Resources for New Graduate Students

Note: this list was put together by current graduate students and does not express the views of the department.

As a new graduate student at Carnegie Mellon, you will no doubt have questions on a variety of topics ranging from classes to housing to restaurants to what to do in your leisure time. The current Biological Sciences graduate students have put together a comprehensive list of issues that will hopefully answer any questions you have about the Department, Carnegie Mellon or moving to Pittsburgh.

Housing

Utilities

Out and About in Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon

The Department

Classes


Housing

In Pittsburgh, you usually have to pay a security deposit for your housing — roughly equivalent to a month's rent. Most apartments have leases that last one year. Generally, one bedroom apartments can range from $500-$750 per month, but are most common around $600-$650. You can cut costs with a roommate. It is recommended that you set aside enough money to cover the deposit, the few days in August, September's rent and October's rent, because you do not receive your first stipend check until the end of September.

Neighborhoods to consider:
Shadyside
North Oakland
Friendship
Squirrel Hill
Greenfield
Point Breeze
Highland Park
Bloomfield

Neighborhoods to avoid:
East Liberty
South Oakland

 

 

 

Student-recommended Landlords:

Landlords NOT Recommenced by Students:

  • Mozart Management
  • MJ Kelley
  • Lobos Management

Questions to Ask Prospective Landlords :

  • What is the parking situation? Is it on-street parking or off-street parking? Is parking included in rent? If on-street parking is available, does your car require a City of Pittsburgh parking permit?
  • Are any utilities included?
  • How much is the security deposit?
  • Is there a 24-hour phone number to call in case of emergency?
  • Am I allowed to install window air conditioners (if there is no central air)?
  • Apartment Checklist

Other Housing Resources:

Utilities

  • Electricity - approximately $25 per month. Can be significantly more if you have air conditioning. Duquesne Light (pronounced Du-kane) is the major electric company in the city of Pittsburgh.
  • Heat - Gas heat can be very expensive in the city. Old, uninsulated homes combined with high gas prices means that you may be paying up to $300/month in winter. For a rough idea of heating costs and payment options in the winter, contact Melissa Witzberger (mwitzber@andrew.cmu.edu).
  • Water - approximately $10 per month. If you live in an apartment water is usually included in the rent.

If you plan to have a cell phone, landline, Internet, or cable TV, these sometimes require set-up fees, so plan accordingly. Free cell phones can be obtained with 1 or 2 year contracts with the phone company. For international students, these companies may require a hefty deposit. Some local cell phone carriers: www.cingular.com          www.tmobile.com          www.verizon.com

Your landline provider is usually Verizon or alternatively, you can use Vonage ( www.vonage.com )

Comcast provides cable Internet and cable TV for fairly decent discounted rates for the first year when you signup. Also, there is satellite TV with the Dish network. Verizon offers DSL (see Mike Chen for more info myc1@andrew.cmu.edu ). There are other providers if you want simple dial-up service for an Internet connection.

Out and About in Pittsburgh

Public Transportation
The bus sticker that you receive on your Carnegie Mellon ID provides free and unlimited use of all public transportation (buses, the "T" subway and the inclines) in the city. A trip planner is available at www.portauthority.org. There are many buses from Shadyside to Mellon Institute (500, 71C, 74B and 71D) and from Squirrel Hill to Mellon Institute (61A, 61B, 61C). Most of them will take you downtown as well.

Carnegie Mellon's Escort Service will pick you up outside Mellon Institute and drop you off at your doorstep in Shadyside, Squirrel Hill or Oakland after hours, which is especially useful when working late nights in the lab. Carnegie Mellon's Shuttle bus service stops at designated locations in North Oakland and Shadyside. For more information see http://www.cmu.edu/police/escort.htm.

