I had the pleasure of visiting Pitt on that lovely spring-like President's Day (in contrast to my fantastic, yet FRIGID tour earlier that weekend at CMU). While Pitt is considered an urban campus, it is located in the Oakland neighborhood of the city, so not directly in downtown Pittsburgh. The information session and tour were very informative and a great way to get an overview of all that Pitt has to offer. Here are 5 fun facts about the University of Pittsburgh:
1) If you saw my earlier LinkedIn post, it was a spoiler for this one - "Cathy", the Cathedral of Learning, is the largest academic building in the Western Hemisphere. Apparently, the nickname has become a bit controversial, with some people finding that the name "trivializes the historical and architectural significance" of the building. Regardless, this building offers plenty of places for students to study and is home to the infamous Nationality Rooms. These classrooms were designed to look like they existed before 1787, the year the university was founded and the U.S. Constitution was signed.
2) Pitt's School of Nursing is one of the most recognized in the country and for good reason. It is affiliated with the UPMC health system, which is comprised of 5 teaching hospitals. By the time students are finished with their academic program, they will have completed over 1,200 hours of clinical work. The BSN program has earned a #7 ranking in the country according to U.S. News & World Report and is likely Pitt's most competitive major. 130-150 student are selected each year from more than 1,000 applicants to the program.
3) Pitt offers several Guaranteed Admission Programs into 16 graduate or professional schools. Do you know you want to go to law school? Meet Pitt's requirements at the time of your first-year application, achieve the clearly defined expectations outlined during your time at Pitt, and you will be guaranteed admission into their law school. Pitt offers the same kind of access for business, education, dentistry, pharmacy, and more.
4) Students looking to gain professional work experience prior to graduation will have no trouble at Pitt. The Internship Prep Program provides guidance on putting together your resume and cover letter, interviewing, and searching for opportunities. Pittsburgh is home to 8 Fortune 500 companies, 3 professional sports teams, 25 community health and hospital systems, more than 29 colleges and universities, and many other private companies and non-profit organizations. Our Pitt tour guide shared that an undergraduate business student was interning with the Pittsburgh Penguins when they won the Stanley Cup - as an employee during that time, the student got a ring!
5) While you are probably most familiar with the Pittsburgh campus, Pitt actually has 5 regional campuses across Western Pennsylvania. The Bradford campus is home to a Crime Scene Investigation House and Lab. Criminal justice students have access to the latest tools to solve "crimes" in the CSI lab and graduate well-prepared for careers in law enforcement and police operations in both the private and public sectors.
H2P!
