<p>[Making</a> room for Virginia’s brightest in its best schools](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/29/AR2011012902546.html]Making”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/29/AR2011012902546.html)</p>
<p>An interesting article in the paper today…</p>
<p>Reactions?</p>
<p>You posted about this on the UVa and William and Mary forums also. I responded on the UVa forum so will not repeat myself here.</p>
<p>Virginia isn’t the only state dealing with this issue and NoVA shouldn’t be entitled to any more than it seems to think it is already.</p>
<p>I’m one of those OOS students who “stole” a spot at VT, and I’ll put my stats against anyone else’s gladly. I wanted the big-school feel, but didn’t want to stay in my own state and experience high school part two. Protectionist price raising and shutting out OOS students will see Virginia students get the same stiffarm from other states and that’s NOT what we want as a country. </p>
<p>I do, however, agree that regional quotas are stupid. Let the kids who worked their behinds off get into the best schools. There’s 24,000+ undergraduates here, many of whom fell back on VT as a safety and will coast through their four years here. I bet the university LOVES that and doesn’t for one second miss the potential successful alumni they shut out just because they were from NoVA. Because of stupid regional quotas, bright students from competitive regions go elsewhere with chips on their shoulders and that hurts VA.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal with that “I stole a spot” argument.</p>
<p>VA residents pay VA taxes, and VA taxes pay for these schools. They are not PRIVATE, they are Public, supported by not your folks who live in another state, but by us who live in VA.</p>
<p>Now before you start the paying OOS, that was your option to pay OOS to attend a public university, and the price of 30 some odd K, is still much cheaper than the 50K to attend Georgetown.</p>
<p>Also understand when you talk about NoVA education. VT does love that they are the back up for caliber reasons, BUT, as a NoVA resident, you can’t even begin to fathom how competitive it is here, mainly because these are state funded schools.</p>
<p>NoVA’s number 1 public school TJJHS is number 1 in the nation, the avg SAT for Fairfax schools are @1350 out of 1600. Yet, these colleges don’t want to be known as UVA-Fairfax. They take across the state, just like they take across the nation/world for OOS. They are being shut out because of where they live regarding their zip code.</p>
<p>As an IS parent I can say with 100% certainty, the 1st strike you have against you is if you live in Fairfax or PW county. Should the student be penalized because where they live?</p>
<p>If only 10% of VT’s operating budget is provided by the state, why should Virginia residents feel they deserve special treatment when I am paying 150% of the cost of education so they can have a huge discount in their tuition? The school does not want all of it’s students from one area or even from one state, so all of the superior NOVA students we hear so much about are not going to be able to get in, it’s not possible. There are many schools in Virginia and elsewhere…one out there for every student.</p>
<p>Please remember that all the fine schools in VA are that way because of YEARS of state taxpayer support. Thats why 2putters argument holds no water.</p>
<p>I think it is a shame that the state has cut back on its support for the colleges but the big schools (UVA, W&M, VT & JMU) actually bargained for this several years ago in exchange for more direct control over their tuition and management.</p>
<p>About the NOVA argument…I understand what people are saying…but is it really a matter of people being shut out because of where they live? When I was in HS, the college reps said that they compare applicants based on their area. I don’t know if that applies everywhere still…but that’s what we were told as HS seniors. If it IS true though, that means most qualified applicants from NOVA, Richmond, Hampton Roads, etc get in to certain schools. It would make the most sense if it was that way.</p>
<p>Another thing to think about in that article is that there’s a GPA mentioned, but it isn’t that big of an indicator of the student’s ability. The grade weighting for school systems vary so much…and a 3.99 in NOVA is much easier earned than a 3.99 in other school systems (like the one I went to HS for). And you also have to take other things into consideration with admission, like major. That also has a big role in whether a student gets admitted or not. Just my opinion, though.</p>
<p>On the “I stole a spot” argument…is that really the case? Colleges offer admissions to SO many students, it’d be hard to say that an OOS is taking the place of an IS student. Wouldn’t an IS student be rejected because they aren’t qualified for admission, not because there isn’t enough room or whatever?</p>
<p>There just seem to be a lot of factors that affect whether students get into the competitive schools…if only admissions would reveal what REALLY goes on.</p>
