@fanoffriends , could you please elaborate why it could be a positive thing, if you don’t mind ? Thank you.
it means they are still deciding on a number.
based on the stats of others who have received their awards and noted them above - you know your daughter’s stats, how do hers compare to those that have shared their stats and have received awards?
my student has stats that meet or exceed the students that have shared their awards here, there is no doubt that the award is coming, just a matter of how much.
i’m sure a lot of students submit that last week of september, based on when school started earlier that month - there are a lot of files to go through.
As many have explained, merit awards are somewhat of a misnomer. Pitt does not line up accepted students from high to low GPA/scores and dole out merit in that way. It is a much more complicated enrollment management tool and just because one student with certain grades/scores is offered merit does not mean that another with the same (or higher) stats will be.
Also, even if you don’t believe my first paragraph and continue to believe that the results to date are predictive for your student, make sure you factor in the major into your expectations. Both last year and especially for class of 2022, certain majors like CS got virtually no merit awards, even when students had pristine objective stats. Kids with 4.0 UW and 1550s were getting nothing for CS, while students with lower stats were getting merit for other majors.
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That’s not how it works. Pitt doesn’t give money based on just stats. As others have described there is some very complex thinking about where giving money will have the most positive affect on the composition of the incoming class. If they think you aren’t coming, you might not get anything. A few years back there was a student with perfect stats who got nothing. He got into MIT and went there instead.
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@fanoffriends , Great. Thank you. Everything you have said makes sense. Yes, my daughter has got good numbers. Perfect GPA, very near perfect SAT, NMSF, impressive extracurriculars with multiple leadership roles etc. Pitt is her top choice and the dream school.
why not deny if they think you are not coming?
had a student 3 years ago who received merit from pitt so I am familiar with how it works.
Curious if any in state applicants received notice of merit awards tonight?
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It may help to think in terms of probabilities and marginal effects.
Per their 2022-23 CDS, at the Pittsburgh campus they admitted 26,079, and 4,390 enrolled, so that is a yield percentage of only around 16.8%. And that is after they offered merit.
OK, so suppose there are two admits who they score as equally desirable, but they have some different factors that might affect yield. So, let’s say before merit, their model says Admit A has a 13% chance of enrolling, and Admit B has a 17% chance of enrolling. So far the average probability is 15%, which is low.
OK, then they apply hypothetical merit offers to their yield model, and find A would go from 13% to only 14% even with a $20K/year award, and B would go from 17% to 21% with just a $10K/year award.
OK, so they offer B $10K/year, and now the average probability is 17%, right on target. And they have saved $10K/year for someone else.
This is all hypothetical, but the point is none of this implies they were wrong to admit A. But they would rationally offer the merit money where it most efficiently moves the yield model.
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Pitt doesn’t yield protect. Above a certain threshold, just about everyone will get in. Yes, there may be uncertainty for an applicant who is around the threshold, but those who are above are accepted. Pitt isn’t getting the bulk of 4.0UW/1600 applicants who apply, but it is accepting them.
What they aren’t doing is offering merit to those who have a low probability of matriculating. They realize that most of the 4.0UW/1600 applicants are unlikely to attend, no matter how much is offered, so they use merit strategically to sway students who are more likely to be swayed.
I’m using an extreme example, and I also recognize that there are likely some kids with 1600s at Pitt, but I think your understanding is dated for Pitt’s current approach. It is not a school like Alabama or Arizona State that offers auto merit. If it did, it would not require a committee to make these decisions.
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OOS
1450 SAT
SWANSON
Application Date: September 6
Got notified : October 10
No merit yet !
3.6 UW GPA
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OOS
4.0 uw, 10 APs
TO
Excellent ECs/leadership
Applied and accepted within 10 days in early September
Dietrich
Has not submitted honors application yet
Merit offer on 10/31: 10K/year (letter in document center, no email)
I had speculated that the low historical yield from kid’s HS might mean no merit, but clearly I was wrong.
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Relatively quiet week so far–I blame Halloween coming on a Tuesday.
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OOS
100.78w, 97.679uw (4.373w, 3.976uw), 11 APs
TO (should’ve sent bc I had a 1510 
)
Very strong ECs/leadership
Applied and accepted within 2 weeks in early September
School of Computing and Information
No update on honors status yet
Merit offer on 10/31: 10K/year (letter in document center, no email)
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Everyone will find out about honors at the same fine, probably in late Match.
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3.96 is/4.57 w
TO
Poli sci
OOS
10 APs (5 5s and 1 3 so far)
Strong ECs
Haven’t submitted Honors App yet
$5k/yr undergrad
Guaranteed Law Program with $20k/yr Dean’s Law Scholarship
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Anyone received merit scholarship notification today? Thank you.
Applied 09/20
Accepted 10/19
Merit today 11/07,
$5k /yr (20k total)
School of Computing and Information
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Congratulations! Do you mind letting us know OOS or in-state?
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D24 just found her scholarship letter and is super excited because Pitt is her top choice school.
OOS
Applied 9/5
Accepted 9/15 (Dietrich - Museum Studies major)
Merit award dated 11/7 ($15k/yr)
4.4w/4uw
33ACT/NM Commended
15+ Honors/AP classes
Good ECs (1 varsity sport, Model UN, many community service hours)
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OOS
Was expecting a bit more but ig that’s ok . Better than nothing
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