University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Top Questions

My classmates are good in my major, but in general education requirements classes they are annoying and lazy.

My classmates come from a variety of backgrounds with the same purpose of higher learning in countless different fields of study.

Friendly and Driven individuals

Most of my classmates appeared to come from upper-middle class to upper class families who either studied all the time or partied all the time; not a lot of middle ground.

Classmates were diverse and from all areas of the country.

My classmates come from mostly middle-class, white families and are very academically focused, but like to have a lot of fun on the weekends.

happy people

My classmates are typically focused on what they're studying and pick appropriate classes, but sometimes you run into those people who try really hard and just don't get it and end up holding the rest of you back, which really is annoying in a language class because you want to just tell them they're saying it all wrong but you can't because that's rude, but really everyone is pretty easy to get along with and they pay attention (for the most part) in lectures and seem to really want to do well.

Everyone's very helpful and friendly at Pitt and in Pittsburgh in general.

Everyone wants to succeed in their academics as well as their social status to grow to their full potential.

For the most part, I think the student body is primarily comprised of Pennsylvanians. There are an increasing number of people from other states. The students also tend to be much more liberal than you would expect. The Rainbow Alliance was very active and there were a lot of political protests (which were for the most part non-violent). Pittsburgh itself is still a somewhat working class city and I think the student body partially reflects that. The setting is very casual and very live and let live.

Most of the people I have met there are leaders.

Some classmates are very focused and learning oriented and others are there to party.

I am a bio major so all of my classes are huge; it's really hard to get to know people.

They are entertaining, diverse, and often amusing; I've made some great friends.

Most people are very friendly, but have their own small (or large) close-knit group of friends who they associate with. It's not difficult to make friends one on one, but it can be intimidating trying to fit in with a group of upperclassmen. More often than not, students make their friends the first semester of Freshman year and stick with those people.

They're bright. I've never really encountered anybody that was just flat-out dumb. Diverse enough, fun enough, etc.

It seems that students at Pitt mostly stick with their own kind. You don't see much diversity among groups of friends, although everyone is nice to each other and Pitt's campus is diverse and of course there is room for everyone.

Pretty much anyone could feel at home at Pitt because the student body is so diverse. The only people who might have trouble at first are those unfamiliar with city life. However, adjusting to life in Pittsburgh isn't difficult, speaking as someone from the suburbs. Students tend to lean to the left politically; but there is still a conservative presence as well.

The student body at Pitt is very diverse. Every student fits in somewhere. No one should feel out of place at Pitt. Most students interact with everyone and not just other kids like themselves. It is a very accepting place, and everyone you talk to you have something in common with. Also, most of the students at Pitt are from local areas and commute to school. I am a commuter student, and I feel like I live there.

Football and basketball games and a must go! So incredibly fun and a good break from studying! Plus our football team plays at Heinz field!

The student body is pretty diverse. Personally, I feel there is an increase in minority undergraduate admissions. People come from all different backgrounds, and there's usually a student activity group designated to them: Black Action Society, College Dems, GLBT groups, College Republicans, a variety of Asian and Southeast groups, etc. The biggest event of the year (from my point of view) is Student Government Board elections held in December. There's activities going on everywhere. Many of the graduate students and TA's are from other countries, so sometimes they're hard to understand (as English is their second language). Most of the students are pretty smart. A large amount of, if not all, students are in the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of their graduating class and have taken at least one AP or Honors course in high school. Pitt, along with many other nationally ranked institutions, look for well-rounded candidates and not just 4.0 students that didn't do anything else but study.

The student body is diverse at Pitt, a large majority of the students hail from PA, NJ, OH and WV. Most of the students drink and party regularly. Most of the students smoke. Pitt students are also generally loud. If you're a ditzy sorority girl or a mead-head frat boy you will fit right in. There is an underground culture of hippies and bike-kids that is very very cool, but they're hard to find (particularly if you are a freshman). Moreover, that group really dislikes most of the other people on campus, so they don't try to mix in with the general student body much. Campus is flooded with bums, violent evangelicals that will harass you non-stop, drunks, and working people. It's easy to get lost around campus.

Very mixed group of students. Most come from eastern PA. I like the independent feel of being a student at Pitt. With a lot of small schools, it almost feels like you are in high school all over again. Students know how to walk to class by themselves, eat sometimes by themselves and hit the library by themselves. That does not mean everyone does not do things together, it's just that I feel students here can act more independently when needed. In the city itself sometimes there is a feel of more black-white distinct groups. I guess it is not a huge problem, but I can definitely tell which students are from the area and which are not by the way they interact with people from different backgrounds. Fortunately, these people are increasingly becoming in the minority. And maybe, I only notice it because my community is so integrated with people from various cultures that anything slightly different is very noticeable to me. Students have been politically active this past year, but then again I've only been there for one year. The political viewpoints are very center. (Believe me it's my major and I've had plenty of conversations with people on all sides of the table. Most are very reasonable and open to new ideas.)

Being from Pittsburgh, I thought the students at Pitt would be similar to those i went to high school with. I was wrong. I have met people from across the country and across the world. Although Pitt is not one of the most diverse schools, may different nations and groups of people are represented, people I was never exposed to before.

