just stay out of Oakland.. i nearly got shot there.
Yeah, just stay out of Oakland. The law school is in Oakland, but you'll be able to avoid it, I'm sure.

Oakland really isn't that bad, Franz. Especially after having lived in north philly and in New Orleans . . . Wilkinsburg can be rough in parts. But oakland is only dangerous for women (huge sexist overgeneralization, but not far from the truth). In fact, Pittsburgh has a very low crime rate for a city its size.
As far as living in Oakland, though, Franz is probably right. It's not that nice, and there are really nice neighborhoods (shadyside) just a mile away. And they are still cheap to rent in (450 for a nice 1-bedroom).