Disappointment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else facing a lot of disappointment during this cycle? DD got into a couple target schools + most of her safeties... Rejected or WL from the rest. She was (imo and told to us by many others) a great applicant - High stats, great ECs + essays, LORs... Her interviews all went very well, especially JHU. She applied to JHU EA and the rest RD, and we're from NOVA. Intended major is BME (biomed engineering).

Stats:
4.0 UW/4.7 W GPA
1570 SAT (800 M, 770 R&W)
14 APs, all 5s

ECs:
- A few regional awards (STEM)
- 200+ volunteer hours @ local hospital
- Founder of non-profit
- Research w/ prof at T30
- Competitive summer program for BME
- Lots of community service

Results:
JHU EA - Deferred -> Rejected
Princeton - Rejected
Brown - Rejected
Dartmouth - Rejected
Columbia - Rejected
Duke - Rejected
UVA - WL
Cornell - WL
CMU - WL
UNC CH - WL
VT - Accepted
W&M - Accepted
Lehigh - Accepted
UPitt - Accepted

DD is incredibly upset and so are we... JHU was her dream school but she relied on UVA + CMU as well. Anyone here confused and facing a similar situation?We all were convinced that DD had it in the bag - Worst of all is that many of her classmates w/ lower stats and worse ECs have gotten into a few of these schools.

Great stats obviously but tough schools too. I would guess that UVA was the most disappointing?? 2023 son was WL there too. Your kid has great options. Congratulations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OK, I haven't read all the comments, but ...

I know someone who is in that program at JHU. His stats were pretty much the same.

But TBH, he was more of an "ordinary" kid. He didn't found a non-profit. He had more sports on the resume, but less volunteering. No research. Ordinary kid jobs in the summer.

It really is a crapshoot.

Duh!!! I'm wondering when parents and kids will finally admit and realize that! Highly rejective schools will be oh Idont' know, Highly rejective? Of course they will

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Great stats obviously but tough schools too. I would guess that UVA was the most disappointing?? 2023 son was WL there too. Your kid has great options. Congratulations.

Thank you! Yes, UVA was very surprising - She preferred OOS but UVA is a great school w/ a great BME program. Most of her friends that applied were accepted (but different programs, mostly STEM).

[Anonymous]

I have a similar kid with similar stats and results. I think BME is just a very competitive major right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a similar kid with similar stats and results. I think BME is just a very competitive major right now.

Yeah, you're probably right. Good luck to your DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry.
Agree that it’s the major. My kid experienced this last year except did get in one of your kid’s WL schools. I’m surprised about the UVA WL with her stats. Did your daughter apply EA to UVA? What kind of high school does she attend?

VT, Pitt, Lehigh all were in the running for engineering for our kid. VT would be fantastic, Pitt too. Lehigh was in the running until the very end. Hopefully she can get excited at the admitted student days. Tough process for sure.

Yes, we were honestly shocked that she didn't get in - She applied RD. Many classmates with far lower stats + less impressive ECs got in. She attends a mid-sized public high school, pretty competitive. I know the cycle was very tough this year, but we definitely didn't see this coming.

Why wouldn't you use EA at UVA? Or really at ANY SCHOOL WHERE EA is avaialable?!?!

Using EA signals the university that your kid is serious about attending, organized and can get their applications in by Nov 1/15. It's a well known fact that you must do that at most schools that offer EA to gain admissions, but especially at highly competitive schools.

So if you are not a troll, then you didn't do basic homework

This is laughable. She spent a lot of time on her applications and some classmates that applied RD got in. UVA was not her top choice by any means but we were told by her counsellor that it was almost guaranteed with her stats.

DP. Well, it wasn't her top choice, so no loss there. Move on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was WL at UVA because she applied RD, it’s much more competitive in RD, especially from NOVA and since she didn’t apply Early Action (with all of her classmates who apply ED elsewhere) she was signaling that she wasn’t really that interested in UVA.

So much about this reads as a troll post---with a lot of energy to keep coming back with updates.

If a school has EA, you must do EA. It is not binding, it just means you get your application in by Nov1/15 and get a result typically by mid February/late February. It signals to a university that you have your act together and know you want to attend. If you wait until RD, well by then you are AFTER ED1/ED2 and EA. So the school has already picked the vast majority of their freshman class. You could have done EA, you chose not to. Not a smart choice

Because she wasn't interested in UVA, she preferred to go OOS. She thought that she had a high chance with RD and wanted to focus on the rest of her applications. JHU has been her dream school for a very long time - We know it's very competitive, but she still thought she had a chance. And yes, I'm definitely spending my Tuesday evening on here "trolling" instead of asking for advice/support from those of us in a similar situation - Please think of more original insults.

well then, she got what she "deserved", the school "wasn't interested" in her either. Seriously, if you don't have the time or interest in applying by Nov 1/15, then why should a school care if they admit you? If she doesn't care, why should the school care? They are focused on finding the right number of students to admit so they yield the correct number of students come fall, and they also need to balance those so there are not 600 BME majors (UVA typically has only 300-330 BME majors each year) or 5000 engineering majors

And here's the advice/support you want: she got into several great schools. Pick from one of them. VaTech or Pitt seem the best fit, simply because they have strong engineering/BME programs. So time to start helping your DD get excited about one of those. Visit both and help her figure it out.
Stop trying to figure out why or how to get into one of the other Highly rejective schools. You can get on the WL at those and write a LOCI if allowed. But in reality, you have to have your DD assume she won't get in/off the WL. Have her focus on her choices and move forward.

