<p>Rising senior DD interested in BIomedical Engineering program at Pitt. Would need merit aid since we are OOS.
Have read on CC that it's advantageous to apply early (like now), but trying to figure out if she would be better poised to get more merit aid by applying in fall (after submitting better test scores) -- or would their Fin Aid office automatically just consider their offer after test scores came in?
From looking at Pitt's profile, her current scores seem OK for admission, but she needs to get that math score up, especially for engineering and from OOS.</p>
<p>GPA: 3.96UW, 4.3W (will go up from AP classes taken last semester, will get from GC meeting this summer)</p>
<p>4 AP classes this year, awaiting scores, incl AP Stats
4 AP class's next year including AP Calc AB/BC</p>
<p>Well-rounded ECs: double varsity athlete, GS Gold Award, mission trips, summer internships in medical device office (lab work and shadowing professional staff), but I know EC's don't help the merit aid picture. </p>
<p>Anyone Pitt experts out there with advice on the timing to apply? Would delaying for Sept/Oct test scores help boost aid package? Or are Admissions and Fin Aid on two different tracks?</p>
<p>I would wait for the next round of scores. The merit scholarships have become very competitive unless your child has a “hook”. Pitt does not consider the writing part of the SAT but they do superscore the SAT and ACT (unless they change it up for this year). Merit scholarship is different from financial aid. For financial aid, you have to fill out the FAFSA to determine how much aid you will get. Merit scholarships do not require the FAFSA (we never filled one out for DS when he was at Pitt).</p>
<p>I actually disagree and think she should apply now. Pitt doesn’t review for Merit Aid until around December, which gives you plenty of time to submit (presumably) higher standardized test scores later on. In the meantime, she’d have the acceptance letter in hand. My son applied this time last year and received his acceptance in the beginning of August. During the fall, he submitted some additional information for “merit consideration”. He did receive merit aid (15K) but not until the end of January (we’re oos too).</p>
<p>Thanks Nascar. That’s what I was hoping to hear.
Chelsey, no haven’t gotten the special status offer. Hasn’t sent her scores in to them yet. Wanted to get feedback on this forum first. </p>
<p>Have Pitt changed their scholarship consideration timeline since 2012-2013? </p>
<p>Both my kids received full tuition scholarships from Pitt. One received his in November and I can’t remember exactly when the other one came in but it was still in the Oct/Nov. time frame. And yes, the acceptances arrived early since they both applied during the Summer visits (where the application fee was waived). </p>
<p>For us, it really didn’t matter if they had the acceptances since they couldn’t attend unless they received the full tuition scholarships. 15K scholarship still leaves a sizable amount to cover (engineering tuition is nearly $29,000/year for OOS) and Pitt would still cost more than our state’s flagship which they were accepted. The partial scholarships do not go up to cover tuition hikes unlike the full tuition scholarships. </p>
<p>If they don’t start scholarship considerations until December as nascarnewyork says, then you could wait until the new scores come in. However, I do understand how good it feels to have an acceptance in-hand :)</p>
<p>I always worry about the amount of paperwork the school receives and stuff getting lost/misfiled etc. We’ve experienced issues with schools claiming not to have received scores while the ACT insists they received them (yes, have talked to the ACT people several times). So glad we are done with the college application process :)</p>
<p>MTnest so your kids filled out the shorter application and still got merit? That’s nice to hear because I was not sure whether my D should complete the " special status" app or the regular application which is more detailed. She is going with the " special status" app and will send in additional info on her own. </p>
<p>Twogirls: Yes, both filled out the paper application at the end of their visit during the Summer. It was about 30 or so questions; it took very little time to fill out by hand and the application fee was waived. They sent in their ACT & SAT scores, transcript and essay. Both of their high schools were able to send their transcript during the summer (some schools don’t). They did not send in any recommendations, resume or activity sheet. </p>
<p>Pitt truly was the easiest application for them. The boys were thrilled when they received the scholarship offers.</p>
