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<p>If you’ve done something NOT related to school, CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve participated in OCC (seriously). This is anything from “going to the gym” to “seeing a play” to “donating blood”. </p>
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<p>It’s a very stupid program that Pitt implemented when I started (fall 2008) that was filled with problems and issues. It got revamped last year (fall 2011) with many more problems and issues still arising. I’d say a lot of people get OCC credit for various things (i.e. what I mentioned above) but few “complete” the program.</p>
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<p>Pros: If you actually complete it, you get a nice little green cord for graduation (that no one will care about). You also get invite to super, top secret important people only events like talks and luncheons (with successful alumni, employers, etc.)</p>
<p>Cons: It’s a pointless program. Basically you have a bunch of different categories (Health, Community, The Arts, Leadership, etc.) that you have to maintain a certain amount of involvement in to “complete” it. After that you have an interview where you talk about what you did (or something) and then, boom! You completed the program and are now in the “OCC Honorary Society”. You and maybe 40 other kids total. Because most people realize it’s dumb.</p>
<p>My major issue is that to “complete” the program, you need a certain amount of “Leadership” activities. One of them is a leadership class that you have to pay $60 to take (and you can’t get around it to complete the requirement). I’d be a bigger fan of OCC if you didn’t have to PAY to complete the program, which I think is BS. The Honorary Society is kind of a joke (in my opinion) in that they say they’re gonna get you invites to things (like the luncheons that I mentioned above). But honestly (at least as an Engineering student) I get better perks from my department and professors than I ever would from OCC.</p>
<p>The original point of OCC was to encourage students to participate in stuff outside the classroom (hence Outside the Classroom Curriculum), but seriously, the idea of OCC credit doesn’t make kids go to events or activities, they go because they want to. Pitt should just bury OCC and go on their merry way and save their money and resources for better things.</p>
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<p>I don’t think it would. OCC is so over the board, you’d really only show a shallow commitment to a LOT of things. You’re better off doing research/TA-ing/volunteering and being involved in a few clubs at a much higher level (i.e. eventually leadership). It’ll look a LOT better than saying “I have OCC!” which, by the way, no med school will understand what you’re referring to (nor will they care).</p>