My daughter is 100% sure she wants to attend Pitt (fall of 2025). She would really like to major in Marketing but is stressed about admission to the School of Business, because they only take 350 students. She currently has a 3.91 unweighted/4.74 weighted GPA and got a 1240 on her first SAT attempt. She has done a few clubs at school and is in National Honors Society. Otherwise, most of her extra curriculars are outside of school - guitar lessons, work at the garden center, art, baking… Trying to decide if she should just apply to Dietrich for higher guarantee of acceptance and then plan to transfer. She would be devastated if she can’t go to Pitt.
I should have added that she is planning to submit her application on day 1 - August 1st.
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Most important to U Pitt admissions are: High School GPA & academic rigor.
State residency, essay, and interest level are also important.
Standardized test scores are not a primary factor, but are considered.
Based on the above, if your daughter took the most challenging classes offered by her high school, your daughter should apply for admission to her preferred major.
Since Pitt does like high scores, I would suggest that she prepare for and retake the SAT in August, then submit her Pitt application after she receives the new (hopefully somewhat higher) SAT scores. That would still be in August or early September, plenty early for maximum consideration. No need to submit August 1. It would be best to apply directly to the business school, as it would be more difficult to transfer into business later. Will she be taking precalculus or calculus senior year? Pitt does expect at least precalculus be completed in high school (for business majors).
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According to U Pitt’s CDS for 2023-2024, standardized test scores are neither “very important” nor “important”, but they are “considered”. Much more important (very important) is academic rigor based on her high school classes. Even the application essay is more important to U Pitt than the SAT according to the CDS (common data set).
Average SAT for U Pitt’s business school according to P&Q is 1355.
Admit rate to U Pitt’s business school is slightly above 28%.
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https://admissions.pitt.edu/first-year-student/class-profile/
A 1240 is below the mid-50% SAT range for all of Pitt’s schools.
What math class will she have senior year?
I agree she should apply to Pitt as soon as the app opens and also try to take the SAT again if the timing could work out.
My understanding is that the University of Pittsburgh is standardized test optional through Fall of 2025.
Below the mid-50% for all “offered admission”. I suspect that the average SAT score for matriculated students is lower as the yield rate is just under 17% overall. Nevertheless, OP’s SAT score is low for U Pitt. We do not know whether OP has taken the most challenging courses at her high school; if not, then applying to the less competitive school and retaking the SAT could help her chances for admission.
Demonstrated interest…GO TO CAMPUS! Pitt LOVES demonstrated interest.
Take numerous tours. Take a general tour, take the Business day tour… take another one. This will absolutely help!
The also used to have on their Business page that you should take Calc. I can’t find that page anymore however I would strongly recommend Calc and Stats in HS.
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Agree that demonstrated interest is important as noted on U Pitt’s CDS for 2023-2024. This may be due to U Pitt’s declining yield rate (16.8% versus 21% & 22% in prior years).
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Depending where you live, transferring from a community college could work. Not sure if it’s still a guarantee but doing well at CCAC used to be pretty much a guaranteed transfer.
Agree that she should prep for SAT or ACT. Apply early and do a visit. Blue and Gold days are good.
We don’t have a composite range for enrolled students, but for Class of 2027 (only 40% submitted an SAT) the mid 50% range EBRW was 640-720 and Math 630-730 per the 2023-24 CDS. ACT mid 50% enrolled range was 29-33…higher than the likely SAT composite range, but only 10% of matriculants submitted an ACT score.
If OP doesn’t have time to retake a test before applying they should apply TO without any concerns about being disadvantaged due to the lack of a score.
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My daughter is a high school 2022 graduate and attends Pitt business.
I think it is highly like that your daughter will be directly admitted with her grades if she applies in August if she is taking calculus her senior year. She may be ok with precalculus, but I would feel far more confident if she is taking calculus and has good math grades overall.
When my daughter applied, I had the same concerns, so she contacted her admissions officer and asked what happens if she were to not be directly admitted to CBA. At that time the answer was that she would be considered for admission to Pitt (Dietrich) generally. To put it concisely, she could apply to CBA, not get admitted, but still be admitted to Pitt.
All schools are different, and colleges can certainly change their policies and approaches, so I would ask her admissions officer the same question. But in 2022, there was no downside to apply directly to CBA.
Transferring into CBA is not especially onerous, but not guaranteed:
If she is applying early, I don’t think she will need to worry at all about the community college recommendation, but I would encourage her to study for and re-take her SATs. Her grades are great, so a solid SAT, along with strong math performance, should all make a strong case for her for direct admission.
She is registered for SATs again on June 1st. She completed precalculus and AP Statistics this year. She also logged her 3rd year of Spanish, as we know Pitt recommends 3 years.
Thanks. We just attended a School of Business presentation and
the walking tour. She is also in touch with an admissions liaison and has joined their groups on social media.
She has taken precalculus and AP Statistics in her Junior year.
We did reach out to the Director of Admissions who gave the presentation she attended. Were told that she could apply to School of Business and if denied would have to make a request to be considered for Dietrich. It will not be automatic. However, we should know by September, which would still be on the early side to apply to Dietrich.
It’s all just so stressful!!
I appreciate the input.
If she has had 3 years of spanish, she also won’t need to take spanish as a business major unless she chooses global management. She places out of that requirement.
I am glad you asked and they clarified the current process.
She is on a good track for math, especially if calculus is on her schedule for next year.
She stands an excellent chance for direct admission, in my opinion, but as you recognize, that certainly isn’t a sure thing and it is pretty stressful. Knowing early, regardless of the outcome, is so helpful.
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