Anyone here considering Pitt for fall applications?

[creekland]

Middle son just got an e-mail from them (Pitt) - sent this morning when I look at the time - offering him a fee waiver if he applies now. He was already expecting to apply for free at the medicine day later this month - just two weeks away. Did they send this to everyone? It's a personalized code, so I can't share it, but it just seems, well, odd. I'm not sure whether he should feel "honored and wanted" or "big school not knowing what has already been offered."

 

Or maybe it's simpler yet - saving time from having many apply that day by encouraging attendees to do it sooner? That would make sense. I expect there will be a fair number of students there that day.

 

It's no secret he's considering Pitt rather highly assuming he likes it when he visits. Maybe they just want him to apply, get accepted, and quit looking at other schools? That does get tempting... but then what would we do with our computer time??? ;)

 

Anyway, just musing as this is a new one for me - not the free application as oldest had several offer those most from schools he had no interest in, but the e-mailed free app from a school that already had "a plan" worked out for it that was in the process.

 

Besides, the college board couldn't go a whole day without SOMEONE posting. This was the best I could come up with. :tongue_smilie:

[TravelingChris]

After the two years Of choosing a college, I would be thrilled if my last one did an early application, got accepted, got scholarships and we were done by fall of her senior year. You won't miss the hassle and the worry, if that is what he chooses. Not only that, if he decides school one is the right choice, it saves you lots of money.

[Gwen in VA]

The one issue we had with Pitt applications --

 

There seem to be three pools of accepted applicants -- 1) accepted; 2) accepted to Honors College; 3) accepted to Honors College with merit aid. Only the last pool (HC with merit aid) is eligible to compete for the full-ride scholarships.

 

Ds started his application right after visiting so we could have the fee waived, but we wanted to be sure the application was complete (essay, recs, etc., which they do not require) so that he could have a higher chance of receiving merit aid. Pitt kept on calling us to report that the app was incomplete -- but we were delaying sending his transcript until every single other piece of info was in so that he wouldn't be accepted until he had the best possible chances of receiving merit aid. We were very concerned that he would be accepted on the basis of SAT scores etc. but without the recs and essay and other "unnecessary" parts of the app he would not be accepted with merit aid.

 

Strong applicants are invited to apply for the full-ride scholarships. There is a separate application and an interview in early March.

 

If your son is expecting to take another SAT2 in the fall, I would NOT apply now. Applying early helps the chances of getting into the HC with merit aid, but you will want his application to be as strong as possible, and applying in mid-October probably won't change his chances much.

 

It all worked out well for my son. He really loved the school and nearly ended up going there. The fellow who is the head of the Honors College is terrific at cultivating the HC students.

[mas24546]

I too had a issue with Pitt Application, and the code code did not match my school.... its shorter than the CEEB code. Does Pitt use a different school code?

[creekland]

The one issue we had with Pitt applications --

 

There seem to be three pools of accepted applicants -- 1) accepted; 2) accepted to Honors College; 3) accepted to Honors College with merit aid. Only the last pool (HC with merit aid) is eligible to compete for the full-ride scholarships.

 

Ds started his application right after visiting so we could have the fee waived, but we wanted to be sure the application was complete (essay, recs, etc., which they do not require) so that he could have a higher chance of receiving merit aid. Pitt kept on calling us to report that the app was incomplete -- but we were delaying sending his transcript until every single other piece of info was in so that he wouldn't be accepted until he had the best possible chances of receiving merit aid. We were very concerned that he would be accepted on the basis of SAT scores etc. but without the recs and essay and other "unnecessary" parts of the app he would not be accepted with merit aid.

 

Strong applicants are invited to apply for the full-ride scholarships. There is a separate application and an interview in early March.

 

If your son is expecting to take another SAT2 in the fall, I would NOT apply now. Applying early helps the chances of getting into the HC with merit aid, but you will want his application to be as strong as possible, and applying in mid-October probably won't change his chances much.

 

It all worked out well for my son. He really loved the school and nearly ended up going there. The fellow who is the head of the Honors College is terrific at cultivating the HC students.

 

Thank you VERY much for this insight, Gwen, as you brought up a point I hadn't considered. It is there - in the text of their application web page - but I hadn't read that in a while and there was no mention of it in the e-mail.

 

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What is 'supplemental information?'

 

Typically, it consists of a personal essay, statement of academic intent, or some other information about your interests and activities that will reveal more about you to the committee. Letters of recommendation from one to three people who can support your academic and personal objectives are also welcome. Please note: If you want to be sure that supplemental information is considered in your review for admission, you should make every effort to submit this information at the same time as your application.

 

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Since middle son is gone from the 5th to the 13th, I think we'll wait until we're there to start the application, but how do you "not finish" it until he can get his recommendation letters?

 

He's not doing any more testing to get in to college. The only tests he'll have in his future are possibly AP Calc and Psych - pending if the college he has chosen will give him credit for them. He'll know which one at that point.

[Gwen in VA]

We "didn't finish it" by not mailing the homemade transcript (and the essay and the guidance counselor letter and the activity sheet and the book list and....) until we KNEW they had everything else -- recs, etc.

 

The problem was we did mail in other transcripts that contained one or two class grades each, so UPitt was not happy with the lack of a main transcript and the presence of all the weird transcripts.

 

We just kept on telling them that we KNEW the application was not complete, and it was okay. I did call them about a week after we had mailed the finishing packet to make sure they knew that NOW they could go ahead and evaluate ds.

 

The system is a bit weird, but the college looks really good. They have a nice accepted students dzy for kids accepted to the Honors College, and the folks at the Honors College bend over backwards to make sure that the students have the help and information they need.

 

Best wishes!

Edited July 2, 2011 by Gwen in VA

[creekland]

Thanks Gwen. We're supposed to be bringing our homeschool transcript with us, but we can probably delay sending the cc transcript which they will need to verify some of his credits.

 

He's e-mailing his profs to see about recommendation letters (they already offered last year). However, seeing that he will be gone the next two weeks and coming back the day before we leave for Pitt, I'm not certain if they'll be ready before we go.

 

I'm guessing Pitt isn't doing the Common App with these guys (if they do it at all). I tried clicking on their "apply online" section, but you don't get to see anything without registering.