2014-2015 University of Pittsburgh Application Thread

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Can anyone comment on the financial aid at Pitt? Things like what the base loan amount is in, etc.? Interested in Pitt for its clinical and research prowess, but debating if it's worth to apply when there are a couple similar schools (research, clinical, rank) in my state that are much less expensive.

Edit: I did look at MSAR and 87% receive some form of financial aid, but I'm more concerned with how the base loan in and how much in grants they give (median values). The FA site didn't have that information.
 
For the course information section, if the lab was included with the lecture, we only put down the lecture and add "LB" to the end of the course number, correct? Or do we list the course twice under lecture and lab?
 
Do we have a consensus about the course req disappearing issue? Im thinking since it was there when we submitted and after then it should be in the system? But apparently we have to email a separate doc w our reqs listed?
 
anxiousAcademic said:
Do we have a consensus about the course req disappearing issue? Im thinking since it was there when we submitted and after then it should be in the system? But apparently we have to email a separate doc w our reqs listed?
Click to expand...

i emailed them and they said they'll add it to my file
 
Earl Simmons said:
Can anyone comment on the financial aid at Pitt? Things like what the base loan amount is in, etc.? Interested in Pitt for its clinical and research prowess, but debating if it's worth to apply when there are a couple similar schools (research, clinical, rank) in my state that are much less expensive.

Edit: I did look at MSAR and 87% receive some form of financial aid, but I'm more concerned with how the base loan in and how much in grants they give (median values). The FA site didn't have that information.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by base loan, and I don't think they publish the median value of the grants they give. Most people do receive some kind of aid, and I do know of a couple people who have full tuition covered via need-based grants from the school, but I believe most people have smaller grants. Mine is a few thousand.
 
Ismet said:
I'm not sure what you mean by base loan, and I don't think they publish the median value of the grants they give. Most people do receive some kind of aid, and I do know of a couple people who have full tuition covered via need-based grants from the school, but I believe most people have smaller grants. Mine is a few thousand.
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The unit loan minimum is 25k for one to be eligible for need based aid.
 
Ismet said:
I'm not sure what you mean by base loan, and I don't think they publish the median value of the grants they give. Most people do receive some kind of aid, and I do know of a couple people who have full tuition covered via need-based grants from the school, but I believe most people have smaller grants. Mine is a few thousand.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I don't know what you mean by base loan, but if you're referring to some sort of guaranteed base of loans/grants outside of federal stuff (which everyone can get), there is none. Sadly, I get $0 in grants/non-federal loan help. Thank goodness I'm an MS4 now.
 
hey when you guys say you were complete are you referring to the day you submitted the application or did your status change to complete? mine's been at "invited to submit supplemental application" since forever.
 
anyone else still waiting on a secondary? Verified early June and applied to pitt first day.
 
BeancheBlanco said:
anyone else still waiting on a secondary? Verified early June and applied to pitt first day.
Click to expand...

Call the admissions office, they should be open until 5, or try Monday. Everyone should receive a secondary. Also check all your spam folders. But since it's been over a month, maybe that's been deleted too.
 
@Ismet and any other current students, I have a couple questions about interview day that I am hoping you might be able to answer.

1. In the interview day information they mention that we can bring walking shoes for the tour. Does this mean flats or actual sneakers or loafers?
2. As I am browsing interview feedback from previous years I have noticed that people only mention a student interview and a faculty member interview, but in our email they tell us there is also a small-group faculty led discussion. Is this something new? What should we expect for this portion of the interview?

Thanks in advance!
 
does anyone know how long pitt takes to mark letters as received once they are submitted to amcas?
 
sahmoc said:
@Ismet and any other current students, I have a couple questions about interview day that I am hoping you might be able to answer.

1. In the interview day information they mention that we can bring walking shoes for the tour. Does this mean flats or actual sneakers or loafers?
2. As I am browsing interview feedback from previous years I have noticed that people only mention a student interview and a faculty member interview, but in our email they tell us there is also a small-group faculty led discussion. Is this something new? What should we expect for this portion of the interview?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

1. If you're a girl, bring flats. I changed out of heels and into flats for the tour. Pitt's med school is on a huge hill (affectionately called Cardiac Hill) and depending on your tour guide, you may have to walk down or up. We also take you to the WISER center, which is several blocks away. I wouldn't bring sneakers. If you're a guy, wear comfortable dress shoes you can walk a few blocks in.

2. The small group session isn't an interview necessarily, it's a chance for you to experience what a PBL session is like. I think they started doing it last year. You do want to actively participate, though.