Pittsburgh Attractions
•  Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - free with Carnegie Mellon ID. The Christmas flower show is always a treat.
•  Carnegie Public Library - you can obtain a library card with proof of Pittsburgh address (e.g. driver's license, utility bill), borrow up to 50 books, 10 DVDs or CDs.
•  Andy Warhol museum - Did you know that Pittsburgh was Warhol's hometown? Free with Carnegie Mellon ID.
•  Carnegie Museum of Art - free with Carnegie Mellon ID.
•  Mattress Factory - modern art installations.
•  Carnegie Museum of Natural History - free with Carnegie Mellon ID.
•  Carnegie Science Center - free with Carnegie Mellon ID, has an Omni Max theatre.
•  UPMC Sportsworks.
•  Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh - check out the nationality classrooms to reflect the culture and heritage of Pittsburgh's diverse ethnic population.
•  Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center - formerly an ice house now a 7-story museum dedicated to Pittsburgh history.
•  Mt. Washington and the Inclines - a great view of the city.
•  Point State Park
•  Schenley Park
•  Frick Park
•  Frick Manor/ Frick Art and Historical Center.
•  Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
•  National Aviary
•  Fallingwater - 1 hour drive
•  Niagara Falls - 5 hour drive

Shopping
•  Giant Eagle for groceries (in most neighborhoods) - obtain the Giant Eagle discount card. Every $50 spent on groceries gives you 10 cents per gallon discount at GetGo gas stations.
•  Wal-Mart at Waterworks (closest to Oakland/Shadyside) and Robinson Town Center (near airport).
•  The Waterfront -- variety of stores, including Target, Giant Eagle, Best Buy, Lowe's, Dick's Sporting Goods, T J Maxx, DSW Shoes and clothing stores, Loews Cinema.
•  Robinson Town Center -- Ikea, Costco, Wal-Mart, BestBuy, Robinson Town Mall.
•  Highland Ave (Shadyside neighborhood) - Home Depot, Supercuts, H&R block, Smiley's Pet Pad, Buffalo Blues (good wings, check restaurant for all you eat wings, or ribs night), Casbah, Arhaus furniture, Red Room Café and Lounge - smoke free, but said to be on the pricey side.
•  Penn Circle - Advanced Auto.
•  Walnut Street (Shadyside neighborhood) - Banana Republic, Jcrew, Gap, Gap Kids, Benetton, Sephora, Sushi Too, My Thai, Crepe Place, Prantl's Bakery, Starbucks, Coffee Tree Roasters, Doc's Place, William Penn Tavern.
•  Ellsworth Ave (Shadyside neighborhood) - Fajita Grill (mmm...tasty!), Dancing Goat Café, Capristo Salon, 5801, Elbow Room, Bites and Brews, Harris Grill - Bistra and Steve eat here often, Shadyside Saloon, Unimart.
•  South St. Clair off Baum - Sharp Edge - beer emporium (comes highly endorsed by numerous students), see Chris Fried for more info (cfried@andrew.cmu.edu ).
•  Murray and Forbes Ave (Squirrel Hill neighborhood) - Barnes and Nobles, Rita's Ice, Eat and Park, Giant Eagle, Greek and Turkish food stores.
•  Centre Ave - AAA, PepBoys, Giant Eagle, Panera, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wendy's, Boston Market.
•  The Strip - Ethnic markets e.g. Lotus - the better Asian food store. E.g. The Asian market next to the Vietnamese restaurant sells dried-out candy. Wholey's market for seafood and meat. Clubs - e.g. Tequila Willy's, and many good restaurants.
•  Station Square - Hard Rock Café, Bucca's, Gateway Clipper Cruise.
•  Southside -  Carson street - Paparazzi, Southside works - Movie theatre, The Cheesecake Factory, bookstore, Benetton and many other clothing stores.

 

Directions to Attractions and Shopping
•  Waterworks
Go out 5th Ave past Shadyside, it will turn into Washington Blvd., stay on it following signs for Highland Park and the Zoo. Turn left onto North 8 and stay in the right hand lane. Go over Highland Park Bridge and take an immediate right (Aspinwall exit) as soon as you get to the end of the bridge. Stay straight on that road until you see The Waterworks.

•  Waterfront
From 5th Ave, follow the Blue Belt up Shady Ave, toward Squirrel Hill. Follow signs for the Blue Belt and turn right onto Forward Ave following signs for Homestead and the Waterfront. Continue on the same road until seeing the Waterfront. *** Homestead bridge is under construction, so traffic is usually backed up.

•  Robinson Town Cente.
After merging onto Blvd of the allies, follow signs for 376 and take the exit that is almost immediately after getting onto the Blvd. Then follow signs for the Airport and Fort Pitt bridge (279 south).

