Questions about PITT second look...

[Mr. H]

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Hi all, first off, just wondering if any of you guys were planning on attending?

Also, they didn't mention the cost of airfare etc.. as being included like some other schools, so I'm assuming that we have to pay for a flight?!!! I mean, are they serious? They give us 2-3 weeks notice, and so the cost of a ticket is ENORMOUS! I want to go, but the short notice with the higher cost of a plane ticket makes it a little difficult, argh!!
H

 

[Doctor Octopus]

I am planning on going, but it's only a two hour drive from Cleveland. 🙂

 

[kreno]

yeah, i'm scared to call and ask about airfare... 'cuz i called the office way too much already throughout this process. SOmeone call 'cuz i can't just get down there..it's a 5-6 hour drive for me!


kreno

 

[tBw]

Do *any* schools pay for airfare on revisit?? I didn't think they did as I have received revisit interviews from 5 schools and none offered to pay for airfare. I thought the only time they payed for airfares was when you were MD/PhD or interviewing for the WashU merit scholarship or something....?

 

[kreno]

Northwestern pays airfare, for sure... they told us at interview.

 

[MD2007]

vanderbilt reimburses your airfare up to $500, pays for a two night stay at the Marriott, and provides meals from friday night until sunday

 

[lola]

Originally posted by kreno
yeah, i'm scared to call and ask about airfare... 'cuz i called the office way too much already throughout this process. SOmeone call 'cuz i can't just get down there..it's a 5-6 hour drive for me!


kreno

5-6 hrs? dude... suck it up and drive!

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Bump


Who's going?

Count me in...

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Bump

C'mon! Who's goin'?

 

[KBCoch]

I think I'll probably go. I was holding out to see if I would hear from one other school before purchasing the plane ticket, but alas, I have not heard, and the price rises with every passing day...

So I'll most likely be there. Do we fly back out on Sunday or Monday?

 

[tBw]

just booked the flight...see ya' there! 😉

 

[Mr. H]

I think I've decided to suck it up and am booking a flight!
300 smackers! What time are you guys flying in? I'm trying to find a cheap way to get to the campus from the airport, last time I spent 40 on a TAXI!!!

Also, how are we going to make ourselves known? Like, we should wear something so that we know we from SDN!
peace

 

[tBw]

From the airport there is a bus that is like $2 or something that takes you there.

If you really want to save money and are old enough to rent a car, from Chicago (you are in chicago right???) you can fly southwest to Cleveland for $34/each way and then rent a car to drive the 2.5 hours to Pittsburgh. Expedia.com have rental cars from Cleveland airport at a w/e rate of $14/day. This is much cheaper than flying direct to Pitt, if a little more hassle....of course you might not be able to drive or rent which would change things.

 

[Mr. H]

good suggestion boy wonder!!

Also, are all of you staying with a student host? I figure it would be more fun that way since they could all take us out somewhere to meet up and party!
whoo ha!

 

[Desdemona]

Take the 28X bus from the airport for about $2-3. Ask the driver to let you off near the Oakland hospitals (Presby, Montefiore, Childrens, etc. )and walk up the large hill to Scaife Hall.

 

[Neuronix]

Originally posted by Mr. H
Also, they didn't mention the cost of airfare etc.. as being included like some other schools, so I'm assuming that we have to pay for a flight?!!! I mean, are they serious? They give us 2-3 weeks notice, and so the cost of a ticket is ENORMOUS! I want to go, but the short notice with the higher cost of a plane ticket makes it a little difficult, argh!!
H

One of the things I didn't like about Pitt's MSTP was the appearance that they had little money. They paid no interview expenses, have the lowest MSTP stipend around, have strict limits on all the interview meal costs, put us with student hosts (I ended up in a house with another applicant. We both slept on the floor), etc... A few years back they created a minority summer research program, but offered no stipend. When pressure came on, they offered about half the stipend most other programs offered. Always this "Well Pittsburgh is cheap", yeah, and the locations of ALOT of programs are cheap.

They also don't accept the MSTP applicants until after a second visit (which they do pay travel to), which gives me a bad impression as well. But, that's a whole nother story.

Just food for thought...

 

[auster]

I went to second look last year and was very glad that I did - I had a difficult decision to make, and needed an opportunity to check out my interview impressions. I had been fairly certain that I wanted to go to Pitt, but couldn't quite decide if I should (about 10,000 more/year). Anyway, second look solidified my decision - even though I knew that it was meant to show me the best side of the school, I also felt like I got a pretty good idea of what things were like. I met a bunch of my current classmates that weekend, and I remember thinking that I could easily imagine finding some really good friends among that group. I also got a chance to check out the city - we went on an "apartment tour" where we checked out some current students' apartments, and got to hear about neighborhoods, rent, landlords, busses, etc. I don't think I could have found my apartment (or wouldn't have known that I could find one this cheap) if I hadn't come.
Anyway, that was my pitch for second look - it is well worth the travel expense (no, they don't reimburse you for it). You will have the opportunity to stay with student hosts, and will probably not need to spend much on food (I can't remember where I ate last year, but as I recall almost all food was taken care of). Let me say this - definately stay with a student host... I can't imagine getting a real idea of the place unless you do.
Oh, and about getting here from the airport. You can take the 28x into Oakland and go straight to whatever the first thing is, or once you know when your flight is, and what the schedule is, you can talk to your student host about the best way of working things out. (Never waste your money on a cab from the airport - yuck)

 

[brownemily22]

if i am 100% sure i am going to pitt, would you guys recommend attending the 2nd look weekend, specifically the shadowing portion. i am going away for the weekend and it would be great to hit the road a little early, but i don't want to miss something and regret it. any advice appreciated asap.... thanks!