@trhbnhgth
Thank you! This is our first child going to colleges in US, so we didn’t really understand each colleges’ policy for merit. We’re middle class so no need based grants either. She will go to whoever offers her more. She’s majoring in Pharmacy. SUNY PharmD is good and half price of Pitt.
@Peimom , no one really understands how merit aid works from college to college. I think that TheVulcan’s post over the months show just that. Less debt for the family and the kid is the right move in many , many cases.
Be careful with SUNY Buffalo if she is considering doing pre-pharmacy there and wants to get into the PharmD program. I have heard from others that they couldn’t get in even with a 3.8 GPA, but that was a few years ago.
Also SUNY Buffalo only considered you a undergraduate student for pre-pharmacy year one and two. All PharmD years were graduate tuition.
I have looked at Ohio State (requires BS so 8 year program), Temple (3+4 program because physics is required), U Buffalo.
Pitt only requires 2 years pre-pharmacy, and if you have the GAP then you can be done in six years.
Any merit can be used for the first four years (pre-pharmacy year one and two, P2, P2).
I would recommend figuring out the program length and cost for the whole six, seven or 8 years at each school.
Prerequisites can vary a lot between programs as well.
For example SUNY Buffalo requires Calc 2 as well, and Biochemistry and microbiology, anatomy.
That can extend the pre-pharmacy phase.
Sadly, we didn’t have a positive experience with Pitt’s admissions process. Not that people were rude or anything, but we felt like a number. We loved the campus and the tour was amazing. My daughter did get in, but we aren’t going.
So, we applied to 9 colleges; some safety, middle and stretch ones. She got into all but 1. Lots of good choices. It was a rough year. We found out that her dad was terminal right smack in the middle of the SATs. Kinda hard to do well at that time as those two are very close. When turning in the scores, we mention this to the colleges. Eight of the nine colleges emailed her immediately stating that she would take this into consideration and how sorry they were. I really didn’t expect to hear back from any of these colleges, but we did. Guess who didn’t hear from at all? (Answer: Pitts). Some of these colleges have 3-4 times more applicants than Pitt as well. After that, we just didn’t feel connected to Pitt anymore.
The best was Penn State! She received a personal email from her admissions director and back and forth they went. We felt so comfortable with the school at that moment. Going into the college selection process, Pitt was her number 1 choice. Coming out of the process, it was Penn State and that’s where she is going! We definitely need a school that is sympathetic to the situation, as it only stands to get worse. Even though Penn has almost 46k on campus at University Park, they always make sure students feel special and welcomed.
is there a PittHonors groupchat?
I think the Honors College has a Facebook page.
Maybe GroupMe?
I think Penn State places more emphasis on GPA than test scores.
There are also lots of schools that are test optional.
I think Temple has such an option as well.
My S got some merit from IUP, it is renewable for four years and I think they increased the amount this year from $2,000 to $4,000 for new students.
The Cook Honors college there might also be an option for students with higher test scores.
i heard there’s a group chat but i don’t know how to find it or get on
Thanks all for helpful and rich discussion on this thread. Pitt was the first app my daughter submitted, her first acceptance, and after Honors acceptance was a really strong contender. I’m sorry I never got to see the campus (thanks, COVID!). Anyway, she’s narrowed her choices down to Bryn Mawr or Mount Holyoke so she’s letting the Pitt offer go. Best of luck to everyone (or you kid!) wherever this journey takes you!
I would like to know if any current UPITT students who can give me feedback on how good the pre-med study track/program is.
- Is it easy to get an appointment with Counselor and/or Honor Counselor?
- How large is the class size for general science classes?
- What is the acceptance rate to medical schools after you graduate from UPITT with pre-med studies.
Thanks.
@BichonBuzz - sorry to hear your Pitt experience was not great and sorry for the family health issues, I am sure she will do great at Penn State.
Hi @jentam I’m a current pre-med student at Pitt (wrapping up my first year right now)! For context, I’m a molecular biology and psychology double major so I’ve mainly been taking the foundational science classes and a few gen-eds. It is pretty easy to make an appointment with an advisor on campus with the new Navigate system we use (it allows online bookings) just be mindful of the time in the semester you’re requesting the appointment. For example, in October and February/March, getting appointments are harder because that’s when everyone has to meet with their advisor. As a freshman, you do meet with a pre-health advisor in a large group setting at the beginning of the year and then individually in your spring term. Afterward, you’ll have to meet with the advisor every semester in addition to your program advisor. Hope that helps with advising question!
Pitt is a really competitive pre-health school, some of our professors write questions for the MCAT and use those questions on our exams (kind of stressful during your first semester of college but you eventually get used to it). We have a 90-100% medical school acceptance rate with every pre-med student that applies to Pitt Medical School getting in (it’s pretty impressive). Lastly, because Pitt is a big pre-med school, expect your foundations of bio, general chemistry, psychology, statistics, and calculus classes to be pretty big (between 200-300 people). Recitations and labs help with making a large class feel small so it’s not too intimidating! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Hello PittStudent23
My daughter has been accepted to Pitt and she’s torn between this and Wisconsin. Both schools seem to have great Neuroscience programs, which is her intended major. Unfortunately, with COVID-19, we’ve been unable to visit either campus. As I know that PITT has gone to virtual learning, I’m wondering how that has been for you? Any recommendations that might help sway my daughter to Pitt?
I feel the need to comment on the med school statistics cited by @pittstudent23 above. My D is currently a senior at Pitt. While she is not a premed, she has had many friends and roommates who have been. I’m not sure about the accuracy of that 90-100% med school acceptance rate for those that apply to med school but I can say that most that start out as premed don’t end up applying. Of all my D’s friends who were premed at the start, there is only one that is actually still planning to apply to med school and she will be taking a gap year before applying. Many students get weeded out along the way. Organic chemistry was the killer for one of D’s closest friends. Premed is not a cakewalk anywhere.
@PlainwellDad - I would pick Pitt over UW in today’s financial climate. I think they have a better track record of prioritizing the education side of the university when push comes to shove.
She only just found out about acceptance to UW and it’s a Big Ten school which was her preference. However, Pitt is offering a fair amount of money which currently make it about half the price of UW.
@PlainwellDad - Pitt’s Neuroscience is ranked much higher than UW. Pitt seems like a better choice from academic and financial standpoint. Good luck!
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?country=united-states&subject=neuroscience-behavior
Online tour
@Itisatruth Pitt versus Bryn Mawr- that’s what my DD is now deciding upon. What an interesting contrast in options!! 
Good luck to your daughter!!
The PITTS’ virtual program was good but too many students asking questions that the Director could not answer or did not answer the hard ones. It would be good if they have smaller sessions for specific or popular majors such as pre-med or business like Hofstra did.