UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

I know of several students who did not take physics and were accepted to UVA and VT. For science they took bio, chem, APES. Non-engineering majors, though.

+1. Same with students who did not take AP Foreign Language.

[Anonymous]

How does everyone know multiple kids HS schedule? Never crossed my mind to investigate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA has long said foreign language is a core class and that they want core all 4 years of HS. Of course there are exceptions, but this is the #1 reason my DC is taking AP foreign lang and AP sci this year

Well if they nix my kid because he has AP Bio and AP Physics in the spot that would have AP Spanish 5, then que sera sera.

I also don't even know what mutli-variable calculus means. Is that past BC Calc?

Nix him, they will. Where else is your kid looking?

At least you aren’t complaining now that you know the ground rules.

It is silly for a parent on here to say definitively that he would be denied! you have no idea. My kid took those AP sciences instead of AP Spanish and I just left them in Cville after a lovely visit three hours ago. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are oos, but our counselors never have said ANYTHING about taking 4 years of a foreign language in HIGH SCHOOL. They said to take a minimum of 3, and that 3 is fine. [/b]They said take 4 years if you are looking at the elite colleges, but they also said this knowing it is very very common to take 1 or even 2 years in middle school. This is literally the first time in my life (3 kids) I have ever heard that college want you to take 4 years in high school. [b]Sheesh, thought he was good stopping at Spanish 4 so he could take 6 APs and track class senior year.
We shall see I guess!

You are contradicting yourself. UVA is a top elite school, 24th in the nation. no 3 or 4 of all of the public schools

No I am not. Sorry if I was not clear. They said to take 4 years of language, but they never said to take 4 years of language in high school. They knew that most of the kids were coming into high school with one or two of the years completed. I am not arguing the 4 years. I'm arguing that they never said it all had to be done between the grades 9-12

I suspect they did. I suspect it was written down somewhere. All they had to do google or ask questions. This subject has been discussed ad nauseum on College Confidential, Reddit, the college's own pages. Read a book on college admissions. Listen to a podcast, join an online group. You would invest much more time and inquiry when buying a home, no? Why not the second biggest expenditure you will ever make after a home purchase? Why are you relying on an underpaid, often young, public or private employee who is also processing 450 other seniors? Hire a private counselor if you don't have the time to ask basic questions

I’m not sure where this is coming from. I talked to the admissions officer from UVA who came to our school and she said they prefer to see 4 years of language and a rigorous schedule that is balanced across all areas but they also understand that kids have different areas of emphasis.Its not one size fits all. Rigor plus grades - don’t overthink.

[Anonymous]

I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does everyone know multiple kids HS schedule? Never crossed my mind to investigate.

My kid has a very close group of friends so I hear everything. She also has a cohort of kids she takes classes with and they all talk about their course selection. Kids talk so much about this stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

Apparently, we are not **checks notes** on "College Confidential" enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD knows of several kids from her sport that are at UVA now that did not take language senior year or reach AP level.

Athletes are hooked.

Nope; not playing the sport in college.

Then they offer something else that the University wanted. High GPA? High Test scores; extraordinary ECs; legacy (now gine but you can address in side essay); URM; first generation, a particukar unique skill,, like the sport itself; plays oboe and they need one; has faculty friends; parents have clout; wants an unpopular major; from a remote county; and so on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

but it's true. You just don't want to hear it. UVA Deans say it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

Apparently, we are not **checks notes** on "College Confidential" enough.

Life is tough. And competitive.

[Anonymous]

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

I think counselors are careful not to say "you need to take abc class if you want to go to xyz school" because the student may take classes they hate just to have a shot at a specific college & still not get admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

but it's true. You just don't want to hear it. UVA Deans say it.

Dean J on the five core subjects and rigor. http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2019/10/course-rigor-and-curriculum-strength.html?m=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is taking AP French this year just because UVA wants four years of language in high school. She hates French and had other classes she wanted to take but didn’t want to give up the post of UVA. Very frustrating.

It is frustrating. My daughter stuck with French even though there were other classses she would have much rather taken. It’s dumb that they require kids to waste their time with something so useless, when there are now a million other (rigorous) courses they could choose that would benefit and interest them more.

You’re missing the point which is UVA decides what matters most for their community, not you. If you think their requirements and the subjects they value are useless you should seek a different college that is a better fit.

Exactly! Why would your daughter want to attend a school where values don't align? Interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m so over people saying highest rigor and all the things. It is getting so absurd.

Apparently, we are not **checks notes** on "College Confidential" enough.

Be snide all you want but the information is all there. Google Dean J (UVA) and it's there: five core subjects and rigor. and SCHEV produces the GPA/SAT/ACT means at the 75th /mean/ and 25th percentile of the prior year's incomong class every year. There no no other state so transparent on its universities.http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2019/10/course-rigor-and-curriculum-strength.html?m=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are oos, but our counselors never have said ANYTHING about taking 4 years of a foreign language in HIGH SCHOOL. They said to take a minimum of 3, and that 3 is fine. They said take 4 years if you are looking at the elite colleges, but they also said this knowing it is very very common to take 1 or even 2 years in middle school. This is literally the first time in my life (3 kids) I have ever heard that college want you to take 4 years in high school. Sheesh, thought he was good stopping at Spanish 4 so he could take 6 APs and track class senior year.
We shall see I guess!

This may have been the single best piece of advice DC's college counselor provided: take the language all the way through. Now at UVA.