Selective Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Not necessarily true. My DS is a Freshman at W&M, graduated from a FCPS high school and is actually BELOW the bottom 25% category. He's UMC, caucasian, both parents have college degrees (I've got a masters), he's not an athlete, not a legacy, not an international student and has not won any national award. He did the full IB diploma and went to one of the "awful" IB high schools. He's an Eagle Scout, held numerous leadership positions in high school and had a part time job. He did the interview and I think what got him in with his below average statistics was:

1. The HS he graduated from - I firmly believe if he graduated from Woodson or Langley or McLean, he most likely would have been rejected.
2. Being a male
3. Doing the interview

Plus, obviously the rigor of his courses, good grades (but not straight A's), good extracurriculars, a great letter of recommendation.

Yes, that's possible because the bottom 25% is a MEDIAN, so 12 1/2% above and 12 1/2% below. Also Eagle Scout is a big deal.

[Anonymous]

I checked out the link above for freshman stats. VA Tech's reqmts are not as high as UVA, but I heard it's very competitive for engineering. True? So maybe these stats don't reflect that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I checked out the link above for freshman stats. VA Tech's reqmts are not as high as UVA, but I heard it's very competitive for engineering. True? So maybe these stats don't reflect that?

They historically accepted 70-74% of applicants for engineering until last year, when admissions announced they were going to be more selective. They accepted something like 55-60% and they rest got in off the waitlist. It sounds like yield protection, but regardless, this new admissions format means it will be a few years before anyone can tell you what the trend is for VPI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I checked out the link above for freshman stats. VA Tech's reqmts are not as high as UVA, but I heard it's very competitive for engineering. True? So maybe these stats don't reflect that?

They historically accepted 70-74% of applicants for engineering until last year, when admissions announced they were going to be more selective. They accepted something like 55-60% and they rest got in off the waitlist. It sounds like yield protection, but regardless, this new admissions format means it will be a few years before anyone can tell you what the trend is for VPI.

Actual yield calculation would take into account waitlist acceptances. They could be using this approach to signal that it is becoming more selective and hope that the reality follows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I checked out the link above for freshman stats. VA Tech's reqmts are not as high as UVA, but I heard it's very competitive for engineering. True? So maybe these stats don't reflect that?

They historically accepted 70-74% of applicants for engineering until last year, when admissions announced they were going to be more selective. They accepted something like 55-60% and they rest got in off the waitlist. It sounds like yield protection, but regardless, this new admissions format means it will be a few years before anyone can tell you what the trend is for VPI.

Actual yield calculation would take into account waitlist acceptances. They could be using this approach to signal that it is becoming more selective and hope that the reality follows.

With the waitlist, you can assess interest because people a) withdraw and b) write interest letters.

[Anonymous]

They will compare the students from the same school.
For instance If taking average of 4 AP is the norm at the school and
Your kid takes 6 it shows she is challenging herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I checked out the link above for freshman stats. VA Tech's reqmts are not as high as UVA, but I heard it's very competitive for engineering. True? So maybe these stats don't reflect that?

Very. When we toured three or four years ago and attended engineering day, it was clear you needed at least a 4.0. Recently someone posted here that engineering has a very high percentage of OOS students (lots of internationals too) but check that. I was surprised by how high the percentage was. Last year surprised a lot of students and families who thought they would get into Tech. There are threads on Tech here and also college confidential.