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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.
See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

swagmaster09

Psychology '16

4.6
A

Sports

There are loads of sports ranging from all levels of competition. Basketball, soccer, tennis, quidditch; you name it, we have it.

May 11, 2012

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

mhn7

Environmental Studies '14

4.6
A

Academic & Social Inside Scoop

Because Pitt is so big, you don't get a whole lot of groundbreaking news or gossip socially...just rumors. But academically, you need to establish relationships with your professors if you want a foot in the door for research opportunities, letters of reccommendation, etc. Nothing is handed to you; you have to go seek out people to help you, and Pitt offers lots of people willing to help you.

May 04, 2012

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Inside Scoop at University of Pittsburgh

feargal93

Finance '15

3.8
B+

Get Involved

The more involved you get the better time you will have. Get involved early.

Mar 30, 2012

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Page 1 of 11
User rating for University of Pittsburgh - Inside Scoop is 4.6 out of 5 based on 33 user reviews.

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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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Courtney Vock
Hometown
Pittsburgh, PA
Major
Creative Non-Fiction Writing

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.