I suppose this could be more of a general college question, but Pitt is what I’m interested in so I figured I’d ask here. I’m a senior in high school (or will be this fall, at least) and I really want to go to Pitt. I’m in the top 10% of my class, and I only know one person in my grade that got a higher SAT score than me.
However, that says more about my school than it does me. My GPA is somewhere around a 3.5, and my SAT is a 1650 (I’m retaking it, but I still think this is a valid question). My high school is considered a poverty school, and the majority of students can’t even pass the Keystones (standardized test in PA). I was wondering, does Pitt (or any school for that matter) take that into account? That even though my stats fall within their bottom 25%, that I’m still one of the best students at my high school?
@Hunterwhaley, Our Admissions Committee takes a holistic look at applicants. I would encourage you to read our page on the Admissions Process, which lists ways you can stand out as an applicant and can give you a good idea of what the Admissions Committee is looking for: https://oafa.pitt.edu/apply/admissions-process/freshmen/
You may also want to take a look at the Class Profile online and get an idea for the make-up of the freshman class in 2014 (the 2015 numbers will be updated and posted shortly): https://oafa.pitt.edu/who-fits-at-pitt/class-profile/
Finally, if you have more questions about the admissions process or would like to have a more in-depth conversation about admissions at Pitt, I encourage you to call or email our office (412-624-7488 or oafa@pitt.edu). You may also want to visit Pitt and attend an information session and tour, you will have opportunities to ask admissions counselors and current students your questions about life at Pitt and the admissions process while on campus: https://oafa.pitt.edu/visit/.
Best of luck!
A Pitt Admissions Staffer
@hailtopitt1787 I guess my question is, do I have a bit of a handicap because I’m coming from a not-so-great school/area? Obviously I’m going to try to make my stats as competitive as possible regardless, but do I have a little bit of grace because of my circumstances?
@Hunterwhaley, What we are really looking at is whether you are taking (and successfully completing) challenging courses that are available to you in your specific school. Does that make more sense? If you have more questions, I would encourage you to contact our office.
Best of luck,
A Pitt Admissions Staffer
@hailtopitt1787 That does make sense, thank you for your help. Despite my lackluster scores, I’m taking (and doing fairly well in) the most advanced Math, English, and History-related courses a student in my grade could be taking. I’m simply hoping that Pitt acknowledges my performance within the context of my environment, and not only in comparison to all of its other applicants.
@Hunterwhaley, Glad to hear you are challenging yourself in your high school classes. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office if you have further questions about the admissions process.
Best of luck,
A Pitt Admissions Staffer