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 Admissions & Financial Aid

Parents of Prospective Freshman

Applying | What We Look For | What to Expect

Applying

Note: International students should go to the 'International Students' link under 'Applying' above, to apply and for specific application instructions and deadlines.

ATTENTION APPLICANTS!!
A username and password is required to access our online application system. Both items may have already been automatically created for you. Before attempting to create a new username or password, click on the "Forgot your User Name or Password?" link found here to recover that information. Also, check your e-mail and spam filter. An e-mail containing your username and password may have been recently sent to you. Finally, you can contact our office at oafa@pitt.edu or 412-624-7488 to retrieve a username and password that may have already been created for you or if any assistance is needed.

A Two Way Street

We believe the admissions process is a two-way street and experience has shown that it can be more efficient when we work together to reach your goal. Contact us with your questions, you keep us informed, and we will keep you informed. Your application process will also be more effective if you make every effort to maintain open lines of communication with your guidance counselor and your parents.

Less Is More

You are probably applying to a number of colleges with varying procedures and requirements, so we've simplified our application process. With one completed application you will automatically be evaluated for eligibility for:

When Should I Apply?

We operate on a rolling admission policy. This means we will offer admission to qualified students on an ongoing basis until the class is full or until we are notified by the dean that admission is closed. It is to your advantage to plan ahead and apply early, as that spaces can fill up early in the admission cycle for smaller schools or programs such as the School of Pharmacy's conditional admission program.

Complete Your Application

You may apply with our printed application or online. Details of required supporting documentation are listed with each application.

When is my application considered complete?

Your application is considered complete for review and will be sent to the admissions committee when we have received:

  1. An online or paper application for admission.
  2. A $45 application fee.
  3. Official high school transcript.
  4. Official SAT I or ACT test results.
    Please arrange for all your official test results to be forwarded directly to Pitt from the testing agency. Contact information is listed, below:

    SAT I Identifying Code # 2927
    www.collegeboard.com/testing

    ACT Identifying Code # 3734
    www.act.org/aap/

Wondering if we have received your required credentials?

If you have applied and been assigned a user name and password, go to:

These portals allow you to check the status of your application at any time. Accessing this link will tell you if all of the required items—the application, the application fee, your test scores and your official transcript— have been received. Please note that these sites will not tell you if supplemental information such as an essay or letter of recommendation has been received. To confirm receipt of any items, or to address any concerns about the status of your application, you may contact the admissions processing center.

For contact information and more about these portals, click here.

What is 'supplemental information?'

Typically, it consists of a personal essay, statement of academic intent, or some other information about your interests and activities that will reveal more about you to the committee. Letters of recommendation from one to three people who can support your academic and personal objectives are also welcome. Note: If you want to be sure that supplemental information is considered in your review for admission, you should make every effort to submit this information at the same time as your application. For more detailed information about supplemental information and suggested personal essay questions, click here.

The Admissions Committee

When your file becomes complete, the processor will prepare it for admissions committee review. We receive close to 25,000 applications for about 3,540 freshman spaces but we review each application individually, in committee. The admissions committee is comprised of people who remain committed to the holistic review of each and every application, individuals who come from a variety of professions in higher education and bring a mix of perspectives, backgrounds, combined with many years experience to your review process.

Mailing Address

Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
4227 Fifth Avenue, Alumni Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260-6601




2012 Freshman Class Summary
Applications 24,871
Students Admitted 13,959
Students Deposited 3,678



Electronic Application
(domestic students, only)
Pay Application Fee
Printable Application (domestic students, only)
Request an Application
Recommendation Form
Transcript Request Form
Check My Application Status
Academic Scholarships
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
International Baccalaureate (IB) credit
Freshman Guarantees
for Graduate Programs
Options Program
Regional Campuses
University Honors College
Collegeboard.com
ACT
TOEFL.org

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