UVA - "holistic" vs GPA

[Anonymous]

Last year I remember reading Dean J's blog, where she said that UVA looks at their applicants in a holistic manner.

I beg to differ - our snowflake earned/carried a non-academic national title; got an 800 on her math SAT first time (1520 total - a little low for the HS); spent 20 hours/week through most of the school year in performing arts, and still managed to get A's and some B's at a Governor STEM school. (A 50/100 could easily be the median on a math or science test prior to a retake at this school.) Snowflake was rejected EA despite submitting an Arts portfolio with an extra essay - all showing a desire to attend our state's flagship university as a legacy.

I am not trying to bash UVA - I went there because I could get a great education at a lower cost (despite being out of state) and save money for medical school. I made some great life-long friends - all of whom were very bright - and was able to study abroad as well. I also was fortunate enough to benefit from the Echols program.

However, the bottom line now for NoVA applicants is the GPA. Anything else is icing on top - or perhaps just the cherry.

It is much worse if you attend the Gov School, where honors classes can be a lot harder than AP's at base schools. Many/most kids from this school could easily survive/thrive at UVA, but they are rejected. Meanwhile, others who are accepted may struggle once there...

(BTW, soon after the UVA rejection, our snowflake was accepted to the 2021 Forbes #1 Top College - a public institution for the first time - and is having a great time there. We are obviously paying a heck of a lot more out of state, but DC is getting a world-class education.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year I remember reading Dean J's blog, where she said that UVA looks at their applicants in a holistic manner.

I beg to differ - our snowflake earned/carried a non-academic national title; got an 800 on the math SAT first time (1520 total - a little low for the HS); spent 20 hours/week through most of the school year in performing arts, and still managed to get A's and some B's at a Governor STEM school. (A 50/100 could easily be the median on a math or science test prior to a retake at this school.) Snowflake was rejected EA despite submitting an Arts portfolio with an extra essay - all showing a desire to attend our state's flagship university as a legacy.

I am not trying to bash UVA - I went there because I could get a great education at a lower cost (despite being out of state) and save money for medical school. I made some great life-long friends - all of whom were very bright - and was able to study abroad as well. I also was fortunate enough to benefit from the Echols program.

However, the bottom line now for NoVA applicants is the GPA. Anything else is icing on top - or perhaps just the cherry.

It is much worse if you attend the Gov School, where honors classes can be a lot harder than AP's at base schools. Many/most kids from this school could easily survive/thrive at UVA, but they are rejected. Meanwhile, others who are accepted may struggle once there...

(BTW, soon after the UVA rejection, our snowflake was accepted to the 2021 Forbes #1 Top College - a public institution for the first time - and is having a great time there. We are obviously paying a heck of a lot more out of state, but DC is getting a world-class education.)

[Anonymous]

You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and one more thing: UVA has an extremely high graduation rate, way higher than Berkeley, so it obviously doesn't have a lot of "struggling" students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

I assure you that not all UVA students have "extraordinarily high academic achievement." I went there so I know. (The really bright ones I mentioned were Jefferson or Echols scholars.)

My snowflake didn't have the goods as far as the GPA because DC was busy attending TJ and doing other things that kept DC happy/fulfilled. As a parent, I actually wish DC studied more and was more focused. DC has the other parent's brain and is actually far more intellectually capable than I ever was - but I accept it is a very different generation.

I used my student as the example to show that UVA admissions are mostly GPA-based - and they do not seem to care that one school's GPA is not the same as another.

As far as UVA having a "way higher graduation rate" than Berkeley, it's like comparing apples to oranges. UCB has a global reputation and ranking that UVA does not. (UVA ranked 30 on the Forbes list.) UCB has been ranked the #1 Global Public University and the #4 Global University for 8 yrs in a row by good old USNews. (UVA is #110 in the latter.)

Again, I'm not bashing UVA - it's a great school for those it accepts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

I assure you that not all UVA students have "extraordinarily high academic achievement." I went there so I know. (The really bright ones I mentioned were Jefferson or Echols scholars.)

My snowflake didn't have the goods as far as the GPA because DC was busy attending TJ and doing other things that kept DC happy/fulfilled. As a parent, I actually wish DC studied more and was more focused. DC has the other parent's brain and is actually far more intellectually capable than I ever was - but I accept it is a very different generation.

I used my student as the example to show that UVA admissions are mostly GPA-based - and they do not seem to care that one school's GPA is not the same as another.

As far as UVA having a "way higher graduation rate" than Berkeley, it's like comparing apples to oranges. UCB has a global reputation and ranking that UVA does not. (UVA ranked 30 on the Forbes list.) UCB has been ranked the #1 Global Public University and the #4 Global University for 8 yrs in a row by good old USNews. (UVA is #110 in the latter.)

