<p>Succesful appeals at Pitt, and AFAIK, they are few and far between come based on:
- Direct comparison of bottom line cost at a peer institution (Pitt does not care how much money school X offered, they want to see and compare your out-of-pocket costs.)
- They compare peer institution offers - think public AAU universities.
- Major to major admissions. If you were admitted to Pitt Engineering and you were admitted to Comparison U as a liberal arts major, Pitt does not consider that equivalent.
- Do your homework, saying that you need or want more money is a non-starter. Saying that you need more money since it’s more affordable to go to a peer university gets their attention.
- Needless to say, the higher your stats and other hooks (URM, geographical desirability, etc,) the better your chances of an appeal.
- Pitt wants you to enroll at Pitt. Creating the perception that you are looking at Pitt solely as a safety or a back-up school won’t help.
- Hey, you can always ask. Just don’t expect to get an increased scholarship.</p>