And yes, you read like a "troll" because it's extremely difficult to comprehend how someone from NOVA can (in 2025) actually not understand how competitive the 10+ schools your DD applied to are. and that yes, even a high stats kid with National ECs can get rejected or WL. It's simple math. 90%+ will get rejected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was WL at UVA because she applied RD, it’s much more competitive in RD, especially from NOVA and since she didn’t apply Early Action (with all of her classmates who apply ED elsewhere) she was signaling that she wasn’t really that interested in UVA.

So much about this reads as a troll post---with a lot of energy to keep coming back with updates.

If a school has EA, you must do EA. It is not binding, it just means you get your application in by Nov1/15 and get a result typically by mid February/late February. It signals to a university that you have your act together and know you want to attend. If you wait until RD, well by then you are AFTER ED1/ED2 and EA. So the school has already picked the vast majority of their freshman class. You could have done EA, you chose not to. Not a smart choice

Because she wasn't interested in UVA, she preferred to go OOS. She thought that she had a high chance with RD and wanted to focus on the rest of her applications. JHU has been her dream school for a very long time - We know it's very competitive, but she still thought she had a chance. And yes, I'm definitely spending my Tuesday evening on here "trolling" instead of asking for advice/support from those of us in a similar situation - Please think of more original insults.

What prevented an ED application to JHU?

Exactly, most of the schools OP DD applied to are going to be $80-90K+. If you need FA, you are not applying to that list typically. You would have several "1 tier down" that give great aid if you cannot afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry.
Agree that it’s the major. My kid experienced this last year except did get in one of your kid’s WL schools. I’m surprised about the UVA WL with her stats. Did your daughter apply EA to UVA? What kind of high school does she attend?

VT, Pitt, Lehigh all were in the running for engineering for our kid. VT would be fantastic, Pitt too. Lehigh was in the running until the very end. Hopefully she can get excited at the admitted student days. Tough process for sure.

Yes, we were honestly shocked that she didn't get in - She applied RD. Many classmates with far lower stats + less impressive ECs got in. She attends a mid-sized public high school, pretty competitive. I know the cycle was very tough this year, but we definitely didn't see this coming.

Why wouldn't you use EA at UVA? Or really at ANY SCHOOL WHERE EA is avaialable?!?!

Using EA signals the university that your kid is serious about attending, organized and can get their applications in by Nov 1/15. It's a well known fact that you must do that at most schools that offer EA to gain admissions, but especially at highly competitive schools.

So if you are not a troll, then you didn't do basic homework

This is laughable. She spent a lot of time on her applications and some classmates that applied RD got in. UVA was not her top choice by any means but we were told by her counsellor that it was almost guaranteed with her stats.

Then those classmates had better applications than she did. There are many, many many very talented students out there, OP.

+1
But I'm sure the OP will be back to assure us that they had lower stats and were far less impressive than her kid, as if she has any idea. Never fails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was WL at UVA because she applied RD, it’s much more competitive in RD, especially from NOVA and since she didn’t apply Early Action (with all of her classmates who apply ED elsewhere) she was signaling that she wasn’t really that interested in UVA.

So much about this reads as a troll post---with a lot of energy to keep coming back with updates.

If a school has EA, you must do EA. It is not binding, it just means you get your application in by Nov1/15 and get a result typically by mid February/late February. It signals to a university that you have your act together and know you want to attend. If you wait until RD, well by then you are AFTER ED1/ED2 and EA. So the school has already picked the vast majority of their freshman class. You could have done EA, you chose not to. Not a smart choice

Because she wasn't interested in UVA, she preferred to go OOS. She thought that she had a high chance with RD and wanted to focus on the rest of her applications. JHU has been her dream school for a very long time - We know it's very competitive, but she still thought she had a chance. And yes, I'm definitely spending my Tuesday evening on here "trolling" instead of asking for advice/support from those of us in a similar situation - Please think of more original insults.

What prevented an ED application to JHU?

Exactly, most of the schools OP DD applied to are going to be $80-90K+. If you need FA, you are not applying to that list typically. You would have several "1 tier down" that give great aid if you cannot afford it.