•  South Side
Go out 5th Ave towards Downtown and take the Birmingham Bridge across to the Southside.

•  Strip District
Go out 5th Ave away from Downtown (toward Shadyside). Turn left on Shady Ave. Turn left onto Penn Ave. Follow Penn into the Strip District. Need to get to Smallman (turn right at 22nd street), which runs parallel to Penn for main part of the Strip. Can also go through downtown.

Driver's license ( http://www.dot.state.pa.us/ )
• International students - please attend session during international orientation for more information, also see Shu Ying Kwan for more info ( skwan@andrew.cmu.edu ).
• When changing states within the US, you can obtain a PA licence from PennDot, the closest location is 300 Liberty Ave in the State Office Building Downtown, find more information at http://www.dot3.state.pa.us/home/index.shtml.
•  Transfer your vehicle registration, easiest to do by paying AAA- the American Automobile Association to perform the transaction. Go to AAA in East Liberty/Shadyside 5900 Baum Blvd (412-363-5100). See Nina Senutovitch for more information ( nsenutov@andrew.cmu.edu )

Weather
•  Can be highly variable, even within the same day.
•  Cool jacket for spring and fall.
•  Bring umbrella for heavy rains in spring.
•  Winter can be extremely cold. Unless you routinely enjoy freezing, bring gloves, winter coats, scarves, hat and dress in layers.
•  Summer can be very hot - ~90 F.

Daylight savings - turn the clock an hour forward in spring, and an hour back in fall.

 

 

Carnegie Mellon

Carnegie Mellon ID
•  Obtain a Carnegie Mellon ID from the HUB (one floor below undergrad admissions in Warner). This ID is obtainable as soon as you arrive to school.
•  Obtain the bus sticker for the Carnegie Mellon ID at the HUB as well for unlimited use of public transportation.
•  The Carnegie Mellon ID is necessary for borrowing books from the library, printing at clusters, renting equipment in the gym, free access to museums and concerts among other things.

Carnegie Mellon Orientation
International orientation is a week earlier than regular orientation (August 14-16, 2007). Attendance is optional for domestic students.

Stipend
•  Includes all Carnegie Mellon related fees and health insurance.
•  Approxiamately $1795 after tax and fee deductions each month.
•  Received on the last working day of each month.
•  First payment of stipend at the END of September, for the month of September.
•  Students are not allowed to work on or off campus while receiving a stipend.

Health insurance
•  All Carnegie Mellon students must have health insurance.
•  It is not mandatory to buy health insurance from Carnegie Mellon, you could continue to be covered under your parents, or obtain insurance from your spouse's company.
•  The Department provides enough money such that dental and vision can be afforded with the lowest health insurance option.
•  http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/HealthServices/insurance/ - for more information on the various plans available.
•  Student health center is available at the corner of Morewood and Forbes Aves.
•  Medical appointments with physicians are free at the Student Health Center, but laboratory tests are costs various fees.
•  Information about how to set up health insurance monthly payments are found at www.afford.com, for more info see Nina Senutovich ( nsenutov@andrew.cmu.edu ). Alternatively, health insurance can be paid in full at the beginning of the academic year.  

Visa information (international students) - please work closely with OIE about the visa. Call them and ask them questions all the time. Figure out if the form you are filling in is a form for yet another form. Figure out all deadlines.

Official days off - Academic Calendar
•  Labor Day
•  Thanksgiving
•  Day After Thanksgiving
•  Christmas Eve
•  Christmas Day
•  New Year's Eve
•  New Year's Day
•  Memorial Day
•  July 4th
•  Mid-semester break (no class but lab rotation still on going)
•  Unofficial time off can be arranged with rotation professors. Graduate students are allowed 10 days of vacation, including 9 holidays listed above.

Activity fair in September - held at main campus. http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/studentactivities/descriptions.html for a list of organizations

Gyms
•  Skibo gym ( obtain gym pass from UC gym).
•  UC gym ( exchange Carnegie Mellon ID for gym wristband).
•  Free equipment rental available at UC gym (e.g. tennis, badminton, squash and racquetball racquets).
•  Group exercise classes available with a fee, class passes purchased in sets of 10.
•  One guest pass is free.

