<p>sevmom, I have to whole-heartedly disagree with just about everything you said. Tons of brilliant kids from my school go to UVa every year because of a number of factors.</p>
<p>Simply because a school is good at spewing out propaganda (and I have had this experience with MANY private colleges as had everyone else) rarely means anything about the school. If fact, I am always a little upset that so many private schools waste their money sending out hundreds of thousands of booklets to students that most of the time could not care less about that school, and then charge upwards of 50k a year!</p>
<p>From what you said, your son did not have better stats than I do (34ACT~1560-1590, your son had a 1480) and there is no test he could have gotten an 800 on that involves calc bc… even so, it almost seems as though your implying that likely/rodman/echols selection is based only on stats, as if a fantastic essay and great ec’s wouldn’t outweigh one bad day of testing.</p>
<p>I know a guy with an 800 math SAT that got denied from Virginia Tech. What does that mean? nothing. He was brilliant stoner and they saw right through him. PLEASE don’t think i am trying to imply anything about anyone on here, I am just giving an example of a time when test scores were not everything (because they never are).</p>
<p>I’m really sorry if I come off as offensive, but I can get frustrated when people don’t look at the big picture. Take this as my rant for the day, no hard feelings servmom!</p>
<p>btw, I got a C in pre-calculus my sophmore year, and I still got a likely letter. Sure, I made up for it with A’s in calc BC, multivariable calculus, and IB HL Math, but that C is still sitting on my transcript glaring at adcoms.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response, Dean J. I had not said previously that my son had applied elsewhere, only that he had considered doing so. He is very happy at UVa-cannot see him elsewhere. Had great EC’s as well as very good stats so definitely was a candidate that would have been competitive at UVa and other schools. He did ED and so was not one that could have/would have gotten a likely letter. I understand the fiscal restraints on public schools but think that sometimes the top kids do look elsewhere (thst seems to vary by the school in Virginia)because they do not get the same attention as they do from other top schools. UVa is great, a wonderful fit for many.</p>
<p>Sorry, Ehiunno, I meant 800 on math sat II, 5 on AP calc bc,etc. all with little or no prep from public school. My point remains that even with an holistic approach, UVa might need to reach out more to instate students with high stats (even via email?). There is about a 66% state mandate for instate students- average SAT much lower than out of state. If this is not correct . let me know. Anyone with 1350-1400 + SAT’s(looking at holistic approach as most top schools do) with good EC’s, varsity sports,rec’s,etc. should be competitive at most top schools. If there are no financial/logistical restraints/legacy issues where we are, those top students sometimes look elsewhere-all I’m trying to say-love UVa!. An email for instance to top instate candidates would be nice ( and my thought would be all the top schools can get lists of those scoring 1350-1400 and above) just letting these seventeen year olds know that the school knows they have other choices out of state but hope they will keep UVa in mind. . Some schools in Virginia seem to send a disproportionate number of students to UVa, like TJ and NA. Some families in Virginia seem to send their kids from the day one to schools that they think will get their kids into UVa, especially legacies.It’s a very sought after school,specially for native Virginians (which I am not). I feel very fortunate to have our kid there, paying instate tuition. Sorry if my post was interpreted negatively.</p>
<p>So the Regular Decision letters have not came out yet? This topic is kinda confusing meaning that all who post here think they are getting letters? Please clarify.</p>
<p>I have yet to post, but I have recieved the aforementioned “likely letter” as well as the first “URM” letter…and I assume that everyone else has gotten a likely letter who’s been here too! :D</p>
!!! I appreciate what you’re implying but what you’re saying makes it difficult not to read “less-than-wow” into the lack of a “likely” letter. Though I’m bolstered (and sharing for that reason) by the fact that my oldest never got such a letter three years ago, either, and she was a NMS finalist w/excellent SAT/GPA/etc., and was accepted RD. It seems a bit capricious but I guess it all has something to do with recruitment tactics. Regardless, a “likely” letter says, “You’re the one that we want!”, and all others are then something less by default. :(</p>
<p>I’m going to let the students take this thread back.</p>
<p>I will no longer address likely letters or respond to comments about them. There are other topics to discuss that won’t be like beating the proverbial dead horse.</p>
<p>Once again, congratulations to those who have a letter. To the rest, hang in there!</p>
<p>Dean J,
Sorry if you thought my reply as a parent inappropriate. I guess I don’t understand the purpose of the letter and wanted to let others know from my D’s experience that—as you’ve said—it doesn’t mean you won’t get an admission offer. I’ll stay out of it.</p>
<p>what date is UVA going to notify everyone else? Will the decision for Echols come in the mail or will we be able to view it online with our decision?</p>
<p>** I did not get Likely Letter but am a Jefferson Scholarship Finalist so I’m in already, but maybe it can give some people an idea about acceptees who don’t get early letters.**</p>
<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: 2200 (730 CR, 770 M, 700 W)
[</em>] SAT II: Math II 800, Bio M 700, US Hist 790
[<em>] AP/IB taken/scores: US History 5, English Lang 5, Calc AB 5
[</em>] GPA weighted: unknown, my school is weird
[<em>] GPA unweighted: on a 4.0 scale with only acedmic classes it’s 3.79 for teh first three years of HS
[</em>] Rank or % estimate: Top 20%</p>
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: Personal was about my mother and he disability, I thought it was very good and everyone who read it did too. I chose the question on the validity of learning history and wrote a good response citing a speech I once heard. For the Arts & Sciences question I wrote about learning to love rock music and my favorite album (Dusk at Cubist Castle by The Olivia Tremor Control). It was a little cheesy but I guess it came out ok. That was definitely my weakest one.
