<p>My DS is a Freshman and is living in Sutherland West honors dorm which he chose. He ABSOLUTELY loves it! The kids are fun loving, bright kids. They go to the football games, play intramural sports etc as any student would. They probably don’t drink as much as kids in other dorms and they may study harder. That’s a win-win in my book. He is taking just one honors course–Biology and loves the professor and the course. He had just taken AP Bio senior year, so a lot of it is review, but in honors they go deeper into any given topic.<br>
As far as the location is concerned, Sutherland has the advantage of being quieter. My son hasn’t minded the walk and there is the shuttle which is generally easy to catch to lower campus. It certainly was easier to move into than the towers! They also don’t have to listen to the traffic and helicopters landing at UPMC. They share a cafeteria with the athletes in Sutherland East and it’s not an issue at all in fact he enjoys seeing some of the kids that he sees on the football field. The Frats are really a non issue. If you want to hang out at the Frats you do, if you don’t then you don’t.
As far as the Honors college presentation etc, I wouldn’t worry a lot about it. Basically if you want to take honors courses and qualify, you take them. If you don’t you can still live in Sutherland as he has a friend who applied and got in but she isn’t taking honors courses.
In general he loves Pitt so far!!!</p>