General interview day schedule as far as I can remember (can't remember exact order of afternoon sessions):
-Sit in admissions office and have a talk from the dean or assistant dean of admissions
-Tour in small groups
-Lunch with current students
-Student interview
-Faculty interview
-Financial aid session
-Small group session
-Optional session (info about PSTP)
 
Ismet said:
1. If you're a girl, bring flats. I changed out of heels and into flats for the tour. Pitt's med school is on a huge hill (affectionately called Cardiac Hill) and depending on your tour guide, you may have to walk down or up. We also take you to the WISER center, which is several blocks away. I wouldn't bring sneakers. If you're a guy, wear comfortable dress shoes you can walk a few blocks in.

2. The small group session isn't an interview necessarily, it's a chance for you to experience what a PBL session is like. I think they started doing it last year. You do want to actively participate, though.

General interview day schedule as far as I can remember (can't remember exact order of afternoon sessions):
-Sit in admissions office and have a talk from the dean or assistant dean of admissions
-Tour in small groups
-Lunch with current students
-Student interview
-Faculty interview
-Financial aid session
-Small group session
-Optional session (info about PSTP)
Click to expand...

Thank you for answering so thoroughly! I am very relieved that I don't have to walk around in my heels for some potential hills and distance, adding more of a reason to sweat on interview day haha. Is there anything we should do to prepare for the small group session? Or just be ready to contribute?
 
sahmoc said:
Thank you for answering so thoroughly! I am very relieved that I don't have to walk around in my heels for some potential hills and distance, adding more of a reason to sweat on interview day haha. Is there anything we should do to prepare for the small group session? Or just be ready to contribute?
Click to expand...

Just be ready to contribute! I think they give you a patient case and the faculty member leads you through the discussion. You're not graded on correctness or anything, just participate 🙂
 
Ismet said:
Just be ready to contribute! I think they give you a patient case and the faculty member leads you through the discussion. You're not graded on correctness or anything, just participate 🙂
Click to expand...

Awesome! That sounds like a really good opportunity to see what PBL is like rather than just telling us what to expect. Thanks, Ismet!
 
Ismet said:
Just be ready to contribute! I think they give you a patient case and the faculty member leads you through the discussion. You're not graded on correctness or anything, just participate 🙂
Click to expand...

Approximately how many interviewees per interview day? For the faculty led discussion, is the group of interviewees broken down into smaller groups for PBL? Is it just one faculty member leading the discussion?

Thanks.
 
T1p said:
Approximately how many interviewees per interview day? For the faculty led discussion, is the group of interviewees broken down into smaller groups for PBL? Is it just one faculty member leading the discussion?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I believe it's about 10-15 per day. Not sure if they split people up for the PBL group thing.
 
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Try not to get stressed over the PBL thing.

During my application cycle (2012-2013), there were 8 interviewees. The PBL session was part of the interview day.

I think I said one sentence during the entire session... nothing profound.

Don't be strange and stick out. Don't try to show off. I don't think anyone will "shine" during one of these psuedo-PBL's...but you could probably hinder yourself if you do something exceedingly strange.

Just be a normal, polite, courteous person for the day -- prepare for interviews -- and everything will be alright.
 
PBL during interview wasn't evaluated in the last cycle.
 
Does the office send an email once your application is complete?
 
II today. Completed 7/26/14. I had the same problem that many had with prerequisites disappeared after I checked the system. I was going to email them about it. But I guess they didn't need it.
 
samsunimomo said:
I was super shocked as well. Fingers crossed that this isn't an error!
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3 years ago i applied with no US undergraduate degree and got nothing. This time around, I am so not used to the fast turn around and kept thinking my II were error. Like a dream.
 
Does anybody know if the student host program is up and running? My interview is in two weeks and I don't want to rush finding a place to stay for the interview.
 
Laureatebarrel said:
Does anybody know if the student host program is up and running? My interview is in two weeks and I don't want to rush finding a place to stay for the interview.
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There was a link to an excel spreadsheet with the hosts names and info. It came up before I scheduled, but haven't been able to find it on the site since. Luckily I downloaded it before I scheduled my interview. I still have it on my computer if you would like me to email it to you. You can PM me your email.
 
In my secondary under App Status everything has a check next to it but the status still says "Invited to Complete Supplemental Application." I submitted and paid my secondary 7/14. Does this change?
 
PakiMDDreamer said:
Do those increase your chances???
Click to expand...

Officially, I doubt it, since it's a private school.

However, if your ties are convincing enough that you might attend over a competing regional school (coming to mind: Case, Pritzker, even Perelman) then the ties might be influential. But I doubt it; I think school ties play a small and ultimately minor role.
 
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