Do most UVA choose UVA over privates?

[Anonymous]

It depends on the kid. For some, UVA is their top choice. For others, it’s a (very good) consolation prize if didn’t get into Ivies. But a big subset chose out of state privates even though they did or likely could have gotten into UVA. UVA isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

[Anonymous]

I hate threads like this. All you ever get in response is anecdotal bullcrap. Posters talk about “trends” like they’re facts, and spew out numbers like they’re gospel when they’ll just made up.

The answer to OP’s question is obvious: UVA is a selective school with a very good reputation. That makes it the first choice for many. It’s also a back up for very top students who are Ivy+ material, but even some of those end up choosing UVA for practical reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ability to go to what is considered a public Ivy for an in state price while being within driving distance from home….this is why it’s at the top of the list for many.

Most local High Schools send only a handful due to how difficult it is to get in.

40-45% of apps from the two private schools near us get in to UVA, leading to about 20% of the entire senior class getting in to UVA, about 1/3 of whom are ED. It is not that difficult to get in for those who are securely in the top 10% of the class, with only 2 students in 12 years who made the 10% cutoff yet got waitlisted. The top 10% mostly gun for ivy/stanford/duke and near-ivy privates(washU , Vanderbilt, uchicago). The only people in the top 10% who pick Uva who did not ED are the rare ones who are shut out of better privates. They arent all rich either, many parents brag erroneously at the “merit” they got that made ivy cheaper than uva in state.
Other DMV privates are similar or send even more to Uva thus in those settings uva is not seen as pretigious in state. For top private schools in the northeast uva Oos is viewed better but still is a backup to ivy/+. Students and parents chase selectivity and prestige it is human nature. For middle of the pack students uva is a big reach and is viewed as impossible, despite it being relatively easy to get in for students already at the top. It is all perspective.
In reality the students themselves at UVA overlap at the top with “average” students at ivies, but the larger spread in student ability at uva could make it much easier for the ones who could have gone ivy to shine. We arehoping DS25 will consider uva for these reasons but he has his sights on ivy/t15 and will likely pick one over uva. His counselor at high school said uva is 99% chance so it is a safety for him and the handful of kids at the top of 2025. They share gpa, he is 4th right now

Yeah I don’t know what privates you’re talking about, the one my child goes to has about 20% of apps selected each year. Which is close to the actual overall acceptance rate at UVA, so makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our high school sends so many kids to UVA every year. I know some kids probably ED. I’m wondering if UVA is mostly their first choice or if they didn’t get into a better school so they pick UVA over similarly ranked private (Georgetown, NYU, USC, Tufts, BC). I’m from the Northeast so New England privates were very popular as well as NYU for kids not quite Ivy material.

How could we know the top choices of kids from your HS?

[Anonymous]

Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

And? That’s to be expected when kids who apply to UVA are also applying to the likes of Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Princeton, etc. But against schools like Georgetown, Notre Dame, etc. it likely fared better than you think

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

It’s over 50% for in state students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ability to go to what is considered a public Ivy for an in state price while being within driving distance from home….this is why it’s at the top of the list for many.

Most local High Schools send only a handful due to how difficult it is to get in.

40-45% of apps from the two private schools near us get in to UVA, leading to about 20% of the entire senior class getting in to UVA, about 1/3 of whom are ED. It is not that difficult to get in for those who are securely in the top 10% of the class, with only 2 students in 12 years who made the 10% cutoff yet got waitlisted. The top 10% mostly gun for ivy/stanford/duke and near-ivy privates(washU , Vanderbilt, uchicago). The only people in the top 10% who pick Uva who did not ED are the rare ones who are shut out of better privates. They arent all rich either, many parents brag erroneously at the “merit” they got that made ivy cheaper than uva in state.
Other DMV privates are similar or send even more to Uva thus in those settings uva is not seen as pretigious in state. For top private schools in the northeast uva Oos is viewed better but still is a backup to ivy/+. Students and parents chase selectivity and prestige it is human nature. For middle of the pack students uva is a big reach and is viewed as impossible, despite it being relatively easy to get in for students already at the top. It is all perspective.
In reality the students themselves at UVA overlap at the top with “average” students at ivies, but the larger spread in student ability at uva could make it much easier for the ones who could have gone ivy to shine. We arehoping DS25 will consider uva for these reasons but he has his sights on ivy/t15 and will likely pick one over uva. His counselor at high school said uva is 99% chance so it is a safety for him and the handful of kids at the top of 2025. They share gpa, he is 4th right now

Is this private in northern VA (Potomac School?) so most of the applications are in state? 40-45% is amazing. My DC is at a DC private and I don’t think the numbers are like this!

[Anonymous]

A lot of people don't want to be around 3.4 community college students so choose other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

And? That’s to be expected when kids who apply to UVA are also applying to the likes of Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Princeton, etc. But against schools like Georgetown, Notre Dame, etc. it likely fared better than you think

Only if UVA in-state tuition vs full pay at Georgetown, ND.

If cost is similar, then ND Georgetown no doubt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our high school sends so many kids to UVA every year. I know some kids probably ED. I’m wondering if UVA is mostly their first choice or if they didn’t get into a better school so they pick UVA over similarly ranked private (Georgetown, NYU, USC, Tufts, BC). I’m from the Northeast so New England privates were very popular as well as NYU for kids not quite Ivy material.

If you live in the Commonwealth, yes UVA over a private is a no-brainer.

People outside VA aren't clamoring to go to UVA.

The question is, are high stats kids who are VA residents opting for schools like W&M and VT after UVA, or are they going out of state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our high school sends so many kids to UVA every year. I know some kids probably ED. I’m wondering if UVA is mostly their first choice or if they didn’t get into a better school so they pick UVA over similarly ranked private (Georgetown, NYU, USC, Tufts, BC). I’m from the Northeast so New England privates were very popular as well as NYU for kids not quite Ivy material.

If you live in the Commonwealth, yes UVA over a private is a no-brainer.

People outside VA aren't clamoring to go to UVA.

The question is, are high stats kids who are VA residents opting for schools like W&M and VT after UVA, or are they going out of state?

"If you live in the Commonwealth, yes UVA over a private is a no-brainer."

Only if full pay at out of state.
If cost is similar, it's a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can get in, it’s a great option and more cost effective than going to Georgetown or BC. Very difficult for your average UMC White or Asian student.

Key word. Average.

And despite the boasts from parents who think their "high stats" kids are the best applicant ever, there are more average UMC white / Asian kids than not. They aren’t getting into schools like Georgetown or BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

It’s over 50% for in state students.

Hopefully, you're not surprised by this or are using this to boast.

Only half of in-state students choosing a school like UVA ( T25, right?) is very telling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evidenced by UVA's ~30% yield rate, most do not choose it when admitted

It’s over 50% for in state students.

Hopefully, you're not surprised by this or are using this to boast.

Only half of in-state students choosing a school like UVA ( T25, right?) is very telling.

+100