We attended the virtual honors program “visit” yesterday afternoon. Honestly, it was a pretty boring presentation with a slideshow and no pictures, but at least we learned more about the honors program. It seems there are 3 tiers of involvement that the students can choose from, depending on number of honors courses taken and number of outside experiences engaged in.
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I was on that same “visit” yesterday! Small world since there were only like 9 families on it! 
Yes! I noticed there were 9 people on the call. Has your child committed to Pitt, or still weighing options?
We’re still on the fence. He’s waiting to hear from one more school, but I’m thinking it will probably be Pitt. The one we’re waiting from has a coach that was recruiting him to row - but the men’s team is club (the women’s is D1) and there’s no $$. The school itself is super expensive. So if he gets in, he’d have to get really really good merit aid to make it even remotely possible as a choice. And even then, I’m not sure if he’d pick that school over Pitt. He loved Pittsburgh and he’s really liked everything he’s heard/seen/read about Pitt.
How about your child? Still thinking or decided?
My daughter rows, and will be joining the Pitt Rowing Crew next fall! I believe she will be committing to Pitt next week. Pitt has always been her top pick, and she decided very early on into her senior year that she wanted to find the best fitting school academically first, then athletics. She also didn’t want to be tied down to a D1 team with her major. We met with the coach last summer and Pitt Crew seemed like a perfect fit for her. We are over the moon that she will get to go to her top pick school and continue to row. Keep me posted if he picks Pitt!
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They did in 2019–a couple of days early. There was an Honors orientation before the regular welcome week.
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So good to find another rowing parent! Yeah, my son isn’t big enough to row on a D1 team (at “only” 5’11") although he could maybe make a lightweight team. But, like your daughter, he really wanted the academics first and for his focus to not be just on rowing. It’s for fun and exercise, and not to be his whole career. But then he had two schools that have strong programs in his major reach out, one that’s got a D3 men’s team, and the other half-club half not, and he thought, well, maybe? Anyhoo, Pitt was the one school where we just couldn’t squeeze in time to talk to any coaches or rowers when we visited, and we just don’t know much about the program. So I’m glad to hear that you had a good talk with the coach that made it feel like a good fit, I’m hoping it will be the same for him.
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We’re still thinking, but definitely leaning towards Pitt. D still has several schools to hear back from, but those will all be too expensive unless one of them offers a major scholarship. The more we learn, the more we like Pitt.
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I sent you a message! I hope I did it right!
My daughter also got into honors with similar stats to your child — but no merit money. We reached out to the school but haven’t gotten a response. Does anyone know if this is common?
From a casual review of the Pitt Honors admits who posted (or whose parents posted) in College Confidential it looks as if about 1/3 did not receive merit. The OOS numbers on merit for November aren’t great (I see your son applied 11/1). Much of the merit was disbursed for September / October applicants. The little merit withheld seems to have been reserved for targeted in-state applications from November.
The admissions/merit committee is distinct from the Honors committee. I’ve yet to hear a good rationale as to why the two aren’t connected, and yes, Pitt is not alone in doing it this way. That doesn’t change the fact that I’ve yet to hear a great explanation. Many admitted to Honors (my daughter, included) are not committing anywhere until they hear back from other T100s, most of which will respond with acceptances and financial aid packages in late March / early April.
I’m not sure why Pitt needs to disburse merit first-come-first served when many of their top admits aren’t making a decision whether to accept offers until April, but I’m sure they have a reason. Maybe they’ve found success getting more commits by disbursing awards sooner? Or maybe they have a poor yield from OOS applicants who apply later in the process. I really don’t know. I’m sure with that academic profile your son will excel wherever he ends up.
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Any news on Chancellor’s scholarship?
It seems that the invites went out last week, as per some reports on Reddit.
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Anyone accepted to honors commit and fill out the housing application? Does it list honors to click on for housing? My D22 is ready to do this tomorrow, so I’m wondering what we should expect. TIA!
Mine hasn’t yet, but we watched a couple of last year’s zoom info sessions and they were super helpful. They said it doesn’t matter what the honors kids choose for their building, the honors LLC trumps any selection and they will be put in that LLC regardless of their selection (that was asked in the second zoom section).
Is the Honors LLC always in Sutherland?
Not always @Winky1
Please explain it to me because ive been confused in the past.
You can be in l honors and choose to live anywhere or in Sutherland which is honors dorm OR, you can be in honors or not be in honors, choose a different dorm than Sutherland, and be in honors llc which can be in Sutherland or not.
Do i have this right?
This is how I read it. Sutherland goes to those accepted in honors first, it they pick it. Those who pick honors LLC will also go to Sutherland if they pick it, but first dibs goes to those in the Honors program.
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Sutherland is filled with all kinds of people, not just the Honors LLC.
There will be an application to the LLC’s, including essays. They do vet their members. My son’s LLC (Health Sciences) matched him with perfect roommates and floormates! They are all brilliant, on the dean’s list every semester, super academic and disciplined. They have a lot in common. Their LLC also has get-together’s with the Engineering LLC 
He never lived in the Honors LLC although he is in honors.
The Health Sciences LLC was on upper campus this year in Irvis (super nice dorm) but after one year he and his 3 roommates are heading back down to lower campus apartments.
They’ve gotten a lot of exercise going up and down those hills this year
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