There aren't really cliques on campus; leave that fun in high school. Largely, people hang out with some friends from high school (who also attend Pitt), and their roommates. There isn't much of a racial or socio-economic divide; that really doesn't matter in 2008. Now there are some groups that tend to keep to themselves. The "flamboyant" gay subculture definitely is self-contained; as is the punk/anarchist (in my opinion, dirty-looking) group. But really, no judgment on anyone! Come to Pitt to learn and enjoy yourself. What do most students wear to class? Class is very casual. I've seen a lot of athletic shorts and T-shirts in the spring, and sweatpants/shirts in winter. Yeah, you'll see a few overachievers who want to impress the professors by dressing in business formal every day (it doesn't work!); but for the most part, wear what is comfortable to you. Teachers care a lot more about your class participation than your GQ-ability. Are students politically active? Annoyingly so. I've participated in both the Pitt Republicans and Liberatarians groups; but there's a far, FAR greater number of Pitt Democrats on campus. They are loud, they have pamphlets; and oh, sweet mercy, they are irritating. If there's an African country in peril, they're organizing an event to help. Get used to fliers and pamphlets being shoved at you. If you're a left-winger, you'll fit in great with the majority of the campus. If you're more conservative, you'll definitely find a place, too. I can tell you firsthand that the Pitt Republicans do their jobs well. If you're a Commie, there's a group for you, too. Libertarian? There's a group, but they don't really do anything. (Ron Paul gave a speech in spring 2008, though.) This is a long entry. So what should you take away from all this? The Pitt student body is made of students. It really doesn't have a set definition. You won't find much, if any, discrimination or outright disapproval of who you are. Now, if you're wearing a sundress and heels, but have a beard, you may get some chuckles. But just be you.

there is little racial/gender discrimination on campus. nearly every minority has thier own student group with thier own activities and such. even for gays/lesbians is a pretty open atmosphere - there is a gay/lesbian group that has a fairly knwon presence on campus - and its not unusual to see gay/lesbian couples holding hands on the streets. it'shard to tell whose rich/poor, unless you're a frat or sorority person - which by the way, are not the only ways to have fun on campus, most people don't really like the parties thye throw. there is both a college republican and democrat club on campus, and we often have political speakers at Pitt - Ann Coulter, karl Rove, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, etc. most people are form PA, but there is a good number also from Jersey, Ohio, new York, even as far as virginia, new hampshire, california, and seattle. Pitt is like any other campus though, most people aren't sure where they want to go after they graduate, finances are not a usually discussion at dinners/parties/etc. people hold their views, but rarely do issues of conflict ever arise out of them.

No comment - being a graduate student is a little bit different as I have a full time job...so I am not sure of these issues.

Pitt is very diverse. I graduated in a class of 250 with only 3 minority students in high school, so it was really cool to get to see different cultures and meet really cool people. They just put in a new dining hall under the Towers (where most freshmen live) which is awesome!

I meet one of my best friends (and future roommate) at Pitt this year. She is Korean. Knowing her has opened me up to a culture, entirely different from my own. Everything that she has taught me, from Korean phrases, to cuisine tips, to fashion, study habits and more has had a great impact on me, not simply because she is Korean, but because she has an entirely unique and beautiful perspective on life. As I corrected her English papers and made suggestions for improvement, she in turn, educated me on the ins and outs of first year biology and calculus, simply because I was interested to learn about them. I value her friendship especially because she opened me up to so many new ideas, pastimes and internationally significant facts. Every racial, religious and economic background in the world can be found within the halls of Pitt. Yet somehow, I have already forgotten, when looking around the large expanse of my packed dining hall that we are different at all. Rather I view each of us as unique, multi-faceted individuals with a combined wisdom and power that could move mountains.

Pitt has students from all over the world but a lot of them are from the surrounding area of Pittsburgh. Pitt has a very large liberal community as well.

The kids I've met are special to say the least. We talk about anything and everything. It's really hard to speak about the student body as a whole since I don't know everyone and of course gravitate towards people who have similar interests.

Most students wear sweats and shorts to class. There are a few girls who like to do their hair and make-up. Some people complain about that, but it doesn't really concern me so I do not waste the time complaining.

There are moderate and extreme racial, religious, and LGBT student grounds but all are open minded and there aren't any tensions between conflicting groups (except maybe pitt dems vs pitt republicans). Most students are predominantly left but maybe only 1/3 is politically active; the rest don't seem to care that much. A student that enjoys big, communal activities and lots of school spirit would definitely be better off at penn state. Most pitt students are from Philadelphia and of middle class to upper middle class financial background. All types of students interact though, there are no cliques or segregation as there is in most high schools. Feel free to talk to anyone and everyone and they won't exclude you based on sex, gender, race, socio-economic status etc.

i felt out of place at pitt for a little while since i had a good 5-8 years on most of the student body, but after getting to know some people in my classes, it wasn't entirely bad.