The Department and Classes

Department Orientation
 Will be held August 20-24, 2007. Introduction to Research class: Professors who are interested in taking rotations students/grad students into their lab will provide a short presentation on their work. If there is a professor that you are interested in working with, approach the professor if he/she did not present. Attendance to the orientation is mandatory.

Rotations and Classes
•  There is time to talk to faculty before rotations begin, do not stress about doing it in the summer.
•  Three rotations total with a rotation report and presentation at the end of each rotation.
•  First rotations do not start till class starts.
•  Only choices for the first rotation need to be handed in initially. Choices for subsequent rotations are submitted later in the semester.
•  Classes begin August 27, 2007.
•  You must take four advanced classes before you graduate.
•  Mandatory basic classes:

For Non-neuroscience students

  • Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes with Dr. Woolford (always an excellent choice) (see Mike Chen for more info, myc1@andrew.cmu.edu )
  • Core course in Biochemistry and Cell Biology (taught by an array of professors) .

For Neuroscience students, see Cory Flynn ( cjflynn@andrew.cmu.edu ) or Ken Hovis ( khovis@andrew.cmu.edu ) for more info.

      • Biochemistry and Cell Biology (taught by an array of professors).
      • Neuroscience course, taken together with University of Pittsburgh (taught by an array of professors).

Some third class options for the fall:
•  Advanced Development, see Chris Fried for more info ( cfried@andrew.cmu.edu ).
•  Genetics, see Melissa Witzberger for more info ( mwitzber@andrew.cmu.edu ).
•  Biological Imaging and Fluorescence Spectroscopy, see Connor Murphy for more info ( ctmurphy@andrew.cmu.edu ).
•  Computational Molecular Biology and Genomics, see Maureen Stolzer for more info ( mstolzer@andrew.cmu.edu ).

Class load
•  Non-neuro: Euks, Biochem and cell, third class of your choice, Journal club, Seminar, Lab Rotation.
•  Neuro: Biochem and cell, Neuroscience class, Journal club, Seminar, Lab Rotation.
•  You may choose to take an additional class, i.e. 4th class for the non-neuro students, and 3rd for the neuro students.

TA duties
Teaching Assistance is required of first year students. However, your duties will be light grading that is organized over the course of one semester.

Getting to Mellon Institute
•  Biking - MI has a bike room with bike racks, to the right of the Bellefield entrance on the third floor.
•  Campus parking - graduate students are wait listed for campus parking (it's expensive - see Kristen Yankura for more info kyankura@andrew.cmu.edu )
•  Metered lots available around Mellon Institute but it may be hard to obtain a spot.
•  Day parking available for $12 at the SEI multistory garage, next door to Mellon Institute on Dithridge St.

Departmental Retreat
•  Mandatory and will be held on September 7-8, 2006 .
•  Food and lodging are provided. Transport is provided if you do not have your own ride.
•  Please bring bedding, towels and shower caddy.
•  Swimming pool and tennis court available at the campsite.

Dining Options around Mellon Institute
•  Food Carts - Chinese and Indian food ~$3.00 to $5.50 at corner of Bigelow Blvd and 5th Ave, Carnegie Mellon food carts are at corner of Forbes and the road behind the running track. (cash only)
•  Craig Street - EatUnique - sandwiches, ice cream, great soups (a bit pricey),  Crepe place - cash only,  Quiznos, Lucca's - expensive,  Union Grill, Villa Pizza , Starbucks - pastries and coffee,  Kiva Han - sandwiches, wraps, pastries and coffee, Subway, Star of India - lunch buffet, Ali Baba,  Lulu's - cash only during lunch. Egg rolls are tasty, Oriental Express - better bubble tea than Lulu's,  Panther Hollow Inn - cheap pizza.
•  Forbes Avenue in Oakland- Uncle Sam's - greasy good subs, Hemingway's - happy hour specials are always good here, Panera, Primanti's - for sandwiches with fries and slaw, Qdoba, Spice Island Café and Tea House (South East Asian food) - Atwood and Forbes,  Arby's, McDonald's, Joe Mama's, Quiznos.
•  India Garden - down Atwood, off Forbes, most items are 50% off after 10pm.
•  5th Ave - Wendy's.