<p>Thank you MTnest. I have been getting mixed reviews about sending in the shortened application without additional info such as recommendations. Some say it reduces the chance for merit. My D will send in the app and test scores this summer and will have the transcript sent in when school starts in September. Do you have twins at Pitt? </p>
<p>D1 graduated from Pitt and D2 just finished his freshman year – not at Pitt. So I’ve seen how Pitt has become more competitive especially for the full tuition scholarships during the years between D1 and D2. It doesn’t hurt to send the extra stuff in especially since it has become so competitive :)</p>
<p>Although a full tuition scholarship would be nice, $15,000 would make it do-able and $10,000 would probably make it do-able. My D is well above the stats mentioned on the website for merit aid, so all we can do is send in the materials and see what happens. The merit is not guaranteed, unfortunately. </p>
<p>You really need to send them her scores ASAP. Pitt runs on a rolling admissions policy and they are going to start reviewing applications in early August. If she would have sent her scores to Pitt right away, she would have received special status with other exclusive benefits. Trust me on this because I received special status two months ago for Pitt and my SATs and GPA are lower than hers.</p>
<p>I’m sure your daughter will get into Pitt regardless and get a great scholarship with her GPA and scores. It’s to her advantage to apply early to be one of the first applicants reviewed for the scholarships. Don’t worry, her academic accomplishments will get her plenty of scholarship whether she applies now or later!</p>
<p>Daughter received admittance letter and full tuition scholarship in November 2013. She applied in October. They look for SAT CR + M scores to be 1450 or higher and top 5% rank for (most) scholarship consideration. </p>
<p>Pitt does not count the writing score – just the CR + M. The requirements for scholarship consideration has gone up between D1 and D2. The minimum was 1350 for D1 and 4 years later, 1450 for D2. </p>
<p>Every year you will have people posting they received scholarships with much lower stats but these kids probably have a “hook” that Pitt wants. You will also have kids with the 1450 and above, getting partial scholarships or nothing at all. Like I said, it has become very competitive :(</p>
<p>I’m just talking about the scholarships from the Honors College. There is the Nordenberg Scholarship but I don’t know what the qualifications required for it. They also have the Stamps (for in-state students). Pitt does have other full tuition scholarships/full rides but they are usually reserved for URMs. There use to be a list on their website.</p>
<p>MTnest the requirements that are listed for merit have been the same since my daughter’s sophomore year ( when we first discovered Pitt) and she is currently a rising senior. Our HS does not rank beyond decile, but the GC sends the school report which has the GPA range within each decile. When I called Pitt I was told that this is fine because they will be able to tell rank by looking at the transcript and school report. I was also told that they will begin looking at the special status applications in late August/ early September. You are right in that merit money is very competitive and unpredictable. I wish Pitt would allow for self reporting of the transcript like several other schools do, but right now they don’t so D will have to wait until September. </p>
<p>PeachyInVa - UPitt lists it’s requirements for merit ( not guaranteed) on their website. If you look at it you will be able to decide whether to apply now or wait. Once they receive the completed application ( app, test scores, transcript) that application gets sent for review. I would imagine if your D applies now and decides to retest in the fall she can email admissions and ask them not look at her application until the new test scores arrive. </p>
<p>Peachy - besides merit, I would wait for fall scores and hope they push you up above 700 in ea - median scores in engineering (both M or CR) were around 710 last yr. Engineering has higher admiss criteria - and not saying you won’t get in with your current scores, but putting the best scores out will help with both admissions and merit if you are BioE. Helps to be a girl too btw!</p>
<p>twogirls, the requirements I was aware of but I noticed the word ALL included in the description, when did they add that to the scholarship description? They are stating scholarships were awarded to students who had ALL the requirements listed. I don’t remember seeing that when D2 applied in 2012.</p>
<p>Not sure when the word ALL was added, except is was definitely there when D was in the middle of her sophomore year and she just finished her junior year. So it has been at least 18 months. </p>