University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school?

MonaLisa

There's no clear or particular stereotype for the students at the University of Pittsburgh. However, there is a "public school" stereotype that is commonly associated with this school. Many people think that students of Pitt loves to party, only party, and always party. Another stereotype is calling Pitt students "low-end" students who couldn't get into UPENN or other ivy league schools. These two stereotypes aren't true, but there is a sense of truth to them. There are many fraternities and sororities in Pitt, and most of them involve partying. Often times their involvement with drugs and partying get into the news, which can ruin the image of the school, but that doesn't totally represent everyone in the school. Also, many students in the school have indeed applied to ivy league schools before they ended up to Pitt. The reason why they chose to go to Pitt is not usually because Harvard or Stanford didn't accept them. The reason is usually because the tuition of Pitt is significantly lower and more affordable than the tuition of most top-tier private schools. In the end, finances and money do come into play when making the final decision with a college.

Julia

We have a reputation for being big drinkers and sports obsessed.

Adam

We work and study hard, party harder, and are extremely resourceful.

Lexi

Pitt historically has not been the hardest school to get into. It also tends to be less competitive than its neighbor, Carnegie Mellon. I think, because of that, Pitt students are stereotyped as being dumb, or not as smart as students at several other surrounding schools.

Ryan

Not as big of a party school like Penn State. Pitt students are nicer and more "down to earth."

Emilie

Fortunately, there aren't too many stereotypes about Pitt. Due to the fact that it's centered in a city; there's a very diverse group of students. Artsier students may be drawn to the city aspect, while jocks may be drawn to the range of athletics.

Adrian

People assume Pitt is in the city and therefore there isn't much of a campus.

Chrissy

Pitt students are wild and out of control.

Sarah

The frat PIKA is full of protein chugging brainless muscle men. Pitt: football town with a drinking problem

Jo

Large urban campus, students don't feel connected, not enough to do

Dale

Pitt students are seen as heavy drinkers.

Pete

There are no hot girls.

Ellen

Pitt holds the general college stereotypes. There are party kids, study kids, and everything else in between. Generally, college students get pegged as obnoxious drinkers. Honestly, there are some. But there are also many other people.

Trevor

We really don't have a set identity. It's not a "party school" like WVU, or purely a "basketball school" like UNC; it's Pitt. However, if I were to generalize, most of the students on campus are white, liberal, middle-class Pennsylvanians. But that's not everyone. I've seen tons of varieties of students and teachers here; as previously stated, there's no overarching stereotype.

April

That they are rude and obnoxious

Taylor

That we are the dumb, partying cousins of Carnegie Melon

Shannon

The city is dirty and there are a lot of bridges and the Steelers are awesome and so are the Penguins!

Megan

People from surrounding colleges (CMU, Carlowe) come to Pitt for the good looking students.

Ash

I have heard that people believe there to be a lot of partying at Pitt. Also, people think that all of the classes are very big and that students are dehumanized, becoming mere numbers in the system and not unique individuals at all.

Darren

As a student within the University I am not aware of the stereotypes placed upon us. However, I have heard the Carnegie Mellon girls think that Pitt girls are mildly retarded.

Staci

That we're all jocks, super intellectuals, or rich.

Jaren

"They are snobby, rude city students."

Parker

That we're all mediocre, of average intelligence, and spend most of our time doing hard drugs and going to lame frat parties.

Jordan

not sure

Dave

Overall, Pitt students are viewed as far superior to Penn State students.

Sierra

They party a lot The frats rape girls, especially SAE

Chrissy

I'm not really sure I have actually heard any stereotypes that pertain to Pitt students. Pitt is probably one of the fewer school's that actually aren't frowned upon (to my knowledge) in the state of Pennsylvania.

Alex

None that I know of

jennifer

Since Carnegie Mellon University is so near, there is a tendency to think that students at Pitt are dumb, because they are at Pitt instead of CMU...there is a similar tendency to think that since none of the branch campuses are far away, the only reason a student would go to them is that s/he could not get into the main campus.

Julia

Some say that Pitt is a party school...it is.

Ryan

The opinion of the other city colleges of Pitt students is that of (mostly) highly intelligent students who enjoy the social aspect of college more than for example, Carnegie Mellon students.

Lorie

That compared to Carnegie Mellon we're all dumb.

Reese

It is a city campus. It is too far away from home (Central and Eastern PA kids).

Pat

The frat boys are lame. research professors could care less about students. there is ALWAYS stuff to do in Oakland/Pittsburgh. if you get too drunk and lost, just look up to the horizon and follow the Cathedral of Learning, i.e. the "Drunken Compass." Living is South Oakland sucks, the houses there are straight up broke.

Jessica

Idiotic frat boys and sorostitutes.

Jessica

A lot of people believe that Pitt is full of either athletes or people who couldn't make it into Carnegie Mellon.

Jessica

A lot of smart and talented high school students look at Pitt as a "safety school" and only want to enroll if their top-choice ivys don't accept them.

Michelle

A lot of people think that Pitt is a concrete jungle, a bunch of buildings tossed in the middle of downtown. Fresh air, what? "Pitt's campus doesn't really exist." And because it's in a city, there's nothing to do on their so-called campus.

Adam

Small campus, intimate setting

Paige

That we aren't as smart as our CMU counterparts and that we are better partiers than our Duquesne neighbors.

Victor

One of the bigger stereotypes of Pitt is that its a big party school, and people know how to take charge and enjoy their time at Pitt.

Alex

People think everyone at Pitt is doing research and that they either party a whole lot or have no time for it.

Sasha

Don't know of any

Leah

I guess some people think that Pitt isn't that great of a school or that students aren't that intelligent.

Jen

Pitt students are all rich upper-middle class students who can afford anything.

Alex

I always though that Pitt and Pitt students weren't really well thought of in the academic world, but I've found that Pitt has a really decent reputation, especially internationally. I practically got into grad school based on Pitt's name alone, or at least I think. I don't know of any real stereotypes of Pitt. I've always thought we were mediocre if they though of Pitt at all.

Rob

Party school, cultured, better than Penn State

Jenna

Whenever I tell someone from home that I chose U Pitt, they always look really surprised, as if I have chosen to live in garbage dump or something. People stereotype the city of pittsburgh to be dirty and gross, when in reality its one of the most beautiful cities I have been to. Pitt is usually stereotyped to be a bunch of local pittsburghers, but it really isnt, there are people from all over the country here.