<p>Meaghan, me too. Many different perspectives and a lot of valid points. I do think that things will settle down in a few years as the college applicants from the baby boomer generation starts to decrease. I hope so as I have another one to go through this in about 4 years!</p>
<p>One other thought for in state kids trying to get into these great state schools is the guaranteed admission program all of them have with the Virginia Community Colleges. One community college, Richard Bland Community College, down near Petersburg, Va is actually building dorms for students to live in. They are a branch of The College of William and Mary. I know several of the professors there. They are sharp and the kids get a great start in the core classes they need to have. </p>
<p>Also, cartera45 I also agree with you about the change in the perception of the schools from 25-30 years ago. It is also interesting to read on here the different perceptions of the schools from different parts of the state and country. For example, your statement</p>
<p>“Now, in effect, in state kids have more choices. There are kids “choosing” some of the others over UVA and W&M - not just settling for them” </p>
<p>is so true. The “in” schools, or ones that most of my son’s classmates want to attend aren’t UVA or W&M, they are VT, JMU or CNU. At another hs just down the road most of the kids want UVA as their school of choice. George Mason is becoming very popular around here, too. Often it is word of mouth, where siblings had a good experience, etc. that makes these colleges “hot” to kids. I think it is grand that they have the options they have!</p>
<p>I graduated from Lake Braddock in NOVA a long time ago, but I have many relatives still in the area. IMO, that for the NOVA area, this kid’s stats are good - but not great. Remember, he is competing agains kids from the magnet school. Some mention is made of ECs, but not much, so maybe he is lacking in that area. If he is being compared from kids across the state - sure those are impressive test scores. But if he is being compared against Fairfax County kids only, he doesn’t shine that brightly. Also, even if he is only one of 2 Nat’l Merit kids at Robinson, that doesn’t mean that he’s one of the few top scorers on the actual SAT. At my d’d hs, many kids see huge improvements on the SAT relative to the PSAT (200 - 300 points), and the 240 PSAT kid this year “only” got a 2200 on the SATs. </p>
<p>These stories are circulating all over the nation right now - I was at a prty the other night & somebody was trying to scare us with the “incredible kid from our local HS who got in nowhere” story. I have to believe there is a back story we’re not seeing - risky or poor essay, questionable ECs, exaggerated stats, over-reliance on tragic circumstances as a hook, something. Remember, at most schools, admission is holistic - it’s not all about the test scores.</p>
<p>OOS enrollment is restricted at UVa, per the state legislature. I didn’t realize that wasn’t common knowledge.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>NorthEastMom2, you really cannot listen to all of these stories and take them for face value. One doesn’t know whether that applicant applied to only reach, and perhaps unrealistic reach schools. The Ivies are reach schools form nearly everyone. One does not know if there were behavioral issues with suspensions/expulsions involved. There might be some key details missing that the applicant’s family did not share. Sometimes only half truths are told.</p>
<p>Dean J - I think what many people want is for Virginia to limit it further - along the lines of North Carolina for example.</p>
<p>True, what is UVA limited to ? How close to 18% ? Also my daughters are both out of state and I am in most ways now a passive observer in this.</p>
<p>We must maintain a 2/3 : 1/3 ratio at UVa. </p>
<p>I’m not a budget expert, but with about 8% of the budget coming from the state government, other sources of funds (like OOS tuition) are very important here. If I’m reading the budget docs correctly (and I might not be), our neighbors to the south cover 22% of their flagship university’s budget with their tax money.</p>