UVA - Holistic Review

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

Same scenario here. Counselor didn’t mention language requirements for some schools after Sophomore year. Ds doesn’t have any … only the rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

Same scenario here. Counselor didn’t mention language requirements for some schools after Sophomore year. Ds doesn’t have any … only the rigor.

Hmm, I don’t think the counselor would mention that, but the transcript should show all the language classes he has taken since 6th grade.
I guess I just have to hope they notice that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course Dean J says its 'holistic'. Makes her job look important.

But in reality they have too many applications to sort through.

At TJ ( I am looking at Naviance as I type this) not a SINGLE applicant was declined if they had GPA over 4.47

and

not a SINGLE application got accepted if the GPA was below 4.32

Clearly they are based of GPA. The Naviance chart looks like those weather forecasts...with a clear 'front' of accepts, behind which are declines..

It was a rough year for TJ students last year who wanted UVA…..lots waitlisted.

Did many eventually get admitted from the waitlist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our oos private, UVA are more stats driven than holistic.

Same here, There is a GPA line each year (and for what it's worth it's really high--Ivy level).

Pp, definitely lower than Ivy level at our private, more like A- and up, which is maybe top third class.

Two years ago, we knew kids who got into UVA who were very good students, but they had not gotten into their first choice Ivies. So no I would not say that UVA is Ivy level. Ivy level is insane these days.

Classmate of my kid (NoVA) got into Yale (early action) and Brown (RD) and was rejected by UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

Last cycle, my DC got into UVA arts and sciences and only took 2 years of language in high school (3rd level and AP).

[Anonymous]

My DD is struggling with what to do on science next year. AP Biology and AP Chemistry take up two class periods at her high school. She’s taken honors biology, chemistry and physics. She knows she should take AP Bio or AP Chem but it will mean she cannot be in orchestra.

Other option is to take AP environmental science but she knows that probably won’t be enough to UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

Same scenario here. Counselor didn’t mention language requirements for some schools after Sophomore year. Ds doesn’t have any … only the rigor.

Hmm, I don’t think the counselor would mention that, but the transcript should show all the language classes he has taken since 6th grade.
I guess I just have to hope they notice that.

PP with McLean/Langley DC. HS counselor noted that UVA does know about the credits for middle school language courses. It shows up on the transcript.

Our DC had 3 years of one language, stopped short of the 4th year for that language, and then took 2 years of another language. DC also did not take any AP science courses other than AP Environmental Science, and had Bs and B+s in that course, as well as in APs in English lang, government, calc AB and stats, and a B+ in the 3rd year of the first foreign language.

DC is now a 2nd year at CAS.

I provide this information to respond to the posters who keep repeating that one "must get all As, take all APs and get a 1600 SAT" to get into UVA, inclusive of 4 years of a foreign language culminating in AP. You don't. If your DC has the grand slam of qualifications, that's great; your DC will get into UVA and a lot of good schools.

Mine didn't. That's where the holistic part comes in. DC took courses of highest rigor for CAS (I think a STEM DC should probably take more AP sciences and do better in them than my DC, LOL), with Bs in many of them, with a probable minor ding for not getting to the 4th year of the initial foreign language, which I guess taking the 2 years of the other foreign language helped.

So is my DC an anomaly in the statistically driven approach of UVA? I guess so, but that's where the holistic part came in. For my DC, the holistic factors kicked in and UVA accepted the DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

Same scenario here. Counselor didn’t mention language requirements for some schools after Sophomore year. Ds doesn’t have any … only the rigor.

Hmm, I don’t think the counselor would mention that, but the transcript should show all the language classes he has taken since 6th grade.
I guess I just have to hope they notice that.

PP with McLean/Langley DC. HS counselor noted that UVA does know about the credits for middle school language courses. It shows up on the transcript.

Our DC had 3 years of one language, stopped short of the 4th year for that language, and then took 2 years of another language. DC also did not take any AP science courses other than AP Environmental Science, and had Bs and B+s in that course, as well as in APs in English lang, government, calc AB and stats, and a B+ in the 3rd year of the first foreign language.

DC is now a 2nd year at CAS.

I provide this information to respond to the posters who keep repeating that one "must get all As, take all APs and get a 1600 SAT" to get into UVA, inclusive of 4 years of a foreign language culminating in AP. You don't. If your DC has the grand slam of qualifications, that's great; your DC will get into UVA and a lot of good schools.

Mine didn't. That's where the holistic part comes in. DC took courses of highest rigor for CAS (I think a STEM DC should probably take more AP sciences and do better in them than my DC, LOL), with Bs in many of them, with a probable minor ding for not getting to the 4th year of the initial foreign language, which I guess taking the 2 years of the other foreign language helped.

So is my DC an anomaly in the statistically driven approach of UVA? I guess so, but that's where the holistic part came in. For my DC, the holistic factors kicked in and UVA accepted the DC.

What major did your kid list?
Any national accolades?

[Anonymous]

I am college counselor and know many kids who have gotten into UVA with 3 and even 2 years of language in HS. However, those couple of years were at the higher levels, which of course makes a difference. It is silly to think the admissions officers with prefer four lower level years to two higher level plus a couple of APs in other areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is struggling with what to do on science next year. AP Biology and AP Chemistry take up two class periods at her high school. She’s taken honors biology, chemistry and physics. She knows she should take AP Bio or AP Chem but it will mean she cannot be in orchestra.

Other option is to take AP environmental science but she knows that probably won’t be enough to UVA.

What? Of course APES is enough for UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This language requirement is a bit unclear.
My DS applied to CAS. He completed the highest level of his language in his sophomore year of high school and then did not take any additional language courses in his junior or senior year. Will this be an issue?
His other subjects are also at the highest level of rigor.

It is important that in such cases that his school noted that he completed the highest FL level available. Hope they did that. This is where "holistic" might play a role.

Same scenario here. Counselor didn’t mention language requirements for some schools after Sophomore year. Ds doesn’t have any … only the rigor.

IT's mentioned in every elite college admissions page.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is struggling with what to do on science next year. AP Biology and AP Chemistry take up two class periods at her high school. She’s taken honors biology, chemistry and physics. She knows she should take AP Bio or AP Chem but it will mean she cannot be in orchestra.

Other option is to take AP environmental science but she knows that probably won’t be enough to UVA.

What? Of course APES is enough for UVA.

My UVA kid took APES and AP Bio. Got in ED in-state. I would say at least one AP in each core subject area (including FL) plus a few extras, GPA above 4.3 (public high school) SAT 1450+, Leadership in jobs, clubs, athletics or volunteering, an amazing essay, and applying in-state ED gives kids a shot at UVA. No guarantees for sure.

[Anonymous]

DC took 2 years of FL (not AP or even high level) in order to take other classes and was admitted last year.

[Anonymous]

Dean J is just saying 4 years of FL just for giggles.

As the above 3 posters experience conclusively and definitively shows, FL is optional and no need to bother.