VA Tech EA
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Anonymous
| So one of the few useful things I’ve learned about on DCUM is the Common Data Set. After trying to follow this discussion (and also interested because my DC is a junior interested in Virginia Tech) I looked at it today. For the academic year 2020-2021 (kids who started as freshmen last fall) it says the following are “Very Important” for freshman admission decisions: Rigor of secondary record, academic GPA, Application Essay, First Generation, Geographical Residence, State Residency, and Racial/ethnic status. So instead of arguing or speculating, the CDC tells us what’s most important. Interestingly, nothing listed as “Important”, the second highest category. The following are “Considered”: standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, alumni relation, volunteer work, work experience. NOT considered: class rank, recommendations, interview, religious affiliation, level of applicant interest. It also says test scores will be considered if submitted for those applying for entrance in Fall 2022, which includes my junior. |
Anonymous
It's important to note that the application essay is only their 4 specific questions. They do not look at the common app essay at all. They put a LOT of emphasis on the essays. The questions allow a pretty short answer (120 words) and cover: 1) A community you have been involved in and how you serve that community (very important to VT, reflected in their school motto) 2) A time you experienced or were involved in an act of discrimination (a chance for URMs in particular to show their resilience, harder Q for your typical White student to answer) 3) Example of leadership 4) Long term goal. It doesn't say it in the Q but Admissions told DS they are really looking here for a career goal. This is your chance to say how VT/particular major fits into your goals and how you have been working toward that. I wonder if this was a big miss for some of the high-stats kids that got waitlisted. Seems unfair to me that they aren't clear about that in the question. |
Anonymous
Admissions are a black hole. DS did nail those 4 questions, #1 had a really good community giveback to tell, #2 while not being a URM but a minority allowed to speak well of this, #3 Meh, had a story about team sports, probably the weakest of all answers, #4 had a really compelling goal to write that fits in logically with everything else on the profile. Still waitlisted, why, we think because of stats, in the median stats for admission to VT historically. What's the pattern here? nothing, everyone gets waitlisted, high stats, median stats, low stats, good writing, mediocre writing, whatever. |
Anonymous
| PP here. We are really mad at the decision. DS isn't going to any better schools than this, so this isn't yield protection, but could be income based discrimination? do they think he can go OOS because parents can afford based on zip code (Nova/FFx cnty). If they don't admit kids in midpoint GPA, with high SAT, good ECs, and compelling writing, then who are they admitting? so far, we high stats kids were waitlisted too, so that isn;t the case, then what? |
Anonymous
| It really is baffling how they decide. DS was accepted, 75%ile+ in SAT and GPA for his major but not high above the %ile 10 AP/DE. Very little in ECs but enough to talk about in the essays.Affluent, White, NoVA HS. He's a nice kid and I think that came through well in his essays and did talk about his career goal. A bunch of friends applied and only he and one other were accepted. Don't know what majors the others were. DS is in STEM but not engineering. Seems like no rhyme or reason. I hope they pull generously from the waitlist. |
Anonymous
|
If the class of 2024 is any guide they will pull heavily from their waitlist. VT really screwed up with its models or algorithms or whatever they used to “build” the class of 2023.
It doesn’t make it any easier on the applicants and their families though. |
Anonymous
What was his major? |
Anonymous
| Maybe check out the VT subreddit, applyingtocollege reddit, college results reddit and CC? |
Anonymous
| Could it be that with the previous over enrollment years, VT is trying to be more cautious about enrollment numbers, and a number of these students will in fact receive spots of the waitlist? |
Anonymous
That is like the best program in the country, like the top |
Anonymous
That's what they did last year after the overenrollment debacle in 2019. They waitlisted a lot of kids, including a lot of high stats who likely (reasonably) saw it as a safety. Then offered spots to about half of those who chose to stay on the list. I'd bet they pull a lot this year. Kids applied to a lot more schools so yield is going to be hard for everyone to predict. |
Anonymous
| Doing some calculations...I think I read they take a max of 20% in ED and so if they have a 30% yield (a little lower than the last couple years) with the 42,000 apps and the 6.6k seats to fill, that brings their acceptance rate down from the 70% it has been historically to 46%. That is a huge drop. |
Anonymous
| My son, high stat LCPS/AET kid, was waitlisted. Answered essays as admissions advised, double legacy, yadda yadda. It’s his #1 choice so praying it comes through (but not holding my breath) Sounds like everyone was waitlisted. my question is for other waitlisted families is, do you plan on having your son/daughter email continued interest to admission? Is this helpful? I keep reading there is no ranked waitlist and it’s random... which is why I’m not hopeful. |
Anonymous
We will be withdrawing. It was a safety for us and we have better options at this point. As another pp pointed out, I bet a lot of high stats kids will be dropping off the list and VT will be digging deep into their waitlist to fill the class.. Good luck! |
Anonymous
Same question.....is kid supposed to email a letter of continued interest? Anyone BTDT? |