There are more than four tables here at Pitt. There are many international students. Pitt is considered an urban campus and a lot of the students are from Pittsburgh of Philli. So, a lot of the kids come from working class families. It's safe to say that most students work very hard to support themselves. I'm not sure who would feel out of place here. Some people don't like the city but theres plenty of green space. There is both a college republicans and a college democrats group. Overall the area probably leans left though.

There are a lot of groups that are very well known, like Black Action Society and Rainbow Alliance. It's a city campus so there is a lot of diversity and people from all over but small-town people, I think would feel very out of place. As far as politics go, I think Pitt's very politically aware but very misguided sometimes. It's like the campus is predominantly left but it's hard to tell only because that's who you interact with the most.

IT is very diverse as I said, but naturally more segregated. People do make friends from people of all races & religions though. There are groups for different races & religions (Ex: Black Action Society, Hindu Assocation). The four tables- well I'd say white greeks, blacks, asians, indians, & then the rest of white people are just split among differences. Most students wear jeans or sweats to classes- most outfits are decent and not distracting but some girls can wear some distracting outfits (We're trying to learn!). Probably more middle-class and upper kids, but there are lower-class kids as well. Yes, this campus is very politically aware- mostly democrat and there are groups to get everyone to vote. Rallies and everything. No, most students don't talk about how much they'll earn one day.

I do not see any problems on my campus with any of our student body. I honestly feel so comfortable on my campus with anyone.

Pittsburgh is a liberal city. Pitt is a liberal school. There are numerous student organizations on this campus representing that fact. Any group one can think of, probably has a club at Pitt, and if it doesn't, it can easily form one.

I don't know if any student would feel out of place at Pitt. I think that if you are willing to go out and interact with people then you can find a niche for yourself. Alot of people however feel freshmen year that fun activities should just come knocking at their door. They dont, and it took me till the end of sophomore year to really seek out what I wanted to be involved in and to just do it. Something that bothers me about Pitt is that students generally do stick with their race, religion and or sexual preference. While there are many exceptions, groups walking around on campus are primarily of the same race. I thought with a city school thing would be more integrated but this isn't necessarily the case.

Everything about Pitt's student body is very middle of the road. Pittsburgh is not an extremely diverse city so the student body is largely white middle class. I have never seen any problems because the majority of the students are left leaning/central and are accepting of anyone no matter where they are from.

I don't think anyone could feel out of place at Pitt. There are so many students that you're bound to find at least SOMEone you get along with. Many clubs and groups promote diversity and there are clubs for many ethnic, religious, political, and other backgrounds. The majority of students are left-winged and open-minded. This isn't to say that stupid bros won't use the word "fag" or "bitch" whenever they can throw it into a sentence, however. The Greek scene is kind of obnoxious if that's not your thing, but it's easy enough to avoid with so many other people on campus.

The student body at pitt is very diverse, as with many large schools there are some of everyone and everything.

Pitt is a melting pot. If you give people a chance, you will learn a great deal about a lot of different people. It really helps you to expand your horizons and grow as a person.

I think Pitt is pretty diverse, there's always room for improvement but I don't think any single group would feel left out. There are student groups for just about all wants and needs that a student may have. Most students wear exactly what they would wear to high school to class. Ironically enough it really seems like most Pitt Students are from Philly. I wasn't expecting this at all. I come from 30ish miles North of Pittsburgh and it's rare that you find someone that lives that close to Pitt. It seems like most people are from a more "well off" financial background which can be intimidating for me because I'm not. Students are politically aware and it's annoying. It seems like they are quick to jump on the band wagon without much thought. There is a huge Pitt Republican group and a huge Pitt Democrat group. That's about it, which is pretty sad. I never really hear people talk about how much they earn, they usually talk about how wasted they got the night before.

I think Pitt has an extremely varied student body. You can find students of every race, religion, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. I've met some really interesting people and i've learned a lot from them about race, religion, politics etc. that I could never learn in the classroom setting. I don't think any student could ever feel out of place at Pitt, because there is such a mix of people, no one is the "outcast". The student body is pretty laid back, the uniform is anything from pajamas to business casual in class and there aren't any "cliques" who don't really converse. Sure there is drama between Greek societies, but you'll have that everywhere. Pitt students come from all over, but there are a lot of students from PA, mainly Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but those who aren't from PA fit in just as well.

Most of Pitt's student body is from Pennsylvania because of the in-state tuition. And by Pennsylvania, I mean the Philadelphia area and the Pittsburgh area, mainly. Don't come to Pitt if you're shy or introverted. It's a big school where shy kids can easily get lost in the crowd. No one here cares what you wear to class. Pitt is the kind of place where you can feel free to be as individual or conforming as you like.

Pitt's students are all over the board. I'm sure that someone has taken a demographic poll of sorts at some point and cound give a detailed description of the number of Jews, Hindus, Catholics, and Atheists; or the dominating race Pitt, but just looking around, it's hard to define a "typical" Pitt student. You'll see it all here: dresses, jeans, tights, sweats, heels, flats, tennis shoes, sweaters, polos, tank tops, hoodies, tee shirts; all shades of skin; straight edgers, potheads, drunks; democrats, republicans, libertarians, anarchists. If you're looking for a certain type of student, you can find it. And for that reason, I feel like anyone could call Pitt home.

very open student body