If you have a child that got accepted to Va Tech Engineering...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your child show extra curricular that supported interest in engineering or science? Something other than good grades in science & math classes?

My DC who was admitted to Va Tech engineering had a 3.97 after his senior year and a 3.79 at the end of his junior year. (Weighted) The APs he took (and received mostly 4s and a few 5s) were AP Stats, BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (E&M only), AP World, AP US, AP Gov. He took Gen ed English and Spanish for three years. His HS was at one of the top 5 DCUM Fairfax County High Schools. No C’s- this seems to be important, there is a feeling from people in our HS that Tech does not admit kids with any C’s- even if it is one In an elective or that they tried to stretch themselves in a higher level core class. I will say that DC received two B-s in classes that were very challenging for him. One was in Honor English in his sophomore year and was way out of his league- same for third year Spanish. The Spanish was mainly due to getting the easy teacher for Spanish 2 and the really hard stickler teacher for SPanish 3- it would have been better if they had been reversed (or that he had one or the other for both years). His grades in the math and science classes were excellent.


My gut is that his Eagle Scout and subsequent large number of volunteer hours is what pushed him over the line as wel as taking the hard STEM AP classes and doing well in them. His AP Chem teacher wrote his recommendation.

Anyone get into Tech non-engineering with Cs in advanced (AP/IB) classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're probably better off having your DC pose the question to an admissions rep rather than looking for anecdotal evidence here.

One of DD's friends was accepted to VA Tech and other engineering programs and had no STEM-related ECs. I'm not sure she even took any AP science classes.

My DC might apply to VA tech engineering next year. All of his ECs are music related and he's not interested in the academic math/science teams. If he doesn't get in to VA Tech, he'll just go somewhere else.

Musical aptitude is a highly prized asset in engineering recruiting. I know that sounds dumb, but it's true.

OP here. This is interesting because all of my dc's activities are related to music. I started this thread because I was worried that he had no science related ec's but maybe it's ok.

I'm the PP whose nephew was rejected. Don't mean to be a buzz kill but he won state awards in music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your child show extra curricular that supported interest in engineering or science? Something other than good grades in science & math classes?

My DC who was admitted to Va Tech engineering had a 3.97 after his senior year and a 3.79 at the end of his junior year. (Weighted) The APs he took (and received mostly 4s and a few 5s) were AP Stats, BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (E&M only), AP World, AP US, AP Gov. He took Gen ed English and Spanish for three years. His HS was at one of the top 5 DCUM Fairfax County High Schools. No C’s- this seems to be important, there is a feeling from people in our HS that Tech does not admit kids with any C’s- even if it is one In an elective or that they tried to stretch themselves in a higher level core class. I will say that DC received two B-s in classes that were very challenging for him. One was in Honor English in his sophomore year and was way out of his league- same for third year Spanish. The Spanish was mainly due to getting the easy teacher for Spanish 2 and the really hard stickler teacher for SPanish 3- it would have been better if they had been reversed (or that he had one or the other for both years). His grades in the math and science classes were excellent.

He was in orchestra all four years going through the three levels of orchestras. He earned his Eagle Scout award in the spring of his sophomore year. He was active in our Congregation’s youth group and held a leadership position in our denomination’s mid-Atlantic HS group. That was basically it.

I am an alumni that had donated a few hundred a year since graduation.

My gut is that his Eagle Scout and subsequent large number of volunteer hours is what pushed him over the line as wel as taking the hard STEM AP classes and doing well in them. His AP Chem teacher wrote his recommendation.

OP here. Thank you to everyone for posting. This thread has been very helpful especially this one above since we are also in FCPS. The details you provide are really helpful. Did your dc go to Va Tech for engineering and if so, how is he finding or did he find the academics? I'm asking because I hear so many switch out, fail out...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your child show extra curricular that supported interest in engineering or science? Something other than good grades in science & math classes?

My DC who was admitted to Va Tech engineering had a 3.97 after his senior year and a 3.79 at the end of his junior year. (Weighted) The APs he took (and received mostly 4s and a few 5s) were AP Stats, BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (E&M only), AP World, AP US, AP Gov. He took Gen ed English and Spanish for three years. His HS was at one of the top 5 DCUM Fairfax County High Schools. No C’s- this seems to be important, there is a feeling from people in our HS that Tech does not admit kids with any C’s- even if it is one In an elective or that they tried to stretch themselves in a higher level core class. I will say that DC received two B-s in classes that were very challenging for him. One was in Honor English in his sophomore year and was way out of his league- same for third year Spanish. The Spanish was mainly due to getting the easy teacher for Spanish 2 and the really hard stickler teacher for SPanish 3- it would have been better if they had been reversed (or that he had one or the other for both years). His grades in the math and science classes were excellent.

