Colleges & Universities

Pittsburgh has some great and well-known higher-education research institutions. The University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland neighborhood is well-known for its world renowned medical programs and facilities. Pictured above is the Cathedral of Learning, one of their most iconic buildings and one of the most iconic in Pittsburgh. It is the tallest secondary institutional building in the U.S, at 42 floors. Carnegie Mellon University in the Squirrel Hill and Oakland neighborhoods has some great engineering, robotics, STEM, etc. degrees. Of course there are the smaller liberal arts colleges as well. I didn't want a big school where you're just a face and it's overwhelming with so many people, I wanted less of the bustle and more of the personal interaction and smaller class size. The only college in Pittsburgh I thought would maybe fit my standards in Pittsburgh is a small school called Chatham University in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. It's a historically women's college nestled in a quiet, hidden, arboretum setting. But I though maybe it was too small, maybe even too quiet. I also felt I would've been more awkward there, and it's only a couple blocks from where I live, and I wanted to be further to experience more independence. That's where I founded Mercyhurst, a short 2-hour drive where I can experience my independence but still have a smaller campus and class size and a well-respected community. But that's not to say Pittsburgh's colleges aren't good, because Pittsburgh has a lot of good colleges and I am proud of that, I just didn't think they were for me.

Although less than Pittsburgh, Erie has a few notable universities within the area. Obviously, there is Mercyhurst University, which showcases its beautiful architecture while also having focuses on subjects such as computer science and nursing. The picture above is a view of Mercyhurst University from the back patio of Mercyhurst Prep, the high school which I attend that is just up the hill from the university. There is also Gannon University, a smaller private university placed right in the heart of downtown Erie, and the Behrend branch of Penn State. Even though I have grown up in Erie my entire life, I have decided to not even glance at any of the schools within the area. I had made my decision in the Summer of 2020 that I wanted to apply to colleges outside of a 30-minute drive. The closest place I have considered applying to has been the PennWest Edinboro campus, which is about a 40-minute drive away from my home. Like Evan, I want to have a sense of independence while also being a short drive away from home when I go off to college. Going off my decision to move farther away for college, I have set my goal to attend Penn State Altoona, a branch that is about 3.5 hours away from Erie. It is a beautiful campus located about 45 minutes away from State College, Pennsylvania. Other colleges that I am applying to are University of Pittsburgh, Slippery Rock University, and, as mentioned before, PennWest Edinboro. I intend to major in communications with a focus in advertising or public relations. Both Mercyhurst University and Gannon University offer amazing programs and are amazing schools, however I personally think that they are too close to comfort for my future.