Wow, those are amazing stats to end up with zero merit. (You too, @JohnCoctostan )
I’m so sorry but I’m sure they’ll be in fine shape anywhere they end up (and with a better package, for sure).
You’re kind…we went into this with the understanding that any school outside of UVA or VT (in state) would have to come close in terms of finances. I do think SCS is in such high demand that they get tons of equally qualified kids. He liked Pitt a lot though- we both did.
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Before the pandemic I was contacted by USA Today with regards to an article they were doing about the in-state versus OOS applicants and what colleges are doing to woo OOS applicants and their $$$$ money. My PA in-state S19 was a product of this at W&M with the honors college deal but zero merit. The writer ended up focusing the article based on the UC system wooing too many OOS applicants. That article was written before the pandemic and this year the situation is even worse. Here is what CA lawmakers are doing now to address this issue. It’s obvious the perks schools throw at OOS applicants (no saying they are not deserved) however reducing the merit for in-state students is just going to sway those top applicants to private schools offering more merit (D22 is an example of this). Like @colonelmike64 said A LOT of top IN-STATE students received $10k-20k offers from PITT in 2019 and before, my S19 included.
A bold plan for UC: Cut share of out-of-state students by half amid huge California demand
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D22 is OOS, 31ACT / 1410SAT / 3.5uw 4.5w and applied in September for CS. She was initially deferred, then accepted into SCI for CS at the end of January. She received the Panther Pride Award for $8,600. I can’t find any info on this award on Pitt’s website, what little I have found online is that it’s a financial aid grant. We’re concerned that she won’t receive that all 4 years, or even next year — she’s the beneficiary of a life insurance policy from a grandparent, which is now available to her since she’s turned 18. So we’re expecting that for next year’s FAFSA that set of funds will impact this award and it will go away, making Pitt not $185k for 4 years, but $211k. I’m not sure if the program is good enough to justify that extra expense. We have a virtual admitted students’ event this week and are planning to go out there for an in-person admitted students’ day on April 9th. I was really not expecting the decision to come down to the wire like this!
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@ELK_8 , D22 just set up her Pitt email and there was an email in there about housing dated March 18. There was another 1 about orientation.
She got the info about setting up her email by googling “Pitt email access” and found a link that took her to where she could start the process.
Yes! Thanks for the update! My daughter said she set up her Pitt email last week. She received the email about orientation, but hasn’t seen one about housing yet. Hoping it comes soon!
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We’re OOS, 1530, 3.8 uw w good ECs, no merit
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If he would have applied in October I am guessing he would have gotten merit. They had an unprecedented number of applications so later apps didn’t get any. My daughter had good stats but not top, she applied in late September and got merit.
I believe there was a change at Pitt in 2019 or 2020. That is when they started matching Pell grants for admitted students who have them. And this is when merit changed. The in state kid getting $10,000 with a 3.8, 1500 was now getting less or none. The landscape changed at that time. Perhaps that is when oos started getting more of the merit dollars. Perhaps in state merit goes to matching pell grants?
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I can’t imagine that a ton of kids who qualify for Pell Grants are actually attending Pitt.
I helped an in-state kid with her college application last year; she qualified for the whole Pell, the SEOG, the PHEAA, work study, etc etc - she still had to take out a subsidized student loan to afford community college. Pitt? Hah.
Anyway, I looked up the CDS; the most recent Pell numbers are from 2014, which is pathetic - and there were 510 Pell recipients at Pitt. It doesn’t seem like a likely source of a big shift in $$ allocation.
BY THE WAY - in the same CDS, it says for fall 2021, standardized test scores are considered
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It was not 2019 for sure.
This certainly sounds like it’s part of it. Good explanation. Thanks!
Yeah, I helped a family friend fill out their financial aid info. He got a Pell from Pitt. It’s $15,500 in-state after max Pell, matches, and work-study. Certainly not cheap for a family making <$50,000, but better than the $25,500 it would be without the two matches.
Every 2020 CDS states 2014 numbers because the Federal government tracks 6-year graduation rates for each cohort. 510 isn’t a high number but a lot of colleges are considerably lower. Pitt also reports that since they made the changes that Winky highlighted above that the number of Pell recipients enrolled is up 24%. The match seems to have made a difference.
I believe that standardized test scores are considered for admissions and honors college but not for scholarships.
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@Gatormama - in case you want to add my son’s stats - he applied last week of September, accepted mid-October, admitted to Swanson for Engineering. 4.0 unweighted, 4.3 w/AP; most APs were 5s, two were 4s. 1540 SAT, 35 ACT. He did submit test scores. Other random factors: Eagle Scout, captain of his athletic team, significant volunteer work at a local food pantry. We are OOS and he’s got an IEP for dyslexia. He received $20k merit.
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My son’s stats: OOS, applied 11/1, accepted early Jan to Swanson. 3.97 UW, 34 ACT. Varsity soccer on state runner-up team, a little bit of extra curricular band, but otherwise unremarkable EC’s. $20K merit.
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I felt that merit was also based on schools for OOS
Like the Engineering students got up to 20 K , Dietrich school 10K mostly, few 15K
CS students 5 K mostly
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I agree. I didn’t keep tabs on it like @Gatormama, but it seemed that it was almost exclusively the students accepted to Swanson who received $20k/year merit awards (although I’m sure that there are some outliers in other schools who also received $20k). My son had nearly identical stats to many of the engineering students, but received $10k a year to the business school. And CS students seemed lucky if they got anything at all regardless of how stellar their stats were. @Gatormama - does this seem accurate?
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@Winky1 Housing email came today!
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Not sure if it is the same this year but last year a my friends son received 2 separate scholarships. The Cathedral of Achievement for 10,000 a year and a separate Swanson Engineering Excellence Scholarship for 6,000 a year. He is in state.
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Had almost no CS students on my spreadsheet, so maybe you’re right. Or maybe they just aren’t talkative.
My D22 was admitted to CS, but we’re OOS and she submitted test scores, so I don’t think that data is what you are collecting! No merit, but she did receive the Panther Pride award for FA.
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