Scholarship Notification

<p>I read with interest a similar thread from last year, when some people were surmising that pre-pharmacy students were being offered little to no money, despite having similar credentials to those getting full tuition scholarships in other majors. I’m also now wondering if that isn’t what happening this year. I know Justino from CC and my daughter were both were offered conditional admission to the pharmacy program, a special guarantee to those with high test scores and class rank. Neither of us have heard yet about scholarships.</p>

<p>One of my daughter’s friends was offered $14K per year for 4 years in the Bioengineering program. She is from another school in our area (one of the top public schools nationwide). I know she had a 35 ACT but I don’t know anything about her class rank.</p>

<p>Our school doesn’t rank, her weighted GPA is 4.44. Should go above 4.5 this semester.</p>

<p>My D’s composite ACT was 32, which was fine when we were looking at other places but now that the Pitt number is 33 I wish she’d have taken it again. Oh well, we got a sense from someone at PYAP that they might “superscore” the ACT scores if she sent those in, so did that earlier this week, the various subscores would easily put her at 33 composite so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.</p>

<p>She got a nice scholarship offer at Tulane yesterday so she’s back on a high note even though I personally thing Pitt is a better fit. But she’s happy and that’s what makes me happy.</p>

<p>A 35 ACT is going to make Pitt or any other school take notice. I don’t think it matters if the student want to major in underwater basket weaving, that ACT is going to get attention.</p>

<p>Sujormik, my daughter has a 33 ACT with 34 superscore and is top 2% in her class with all honors and AP, 97% unweighted GPA, as well as good leadership, volunteer and other extracurriculars. I’m really hoping she is offered a scholarship - hoping the pharmacy major isn’t a problem. I was surprised her friend with 35 ACT didn’t get a full tuition offer in bioengineering, but like I said, I don’t know her other stats. Super congrats on the good offer at Tulane - that’s excellent! You are right that your daughter being happy is what counts. Pitt is tied for 1st for my daughter, but the other school is much closer to home and I know that’s important to my daughter. She is applying there this weekend as it has a Dec 1st deadline. I sure hope we both hear from Pitt about scholarships soon! BTW, someone on CC said that Pitt uses only English and Math subscores from the ACT - that can be good or bad! My daughter is still at the 34 using only English and Math or the whole score (superscored), so it doesn’t make any difference either way for her. But, maybe it helps your daughter? Good luck!</p>

<p>Maureen, </p>

<p>I just got back from Pitt for the “picture yourself” session. All I would really like would be 2,000 dollars merit. Its just a bummer that I did not yet get any scholarships, I could have just got a 1300 and got a B average and I would have gotten the same thing. I got UHC but that is not even valuable for a pre-pharm. However, if you compare IS Pitt total to a Private School Total, Pitt is still cheaper than any Private School for me so far. I feel like it has to do with the fact that I am IS. I still have hope though because its early and they said I should know by January. My acceptance was dated 10/4. Pitt seems to be getting more competitive with the SAT while still for some weird reasons admitting people with lower SATs in the upper 1100s and lower 1200s. If they move the top margin they should move up the lower margin accordingly.</p>

<p>^^^^^ justino: I read your post three times, and I can’t tell what you are saying. Are you saying you’re actually above 1300, and feel that you might as well have been 1300? </p>

<p>What was your writing score?</p>

<p>720 M 680 CR 670 W (11 essay). I was just saying that I could have done a lot less, a lower GPA, lower SATs, less extra curriculars, etc. and it would have gotten me to the same place I am now.</p>

<p>You don’t know that for sure. Pitt doesn’t have a consistent notification for scholarships. I was surprised to get all my scholarships/UHC acceptance all within a week of each other, and within 1-2 weeks of my acceptance. It all depends on when scholarship committee/academic departments review your application for scholarships. I don’t think the admissions committee does this, although I could be wrong. We are all thankful that we have applied to a rolling school and we found out way before our peers about a school we have been accepted to. Be grateful for an acceptance and be hopeful for a scholarship. (I know I am VERY grateful because my family cannot afford that much, Pitt is now #2 on my list)</p>

<p>(BTW-my composite is only 10 points higher than yours but you have a 1400 and I have a 1380. Don’t despair).</p>

<p>justino- if you are looking for more merit scholarship- with a 1400 SAT I think you would get merit scholarship at Temple. My D received $2,500 merit from Temple (in state) with scores lower than yours.</p>

<p>and an aside- as to your feeling that you could have gotten the same results if you had slacked off…well I have to disagree…you would likely have not received a conditional admission to the pharmacy school nor would you have been as prepared for the rigors of college science! So don’t feel that your hard work has been wasted.</p>

