS applicants withdraw, they will try to select for IS applicants on waitlist?
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Anyone still not get their packet? 
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Were al WLed applicants emailed by financial aid? Got it yesterday
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Got one as well. Best to work on it, so when we get accepted we don't have to rush to make deadlines.
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I think letters of interest and intent are important for this particular school. During interview day they specifically told us that it helps to write a letter closer to the time decisions go out (I interviwed on one of the first interview days) letting them know we are still interested.
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I sent an update in December after interviewing in September, indicating my high interest in Pitt as well in the letter. I think my connections to Pitt(home, father is UPMC physician, researched there) already indicate my interest so I'm not sure if I need to send one in. I don't want to be annoying.
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That is how I read it too. What I got from it is that we send them the money after April 30th but no later than May 13th. Hopefully, I am not interpreting it wrong.
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Nope, never got confirmation e-mails for any of the updates I've sent since interviewing.
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I am curious what kinds of living situations and costs people are anticipating. I, for example, ideally would like to live in a roomy house (I have dogs), with a roommate who is a fellow classmate, and I'd rather pay more but be super comfortable (read: quiet, with killer kitchen, own bathroom, etc). For me, $1500/month (for my portion) seems more than reasonable. What are you guys leaning towards? Just getting a feel for what others might expect, especially since I come from a city which gives so little for so much...
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I am looking in the Shadyside or Squirrel Hill area and maybe even Lawrenceville because I saw some awesome newly refurbished loft-style apartments on craigslist. I would LOVE a house (2bd/2ba) to share with my boyfriend and cats. Hoping for something with a basement to re-create our darkroom. We pay $2250/month now, but my boyfriend will be looking for a job and I will be living off of loans, so ideally I would like something that goes for way less than that, especially if I have to cover the whole rent until he finds a job. Like you, I will definitely pay a little more for comfort. I am well past the dorm-like living days.
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Amen, sister. I guess I am curious to see who all is with me/us about this. I'm also checking out shadyside or Squirrel Hill (north). I'm sure the two of you will do well and find an awesome place (people are way more into allowing cats than bigger dogs, it seems...). I also want to set up shop earlier than later, but that's because I am not known for my patience.
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As someone who also came from an expensive area I can assure you that you'll be pleasantly surprised at the cost of living here. Depending on the location $1500 can get you a decent 3br house (one of my classmates living in Squirrel Hill is splitting a 3br for $1200 so pays only $400/mo). If you're splitting with one or more people then a nice place for less than $1000/person/month is more than doable. When you're looking for a place make sure you ask about heating and cooling costs, though. If it's not included and is an old system it could add a chunk of change to monthly costs.
Lawrenceville is up-and-coming and has a lot of really great trendy restaurants and shops, but the major issue is getting to and from school. The buses don't run as regularly ( I think the 93 is your best bet and runs every half-hour) so you have to plan ahead a little more. Plus, the bus system here isn't always super reliable, especially when the weather is bad. I know some of my classmates that live in Lawrenceville will usually bike to and from school when the weather allows, but that gets difficult in the winter.
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And the 93 doesn't run on weekends. I take the 93 to/from Children's and it's SUPER unreliable. Better now that there's that tracker app, but it definitely doesn't stick to the schedule.
People living in Bloomfield/Lawrencville will also take the shuttle between Children's and Presby but that's also every half hour and really only during work hours.
prologue to medicine program - your thoughts?? (accepted students received an e-mail about this)
sounds great to get used to studying/learning again, but sounds crappy to miss out on 5 weeks of relaxing/traveling/enjoying summer...
sounds great to get used to studying/learning again, but sounds crappy to miss out on 5 weeks of relaxing/traveling/enjoying summer...
I was thinking this over too, the main problem I have with it is that it doesn't link up to the start of classes which is really annoying. I would much rather do it if at the end of the five weeks, we transitioned into the first year curriculum shortly after, but I have no idea what I would do in Pittsburgh for another month after I'd already had to quit my research job in another city--or how I would pay living expenses during that gap either. Anyone have thoughts on or experiences with this part?
