1530 SAT at McLean High not enough for UVA now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that most kids now get A's by cheating with AI, I would assume that the SAT score will matter more and more as it's one of the last true tests of aptitude.

How do you come by this information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, I remember when this school had around a 40 percent in-state acceptance rate.

So did the Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that most kids now get A's by cheating with AI, I would assume that the SAT score will matter more and more as it's one of the last true tests of aptitude.

How do you come by this information?

It’s a fabrication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

"language game" - aka it was never the right fit and that's fine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA just takes the top 'x' number of students applicants from each school, based on GPAs. My daughter got beat out by a .04 decimal place.

They don't have time or don't really care about holistic review of candidates.

This simply isn't true. I'm sorry about your daughter's experience. But they most certainly do a holistic review.

Keep telling yourself that.

They list the kids on a spreadsheet and cut out the bottom 50%, THEN do a holistic review.

Wait. I thought it was an algorithm. Now they're using excel spreadsheets? It's amazing that they are using both the newest and oldest programs! Please tell me more of your excellent insider info!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA just takes the top 'x' number of students applicants from each school, based on GPAs. My daughter got beat out by a .04 decimal place.

They don't have time or don't really care about holistic review of candidates.

This simply isn't true. I'm sorry about your daughter's experience. But they most certainly do a holistic review.

Keep telling yourself that.

They list the kids on a spreadsheet and cut out the bottom 50%, THEN do a holistic review.

This. There is an automatic gpa cut off. If you are on the right side of the cut, they will look at the rest of your application. If you are deferred during ED, the review includes your first semester senior grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child goes to McLean High. He got a 1530 SAT as a junior and came home saying it is not good enough because most kids are getting higher scores, so he wants to retake it a third time. Is this really where we are now, that you need a perfect SAT score?

He is already in all DE and AP classes and he is in Calc 2 as a junior. Now he is saying he needs to take summer classes at NOVA so he can take Calc 3 and then differential equations senior year. It feels insane, although he has already taken about five NOVA dual enrollment classes, so I guess we are saving some money.

I graduated in the 90s, got a 1350, felt great about it, did not take calculus until college, and I turned out fine. Is the bar just totally different now?

For those familiar with UVA admissions, is a 1530 SAT at McLean High with a 4.2 weighted GPA and all AP and DE since sophomore year actually not enough, or is this just the pressure cooker effect?

This is going to be pretty formulaic but just so you are prepared. Look at Naviance or whatever tool your high school uses. See how many kids apply to UVA from McLean (you compete first against kids in your own school) and see how many get in over the past 3 years. Is your kid’s GPA lower than the “n” number of kids admitted. If so scoring higher on the SAT isn’t going to matter for UVA. Just not going to move the needle. It is just that simple.

Make applicants get a statistical bump at W&M if staying in state is a goal. VT if going engineering is a crap shoot otherwise an option, again if in state matters. Otherwise look to the south or mid west. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA just takes the top 'x' number of students applicants from each school, based on GPAs. My daughter got beat out by a .04 decimal place.

They don't have time or don't really care about holistic review of candidates.

This simply isn't true. I'm sorry about your daughter's experience. But they most certainly do a holistic review.

Keep telling yourself that.

They list the kids on a spreadsheet and cut out the bottom 50%, THEN do a holistic review.

This. There is an automatic gpa cut off. If you are on the right side of the cut, they will look at the rest of your application. If you are deferred during ED, the review includes your first semester senior grades.

Not according to the data I have seen at two different schools - one FCPS and one private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

"language game" - aka it was never the right fit and that's fine!

DP.
Disagree that a state flagship should have such an arbitrary standard on world languages if they are trying to attract top students, particularly top STEM students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

"language game" - aka it was never the right fit and that's fine!

DP.
Disagree that a state flagship should have such an arbitrary standard on world languages if they are trying to attract top students, particularly top STEM students.

How it is arbitrary to take four years of a language? STEM isn't the only thing that matters in this world, even for a STEM major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

"language game" - aka it was never the right fit and that's fine!

DP.
Disagree that a state flagship should have such an arbitrary standard on world languages if they are trying to attract top students, particularly top STEM students.

How it is arbitrary to take four years of a language? STEM isn't the only thing that matters in this world, even for a STEM major.

DP.
World Language makes sense only for non-pointy kids with no ECs that stand out. What else do they have but classes the kid took?

I'm hoping a National Science Fair/Olympiad winner without language could get in? If that kid can't get in then UVA is in big trouble; VA Tech will soon take over for the top spot. W&M what happened to you? neck and neck with UVA for a good part of history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

You must be posting from the south. That’s how southern wealthy parents act, not DC/Northern Virginia parents.

We are in NoVa and not rich, but we saw the writing on the wall. UVA wasn’t going to be for our DC, who had some transcript/GPA things that would have been issues at UVA. We went the SLAC route and with aid ended up being less than what we would have paid for UVA.

Similar story here, DC took a very rigorous STEM focused courseload but didn’t want to play UVA’s language game. Headed to a top SLAC instead. Who knows whether he would have gotten into UVA. Pulled his app when he got in the SLAC ED.

"language game" - aka it was never the right fit and that's fine!

DP.
Disagree that a state flagship should have such an arbitrary standard on world languages if they are trying to attract top students, particularly top STEM students.

It seems very basic and incurious to denigrate foreign languages.

For upper class people, fluency in other languages is a sign of being educated and cultured. In the lower class, it’s often valued as well. Why do middle class people convince themselves it’s not a good thing to study languages?

[Anonymous]

JMU, ODU and Mary Washington are also fine schools, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly, 4.0 doesn't get anywhere nowadays. The rule should be 3.8 weighted to 4.0 in all state schools; anything above is Ivy League. Just doesn't make sense anymore.

Because 4.0 weighted means you have Bs and maybe even some Cs now.

You have to know this.

NP.

But a weighted 4.0 is still a really impressive and very good GPA! I didn’t have that high a gpa when I was in high school. But I also didn’t go to UVA (small-ish private outside of Virginia)

Why is UVA so impossible from McL now?