Application question: Optional essay

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pittsburgh
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<p>For the essay they have a list of prompts that you can respond to, but they also say you can "select a topic that reflects something about you and your interests". Does this mean I could just use my common app essay, which does not respond to any of their prompts, as my essay in the application?
Would doing this somehow hurt my application in a contrived way, because Pitt may know what the common app prompts are and see it as me not putting enough effort in? </p>

<p>p.s. I'm hoping for merit aid, so...</p>

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<p>Absolutely! I think using your CommonApp essay is better than a prompt because it shows more originality than answering a question that hundreds of other applicants are writing about.</p>

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<p>You’ll be ok. I sent in a CommonApp essay and got money from Pitt.</p>