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University of Pittsburgh - Inside Scoop - College ProwlerCollege Prowler0.00

Inside Scoop

Quick Stats

School Slang
  • The “O”: The Original Hot Dog Shop.
  • The Ashtray: The area outside of Towers; popular for students to smoke and hang out.
  • Club Hillman: Nickname for Hillman Library.
  • Hem’s: Hemingway’s Café.
  • Ho-Land: Nickname for Holland Hall, an all-female residence hall in the Quad.
  • Panther Central: The offices in Towers lobby for the ID service and housing/dining.
  • The Quad: Schenley Quad, where eight of the 11 residence halls are located.
  • Upper Campus: The area with all the athletic facilities, frats, and newer dorms.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
  • If you move off campus, you can still get free access to Pitt Internet, even though it’s just dial-up.
  • It’s a big party school.
  • It’s really easy to meet people on campus.
  • It’s the perfect school for those with an undecided major.
  • Pitt has a small-campus feel.
  • Sometimes you don’t see the sunshine for days at a time.
  • The city of Pittsburgh is actually very small.
  • There are over 300 student organizations, including intramural sports.
Tips to Succeed
  • Ask questions in class.
  • Ask upperclassmen about classes or professors you’re thinking about taking—they are one of the best resources for steering you in the right direction.
  • Be outgoing—there’s a lot to get involved in.
  • Seek out your professors and TAs during office hours.
  • Stick with classes you’re interested in.
  • Work hard, but take time to relax.
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Pitt Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

SMPittsburgh

'14

Biology and Biological Sciences

3.8
B+

Small Town Atmosphere

Weather can get bad here. Lends to small town atmosphere which can be boring or comforting depending upon your outlook. Always something to do and people are very nice. Think this campus has excellent atmosphere for personal growth & reflection. Guess it comes down to getting out of it what you put into it.

Jan 29, 2012

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

RachelMcVey

'14

History

4.6
A

Hail to Pitt!

Pitt has a great reputation but it's not hard to do well with a reasonable amount of effort and there's not a really competitive atmosphere. I think it does a pretty good job of being big enough to give students plenty of options and opportunities without being too big- now that I've been here for a year and have started taking classes in my major, I feel at home at Pitt. It's also really nice that campus is in an urban neighborhood, very close to basically everything Pittsburgh has to offer, but there are also quiet parks and greenspaces to escape to. Academically, Pitt has a huge number of majors, minors, and certificate programs, so it's a great school for anyone who is undecided or has lots of interests. There are also plenty of on-campus job options, lots of clubs, and really cool gym classes. Pitt students also get to use public transportation for free and get discounted tickets to the Symphony, the Opera, and plays. The only really annoying thing about Pitt is that the party scene is so big; it's hard to find too many people who do anything else on weekends.

Jan 16, 2012

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

mizisw21

'15

Speech Language Pathology

4.6
A

SO MANY OPTIONS

There are fantastic programs offered for students who want to enter the medical field. An awesome basketball team, along with great athletic facilities. The people here are really nice and come from different backgrounds. Also, the greek life is very active, but isn't necessarily the main source of entertainment. I love PITT!

Dec 27, 2011

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Page 1 of 10

Facts

Traditions
  • Hating Penn State: There’s been a longstanding rivalry between Pitt and Penn State, the other college football giant of Pennsylvania. Anti-PSU shirts are sold on the streets in Oakland, and anyone who compares the Pitt Panther to a Nittany Lion is asking for trouble.
  • Hating West Virginia University: The rivalry between Pitt and WVU is thanks to the schools close proximity to each other, about an hour’s drive. When the schools play each other in basketball or football, the games are known as the "Backyard Brawl." The football teams' rivalry is considered to be the 14th oldest rivalry in the country. After beating WVU, Pitt students can often be heard singing an "edited" version of the famous song, "Take Me Home" by John Denver.
  • The Oakland Zoo: The official student section during basketball games; this is the place to be if you’re a rabid fan.
  • The Panther: The panther was officially adopted as a mascot in 1909 for a number of reasons. Among them: the panther wasn’t being used as any other school’s mascot; its gold color was closest to the University’s gold; it was already known as a noble animal; and, of course, the name alliterated quite well.
  • The Panther: The panther was officially adopted as the school's mascot in 1909. Reasons: The panther wasn't currently used as any other school's mascot, the animals gold color was closest to the University's gold, it was known as a noble animal and, of course, the name alliterated quite nicely.
  • Tailgating: Be sure to get there early—real tailgating can start early on football weekends, (7 a.m. for a noon game), and it often ends long after the game at local house parties or fraternities.
  • The University Seal: Pitt’s seal is a variation of William Pitt’s coat of arms. William Pitt was the first Earl of Chatham and served as the British Prime Minister in the 18th century. On the seal, the three dots are gold coins, which denote the Pitt family’s participation in the Crusades; the castle wall signifies the new city; the blue of the checkerboard represents Pitt’s status as an Earl; and the white stands for purity, innocence, and gentleness.
  • The Varsity Walk: Between the Cathedral and the Heinz Chapel, you’ll find the sidewalk lined with names, beginning in 1950, and continuing every year. This is the Varsity Walk, a tribute to students who have moved through the University with outstanding athletic and academic achievements.
Urban Legends
  • Playboy ranked Pitt’s Hillman Library as one of the top places in the country to meet someone of the opposite sex.
  • The Chancellor’s Suite, on the 12th floor of Bruce Hall, is haunted.

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College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Pitt

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Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Major: Creative Non-Fiction Writing

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