Are all students just waiting to leave?? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: condo, credit)

[peanut33]

I just moved here and am a student at UPitt. A lot of what I've heard from people who are about to graduate is how they can't wait to get out of Pgh. Why is this? Are cities like Chicago really that much better?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by peanut33

I just moved here and am a student at UPitt. A lot of what I've heard from people who are about to graduate is how they can't wait to get out of Pgh. Why is this? Are cities like Chicago really that much better?

Ditto here in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. We have tens of thousands of college students, yet I have still not met one besides myself who would like to raise their family here in NEPA. Our close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia is a mixed blessing. We're close enough to enjoy fun day trips, but we're also close enough to be fleeced of all of our intellectual talent. With energy costs rising, fewer and fewer are deciding to move to the Poconos and commute back and forth into the Big Apple. I sometimes wonder if I'm going to be the only one in my demographic who actually holds a degree if I decide to move to Scranton to raise my family (which is now up in the air due to my difficulty in finding a job). Ironically I might just be a Scranton export moving to Pittsburgh to find a job with a public accounting firm.

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by peanut33

I just moved here and am a student at UPitt. A lot of what I've heard from people who are about to graduate is how they can't wait to get out of Pgh. Why is this? Are cities like Chicago really that much better?

Yeah, it's a little strange Then when they do move away most realize how much they miss Pittsburgh and can't wait to get back. Good luck at Pitt, I was a student there back in the late 90's, and I had a blast!!! Where did you come from? I don't know if they still have the class(Can't remember the name of it), but it's a REALLY easy credit or two, all the class is about is familiarizing people new to the area with Pittsburgh.

[Awesomo.2000]

God, every college student can't wait to graduate and take their life on somewhere else. It is part of being in college.

It has nothing to do with other cities "being better"

City-data forum

[lifepgh2op]

I do know a lot of people that stayed in Pittsburgh after graduating from Duq, Pitt, CMU, etc.

However, I know when I was in school I could not wait to get out of the town the school was in. It was nothing against the town...it's just you make so many memories and stuff there but then you grow out of it. I know Pittsburgh is a big city and not a small college town...but some people just like to leave Pittsburgh with what it was to them: their college town....and move on to new things and new memories. Or return to wherever they are from or maybe where their family lives.

[onwardandupward]

I would make a distinction between undergraduate and graduate students. Many, if not most, of the undergraduates in Pittsburgh are from Western Pa and understandably want to get out and explore the world. Many, if not most, of the graduate students in Pittsburgh are from elsewhere, and in my experience, many want to stay here. I know lots of graduate students from NY, Chicago, DC, etc. who can actually make a comparison between where they're from and Pittsburgh, and after so doing, feel it is much more livable here. Jobs, career paths, etc. don't always make that possible, but I know a number who have made efforts to stay.

[Blackbeauty212]

I totally agree with the leaving to understand what you're missing.

I left Pittsburgh - 8 yrs ago for my job that took me to NYC. I love NY with a passion, but I still do get homesick from time to time. I still come back to the burgh about every 6-8 months.

Pittsburgh just has something that you can't get anywhere else, and after a week of being home, I start to miss NY.

[globalburgh]

Originally Posted by onwardandupward

I would make a distinction between undergraduate and graduate students. Many, if not most, of the undergraduates in Pittsburgh are from Western Pa and understandably want to get out and explore the world. Many, if not most, of the graduate students in Pittsburgh are from elsewhere, and in my experience, many want to stay here. I know lots of graduate students from NY, Chicago, DC, etc. who can actually make a comparison between where they're from and Pittsburgh, and after so doing, feel it is much more livable here. Jobs, career paths, etc. don't always make that possible, but I know a number who have made efforts to stay.

Any school with a huge numbers of locals will have that "Get out of Dodge" mentality. As a rule, undergraduates who grew up regionally will want out.

[welder]

I think all the bad press about the city "dying" doesnt help. It plays on people. Who wants to buy a home and raise a family, in a city thats so called "dying". I left Pittsburgh ten yrs ago. It wasnt til the last few yrs that I really started to appreciate what it has to offer. I will say this though, i always bragged about how "cheap" it was to live there. But now that im older, I dont think it is. As far as housing cost go that is. My grandmother asked me if I wanted to buy here house in Bloomfield for 65 grand. Which by any city standard is cheap. It also had a covered back porch, plus PARKING (which is a pretty big deal in BLOOMFIELD at times). Now, I lived with her there many times as a kid. So I was excited about it. Thing is, I stood back an looked her house over. Even though I love Bloomfield, the house would have needed to to be completely gutted out. In cities like Chicago, no big deal. But Pittsburgh? You'd never even get half your money back out of it if u tried to sell. Even if u remodelled as cheap as possible. And what fun would that be anyway? Granite counter tops arent common in Bloomfield, and probably never will be. The cheap house thing in Pittsburgh is a double edged sword. There's almost no in between. Alot of them CHEAP housees need completely gutted. Plus alot of them dont have big sq footage. 500 grand for a house in the city of Pittsburgh is a pretty big deal. Where cities like Chicago, slightly above average for a decent neighborhood. I know places on Friendship aint no 500 grand. But alot of them need alot of updating too. Plus then your surrounded by Bloomfield and Garfield. With homes that are worth WAY less. I always knew that Shadyside was expensive, but until recently, I didnt know HOW expensive. My jaw dropped when I seen condo and house listings on the computer for Shadyside. For most Pittsburgher's, them prices are out of reach. Places like Morningside (BORINGSIDE), just dont appeal to me. What's the point of living in the city, if u have to drive everywhere? Plus them homes are all on top of each other too. No privacy, no convience, to me, no appeal. Alot of people in Pittsburgh, who have good jobs, not great ones, almost have to live in the suburbs. Now going to bars, restaurants, etc., that stuff is still dirt cheap in pittsburgh. I just think the city waited way too long to try an reinvesting in alot of them neighborhoods. And those high property taxes are a killer too. Homes that asses at 500 grand in Shadyside, your looking at 15 grand a yr in property taxes. Plus private schools on top of that. The same house in cities like Chicago for example, would be half that. I love my hometown and all its history and beautiful views. It's a hard sell to someone who wasnt born and raised there. Especially if they're educated with a high income.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

I totally agree with the leaving to understand what you're missing.

I left Pittsburgh - 8 yrs ago for my job that took me to NYC. I love NY with a passion, but I still do get homesick from time to time. I still come back to the burgh about every 6-8 months.

Pittsburgh just has something that you can't get anywhere else, and after a week of being home, I start to miss NY.

Many people feel that way about their home towns. My kids felt that way when they went to college out of state. I don't think it's anything specific to Pittsburgh. And a lot of people move away, like Blackbeauty, get homesick, then come back and miss the new place! I have experienced that myself.

Many students leave b/c they can't find a job in their profession in their college town. I think this is true of grad students and undergrads.