How to Get Into UPitt: Acceptance Rate & Strategies
University of Pittsburgh admissions: introduction
Are you considering applying to UPitt? You're in good company! In the last application cycle, about 53,000 students applied. We'll focus on the Pittsburgh campus in this post.
Keep reading to learn about acceptance rates for each round of applications, the GPA and ACT score or SAT score that will make you competitive, tips for applying, and more.
It's a lot to keep track of. If you'd like some help navigating the University of Pittsburgh admissions process, I'd be delighted to work with your family! You can book a one-on-one consultation here and sign up for online classes here.
Also, I'm going to level with you. This is an SEO post. If you want to see how I write for normal people, not for Google, here's my Substack.
Bottom line up front
In case you're here just to see the numbers, here they are:
First-year acceptance rate: 49%
Transfer acceptance rate: 46%
SAT composite: 1280-1470
SAT EBRW: 640-720
SAT Math: 640-750
ACT composite: 29-33
ACT Math: 26-32
ACT English: 28-35
How hard is it to get admitted to the University of Pittsburgh?
Refreshingly easy! The college is not too selective, and I don't mean that as an insult! UPitt's overall acceptance rate is about 49%. Other schools try to look extra selective by encouraging students with no chance of admission to apply or restrict supply.
To learn more about choosing safety, target, and reach schools, take Clarke College Insight's online course on "making the list." And read on for more specific admission statistics for men, women, and transfer applicants.
University of Pittsburgh admissions statistics
For first-year students entering in the fall of 2022, the overall acceptance rate was 49%. The overall acceptance rate for women was 52%, and the overall acceptance rate for men was 48%. UPitt does not have an early decision or early action program, so there's just the one round.
University of Pittsburgh transfer acceptance rate
For transfer students entering in the fall of 2022, the overall transfer acceptance rate was 46%. The transfer acceptance rate for women was 46%. The transfer acceptance rate for men was also 46%. Refreshingly, again, UPitt is less selective in its transfer admissions than many colleges with similar SAT ranges.
How hard is it to get off the waitlist at the University of Pittsburgh?
The waitlist admission statistics at UPitt are encouraging. Of the applicants who accepted places on the waitlist, 44% were eventually admitted.
What is a good GPA for the University of Pittsburgh?
The average GPA for the last incoming class was 4.16. UPitt also provides class rank information for the incoming freshman class:
Percent in top 10% of high school class: 56%
Percent in top 25% of high school class: 89%
Percent in top 50% of high school class: 99%
Percent in bottom 50% of high school class: 1%
If you’re in the top quarter of your class, the University of Pittsburgh is probably a good option. If you're in the lower half of your class, it's probably prudent to leave this college off your list. In between the top quarter and the bottom half? Let’s talk about it.
What is a good SAT score or ACT score for the University of Pittsburgh?
Comparing your SAT or ACT scores against those of the "middle 50" of colleges you're interested is a crucial step in deciding whether it's worth your time to apply. The middle 50 gives us more information than average scores do.
What is the middle 50? In statistics, another term for this range is the interquartile range: the range between the 25th and 75th percentiles. That may sound intimidating, but it's an easy concept to grasp once someone explains it to you.
The middle 50 range for test scores tells us what the middle half of freshmen UPitt students got on the test. That means a quarter of enrolled students got lower scores, and a quarter got higher scores.
Here are the middle 50 ranges for the University of Pittsburgh.
SAT composite: 1280-1470
SAT EBRW: 640-720
SAT Math: 640-750
ACT composite: 29-33
ACT Math: 26-32
ACT English: 28-35
If your scores are in that range, UPitt could be a good option for you. If your test scores fall below those ranges, it's probably best not to put UPitt on your list.
Tips for applying to the University of Pittsburgh
To get into UPitt, you need to meet its academic threshold and stand out in a good way among other applicants.
Aim to have an appealing high school transcript ready before fall semester of senior year. Specifically, aim to take as many AP, IB, or community college classes as you can, within reason, and get good grades in them. Your transcript--the classes you take and your high school GPA--are crucial for surviving the first round of cuts. To find out what "within reason" means and strategies to achieve that attractive transcript with minimal stress, take my online class on academics.
Send in ACT scores or SAT scores! Even at test-optional colleges like UPitt, score-submitters generally get in at higher rates. To find out the evidence-based way to achieve the highest ACT score or SAT score possible--with minimal stress and hassle and without taking time and attention away from schoolwork--take my online class.
Choose extracurriculars that are likely to fill a talent gap in the student body and focus on just a few. Aim to be specialized rather than well-rounded. For the full checklist of traits that will let you choose extracurriculars that you AND admissions officers will like, take my online class on extracurriculars.
Visit campus if you can, ideally some time when classes are in session. Arrange your visit through the admission office, or at least mention it to them by email, and try to meet with a student group and a professor of interest. Attend a class, if you can. Take notes and use them to write a compelling essay about why you like UPitt in particular. Those college-specific details are a great way for prospective students to show that they're likely to enroll if admitted.
Don't recycle your "why us?" essays from other schools without those UPitt-specific details. If you explain what you want to study, make sure it's one of the majors that UPitt offers.
Give your recommendation letter writers plenty of lead time, so no subconscious resentment about a last-minute hassle bleeds into their prose. The end of junior year is best. Equip them with brag sheets that do most of the work for them and show off your best traits.
For personalized guidance for your child's strengths and college goals, you can book a one-on-one consultation here. I look forward to working with your family!
More about UPitt
The University of Pittsburgh is a public college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its main campus is in Pittsburgh proper, and it has satellite campuses in Bradford, PA; Greensburg, PA; Johnstown, PA; and Titusville, PA.
In the fall of 2022, the total undergraduate enrollment at its main Pittsburgh campus was 19,803. 921 of those undergraduates were international students. There are fewer international students at the regional campuses--usually about a dozen a class.
UPitt is an NCAA Division I school.
In-state tuition is $20,154, and out-of-state tuition is $38,520.
