The University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus

University of Pittsburgh is an amazing school to get an education and work experience. Your end goal is to get a job after college, and you prefer getting a job in a field that you like. This school gives you all the resources to be successful, so PLEASE take advantage of the internship guarantee program, the Fall and Spring career fairs, and the tons of research opportunities. Don't sit around and just focus on schoolwork. Companies hire you for your work experience, not your A grades.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

Pitt is the sort of school where if you're proactive, and are willing to put yourself out there, you will have a great experience. Pitt is the sort of school where the students are smart enough, the teaching is good enough, and there's enough around you, that if you want to be academically and socially successful, you can make it happen.

I transferred in as a sophomore (I'm an International student from an English-speaking country), after a gap of a few years in my education. If I applied as a freshman, I'd probably be attending a higher ranked school (I got 2240 SAT, 4.0 GPA and IB), but Pitt was the best school that took all my credit.

For those who felt 'overlooked' in some of their college applications, and have Pitt as a safety school, there's not a lot of ambition going around here. People do their work, go to class, and hang out with their friends.

But that being said, students here are very friendly, approachable, and the school is big enough that you can find your niche socially. People tend to stick with their own groups, some locals of Pittsburgh stick with their troupe of high school friends. But I have made a ton of friends here. From all different backgrounds, and from all different academic and non-academic interests.

Pitt is the sort of school where, if you're willing to work on being academically and socially successful, you'll have a great time. Yes, I kick myself a little for never applying to an Ivy / top ranked school, but I believe this school has everything I need for my own success.

If you're thinking about coming to Pitt and want to succeed socially (I'm a guy by the way), this is my advice:

-Join clubs. Pitt has heaps of them. Whether it's Greek Life, performing arts, club sports, volunteering, academic interest groups, gaming, or Model UN, these are great ways to make new friends.

-Live on campus your first year. Even if you transfer in, putting yourself in a dorm gets you in with a bunch of people.

-Diversify your friendship groups. Get food with everyone you meet, especially around orientation time. People are looking to make new connections. It's a good life skill anyway.

-If you're into partying, go Greek, or buddy yourself up with someone who knows where all the parties are at.

-Put yourself out there. Most people aren't super chatty, so be proactive in trying to get to know people. Talk to everyone.

-Do the RA / group activities. They may seem silly, but you do get to know people that way.
-There are a fair few people here, who just want to hang with their group of friends and talk to no-one else. That's okay, just find people that want to make new friends.So that's my little guide to succeeding socially at Pitt. It's a good school, it has everything you need. It doesn't have the Ivy prestige but if you're willing to really put yourself out there, it's a super fun experience.

1st Year Male -- Class 2017

Surrounding City: A+, Scholastic Success: B

I love Pitt. I got lucky and got in to one of the best schools for my field. In general, the school is what you make of it. If you put a lot in, you get a lot out.

4th Year Female -- Class 2009

Education Quality: A+, Individual Value: C