2020-2021 Pittsburgh

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tunaktunak said:
For those who sent a letter of intent, did you put the letter in the email body or as an attached .pdf?
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I think they ask for pdf on their website

Edit: or maybe not... either way, a pdf is more formal
 
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Compared to other T20s, do you guys think Pitt has more or around the same amount of WL movement? Seems like a LOT of people love Pitt but it might just be the sampling bias of SDN?
 
456432 said:
Compared to other T20s, do you guys think Pitt has more or around the same amount of WL movement? Seems like a LOT of people love Pitt but it might just be the sampling bias of SDN?
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I think it's comparable to other T20s outside of the T10; as in, pretty decent. Also, I think people posting on these threads generally love the school we're posting about, so probably a bit of sampling bias!
 
Hey guys! Pitt is a dream school of mine and wanted to ask if you guys think I have a realistic chance of getting in next cycle? I'm ORM and OOS

Cumulative: 3.86
Science: 3.77

Freshman: 3.57/3.4
Sophomore: 3.95/4.0
Senior: 4.0/4.0

MCAT: 521

*I graduated in three years with an upward trend as shown above*

Activities Summary:

Clinical Volunteering: 1,210 Hours
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 1,475 Hours
Shadowing: 247 Hours (Nephrology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Pediatrics)
Research: 4,720 Hours
3 Posters (All presented at national conferences)
*6 Publications (4 First Authors)*
Music Teacher (700+ Hours)

*I think my 6 publications with 4 first-author publications is my strong factor that can hopefully get me some interviews at the top 20s.*
 
Rheopecty said:
T20 admissions are random, but you have a fair shot at any research-heavy T20, not just Pitt.
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Thank you so much for your message! Do you think adcoms will look over my freshman grades because I showed a huge upward trend?
 
Sampats said:
Hey guys! Pitt is a dream school of mine and wanted to ask if you guys think I have a realistic chance of getting in next cycle? I'm ORM and OOS

Cumulative: 3.86
Science: 3.77

Freshman: 3.57/3.4
Sophomore: 3.95/4.0
Senior: 4.0/4.0

MCAT: 521

*I graduated in three years with an upward trend as shown above*

Activities Summary:

Clinical Volunteering: 1,210 Hours
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 1,475 Hours
Shadowing: 247 Hours (Nephrology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Pediatrics)
Research: 4,720 Hours
3 Posters (All presented at national conferences)
*6 Publications (4 First Authors)*
Music Teacher (700+ Hours)

*I think my 6 publications with 4 first-author publications is my strong factor that can hopefully get me some interviews at the top 20s.*
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I think you definitely have a real shot at getting into Pitt. Your stats are what you'd want to apply to Pitt (and even exceed Pitt's averages), and your ECs are incredible. Just show a genuine passion for medicine and have some clear reasons why you'd love the chance to attend to Pitt, and I think you'll be in a good position!
 
lanadelgay124 said:
Pretty decent -- I believe MSAR used to cite ~65 students taken from the WL. That said, it's impossible to know how many people we're sharing the WL with, and where we're at on it.
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Is that 65 students total taken off the waitlist, or 65 students from their class are from the waitlist?
if it was only 65 students total off the waitlist, then would that mean a waitlist size of ~300 (just an estimate based off of how many IIs this year and R’s reported here), then there’s about 20% chance of getting off the waitlist?
 
Pitt is my #1. I love everything this school has to offer and every single interaction I've had with people in administration, or students, or you guys has been positive. So when I got waitlisted, I knew I was going to write a LOI. Because of my crazy schedule these past two weeks, I didn't have a chance to write it until this weekend. I emailed it in yesterday and saw that it was added to my portal today!

But today, out of nowhere, I've had this anxiety about writing a LOI! I don't regret it by any means and I meant every word I wrote. However, a LOI is like a contract of honor and I'm all of a sudden paranoid that some extenuating circumstance is going to occur and prevent me from going even if I get off the WL and that I'll get blacklisted come residency application time. I realize that is just the anxiety talking, but does anyone else just feel even more nervous after writing a LOI?
 
The Beta Blocker said:
Pitt is my #1. I love everything this school has to offer and every single interaction I've had with people in administration, or students, or you guys has been positive. So when I got waitlisted, I knew I was going to write a LOI. Because of my crazy schedule these past two weeks, I didn't have a chance to write it until this weekend. I emailed it in yesterday and saw that it was added to my portal today!

But today, out of nowhere, I've had this anxiety about writing a LOI! I don't regret it by any means and I meant every word I wrote. However, a LOI is like a contract of honor and I'm all of a sudden paranoid that some extenuating circumstance is going to occur and prevent me from going even if I get off the WL and that I'll get blacklisted come residency application time. I realize that is just the anxiety talking, but does anyone else just feel even more nervous after writing a LOI?
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Absolutely. I think in a situation in which commitment may cost 200k+ on the low end, it's easy to get cold feet. That said, while we (hopefully) write these letters in good faith, I think adcoms realize that plenty of applicants don't (which is why, incidentally, they likely don't have the impact we wish they did). I don't think people are actually blacklisted in the majority of cases! Life does indeed happen.
 