Again, I'm not bashing UVA - it's a great school for those it accepts.

No, you don't know. You graduated decades ago. I had two kids go to UVA long after you did, and I don't think either of them would likely get in today. You can't compare the student body of the 1990s with the 2010s.

Your kid didn't cut it in today's more competitive UVA admissions environment. So sorry. You don't need to be so bitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

I assure you that not all UVA students have "extraordinarily high academic achievement." I went there so I know. (The really bright ones I mentioned were Jefferson or Echols scholars.)

My snowflake didn't have the goods as far as the GPA because DC was busy attending TJ and doing other things that kept DC happy/fulfilled. As a parent, I actually wish DC studied more and was more focused. DC has the other parent's brain and is actually far more intellectually capable than I ever was - but I accept it is a very different generation.

I used my student as the example to show that UVA admissions are mostly GPA-based - and they do not seem to care that one school's GPA is not the same as another.

As far as UVA having a "way higher graduation rate" than Berkeley, it's like comparing apples to oranges. UCB has a global reputation and ranking that UVA does not. (UVA ranked 30 on the Forbes list.) UCB has been ranked the #1 Global Public University and the #4 Global University for 8 yrs in a row by good old USNews. (UVA is #110 in the latter.)

Again, I'm not bashing UVA - it's a great school for those it accepts.

I'm not bitter - if I were, I would be bashing UVA. Was I surprised initially, yes, but I got over it. This post was meant for other parents who might think the way we did - so they will encourage their kids to either apply ED or forget UVA. But also to point out that UVA really needs to rethink the way it looks at grades from TJ.

What is your point?

No, you don't know. You graduated decades ago. I had two kids go to UVA long after you did, and I don't think either of them would likely get in today. You can't compare the student body of the 1990s with the 2010s.

Your kid didn't cut it in today's more competitive UVA admissions environment. So sorry. You don't need to be so bitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

I assure you that not all UVA students have "extraordinarily high academic achievement." I went there so I know. (The really bright ones I mentioned were Jefferson or Echols scholars.)

My snowflake didn't have the goods as far as the GPA because DC was busy attending TJ and doing other things that kept DC happy/fulfilled. As a parent, I actually wish DC studied more and was more focused. DC has the other parent's brain and is actually far more intellectually capable than I ever was - but I accept it is a very different generation.

I used my student as the example to show that UVA admissions are mostly GPA-based - and they do not seem to care that one school's GPA is not the same as another.

As far as UVA having a "way higher graduation rate" than Berkeley, it's like comparing apples to oranges. UCB has a global reputation and ranking that UVA does not. (UVA ranked 30 on the Forbes list.) UCB has been ranked the #1 Global Public University and the #4 Global University for 8 yrs in a row by good old USNews. (UVA is #110 in the latter.)

Again, I'm not bashing UVA - it's a great school for those it accepts.

I'm not bitter - if I were, I would be bashing UVA. Was I surprised initially, yes, but I got over it. This post was meant for other parents who might think the way we did - so they will encourage their kids to either apply ED or forget UVA. But also to point out that UVA really needs to rethink the way it looks at grades from TJ.

What is your point?

[Anonymous]

LOL. I’m one of those unimpressive non-Echols/Jefferson Scholar UVA students OP presumably attended with 30 years ago, and I just can’t possibly imagine being this pathetically bitter over my kid not getting in to UVA.

For real, who cares? You created a whole new thread months? years? after your kid got rejected, reciting all of their stats and analyzing/rationalizing the reason for their rejection. They are attending another school and according to you are happy. This is really eating at you in an unhealthy way. Please, OP, step away and reflect. Stop embarrassing yourself.

[Anonymous]

Still utter? Odd. My DS is a first year and he knows tons of TJ students there. The problem is not UVA but TJ. They can accept them all even though I’m sure they are all well qualified. Quite insulting however to propose that non TJ kids are going to struggle. My DS has a 4.0 as of right now, not struggling in the least. He has an extremely high GPA from just a plain ol NOVA public.

That said, I do agree it’s ALL about GPA for UVA in state. Hands down.

[Anonymous]

Meant to type “CAN’T accept them all”

[Anonymous]

Omg and still bitter! Sorry typing while in line at Starbucks lol

[Anonymous]

TJ is different. It is harder for TJ kids to get into UVA.

[Anonymous]

Almost 2/3 of TJ applicants to UVA are rejected. Just because the applicant attends TJ should not give them special treatment. They are compared with other applicants from the same school, and GPA provides evidence about class rank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what holistic admissions means. It means you first have to have the goods -- extraordinarily high academic achievement -- before all the other stuff counts. Your kid didn't have the goods.

No, it doesn’t. It means the school admissions team can define “have the goods” any way they want to.