@CValle might have some insight for you regarding the Chancellor’s scholarship selection process this year.
Chancellor’s is not just stats based as the students at that selection level are all excellent in academics.
I would have guessed that Pitt would cover the travel expenses for the students they invite to interview for the Chancellor’s scholarships – anyone know if that’s the case?
@mathmomvt They didn’t a few years ago. We figured it was worth the cost of the plane ticket and hotel room to take the chance.
Interesting @missbwith2boys . What are the kid’s chances at that point? (That is, what approximate percentage of kids invited to interview get the scholarship?) Perhaps there is some option to cover expenses for kids with more need (i.e.0 EFC, free lunch or free SAT level need) – it seems that otherwise those kids really have no chance of getting something like that, no matter how much the deserve and could really benefit from it. (To be clear, that’s not our situation, but I would hope that kids in that situation would have the chance.)
No. D interviewed for Chancellor’s in Spring of 2017. They cover nothing related to travel expenses for Chancellor’s. Your kid can easily travel there by themselves though.
@carachel2 when you say they can easily travel by themselves, does that mean that they put them up for the night? Someone under 18 typically can’t take a hotel room without an adult.
@mathmomvt If you call and speak to the manager and explain the situation, you can usually arrange a hotel room for a student under 18. I was able to do it for my daughter last year in various states for scholarship competitions/interviews. The Pitt-affiliated hotel (I’m blanking on the name) is very used to such requests.
@mathmomvt the Wyndham on campus is used to students coming alone for tours and interviews.
As far as their actual chances for the scholarship, hard to know exactly. We heard they interview close to 60-70 and 10 are chosen. Super low odds. I’m glad to hear they have changed the interview process. It NEEDED to be changed.
In the case of this international, low EFC OP - would Pitt not cover any of the travel expenses or perhaps conduct interview via Skype?
@carachel2 in what way has it changed?
It does seem unfortunate that they are effectively making this unavailable to very low income students, but perhaps if invited to interview they can privately work out some arrangements such as a Skype interview or having some of their costs covered. If nothing else, maybe set up a GoFundMe type campaign to raise the funds to go for the interview? I can imagine that a student might have people or organizations local to them that might be willing to help with something like this if the school will not.
@mathmomvt – I’m pretty sure any student who was invited to interview for Chancellor’s but who found the travel costs prohibitive could call and work out some sort of solution. I get the feeling they would never want cost to be a factor but I see your point.
I will PM you the rest.