What separates the students who get into state flagships versus those who get into T20 universities?

[Anonymous]

To get into most state flagships like UT Austin or UVA, you need top academics, leadership experience, heavy involvement during the summer, volunteering, and more. What extra things do students do to get into top 20 universities?

[Anonymous]

Scarcity; something unusual or extra; awards?

You know it when you see it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To get into most state flagships like UT Austin or UVA, you need top academics, leadership experience, heavy involvement during the summer, volunteering, and more. What extra things do students do to get into top 20 universities?

Their essays and recommendations matter more than you may realize. Essays should be authentic, not written or heavily edited by Mom or Dad.

The faculty who write the recommendations should really know your kid.

[Anonymous]

What makes you think anything does? You are under the delusion that on group is better than the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes you think anything does? You are under the delusion that on group is better than the other.

+1. For top flagships, there is also a lot of overlap with students who get into both.

[Anonymous]

High schools. If they go to a top private school, the chances they get into a T20 minus HYPMS is greater than a same person going to a public high school.

[Anonymous]

Recruited athlete

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes you think anything does? You are under the delusion that on group is better than the other.

+1. For top flagships, there is also a lot of overlap with students who get into both.

There is a lot of overlap. At our DC private, every single kid who got into UVA last year EA or RD also got into an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

In terms of differentiation, some private universities may be more accommodating with respect to high school class standing compared to, say, UTA. Also, out-of-state admission will not be more challenging at private universities, such as appears to be the case at UNC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High schools. If they go to a top private school, the chances they get into a T20 minus HYPMS is greater than a same person going to a public high school.

True

[Anonymous]

Sometimes gender. UGA and William and Mary skew female.

[Anonymous]

Very high test scores are required for T20s.

Ivies and Ivy+s require really exceptional things, if unhooked. Multiple national or international awards...not just student government president/team captain/newspaper editor. Those are a dime a dozen (and don't register as impressive) to T20s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very high test scores are required for T20s.

Ivies and Ivy+s require really exceptional things, if unhooked. Multiple national or international awards...not just student government president/team captain/newspaper editor. Those are a dime a dozen (and don't register as impressive) to T20s.

Not true.

[Anonymous]

Might got not be the answer OP wants to hear, but there is little difference between the two. Someone who got into impacted majors at Michigan OOS likely will get into WashU and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

There’s plenty of overlap. There are many who prefer the state flagship over the private T-20.