<p>I not only ‘stole a spot’ as an OOSer, I didn’t even have to pay OOS tuition.</p>
<p>But then I answered a bunch of questions on a message board so I think we’re even.</p>
<p>^ 
:)</p>
<p>I’m with chuy but wish I got the in state. Maybe I have to provide more advice?</p>
<p>“BUT, as a NoVA resident, you can’t even begin to fathom how competitive it is here”</p>
<p>Considering my HS (OOS) isn’t too far behind, I think I do understand 
and I don’t really admire the programs that much. I do respect TJ because of the volume of high performing students, but I came from a region with similar stats albeit with fewer kids. </p>
<p>If you’re really a competitive student, there’s a pretty good amount of scholarships for “Students born on the 400-500 block of this street in this county in Virginia” and things like that.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually only 2 yrs ago because so many students were not getting accepted from the Fairfax area they changed the system. NoVA was on a 7 pt scale and 4.5 w, whereas outside of that it was 10 pt. Thus Fairfax changed to 10 pt, and PW followed shortly after.</p>
<p>The idea that NoVA waters down their grades, is insane. The avg kid in Fairfax school system has @1300+ out of 1600. In other words score 1250, and you are in the bottom half or the stupid kid. That is pretty intense. I can’t remember whether it is McLean or Braddock or another HS, but it wasn’t TJ, and the avg SAT was 1350.</p>
<p>FX county taxes are so high because they put so much into the school budget. Their budget for their county is bigger than the lowest states in the nation. Out of all of their hs’s they have yr after yr many of them on the list for USNWR, Money, Time, Fortune, Newsweek, etc for top 100 hs’s in the nation. I am a realtor, and I can tell you people who are willing to spend 600K+ want FX County, not FX City. There is a difference. The same is true for the fact that they want to live in Alexandria, but have their kids go to FX County schools, not Alexandria’s system. For PW, they want them to go to PW schools, not Manassas, they want them to live west of 95. If they are going to pay county taxes, than they want the best county school.</p>
<p>Again, TJJHS which is public, Magnet for NoVA has been moved from public to private and they still are number 1 in the nation.</p>
<p>Our DD graduated Magna, top 7% at her hs, with the AICE program and ICSCE, her gpa was 4.37 w. She fought tooth and nail for those grades, and at the end of the day she did not get selected ED, but RD. Her friend that was down the road and not in a NOVA school with a lower gpa, less ECs got in ED.</p>
<p>Yes, majors do matter. With our DD’s stats when the VT rep came to the school to talk to the kids. She flat out said as a Psych major with your stats and coming from NoVa, her odds were being on the cusp at best. She wanted VT, and decided to go Soc instead with a Psych minor. </p>
<p>It worked for her. Now after taking Soc classes she no longer wants Psych at all.</p>
<p>Her roommate is an Arch major from Richmond. Had outstanding stats, but the fact is Arch at VT is probably harder to get in than engineering. </p>
<p>Point being I disagree about 3.99 gpas, but I agree major intention will matter in the decision.</p>
<p>Plus, Legacy at VT is a big deal. They are one of the few colleges I know that take siblings into account regarding this issue, most only consider parents, and even then it is not a hook.</p>
<p>Finally, as a parent who pays OOS for our DS 1, please don’t play that I pay 150% card to carry your IS students. Do I like seeing a 40K bill for OOS? No, but I also don’t believe that I am carrying the load because we pay 3 X more. I get it, it was our choice. I also get that as a resident they pay.</p>
<p>That is the fact, you opted to pay for it, just like we did. You don’t pay state o RE taxes every yr and everyday (food, clothing, etc) to the state of VA. 7% on everything you buy, multiply it by 18 yrs, and I think we are even.</p>
<p>In the end of the day each college wants diversity and that doesn’t only come from different counties. different skin colors, different majors, but also from Outside the State. Diversity is good.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sounds like where I went to HS needs to change to the 10 point scale, too. They’re still on a 6 pt scale. What was NoVA’s weighting like beforehand?</p>
<p>My point was that, based on what I’ve seen and experienced, a 3.99 with NoVA’s weighting and grading scale (now, anyway) is easier to earn than a 3.99 where I went to HS. </p>
<p>I didn’t mean to say the grades were watered down. I know that that is far from the truth. The high schools in my area aren’t competitive really, but the HS I went to was pretty competitive. Maybe not NoVA competitive, but still. (I know at a certain VA high school event, it was always my school v. TJ getting awards. Haha)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>^ Very true.</p>