Asian American & Pacific Islander Student Union (Vice President)
Robotics (general member + international championship
Minority solidarity council (co-founder and board member)
Volunteered at robotics summer camps
Working at ice cream shop (~15 hours a week)
Worked as grocery store cashier in junior year (~20 hours a week)
Church volunteering in freshman year
Working to teach robotics/STEM to elementary schoolers (~4 hours a week)
Track and field (1 year)
Essays/LORs/Other
Teacher #1: AP Lang teacher, 8/10. Did good in the class but nothing extraordinary, really enjoyed some of my presentations
Teacher #2: AP Calc AB teacher, 7/10. Did good in the class, was very friendly with the teacher, still likes me.
Counselor LOR: Really likes me, probably 10/10.
Personal statement: Really unique essay about peace signs making me an extrovert and much more open/proud person
Cost Constraints / Budget
Grandparents and immediate family have thankfully saved enough to cover the cost of all my choices.
Schools
Admitted:
University of Minnesota (+ scholarship)
University of Oregon (+ scholarship)
Auburn
University of Miami (+ scholarship)
Waitlisted:
University of Virginia
Virginia Tech
Waiting:
Cal Poly SLO
UC Berkeley
Clemson (RD)
Context + Question
To start, I’m 99% going to commit to UMiami (and I’m really thankful, go Canes!) and I plan to sit on Vtech and UVA waitlist. And I’m not really concerned about CPSLO, Berkeley, and Clemson, though I would be interested to know if I had chances there. I’m mainly posting to see if y’all think I have any chance getting off Vtech or UVA waitlist. What do y’all think? Thank you.
Definitely accept your spots on the UVA and VT waitlists. There is no way to predict your chances of being selected off that list (which could go well into the summer this year because of the FAFSA debacle).
If either school goes to the waitlist, a student’s gender, major, and ability to pay will be part of decision…it all depends on what the class needs.
Good luck, and congratulations on some great acceptances and scholarships!
Do you prefer a BArch program (5 year NAAB accredited first professional degree) or a BA/BS program (that may reduce the time needed for dn MArch afterwards)?
Personally I want the 5 year bachelors program. But another big consideration for me is if the school offers construction management as an option to double major or minor with architecture.
I think your stats/ECs are strong and would not be out of place for VT architecture. However, we don’t know how many other architecture applicants are also on the waitlist.
In addition, they accept by major, so they are going to need to not be meeting their yield predictions for architecture (they have been admitting about 500-600 people looking for a class of around 125). Last year VT pulled 0 people (from any major) from the waitlist.
So, not impossible, but probably not likely.
If it weren’t such a good program AND a terrific bargain in-state, if it were my kid I would see that UMiami admittance (an excellent program from the looks of it) and suggest loving the school that loves you back!
So to add a little color and not specific to architecture - but Va Tech (which by all accounts is superior to UVA) took 0 students off the wait list last year - but then thousands the two years prior.
Now that they dropped ED, I’m not sure how it will go…but given a WL is a rejection but hedge for the school in case they under enroll, it is good to put your sights elsewhere - and then come back if it happens to revisit.
What is Virginia Tech’s history of selecting students from the waitlist?
In 2023, we were unable to offer any applicants from the waitlist. In 2022, we were able to offer 2,458 applicants from the waitlist. In 2021, we were able to offer 3,286 applicants from the waitlist. In 2020 we were able to offer 3,961 applicants from the waitlist. In 2019 we were unable to make any offers. In 2018 we were able to offer 1,896 applicants from our waitlist. As you can see, the number of students ultimately receiving offers from the waitlist is highly unpredictable and variable each year.
A waitlist is just that…a waitlist. You need to just wait and see. It’s not a rejection unless you receive notification that you have not been accepted.
As noted in years prior to last year, a couple thousand students were accepted off the Virginia Tech waitlist. I’d say…that is hardly a rejection for those students.
Please don’t think of a WL as a rejection, as the schools sometimes go deep into their WL one year and not another. It all depends on enrollment. And there is also the “summer melt” when there is more movement off WLs. So don’t give up. You might consider sending a letter of continued interest if it is truly your first choice and especially if you will attend if accepted.
Approximately 11,000 VT applicants who had been waitlisted were offered admissions over the last 5 years which means you stand a strong chance and haven’t been rejected.
When one is waitlisted, they have, in fact, been rejected by the school.
Different schools handle wait list differently and Va Tech has been very inconsistent numbers wise. As I noted, we don’t know how this year will go and they made a large change to their admissions policy by ending ED. I don’t know how that will impact.
Some schools admit tens or hundreds off WL and some more. It was interesting to see the sheer volume that Va Tech admitted in the past few years. And perhaps it will happen again.
But that does not change the fact that the student was not admitted - and that a Wait List standing does mean that yes, the student was rejected. But the schools keep the student on a list as a hedge for any unanticipated admission shortfall.
The point being - any WL student at any school needs to get giddy about their #2 choice.
And that’s all I said.
If it happens, it’s great and a student can revisit. But emotionally, they need to get pumped about #2.
Let’s not sugarcoat the reality of what a Wait List is. Students should know - they are here to true guidance.
I’m sorry that you don’t love my answer but it is not incorrect.
I think you all don’t understand what a wait list is.
When a student is on a Wait List, the school has said you are not being admitted.
It is a rejection.
Both my kids are WL and when you call the schools and ask, they tell you this.
But it’s a system for them…a hedge…in case they fall short and need more.
You are all missing the point of what I said - someone who is on a WL may get in if the school falls short. However, for emotional purposes, one needs to move on and that’s what I’m suggesting.
Here is what Va Tech says on the issue - but honestly, there really is no need to debate this. I’ve shared my thoughts - and while you may have different thoughts, please do not demean mine.
Therefore, we cannot answer questions about your chances of being selected for admission at this time . This year Virginia Tech received more than 52,000 applications and we expect 7,085 students to accept our offer and enroll. If we have fewer than 7,085 students accept our offer, we will offer admission to some of the students who chose to remain on our waitlist.
You should also explore other options in case we are unable to admit you from the waitlist for your chosen major. Many schools have a response deadline of May 1, 2024 .
