No tests scores, GPA stats, etc? Will they release at a later time?
Dont think they break down GPA/SAT stats by ED, EA and RD. But I might be wrong.
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Please read or watch the many posts Iâve made on the blog, instagram, and tiktok about why GPA stats are meaningless in selective admission. Similarly, I have many posts about testing. There is material the student hasnât had in 1-3 years (the math section of the SAT goes through Algebra 2/Trig). Thereâs a story in each application and it isnât told in numbers.
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Yes. EA is going to be released sometime before/around mid-February.
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Best of luck to everyone today!
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If GPA and standardized testing are without value, do you only consider essays and extracurriculars?
They are meaningless when comparing the vast numbers of applicants against one another. Schools weigh honors/AP classes differently. Some offer 20 AP classes while some offer few. Different schools may have notoriously harsh graders. A 4.0 student who never took an advanced class though their school offers them is different than a 3.8 student who took every honors and AP class they had access to. They look at GPA and test scores in conjunction with the transcripts, but how you perform on one day on a standardized test isnât nearly as informative as how well you handle semester long classes.
So, they matter in the context of a particular kid in conjunction with that particular kidâs transcript and their high school profile, but there isnât a hard number where every application above/below a set GPA/SAT score is automatically in or out.
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Thatâs not what I said at all. GPAs donât provide the level of detail needed to make a decision in a highly selective review. Transcripts show coursework and grades over 3-4 years. You can have students with identical GPAs and very different transcripts. Details and context matters!
Please take a look at the admission blog. Thereâs 19 years of posts and I go over whatâs important in our review pretty regularly. If you prefer video, I have years of videos on my instagram and tiktok accounts.
We also talk about this in our presentations, both here at UVA and when we visit high schools.
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They provide statistics in their CDS - https://ira.virginia.edu/data-analytics/cds/2023-2024
Roughly 65% of the admitted students submitted test results, with the following interquartile ranges:
SAT: 1410-1510
ACT: 32-34
These scores are high and it is also a significant percentage of admitted students submitting scores. I would interpret this as test scores being pretty important in the overall holistic evaluation. JMTC
People submitting testing doesnât change the fact that decisions arenât driven by the test scores. Even in the before times, we explained our review the same way - sustained classroom performance is always more impactful than a test score. What Iâm telling you, as someone who has been reading files for 19 years, is true. 
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Thanks, I never said that decisions are driven by test scores, I understand they are just a part of the overall review. You mention sustained classroom performance being more impactful than a test score, obviously the GPA is the measure of that. The GPA statistics in the CDS are on a 4.0 scale although it is not clear if they are weighted or unweighted. How does UVA make an âapples-to-applesâ comparison between different GPA scales? Is the GPA recalculated to a 4 scale? What weight is added for AP, honors, or DE classes? Thank you.
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Have you had a chance to read the blog or watch some videos? Iâve been sharing information about how we do things for 19 years.
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Yes, I saw a post from February 2021 but wasnât sure if I should interpret that as Virginia as a State doesnât standardize GPAs or UVA doesnât standardize GPAs when reviewing application files.
Virginia as a state doesnât standardize GPAs for public or private high schools. Itâs the wild west out there and makes âaverage GPAâ numbers pretty meaningless for any Va college or university thatâs reporting average admitted student GPA. UVA looks at a studentâs grades and rigor available to the student at their high school. GPA can be able indicator of grades and rigor in the context of the specific high school of the applicant. But UVA doesnât compare applicantsâ GPAs when the applicants are from different high schools and itâs pretty meaningless to compare them even for students at the same high school, because the students donât have the exact same list of courses (or rigor). Hope this helps.
And Dean J, hope you donât mind me answering!
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Thanks, Iâm just trying to understand the practical aspects of this. Sounds like GPAs are only meaningful within the context of oneâs high school and considering what rigor a student has maintained, a weighted GPA of sorts.
The way I understand is admission is holistic and they look at each course the applicant has taken within in the context of his high school. They give a academic score for each applicant.
The academic profile (gpa and test score) published in cds and elsewhere is to fulfill some institutional requirement and are not necessarily used directly in admissions.
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Put yourself in the admission officerâs chair. Youâre reading for the School of Engineering. The first student you see has a 4.8 GPA. They have never taken an advanced math or science class, but loaded up on advanced courses in other areas. Does that 4.8 override their math/sci work?
You have a student who wants to go into the Nursing school. Theyâve taken every advanced science course their school offers, plus an advanced course in every other core subject and they have flawless grades. But back in middle school, they got some lower grades in courses that show up on their transcript and are used in the GPA calculation. Are you worried about the GPA? (This is a pretty common thing here in VirginiaâŠmiddle school work gets put on transcripts in some districts.)
This is also a state where we have government and military workers who sometimes get moved around. GPAs usually get wrecked in school transfers.
You have to read the file to understand the studentâs path. GPAs donât tell admission officers what they need to know. A number does not tell the story.
And with that, Iâm stepping away to prep for the release. Best wishes to all the students getting decisions tonight! You have good times ahead of you, whether youâre at UVA or another lucky college!
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My kid is not happy today. He wanted to apply ED but circumstances didnât allow him to (EA instead). Good luck to all tonight. We will be in your shoes in two months!
Is there a page where people are reporting ED results?
@177RcFam237, this one. You can share results on this page.
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