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<p>Oh I beg to disagree. Three of my very good friends are UHC kids who were are now pharm kids (in the 6-year program, essentially the guaranteed pharm program). UHC definitely helped them-- they had a great academic network of friends, activities, a good location to live, and the rigor of the honors classes helped prepare them for the pharmacy classes they would be taking in only 2 years.</p>

<p>justino - You never know how these things work. But don’t ever wish you had worse scores or GPA! Your hard work will pay off, so keep at it.</p>

<p>Maureenk: Regarding Pre-Pharmacy not getting as much scholarship money as other majors-
My Son is now a Freshman at Pitt and received full tuition. He’s Pre-Pharmacy with the conditional acceptance. He applied on 9/28/10 last year and got his acceptance 10/10/10 and scholarship on 11/8/10. He was invited to apply for Chancellors scholarship and did apply but wasn’t awarded.
His stats:
SAT: M750 CR670 W670
SAT IIs: Global History
ACT: 32
GPA: 95/100
Rank: 19/350 at a high school in the top 100 in the country
Other stats:
Essays: yes
Teacher Recs: yes 3
EC’s: Soccer, band, Honor Society, Volunteering…
We are OOS-- NY
He’s taking honors Biology, living in Sutherland and loving Pitt! He chose Pitt over 7 other schools he was accepted in–it had been number 2 on his list but the full tuition sealed the deal. Hope this helps and if you have other questions regarding Pre-Pharm I can help with just PM me!
Hope this helps and</p>

<p>Wow, this helps so much! Your son is so similar to my daughter, too! That’s very encouraging. I will be touch if she ends up with a scholarship to find out more about pharmacy there! We are also from NY, which means she won’t be going without a scholarship cause of the OOS tuition. Thanks for contacting me! You’ve gotten my hopes back up again!</p>

<p>You’re welcome! Best of luck and hope your D gets the same offer!</p>

<p>I have a question regarding scholarship notices. S received the following letters:

  1. Nov 15th - accepted and eligible to participate in Honors College
  2. Nov 21st - received a “University of Pittsburgh academic scholarship” of $10,000 per year
  3. Nov 22nd - accepted to enroll automatically in Honors College</p>

<p>I am kind of surprised by the scholarship offer. I thought Pitt would offer more. We are OOS. The offer just eliminates the OOS gap. They did seem to encourage him to apply - waived his App fee; sent a lot on the Honors College.</p>

<p>Are there other scholarships that he could be granted (without applying)?<br>
I have read on this post about many full scholarships. I was thinking he might get full tuition.</p>

<p>Anyone else here get multiple scholarship offers from Pitt? If so, please share any details.</p>

<p>Here are his stats:
Class Rank: 1/236
GPA: 3.98 UW/4.90 W
Most challenging course load available 5 AP courses/13 Honors courses
Sr Year: AP English Lit, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, Honors Statistics - Block scheduling
ACT: 33 (only sat once)
SAT IIs: Biology 780; Math II 760
AP Biology 5; Calc A/B 5
Awards: CTY, several school awards, National Merit Commendation (PSAT 220)
EC’s: many - President of Environmental Club 2 years; Member of Town Green Committee; Treasurer of Key Club; National Honor Society; Sports; great Job Shadows; emergency room volunteer
College class: Johns Hopkins Neuroscience summer; College credit Human Anatomy II - A grade
Essay: yes
Teacher Recs: yes 3
We are OOS. </p>

<p>Any advice is appreciated.</p>

<p>Is your son an engineering major? The departmental scholarship is $4,000/year and it can be stacked with your $10,000 scholarship. </p>

<p>You would think with your son’s stats they would award him the full tuition scholarship but we don’t know what they are looking for this year. Perhaps they have offered the max. number of full tuition scholarships to students in your home state?? </p>

<p>This happens every year – students with great stats getting the lesser scholarship or nothing at all. It may be disheartening to see the postings from students with lower stats getting the higher scholarships but once again, there must be a reason why Pitt wants that student (we don’t get to see the entire application).</p>

<p>I am shocked your son did not get full tuition.</p>

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<p>The same thing happened to me when I applied. I think it might be what MTNest said about the max full tuition for OOS (because so many people apply early). Also, you never know what could happen, you could get more money down the road (in a year or two, say).</p>

<p>Well, I guess I can add my son to this scholarship thread. He just got notification today that he got the full tuition scholarship. Yay and whew! And, he’s nominated for the Chancellor’s scholarship so he’s got his work cut out for him since the app. is due in less than 3 weeks-wow!</p>

<p>He knows who his first recommender will be but I’m not sure who the second should be-not sure if it should be academic, leadership, or music recommender…</p>

<p>PS onecot59, I am also very surprised your son didn’t get full tuition. :-(</p>

<p>I’ve seen kids with 33 ACTs not get full tuition. Surprising, but true. Onecot59, what state are you from? Sometimes that makes a difference.</p>