Pitt's academic firepower draws students, prestigious research dollars (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: 2013, health insurance)

[Evergrey]

Pitt

University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg discusses the university's direction in his office on Thursday, September 6, 2012 in Oakland. Stephanie Strasburg | Tribune-Review

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a panel of experts from some of the nation’s top universities on Sunday proclaimed Pitt “a world-class research university” on its 225th anniversary.
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The National Science Foundation ranks Pitt among the nation’s top five schools for receiving federal grants for science, engineering and research and development. The group includes private Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, along with two other public universities, Michigan and Washington.
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Still, another report ranked Pitt among top public research universities for five consecutive years, along with Berkeley, UCLA, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and North Carolina.

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[Lobick]

Indeed, freshman applications have climbed from 7,825 to 23,409 since 1995. The ratio of freshmen coming from the top 10 percent of high school classes has grown from 19 percent to 53 percent, and average SAT scores have climbed from 1110 to 1280.

That really is remarkable improvement.

Moderator cut: orphaned

[Craziaskowboi]

You did it wrong. This is how the topic title should read:

"Pitt's academic firepower draws students, prestigious research dollars, insular urban rednecks"

Way to screw it up.

[norcider]

"doth thous protest too much" gnu?

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by norcider

"doth thous protest too much" gnu?

Sure.

[BrianTH]

I clearly missed something, although I don't regret missing it.

Anyhoo, I agree it is pretty remarkable how Pitt is increasing its competitiveness for students, and I suspect it has a lot more room to do so. Indeed, from one perspective this is just finally resolving a tension between its stature as a research university and its status as an educational institutional.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I clearly missed something, although I don't regret missing it.

Anyhoo, I agree it is pretty remarkable how Pitt is increasing its competitiveness for students, and I suspect it has a lot more room to do so. Indeed, from one perspective this is just finally resolving a tension between its stature as a research university and its status as an educational institutional.

Pitt is very overpriced campared to similar universities in other states. Sooner or later this has to negatively impact admissions. Many of its departments outside of the health related fields are average, and its branch campuses are on the level of the Pennsylvania State System schools, yet are much more expensive.

[Goinback2011]

Pitt is very overpriced campared to similar universities in other states. Sooner or later this has to negatively impact admissions.

Nah. Like health insurance and medical costs, university prices can go to infinity and students can just keep taking out bigger and bigger loans.

Sarcasm off.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

Pitt is very overpriced campared to similar universities in other states. Sooner or later this has to negatively impact admissions. Many of its departments outside of the health related fields are average, and its branch campuses are on the level of the Pennsylvania State System schools, yet are much more expensive.

A Pennsylvanian can't go to any other similar university in another state at in-state tuition rates. Out of state tuition at the University of Illinois College of Engnineering (for example) is ~$30K for an incoming freshman.

U of I Records: 2012-2013 Academic Year Undergrad Engineering Tuition Rate

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Katiana

A Pennsylvanian can't go to any other similar university in another state at in-state tuition rates. Out of state tuition at the University of Illinois College of Engnineering (for example) is ~$30K for an incoming freshman.

U of I Records: 2012-2013 Academic Year Undergrad Engineering Tuition Rate

I know a Pennsylvania family who has a student at Pitt and one at Ohio State. Pitt is costing them more. I have heard of similar examples with Virginia Tech where out of state tuition is less at VT than in-state tuition at Pitt.