He was in orchestra all four years going through the three levels of orchestras. He earned his Eagle Scout award in the spring of his sophomore year. He was active in our Congregation’s youth group and held a leadership position in our denomination’s mid-Atlantic HS group. That was basically it.

I am an alumni that had donated a few hundred a year since graduation.

My gut is that his Eagle Scout and subsequent large number of volunteer hours is what pushed him over the line as wel as taking the hard STEM AP classes and doing well in them. His AP Chem teacher wrote his recommendation.

OP here. Thank you to everyone for posting. This thread has been very helpful especially this one above since we are also in FCPS. The details you provide are really helpful. Did your dc go to Va Tech for engineering and if so, how is he finding or did he find the academics? I'm asking because I hear so many switch out, fail out...

He did not. He went to Purdue and is doing better than he did in HS. We found that he was exceptionally well prepared. He is in the electrical computer engineering department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your child show extra curricular that supported interest in engineering or science? Something other than good grades in science & math classes?

My DC who was admitted to Va Tech engineering had a 3.97 after his senior year and a 3.79 at the end of his junior year. (Weighted) The APs he took (and received mostly 4s and a few 5s) were AP Stats, BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (E&M only), AP World, AP US, AP Gov. He took Gen ed English and Spanish for three years. His HS was at one of the top 5 DCUM Fairfax County High Schools. No C’s- this seems to be important, there is a feeling from people in our HS that Tech does not admit kids with any C’s- even if it is one In an elective or that they tried to stretch themselves in a higher level core class. I will say that DC received two B-s in classes that were very challenging for him. One was in Honor English in his sophomore year and was way out of his league- same for third year Spanish. The Spanish was mainly due to getting the easy teacher for Spanish 2 and the really hard stickler teacher for SPanish 3- it would have been better if they had been reversed (or that he had one or the other for both years). His grades in the math and science classes were excellent.

He was in orchestra all four years going through the three levels of orchestras. He earned his Eagle Scout award in the spring of his sophomore year. He was active in our Congregation’s youth group and held a leadership position in our denomination’s mid-Atlantic HS group. That was basically it.

I am an alumni that had donated a few hundred a year since graduation.

My gut is that his Eagle Scout and subsequent large number of volunteer hours is what pushed him over the line as wel as taking the hard STEM AP classes and doing well in them. His AP Chem teacher wrote his recommendation.

Thank you to everyone for posting. This thread has been very helpful especially this one above since we are also in FCPS. The details you provide are really helpful. Did your dc go to Va Tech for engineering and if so, how is he finding or did he find the academics? I'm asking because I hear so many switch out, fail out...

He did not. He went to Purdue and is doing better than he did in HS. We found that he was exceptionally well prepared. He is in the electrical computer engineering department.

Yes, Purdue has an excellent engineering program! But being in VA, I wasn't sure if it would be worth the out of state tuition especially since they seem to be similar types of school--similarly ranked large public univ with excellent engineering schools.

[Anonymous]

OP, make sure the HS knows exactly what DS's first choice is, and major.

and for the poster who said, "he did not take physics". Did he not take AP Physics, or no physics at all? I think physics is always expected. It was probably this box that wasn't checked and he didn't get in.

[Anonymous]

Equally qualified students at our FCPS HS are often admitted to Va Tech or JMU, but not both. The student wants to have the choice but it doesn't work out that way. I would target, and express interest for one over the other - - to your HS counselor and perhaps saying so on the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't directly answer your question, but hopefully it will still be helpful. I have a nephew who much to our shock, did NOT get into Tech Engineering, despite getting into UVA, W&M, and much higher ranked private schools. This kid had over a 4.8 GPA, was 5th in his class, and had a 1440 on the SAT's. He took math through BC Calc, took AP BIO and AP Chem, he did not take physics, because the physics teacher quit the year before and they could not find a replacement. The only reason we could think of for not getting in is that he had absolutely no activities in math/STEM. All of his extra curriculars were in the arts and sports. So yes, I would say that Tech Engineering definitely wants to see a demonstrated interest in math and science.

