@ibstressing2019, does the Chancellors invites come after honors college acceptance? Anyone else know when Chancellors invites might come out? Thank you
Daughter denied with 1560 SAT, 4.7 weighted GPA, extensive list of extra curricular activities, 15K yr merit (instate) Knowing her, she is unlikely to keep Pitt on her list without the honors designation. Many kids with high stats have egos, and understandably so given the incredible amount of work they have put into academics and other interests. Why would she choose “regular” Pitt when other schools are showing the love? I wonder if this new honors application process will result in lower overall stats for admitted students, because high stat students are put off by the surprising rejections in the new honors process. Last year, her sister was admitted to Pitt honors at the same time as her regular admission. She seriously considered Pitt but ultimately decided to attend Schreyer Honors College at Penn State, where she is very happy. The admissions process there is a bit of a crapshoot too but at least Penn State Honors is more transparent about their admission process.
Daughter got accepted to Honors. Her ACT is only 31, though her GPA is great. I am guessing her essays were good, I know she worked hard on them. Fingers crossed she still has a chance for a scholarship since she really needs one to make it work.
Hi @asr712 ! From what a previous post by @hailtopitt1787 on the Class of 2023 discussion thread said, the Honors College will call candidates directly to offer them interviews. Also, on the Chancellor’s Honors page, it says that candidates should hear if they receive interviews in early-February. Sorry I don’t know much, but I hope this helps!
@pajdmom so Pitt would be <$5,000/year in tuition for you and your daughter would still turn it down just because of not being in the Honors college? I get being puzzled by these decisions, but trust me…it’s SUCH a no big deal thing. Your daughter can and *will find SO many like minded students. I wouldn’t let this be more than a blip on the radar if she really likes Pitt.
Pitt has already shown her a LOT of love. That is a significant amount of merit scholarship $$ and she should be very proud.
Got into honors and engineering OOS, 35 ACT and 4.0 UW, 4.67 W, decent ECs (some research, president of literary magazine, COSMOS, etc.), I felt my essays were decent too. I got 15K in merit aid, but honestly I would have rather just received 20 or 25k to bring the cost lower than a UC so I could keep Pitt as a for sure solid choice. Even if I get nominated for chancellors the chances are so slim I seriously doubt I’ll get it, and I’d prefer to have just gotten a higher initial merit award and have been secure in Pitt as a good choice than get into honors, you know what I mean?
this is what the website says:
The honors college selection process has definitely become more holistic, and not just stats driven.
And since honors housing is now guaranteed to all honors college students (before it was by application), and there is only room for around 400 students in the honors dorm, it has also become more competitive.
The goal of having an honors college class with diversity, with students from different majors and backgrounds probably plays a big role as well.
In my daughter’s freshman class, there were over 800 students in honors, many didn’t choose to apply for honors housing LLC, wanted to live on lower campus instead.
In the past, taking honors courses was voluntary and not a requirement. It is offered as an enrichment to those who want to take advantage of it. Many students, particuarly in STEM, find the courses challenging enough without taking honors courses.
I’m wondering about the number of highly qualified students who were not admitted to Honors. Is this because Pitt has merged Honors with Chancellor’s scholarship consideration? Or because honors housing is now guaranteed? Similarly, why are you so many students desirous of Honors status when at Pitt it doesn’t seem to really amount to much? Is it because of the dorm? I know for my daughter, she really didn’t care for the Towers and so the housing was a big part of her interest, but she didn’t get in. Can students still apply for the Honors LlC for freshman year if they don’t make it into Honors?
Just got rejected from Pitt honors. National merit semifinalist. 4.5 GPA. 35/36 ACT. 1540 SAT. 4 yr varsity soccer, captain, president of chem club plus other ECs. I’d love to see the stats of those that got accepted.
@Rivergal66 I doubt honors and Chancellors have anything to do with stats…beyond getting your foot in the door. Pitt has always shown a love for the student who can somehow communicate their unique passion for learning. It’s vague for sure and I know it is frustrating for all the amazing students who are not admitted to Honors or invited to Chancellor’s.
I really do hate that this is souring some amazing students on the school in general.
36 act 800 math 2/physics and got 10k merit award for in state, sigh
@SG2468, MY thoughts exactly. My stats are almost identical to your and wish I was offered more merit aid to make it competitive. I am looking forward to a Chancellors interview but with a 34 ACT, I doubt if I will get it. I do have stellar Ec’s. I cannot imagine anything else I could have done with more passion and commitment. Good luck to you with the college admissions process.
@ibstressing2019, Thank you so much for your reply. I think that’s what I saw on the Pitt web site as well. I am looking forward to a chancellors nomination/interview but I highly doubt it with a 34 ACT. However, I am thankful for everything that Pitt has offered me so far. Looking forward to all those other decisions coming out soon. Best of luck to you as well.
Accepted into Honors with a 1580 SAT, 4.35 GPA, extensive extracurriculars, and 15k merit per year. I feel like there isn’t a big emphasis placed on the stats this year though; it seems like Pitt has gotten more holistic with their Honors application process, and with how other users mentioned the limited space in the Honors dorm, they probably consider the essays written heavily as well. They specifically mentioned in the acceptance letter that they only accepted a small fraction of applicants to the Honors program this year due to a “more rigorous application process.” Good luck to everyone else though! Maybe I’ll see you or your son/daughter at Pitt next year!
@asr712 you are sorely mistaken if you think Chancellor’s are chosen based on stats only and that only the kids with stats above you i.e. a 35-36 are the ones who are going to get an interview. They honestly have stacks and stacks of kids who have churned out the stats. The kids offered interviews for Chancellors somehow managed to convey a unique interest or passion that or niche that they developed and explored purely for the sake of learning. Did you visit Pitt? Did your essays somehow reflect that you are genuinely interested in Pitt? Those are the things likely to matter. When you get to ACT 34+ there is no difference really. It’s the person you managed to describe and show in your essays that will set you apart.
@carachel2, Thank you so much. Very thought provoking and awakening statement you’ve made. Definitely cheered me up. I have to agree with you whole heartedly after seeing the stats of some of the rejections to Honors college from Pitt. I did visit twice and I am sure my ec’s, community service projects showed my passion. I honestly feel my essays, my diverse course load, and ec’s got me in to honors college and the merit aid given. I am OOS. My mom has such a positive attitude towards the college admissions process and she is making it so easy on me. I know it will all work out at the end of the day. Again, thank you so much for your positivity.
Accepted into Pitt Honors; 34 Act; 3.97 GPA; spent lots of time writing pitt honors essays and essays were specific to my impact at uPitt
Daughter accepted to Honors, also $10,000 in Merit for in state. NMSF with 1570 SAT and 35 ACT
Hey guys, one of my friends told me that if you got accepted into another college’s honors program but if you really want to go to Pitt you can send a letter asking them to reconsider your honors application. Is that true?