Short Answers and Sending a Resume w/ Application?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pittsburgh
1

Hey there! So I am about to send in my transfer application to Pitt, everything is filled out, but I’ve been struggling with a couple of things:

  1. I have never put down short-answer responses on a college application before, and I have absolutely no idea how to approach it. I started writing out different responses in a Google Doc to see if I could figure out how to go about it, but I'm at a loss. I can't tell if it should just be straightforward and to-the-point, or if it's better to write it like an essay where I use more creative descriptors (which is more my style, it just makes the response longer). I already wrote the long, essay version but I fear it's too much. Would like to know what other (successfully) did.
  2. Should I send a resume/activities sheet? I can't find much about that. I wouldn't say I am the most competitive applicant out there, so I'd like to cover all of my bases, but I obviously don't want to send something that will do more harm than good. Did anybody else send one?

Thanks for the help, friends!

2

Hi @1kyellowdaisies,

The Admissions Committee reviews responses for quality rather than length. However, the most effective responses typically range from 250-500 words in total for two questions. Responses that are longer or shorter are acceptable. Just go with whatever you feel conveys everything you want the committee to know about you.

To answer your second question, the committee prefers to learn about you through the Short Answer Questions rather than resumes, recommendation letters, etc.

I hope I answered your questions thoroughly. Good luck!

-Pitt Admissions Staffer