The University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus

If you are considering the University of Pittsburgh and attend one of the Pitt Start programs, please be openminded and only believe LESS than 1/2 of what you hear!

2nd Year Male -- Class 2014

Surrounding City: A, Faculty Accessibility: F

I loved the university when i first attended, but now that i am in my third year i feel fully taken advantage of. this university only wants your money.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2012

Surrounding City: B+, Education Quality: F

The University of Pittsburgh has its good and it's bad. For me it was just not a good fit at all. It is a very large school and if you aren't prepared to swim with the masses from the day you get here you won't enjoy it. The social scene can be overwhelming if you're not used to a large school. The advising is awful. I lost a good semester of education to poor advising. I was told I had to take classes I didn't have to, not to take classes I did, and as an undecided student received no advice or guidance at all. I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of students in my intro classes and in general. After changing to the sciences I found that instructors are a mixed batch. The classes are pretty large so when you get a bad teacher you're on your own. Many of the professors and TAs are foreign and difficult to understand. My TA for one class this year had just come to the US from China and the prof was foreign too. The tutoring centers need more employees. They are really unreliable (the physics dept. tutors seem to come and go when they please & sometimes no one is even there) and way too small of rooms for the number of students in the lectures (for intros you can get 300-400 students/class).

On the plus side I think the price is fair for what you get. It's a good education and there's lots of options. If you can find your own way then coming here undecided isn't so bad since you have lots of choices and don't have to worry so much about changing your mind. Some instructors are very good and are well worth the tuition. I thought Russell Clark was one of the best instructors I've ever had, too bad he doesn't seem to be teaching intros anymore. In terms of social activities there's a good balance party-wise. Not too much, but not to little. There's always something to do on the weekends but it's not the only thing to do. There are lots of clubs and sororities and frats are active, but not overbearing. The transportation is wonderful, not to mention free. The health center is great and generally helpful. UPMC is a good source of internships if you are in the sciences.

All in all the university is worth the tuition, but you have to be prepared for the large classes, potentially foreign instructors, poor advising and limited academic resources. If you are a real go getter and you're okay with dealing with a little overpopulation then you should be fine. You'll pretty much have to go after your own internships (many of the times) and find your own way. Look up info for yourself because no one knows anything here. If you're more like me and you like a little more one-on-one attention and might even need some guidance then you might look into a smaller school. I've got a double major in Physical Anthro and Bio and it's no light load, but I've made it through. It has been a real struggle to get through, though, and I spent plenty of nights unhappy. I wouldn't call this the worst experience of my life, but it certainly was not nearly as good as it should have been. I am burnt out and cannot wait to leave.

3rd Year Female -- Class 2012

Campus Aesthetics: A+, Individual Value: F