[</em>] Teacher Recs: I assume great.
[<em>] Counselor Rec: Same
[</em>] Hook (if any): Jefferson Scholarship? I’m pretty sure I would have had a much harder time getting in to the University if my interview committee hadn’t suggested I be chosen as a national finalist. Interview’s are my strong suit so luckily I could do that through the scholarship program.</p>
<p>[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: New Jersey
[</em>] School Type: Small Public
[<em>] Ethnicity: White/Jewish
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Legacy Yes/No: No
[</em>] Recruited Yes/No: No
[li] Important ECs: Track, Cross Country, Model UN, Religious School, Basketball, NHS President</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors: As I said, I really think I wouldn’t have gotten in had it not been for my Jefferson interviews. I don’t know exactly how the whole communication between admissions and the scholarship foundation works, but thats just what I think.</p>
<p>General Comments/Congratulations/etc: Very excited and relieved, waiting to hear back from other places and looking forward to the scholarship selection weekend.</p>
<p>If I’m not mistaken, the point of the likely letters may be this: these are kids who have demonstrated in their application that they are not only great UVa material, but possibly great material for other top schools and possibly Ivies. Because UVa recognizes the possible loss of these students from their matriculating students, the likely letter is a way of reaching out to them and saying we really want you to choose UVa when it comes time to make your decision. That’s just my take on it.</p>
<p>My son did not compete early for the Jefferson and other scholar programs at UVa because they were only open to those willing to apply early with binding and commit to UVa. This is the practice that I don’t understand at Virginia, because it certainly closes the door to other great schools for these students. If he didn’t get the Jefferson, he’d still have to attend UVa, even if he could have gotten a similar program elsewhere. It would be great if it was understood that if you didn’t get the scholarship you would be free to attend elsewhere. But will this be cleared up with the doing away of Early Decision? Perhaps this is a topic for another thread.</p>
<p>The University itself doesn’t require you to apply ED to be a candidate for Jefferson. However since a school can only nominate one person, understandably (IMO) they usually will want to go with someone applying ED. It’s a very competitive oppurtunity and they want to be reasonably assured they’re giving to someone who will in fact matriculate to UVA. Otherwise the person gets in somewhere else, decides to go there, and meanwhile there are other kids who are committing to UVa and could have been given that opportunity. That said my class’s Jefferson nominee did not apply ED. Echols and Rodman are also open to RD applicants.</p>
<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: 2170 (740CR/640M/790W)
[</em>] SAT II: 620 Lit, 650 Math II, 600 World Hist (Sucks.)
[<em>] ACT: n/a
[</em>] AP/IB taken/scores: n/a
[<em>] GPA: 91-92ish (unweighted, I think; school doesn’t do 4.0 scale)
[</em>] Rank or % estimate: top 5% (not sure)/187</p>
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: really good, unique
[</em>] Teacher Recs: great
[<em>] Counselor Rec: pretty good
[</em>] Hook (if any): very well rounded</p>
<p>[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: Philippines
[</em>] School Type: Private (sectarian)
[<em>] Ethnicity: Asian (Filipino)
[</em>] Gender: F
[<em>] Legacy: No
[</em>] Recruited: No, but I’m hoping to play softball. I’ll be talking to the coach for the late signing period.
[li] Important ECs: SHS Varsity Softball Team, 4 years Student Government, Voices Newsletter Club - Asst. Features Ed, Peer Facilitating Club, Softball Club, Softball Intramurals (team captain), lots of volunteer outreach stuff[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>Other Factors: I applied for Pre-Commerce. I’m an American citizen (thank goodness I’m eligible for financial aid).</p>
<p>General Comments/Congratulations/etc: Ok, I know I’m not nearly as impressive as some of the others here…but I’m so happy I got a letter! I’ve been dreaming of this school for years now!! It’s so awesome!!</p>
<p>I can’t wait for April!! I’m still waiting for my other schools because my decision’s gonna be affected by the financial aid awards as well. But I want to go here!!</p>
<p>Dean J is right, we kinda hijacked the thread</p>
<p>Anyways, major congrats to all of you who got letters. I and my couple of other friends who got them are all very excited. It is good to know we have UVa as an option now that we are starting to think about where we are going to want to be in the fall. Now that I am starting to think about exactly what school I want to make my home for the next four years, it is good to know I have a school like UVa I can consider before I hear back from a lot of the other schools I applied to (giving UVa a big advantage)</p>
I’m still waiting for my other schools because my decision’s gonna be affected by the financial aid awards as well. But I want to go here!!</p>