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I wouldn't even consider doing it unless I'd been out of school for years. I'd rather stash up on money and/or experiences before going back to being poor/busy 😀
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I was also curious what you all might think about the PTM. It is s little peculiar that it doesn't link up with MS1. I wonder what the rationale behind that particular choice entails...
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Oh, summer break. Makes sense. I have been a working professional for years (no summer breaks), so I often forget such breaks exist!
I do like the idea of getting situated earlier rather than later, however.
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Having graduated from undergrad 10 years ago, this would probably help me get back into the groove. I also do not mind getting to Pittsburgh sooner, so I can settle into my new lifestyle. I have one big hurdle standing in my way. My mom is being evaluated for a liver transplant and I offered to be a live liver donor. They will not even evaluate me until they put my mom on the transplant list, which they should be discussing soon. I would need 4-6 weeks to get back to normal-ish after surgery. I just don't know when this will happen, but at least the doctors know I have med school on my horizon. When they find out that I am going to Pitt, they love to remind me that Pitt did the first liver transplant. 🙂 Just wish I knew when things were happening, so I could commit to programs like this.
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Thanks Immuno!!!! I am trying to keep focused on my work and helping my mom get better. I want to leave for med school knowing that she will be able to live a normal life again and maybe get to see me graduate four years from now. I hate seeing her have these hepatic encephalopathy episodes where she cannot even remember my name. I hope the transplant team will decide to do it and sooner rather than later. My whole family just wants her back to normal as soon as possible.
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As a person who works closely with the liver transplant team, let me just say that, complications notwithstanding, these patients tend to have wonderful recoveries, and (caveat re primary pathology etc etc) lead long, productive lives. Hang in there, friend. I know this whole move thing is stressful in and of itself; add to that any family issues/illness, and it can be quite overwhelming. If you like, I can help a bit with your Pitt search as I'll be headed there shortly (e.g. share with you anything pertinent regarding areas etc.) I just mean to extend a hand. You're a trooper. And seriously, feel free to PM me if you just want to chat (it was lovely hanging with you on interview day!).
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I personally thought the prologue to medicine program was great, especially if you've been out of school for a few years. You get a head start on anatomy (Dr. Schumann spends a couple weeks covering the topics that historically give people the most trouble), you get to knock off the rust and get back into study mode, you get to know some of the faculty (and let them know you), you get a chance to explore and familiarize yourself with Pittsburgh before the classes get in the way (Dr. Pettigrew gives a couple great tours), you have a chance to make some good friends before all 150-ish classmates show up, and they give you some money to do all this. I was surprised that it wasn't filled up last year.
If you've just finished undergrad and/or you have the means to do some serious traveling or engage in some other meaning experience then it may be better to do that instead of prologue. But if you're just going to be working a job or sitting around the house I'd highly recommend the program. Being settled in and familiar with the city before school started was great and I found the whole experience pretty fun and helpful!
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Sent a LOT and update yesterday. Received confirmation a few hours later.
First tier waitlist. Reallllllly hoping I get in. Loved Pitt
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Hmm, I sent a LOI and didn't recieve any confirmation. Should I call the office and ask or is it the norm to not recieve confirmation?
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It seems the general consensus is that they don't send confirmations for updates and letters (several people have reported this already on the thread) hahaha I'm not sure why kale&cake received a confirmation but it sounds like he/she sent a lot of updates so perhaps whoever was on the receiving end felt the need? Not sure, but I don't think it is the norm to receive confirmation hehe
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Just got that PSTP interview invite 😎
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nope. just sent one email. received a message back generally promptly. however, I would think that either a reply or no reply is fine. there doesn't seem to be a need for confirmation.
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thank you! It would be a dream come true!
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when did you submit your application?