Maybe dumb question! I was put on the WL but I didn't receive an email to check my portal, or a letter in the mail? It was just updated when I logged in to check the portal for activity. Has this been the case for everyone?
 
Hopeful_MD_Cat_Mom said:
Maybe dumb question! I was put on the WL but I didn't receive an email to check my portal, or a letter in the mail? It was just updated when I logged in to check the portal for activity. Has this been the case for everyone?
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Not a dumb question at all. Pitt's a little unorthodox in this sense - but for me, and it seems many others in this thread, there was no email notification with the portal update. Though, I have heard of some receiving a snail-mail with their decisions.
 
turquoisetortoise said:
Not a dumb question at all. Pitt's a little unorthodox in this sense - but for me, and it seems many others in this thread, there was no email notification with the portal update. Though, I have heard of some receiving a snail-mail with their decisions.
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Yup, no email! I did receive a letter; I think they might be sent out in batches, or are just taking longer to reach some than others!
 
lanadelgay124 said:
Letter = consolation prize for tier 2

ETA: did receive letter
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Nooo 🙁 I really hope this isn't true

Also, is anyone hopeful for some WL movement mid-late this month? I really hope we don't have to wait till April/May.
 
456432 said:
Nooo 🙁 I really hope this isn't true

Also, is anyone hopeful for some WL movement mid-late this month? I really hope we don't have to wait till April/May.
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I don't actually think it's true lol; likely totally random. I'm most def hoping for earlier waitlist movement.
 
Any advice on when to send a LOI for Pitt? Should I wait closer until 4/30 or send one earlier?
 
BullBearMan said:
Haha, everyone is going to receive a letter. Postal service has been on the frits for the last few months due to budget cuts, so it'll definitely vary by how long it takes to get to you.
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I haven't received a letter yet. I choose to believe it's because I've secretly been accepted this whole time and they didn't want to waste paper sending me a waitlist letter when they knew they were going to send me an acceptance letter this month.

angry box GIF by Percolate Galactic
 
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gramnegative said:
Any advice on when to send a LOI for Pitt? Should I wait closer until 4/30 or send one earlier?
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I was told to send LOI soon after you receive a WL decision. That way, when they are making decisions for WL movement, you already have a LOI there showing your interest and commitment for a given school. But only send a letter of intent to one school. It's bad form to send multiple LOI's or to a place that is not your top choice. If Pitt is not your 100% top choice, sending an update letter would probably be more appropriate.
 
The Beta Blocker said:
It's bad form to send multiple LOI's or to a place that is not your top choice.
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Yep agreed, and I'm surprised that a lot of people don't seem to know this (some of my premed friends suggested I send a Letter of Intent to every school I was waitlisted at -- um...no lol). Only send it to one school that you are absolutely certain that you will matriculate at. If you're waiting on financial aid packages and if finances are a big part of your decision, I think you should wait to send it.

I've also heard of some med schools talking to residency PD's about applicants who rescind their acceptance after sending a letter of intent, so just be careful. It's a non-binding letter, but you never know how it may potentially affect your future with residency apps.
 
Where is the LOI showing up for you guys on the portal? Sent mine in a while ago and still don’t see it. Maybe I should have made it a PDF instead of a Word doc?
 
jjame said:
Where is the LOI showing up for you guys on the portal? Sent mine in a while ago and still don’t see it. Maybe I should have made it a PDF instead of a Word doc?
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I wouldn't think that should matter, it should be up by now. I would reach out to Pitt about it
 
jjame said:
Where is the LOI showing up for you guys on the portal? Sent mine in a while ago and still don’t see it. Maybe I should have made it a PDF instead of a Word doc?
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Also, for some reason it doesn't show up if I look at the portal on my phone. I have to use my laptop to see that the files were added
 
unclepeanutz said:
As in where to send it? To who? Portal? Which email address? Etc
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I sent mine to [email protected] and CCed Dean Piraino! I can't remember her email, but it's on her pitt page!! After you send it it pitt will upload it to your portal and it should show up in your portal under other documents right below your rec/next to your photo uploads. For me, it was uploaded to my portal within 24 hours.
 
anud123 said:
I sent mine to [email protected] and CCed Dean Piraino! I can't remember her email, but it's on her pitt page!! After you send it it pitt will upload it to your portal and it should show up in your portal under other documents right below your rec/next to your photo uploads. For me, it was uploaded to my portal within 24 hours.
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Thanks friend!
 
n123123 said:
Any thoughts on when waitlist movement might start?
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Unpredictable this cycle in my opinion with the pandemic, but hopefully we might some early WL movement.
tunaktunak said:
2019-20: 2/27
2018-19: 3/1
2017-18: 3/5
2016-17: 2/24
2015-16: 3/3
2014-15: 2/23

But then again, we also thought they’d release first round of decisions early this year but that didn’t happen, so I’m not sure what to expect. I just wish we got an email so I don’t have to keep refreshing the portal.
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Rheopecty said:
Many big-names like the Ivies and Mayo drop their As soon. It is possible that the adcom would see a PTE migration away from Pitt and/or withdrawals. However, I'd give it until mid-March.
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did y'all attach your LOI's as a PDF of put them in the body of the email?
 
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