Is he White or Asian? I'm serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Equally qualified students at our FCPS HS are often admitted to Va Tech or JMU, but not both. The student wants to have the choice but it doesn't work out that way. I would target, and express interest for one over the other - - to your HS counselor and perhaps saying so on the application.

It has been that way for a long time. Back in the mid 80's I was accepted to Virginia Tech but wait listed at JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't directly answer your question, but hopefully it will still be helpful. I have a nephew who much to our shock, did NOT get into Tech Engineering, despite getting into UVA, W&M, and much higher ranked private schools. This kid had over a 4.8 GPA, was 5th in his class, and had a 1440 on the SAT's. He took math through BC Calc, took AP BIO and AP Chem, he did not take physics, because the physics teacher quit the year before and they could not find a replacement. The only reason we could think of for not getting in is that he had absolutely no activities in math/STEM. All of his extra curriculars were in the arts and sports. So yes, I would say that Tech Engineering definitely wants to see a demonstrated interest in math and science.

Is he White or Asian? I'm serious.

Of course he is. An URM with those stats would go to MIT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP whose nephew did not get in ....

could be because he did not take AP Physics. Parents have been told that is a prerequisite for admission, though no one formally admits it ... it does seem to be a dividing line.

If you find yourself in the situation at the end of the junior year, go to your community college and sign your kid up for the class that is needed or the class that your child needs to do well on for the SAT II test. My DC took College Chemistry at a local college and then took the ACT II test in math I, math II, Chemistry. He had no difficulty getting in to all the top aerospace programs.

[Anonymous]

My son was another Eagle Scout who got in. To demonstrate interest in aerospace engineering, he took flying lessons and taught himself how to fly. He soloed for the first time to fly down to the Engineering day at Va Tech.

[Anonymous]

Uh oh. Will a "C" in PreCalc for one semester in 9th grade be a big issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh oh. Will a "C" in PreCalc for one semester in 9th grade be a big issue?

Only end of year grades are reported.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did your child show extra curricular that supported interest in engineering or science? Something other than good grades in science & math classes?

My DC who was admitted to Va Tech engineering had a 3.97 after his senior year and a 3.79 at the end of his junior year. (Weighted) The APs he took (and received mostly 4s and a few 5s) were AP Stats, BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (E&M only), AP World, AP US, AP Gov. He took Gen ed English and Spanish for three years. His HS was at one of the top 5 DCUM Fairfax County High Schools. No C’s- this seems to be important, there is a feeling from people in our HS that Tech does not admit kids with any C’s- even if it is one In an elective or that they tried to stretch themselves in a higher level core class. I will say that DC received two B-s in classes that were very challenging for him. One was in Honor English in his sophomore year and was way out of his league- same for third year Spanish. The Spanish was mainly due to getting the easy teacher for Spanish 2 and the really hard stickler teacher for SPanish 3- it would have been better if they had been reversed (or that he had one or the other for both years). His grades in the math and science classes were excellent.

He was in orchestra all four years going through the three levels of orchestras. He earned his Eagle Scout award in the spring of his sophomore year. He was active in our Congregation’s youth group and held a leadership position in our denomination’s mid-Atlantic HS group. That was basically it.

I am an alumni that had donated a few hundred a year since graduation.

My gut is that his Eagle Scout and subsequent large number of volunteer hours is what pushed him over the line as wel as taking the hard STEM AP classes and doing well in them. His AP Chem teacher wrote his recommendation.

Thank you to everyone for posting. This thread has been very helpful especially this one above since we are also in FCPS. The details you provide are really helpful. Did your dc go to Va Tech for engineering and if so, how is he finding or did he find the academics? I'm asking because I hear so many switch out, fail out...

He did not. He went to Purdue and is doing better than he did in HS. We found that he was exceptionally well prepared. He is in the electrical computer engineering department.

Yes, Purdue has an excellent engineering program! But being in VA, I wasn't sure if it would be worth the out of state tuition especially since they seem to be similar types of school--similarly ranked large public univ with excellent engineering schools.

There were other factors and reasons that my son chose Purdue over VA Tech. One of the major non-personal one was that Purdue sold itself as teaching collaboration and having a collaborative supportive culture. Va Tech sold itself as everyone is on their own sink or swim. DC did not like that and has found Purdue to be as it was sold.