VA Colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your student sees the VA schools as "top selection" and "bottom selection", and is not interested in what they see as the bottom selection (even if it is not the bottom, and you and I know that, but the student is not accepting of the other selections as options for which to apply), what alternatives might there be? This seems like a broad question, but I have seen some students over the past couple years be left out in the cold, and we are trying to avoid that.

If after a realistic look at the data, they aren't interested in attending any of the schools that are a fit, then I'd say their option is NVCC and then transfer to the school they consider acceptable.

What are the schools on the east coast that would be comparable, if VA had these schools? Their stats are well outside of NVCC, JMU, etc., but under UVA.

You are implying there is some kind of huge gap between JMU and UVA. I don't think that is accurate. Are you saying the student feels that way? If so, they need to pull up all the available data and get a reality check. (See also huge thread on VA Tech admissions, and the discussions on CNU and George Mason.)

Any student that has their heart set on UVA is just not being realistic, and maybe this reality is what they need on the road to adulthood. There are some schools (SLAC or neighboring OOS universities like UWV) that could end up being comparable in cost, but yes, the student absolutely needs to apply to more than UVA.

This. If a kid thinks UVA is the only acceptable in-state school and doesn't have the stats for it, they need a big reality check.

+2
I had to laugh at the "stats well outside JMU but under UVA" remark. Clearly, this parent knows next to nothing about the VA schools and just how hard many of them are to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your student sees the VA schools as "top selection" and "bottom selection", and is not interested in what they see as the bottom selection (even if it is not the bottom, and you and I know that, but the student is not accepting of the other selections as options for which to apply), what alternatives might there be? This seems like a broad question, but I have seen some students over the past couple years be left out in the cold, and we are trying to avoid that.

If after a realistic look at the data, they aren't interested in attending any of the schools that are a fit, then I'd say their option is NVCC and then transfer to the school they consider acceptable.

What are the schools on the east coast that would be comparable, if VA had these schools? Their stats are well outside of NVCC, JMU, etc., but under UVA.

You are implying there is some kind of huge gap between JMU and UVA. I don't think that is accurate. Are you saying the student feels that way? If so, they need to pull up all the available data and get a reality check. (See also huge thread on VA Tech admissions, and the discussions on CNU and George Mason.)

Any student that has their heart set on UVA is just not being realistic, and maybe this reality is what they need on the road to adulthood. There are some schools (SLAC or neighboring OOS universities like UWV) that could end up being comparable in cost, but yes, the student absolutely needs to apply to more than UVA.

This. If a kid thinks UVA is the only acceptable in-state school and doesn't have the stats for it, they need a big reality check.

+2
I had to laugh at the "stats well outside JMU but under UVA" remark. Clearly, this parent knows next to nothing about the VA schools and just how hard many of them are to get into.

Why? This can describe my DD.

WGPA 4.1, SAT's 1350.

UVA & W & M are a reach.

Guidance Counselor says VT is 50/50

JMU is a safety.


She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of the VA colleges are here: http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp (Although a couple colleges, including JMU, don't have their 2018-2019 stats in yet)

Too bad JMU stats aren’t incuded here. But using VT as an example, DCUMers love to chirp about its high acceptance rate and describe it as a safety or “beneath” their kid. Average Hs GPA? 4.06

[Anonymous]

What source informs you that Penn State gives good merit aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the VA colleges are here: http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp (Although a couple colleges, including JMU, don't have their 2018-2019 stats in yet)

Too bad JMU stats aren’t incuded here. But using VT as an example, DCUMers love to chirp about its high acceptance rate and describe it as a safety or “beneath” their kid. Average Hs GPA? 4.06

You can change the date to look at last year's data. In 2017-2018, JMU's median GPA was 3.73, SAT 1180. I'd expect they'll both be a bit higher in the 2018-2019 stats because pretty much all the schools went up a bit.

[Anonymous]

She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

Penn State does not give good merit aid. A 1350 is just above the threshold for Clemson and may get a small merit award. A 1350 will get you close to $40,000 over four years at South Caroiina. 10 more points would get you closer to $60,000.

This info is spelled out on the websites for many public universities and is pretty easy to find.

Assuming that your DC is doing well this year and the weighted GPA will increase, see if they can raise their SAT by 100 to 150 points or so to make UVA more likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the VA colleges are here: http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp (Although a couple colleges, including JMU, don't have their 2018-2019 stats in yet)

Too bad JMU stats aren’t incuded here. But using VT as an example, DCUMers love to chirp about its high acceptance rate and describe it as a safety or “beneath” their kid. Average Hs GPA? 4.06

A weighted GPA of 4.06 is not hard to achieve for a reasonably good student. It takes a little bit of effort, a mixture of As and Bs with a few APs (one point bump) and a bunch of honors-level classes (a 0.5 poijnt bump) which most kids take, anyway.

When you get up to 4.4-4.5 range, then we're talking exceptional. 4.06? Not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your student sees the VA schools as "top selection" and "bottom selection", and is not interested in what they see as the bottom selection (even if it is not the bottom, and you and I know that, but the student is not accepting of the other selections as options for which to apply), what alternatives might there be? This seems like a broad question, but I have seen some students over the past couple years be left out in the cold, and we are trying to avoid that.

