<p>Hi, D was accepted several weeks ago and Pitt is one of her top schools, but unfortunately we didn't get any merit aid so are anxiously waiting for information on financial aid. Pitts portal for admitted students is probably one of the least helpful and informative of all the schools she's applied to - there isn't any information on there that we can see, other than a mention of the various admitted student visit days, and her major. Are we missing something? Is there a financial aid page or link that I'm missing (with info for her, not general FAFSA info)?
And does anyone know if we will be getting this info via email or mail, and has anyone received it yet?
Thanks!</p>
<p>We spoke to the Financial Aid Office today and were told to expect first year offers to arrive within the next two weeks.The web site says they begin informing new students–via snail mail–beginning in mid-March.</p>
<p>thank you @washdcmom. I guess I’m just surprised at how unhelpful the portal is and how little info it seems to provide. I keep feeling like I must be overlooking a link or something, it’s so useless…</p>
<p>You are not overlooking anything. It’s broke down, beat up, antiquated… lol Our son graduates from Pitt next month.It’s been the same for a gajillion years. There is a single page with that Mid March info but I got lost when I went back for the link, but the answer is starting this month and until I guess they mail everyone! :-)</p>
<p>I too spoke with the Financial Aid office today. After wading through the voice menu and a thorough but disjointed message regarding non-pitt specific info (FAFSA, etc.) I pushed “0” and eventually spoke to what sounded like a disinterested student. I asked when financial aid info might be available and explained that since my son was admitted 8 Oct, there had been essentially no further communication from Pitt for over 4 months. I wondered if they were in waiting for info from us? “No, we just don’t usually send that out until the end of March”. Nothing wrong with any of this, but of all schools my son applied to, this one has communicated the least. Just seems to be way, way left of center on the bell curve regarding communication.</p>
<p>@ohdad3, agree!
@washdcmom, since you are basically a Pitt veteran, is this indicative of how things go once our kids start school, or is the admissions process, hopefully, an anomaly…</p>
<p>Myjanda hopefully Agagles will come by and answer. There are a few others as well with upcoming or recent grads. Our son was on a full ride so we had to have very little contact with the school. They delivered his grant seamlessly each year. Pitt did however submit to the IRS the wrong social security number for S’s 1098-T and that occurred for 2 years before we realized as it arrives with several digits asterisked out. We got it rectified eventually. </p>
<p>Our S. has received a good education there and it has been a surprisingly calm four years…I think the advisory system is spotty especially if you enter a GUARANTEED admit program so be diligent and vigilant about staying on top of requirements etc. Son was not able to take a particular science course until senior year which does not affect his graduating --and he will with honors-- but it did impact our decision on when he should apply to medical school. </p>
<p>I do think Pitt is having “popularity” growing pains around ADMISSIONS and financial aid issues which they will have to continue to massage!</p>
<p>That’s helpful, thanks! I’m assuming you have another child in the queue for Pitt so guess it had to have been a pretty good experience overall.
Congrats to your son on graduating with honors and going to med school!</p>
<p>Thanks Myjanda. We have a daughter who was accepted to the Nursing School in September but I suspect their package is going to be very loan heavy and CASE is her first choice, Pitt second. Case with its Bolton Scholarship will likely end up more affordable. Son scored a 36 on the MCAT, strictly home study and his Pitt education so all is good. He is working a gap year and remaining in Pitt so that would be nice if she ended up there. But we loved CASE from the minute she hobbled on to campus in a snow storm…lol…</p>
<p>We came to Pittsburgh for yesterday’s admitted students day. Very good visit! My husband was told that some financial aid info went out on Friday and the rest is going out this week. We were able to go into the financial aid office yesterday and get a printout of our info. So, it should be coming soon.</p>
<p>thanks for the update, amrjmom. how did you like Pitt?</p>
<p>My son loved it. Looks like that will be where he is headed in the fall. We were all impressed, with the campus and the students.</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone received any financial aid packets in the mail yet. When I called, they told me the first “round” would be mailed out later this week. @amrjmom commments above suggest otherwise so I’m hoping they will come soon! </p>
<p>Also, does anyone have any sense of what they might give for OOS? Everything I’ve read makes me think their is a “ceiling” or max of $10,000 to make up the tuition differential between IS and OOS. Perhaps they might give more? We really hope so. DS loves the school but it may be out of financial reach for us. Still hoping though!</p>
<p>Had a wonderful visit to the school- both D and I loved the school and the city. D would love to attend but got no merit aid and only the minimum $5,500 for financial aid, and as OOS the cost is just too high for us, unfortunately. </p>
<p>@Myjanda did your packet arrive in the mail? I hope ours comes this week.</p>
<p>@washdcmom, no- we were able to meet with financial aid counselors on Saturday. Took all of 5 mins unfortunately to learn we were getting a grand total of $5500 in FA. :-(</p>
<p>@myjanda That’s rough… and I take it that was the garden variety student loan…</p>
<p>D was accepted into the Nursing program which has a 6000 tuition surcharge tacked on…OOS cost 43,000. Regardless,we will make a decision soon…</p>
<p>myjanda, I take it the 5500 was in students loans, yes?</p>
<p>@jkeil911, yes it was the unsubsidized student loan that all schools so far are offering us, and I believe is the minimum anyone filling out the FAFSA gets. Like so many people, on paper our financials look very good, but we live in an expensive part of the country (outside of Boston) and at the end of the day, can’t afford to pay the almost $45k the FAFSA form calculates that we can…</p>
<p>It’s unfortunate that financial aid isn’t indexed by higher cost of living areas. And that is so heavily based on current income. </p>