<p>So, as we anxiously await news from Pitt on whether my D, accepted into Swanson School of Engineering, Honors, has received any merit aid, I got excited today when he receive an envelope in the mail. Much to his and my surprise, it was a letter offering him guaranteed admission into a Pitt master's program. Has anyone else received this offer? Does this maybe mean merit aid is not far behind? It's a nice gesture but I find it hard to think my S knows for sure right now that he wants to go on for a masters.</p>
<p>My D also received that after she got her acceptance and Honor’s invite. The magnet should be coming soon. But no word yet on merit scholarship. Congrats on the good news!</p>
<p>I don’t believe the Masters program is fully funded so you would have to pay the $$$. The PhD program is usually fully funded. They have always sent out that guaranteed grad. school letter (at least 6 years ago up to now).</p>
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<p>Here’s the deal with the Master’s Letter. Students get them because of their great stats in HS. And they tend to be the ones that are going to do really well at Pitt. Those students either will on their own already be applying to graduate schools (for Masters or PhD programs) or have a great job lined up for them by graduation. It’s sort of pointless.</p>
<p>As for the guaranteed part, many of my friends brought this up our senior year when asked about what their post-grad plans were. One friend said if he <em>didn’t</em> find a job, he would just stay on through the program. And he was given a blank stare in reply. Our own professors and administrators (at least in the MEMS Department) had NO idea that guaranteed grad was a thing.</p>
<p>And at least in Engineering, whether Masters or PhD, if you are doing a thesis-based degree, the program will be paid for. (I have many friends in both types of programs, they are all receiving stipends while working on their thesis and they take class and the tuition is paid for either by their advisor/PI or by the school in return for working as a TA/grader/etc.).</p>
<p>Thanks for the perspective, AwesomePossum. That all makes sense.</p>