If after a realistic look at the data, they aren't interested in attending any of the schools that are a fit, then I'd say their option is NVCC and then transfer to the school they consider acceptable.

What are the schools on the east coast that would be comparable, if VA had these schools? Their stats are well outside of NVCC, JMU, etc., but under UVA.

You are implying there is some kind of huge gap between JMU and UVA. I don't think that is accurate. Are you saying the student feels that way? If so, they need to pull up all the available data and get a reality check. (See also huge thread on VA Tech admissions, and the discussions on CNU and George Mason.)

Any student that has their heart set on UVA is just not being realistic, and maybe this reality is what they need on the road to adulthood. There are some schools (SLAC or neighboring OOS universities like UWV) that could end up being comparable in cost, but yes, the student absolutely needs to apply to more than UVA.

This. If a kid thinks UVA is the only acceptable in-state school and doesn't have the stats for it, they need a big reality check.

+2
I had to laugh at the "stats well outside JMU but under UVA" remark. Clearly, this parent knows next to nothing about the VA schools and just how hard many of them are to get into.

Why? This can describe my DD.

WGPA 4.1, SAT's 1350.

UVA & W & M are a reach.

Guidance Counselor says VT is 50/50

JMU is a safety.


She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

When did JMU become less difficult to get into than Tech? 30 years ago, when I was applying to colleges, these schools were neck and neck. In fact JMU may have been somewhat more difficult to get into than Tech. What happened to JMU?

[Anonymous]

When did JMU become less difficult to get into than Tech? 30 years ago, when I was applying to colleges, these schools were neck and neck. In fact JMU may have been somewhat more difficult to get into than Tech. What happened to JMU?

JMU has undergone massive expansion over the last 15-20 years, creating more spots and probably diluting the pool.

[Anonymous]

I get the sense that all in-state Va schools are pretty tough to get into now that the population of NoVa has exploded over the past two decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get the sense that all in-state Va schools are pretty tough to get into now that the population of NoVa has exploded over the past two decades.

Many are still uncompetitive for admission: Radford, Longwood, ODU...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the sense that all in-state Va schools are pretty tough to get into now that the population of NoVa has exploded over the past two decades.

Many are still uncompetitive for admission: Radford, Longwood, ODU...

I've never even heard of Radford or Longwood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your student sees the VA schools as "top selection" and "bottom selection", and is not interested in what they see as the bottom selection (even if it is not the bottom, and you and I know that, but the student is not accepting of the other selections as options for which to apply), what alternatives might there be? This seems like a broad question, but I have seen some students over the past couple years be left out in the cold, and we are trying to avoid that.

If after a realistic look at the data, they aren't interested in attending any of the schools that are a fit, then I'd say their option is NVCC and then transfer to the school they consider acceptable.

What are the schools on the east coast that would be comparable, if VA had these schools? Their stats are well outside of NVCC, JMU, etc., but under UVA.

You are implying there is some kind of huge gap between JMU and UVA. I don't think that is accurate. Are you saying the student feels that way? If so, they need to pull up all the available data and get a reality check. (See also huge thread on VA Tech admissions, and the discussions on CNU and George Mason.)

Any student that has their heart set on UVA is just not being realistic, and maybe this reality is what they need on the road to adulthood. There are some schools (SLAC or neighboring OOS universities like UWV) that could end up being comparable in cost, but yes, the student absolutely needs to apply to more than UVA.

This. If a kid thinks UVA is the only acceptable in-state school and doesn't have the stats for it, they need a big reality check.

+2
I had to laugh at the "stats well outside JMU but under UVA" remark. Clearly, this parent knows next to nothing about the VA schools and just how hard many of them are to get into.

Why? This can describe my DD.

WGPA 4.1, SAT's 1350.

UVA & W & M are a reach.

Guidance Counselor says VT is 50/50

JMU is a safety.


She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

When did JMU become less difficult to get into than Tech? 30 years ago, when I was applying to colleges, these schools were neck and neck. In fact JMU may have been somewhat more difficult to get into than Tech. What happened to JMU?

VT also varies a lot by major with the engineering school much higher than other schools/majors.

[Anonymous]

Tech looks like they are trying to create opportunities for kids whose families don’t have upper middle class advantages. In the short term, it could lower their apparent stats. In the long term, they will provide opportunity (and school loyalty) to whole new groups of people. Innovation, drive and fresh outlooks can’t be limited to the top 5% of our population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

Penn State does not give good merit aid. A 1350 is just above the threshold for Clemson and may get a small merit award. A 1350 will get you close to $40,000 over four years at South Caroiina. 10 more points would get you closer to $60,000.

This info is spelled out on the websites for many public universities and is pretty easy to find.

Assuming that your DC is doing well this year and the weighted GPA will increase, see if they can raise their SAT by 100 to 150 points or so to make UVA more likely.

Not all jurisdictions, APS for example, give a .5 bump for honors courses.