University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
Pittsburgh, PA
Psychology Schools | Public Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2009-10
⭐ Overall Impressions
How do you rank the facilities?
9 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
9 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
5 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
8 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
9 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
💬 Interview Questions
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Describe your research interests. (I was asked this 6 different times in 6 different interviews).
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions
How long was the interview?
30 minutes
How did the interview impress you?
Negatively ☹️
How many people interviewed you?
6
What was the stress level of the interview?
8 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
How you think you did?
9 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What was the style of the interview?
One-on-one
Where did the interview take place?
At the school
How did you prepare for the interview?
Read some of the faculty's articles, re-read my statement, studied the website.
What impressed you positively?
Before my visit, I had lengthy phone ''interviews'' with several faculty & admin staff; they were all very warm and professional. Nice facilities, faculty & students were friendly, students seemed relatively happy (albeit tired & stressed). Students are fully funded for however long they're in the program. Pitt's campus is very convenient, med school & local hospitals are within a couple blocks. Pittsburgh is much nicer than I expected. Living expenses in the area are low enough that students can live off of their stipends.
What impressed you negatively?
NO breaks between interviews - not even time to walk from one to the next. Barely had time to eat lunch. Formal interviews with grad students felt contrived/awkward & I didn't really get to ask them questions. The whole day felt like a cattle-call audition; tons of applicants and a very rushed schedule made me feel like I should have been wearing a number instead of a name tag. Had to share a hotel room with another applicant. (Not Pitt's fault: flight was delayed the night before and I got in so late that I only got about 5 hours of sleep).
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
The program takes *at least* 6 years on campus, plus the internship. There is a lot more clinical training than I expected (more than other programs where I interviewed).
What are your general comments?
My experience at Pitt didn't feel nearly as personal or welcoming as my pre-visit communications with faculty/staff. I was disappointed by the all-around impersonal feel. I didn't feel like I got a good feel for the program because we were so rushed all day long. But, everyone was friendly and it seems like a strong program.
📍 On-Site Experience
Who was the tour given by?
Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Enthusiastic
What is your in-state status?
Out of state
What were your total hours spent traveling?
4-6 hours
What was your primary mode of travel?
Airplane
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
$501+
What airport did you fly into?
PIT
Where did you stay?
Hotel
How would you rate the hotel?
7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
yes
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