<p>I know that these two schools are vastly different, but I’ve been accepted into both and really like what they have to offer. Allegheny offered me more merit scholarships and I could see myself on this small campus. On the other hand, I love all the opportunities available to Pitt students (lots of internships, involvement in Pittsburgh, etc) and everyone is so nice. I like how Pitt is urban without being downtown. I would like to study English or Communications, leaning towards non-fiction writing. I’d love to continue studying French and possibly take German, and study abroad if I can.</p>
<p>Sorry this is long, any help would be appreciated! Thank you!</p>
<p>Congratulations on both acceptances !!
Allegheny is very strong. it’ll provide a residential, closer-knit community, a focus on you the undergrad, small, interactive classes where the professors (and your classmates) know you, and a more intellectual/less preprofessional student body. Finally, Allegheny has a niche in the “double major” student, so that your interests in double majoring in English along with French + study abroad would be actively supported.
Pittsburgh will offer many more choices for majors, you’ll be able to attend or skip the lectures, if you’re shy you won’t have to participate, the students are more diverse, there are many students so if you will don’t find your “tribe” you’ll have a chance to find your niche, the French classes are likely to have more choices at the upper level, and it’s right in the city.
I would personally lean toward Allegheny for the quality of the undergraduate education, especially since for your majors you’ll have to attend grad school afterwards… which could very well be at Pitt - whereas the reverse can’t be true. However, this is very subjective and you’re the only person who’ll know what matters to you. Another element that you may want to look into depends on where you currently live, so that you experience something different: if you live near Allegheny, go experience the big city, if you live in Pittsburgh, go experience an All-American “picture perfect” small college.
I would suggest you do an overnight at both if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice. I attended an overnight at both and I liked them equally . Haha I think the issue is that I can see myself at both schools but for different reasons. I don’t know yet if I want to double major or just pick one, but Allegheny would make that easier.</p>
<p>You haven’t told us which will cost you more.</p>
<p>They’re costing around the same, Pitt is only 1,000 dollars more per year because I love out of state.</p>
<p>*live out of state.</p>
<p>okay, finances are relatively equal. So it comes down to merit, largely. I’m in the college lit biz, and Pitt’s profs are the real deal. they are, some of them, brilliant in a way you’re unlikely to find the equal of at Allegheny: Arac, Paul Bové, Brumble, Glazener, Kincaid, Knapp, Susan Smith. However, brilliance doesn’t always mean good u/g educators. that you would have to find out by asking Pitt english majors, particularly the seniors, who have some perspective. is there any way your admissions officer at Pitt could put you in touch with some senior majors? you could ask about faculty-student interaction at the u/g level and whether or not there’s any of the warm camaraderie that you’d expect to find at a small LAC like Allegheny. You can learn all the skills you need as an English major at Allegheny but you might not walk away wow’d the way you will some days at Pitt. Pitt also has an excellent writing program to go with the literature program, and if you can find writers among the majors ask them about the writing program. I’m not pushing one or the other of these, but please investigate each a bit further to find out who might have the better teachers and how much contact you’ll have with the rock stars at Pitt. Do something like the same experiment at Allegheny. Let us know what you find out.</p>
<p>At my overnight visit to Allegheny students told me they were close with their professors. At Pitt, I talked mostly to freshman and sophomores but they were positive about student/professor interaction. Although Pitt is much larger, they said that professors cared. I’ll try to get in touch with seniors, thanks for the idea!</p>