Like I said, she applied ED2. I meant to write ED instead of EA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
+1

Especially students who are "that smart"

And if they are truly that naive, well then they did this to themselves. It's not a balanced list of schools at all. And if she wants BME, why is W&M? Very few kids do a 3+2 program, because nobody wants to leave their college after 3 years and go somewhere different.

It's unfortunate, because there are many many many excellent engineering schools in the 30-70 range, many that would have given her $$$ as well.
For example:
Case
URochester
WPI
RPI
NEU (tough admit, but might have given her NUIn or Global Scholars with those stats)

Had she shown interest, she would have gotten into all of those except NEU---that is the only Reach.

W&M was at at the bottom of her list but chose to apply because Columbia really appealed to her.

So in 3 years she can compete again and hope to get into Columbia Engineering of the last 2 years. In most 3+2 programs, the Engineering Part (ie Columbia) is NOT guaranteed. You still have to be accepted (and most are not).

I still think you are a teenage troll with a lot of free time right now. Because nobody who knows they want BME as a major is going to attend W&M in hopes of getting into a 3+2 program. They would be applying to schools with an actual BME program.

I don't think I made it clear, but W&M was more of a "shotgun" application - She went on a tour with a family friend who wanted to apply there and loved the campus + students. And Columbia has been one of her top schools for quite a while.

So W&M was a "shotgun application" but she couldn't find the time to apply EA to UVA? W&M has 6 supplemental essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was WL at UVA because she applied RD, it’s much more competitive in RD, especially from NOVA and since she didn’t apply Early Action (with all of her classmates who apply ED elsewhere) she was signaling that she wasn’t really that interested in UVA.

So much about this reads as a troll post---with a lot of energy to keep coming back with updates.

If a school has EA, you must do EA. It is not binding, it just means you get your application in by Nov1/15 and get a result typically by mid February/late February. It signals to a university that you have your act together and know you want to attend. If you wait until RD, well by then you are AFTER ED1/ED2 and EA. So the school has already picked the vast majority of their freshman class. You could have done EA, you chose not to. Not a smart choice

Because she wasn't interested in UVA, she preferred to go OOS. She thought that she had a high chance with RD and wanted to focus on the rest of her applications. JHU has been her dream school for a very long time - We know it's very competitive, but she still thought she had a chance. And yes, I'm definitely spending my Tuesday evening on here "trolling" instead of asking for advice/support from those of us in a similar situation - Please think of more original insults.

What prevented an ED application to JHU?

Exactly, most of the schools OP DD applied to are going to be $80-90K+. If you need FA, you are not applying to that list typically. You would have several "1 tier down" that give great aid if you cannot afford it.

Like I said, she applied ED2. I meant to write ED instead of EA.

DP. If JHU was her first choice, why didn't she apply ED1?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:well then, she got what she "deserved", the school "wasn't interested" in her either. Seriously, if you don't have the time or interest in applying by Nov 1/15, then why should a school care if they admit you? If she doesn't care, why should the school care? They are focused on finding the right number of students to admit so they yield the correct number of students come fall, and they also need to balance those so there are not 600 BME majors (UVA typically has only 300-330 BME majors each year) or 5000 engineering majors

And here's the advice/support you want: she got into several great schools. Pick from one of them. VaTech or Pitt seem the best fit, simply because they have strong engineering/BME programs. So time to start helping your DD get excited about one of those. Visit both and help her figure it out.
Stop trying to figure out why or how to get into one of the other Highly rejective schools. You can get on the WL at those and write a LOCI if allowed. But in reality, you have to have your DD assume she won't get in/off the WL. Have her focus on her choices and move forward.

And yes, you read like a "troll" because it's extremely difficult to comprehend how someone from NOVA can (in 2025) actually not understand how competitive the 10+ schools your DD applied to are. and that yes, even a high stats kid with National ECs can get rejected or WL. It's simple math. 90%+ will get rejected

You are quite dense, and you're putting words in my mouth. Of course we knew how competitive the Ivies or equivalents are. But, for example, the VT acceptance rate is around 57%. Please do share with everyone how someone with DD's stats should not have been extremely likely to get accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else facing a lot of disappointment during this cycle? DD got into a couple target schools + most of her safeties... Rejected or WL from the rest. She was (imo and told to us by many others) a great applicant - High stats, great ECs + essays, LORs... Her interviews all went very well, especially JHU. She applied to JHU EA and the rest RD, and we're from NOVA. Intended major is BME (biomed engineering).

Stats:
4.0 UW/4.7 W GPA
1570 SAT (800 M, 770 R&W)
14 APs, all 5s

ECs:
- A few regional awards (STEM)
- 200+ volunteer hours @ local hospital
- Founder of non-profit
- Research w/ prof at T30
- Competitive summer program for BME
- Lots of community service

Results:
JHU EA - Deferred -> Rejected
Princeton - Rejected
Brown - Rejected
Dartmouth - Rejected
Columbia - Rejected
Duke - Rejected
UVA - WL
Cornell - WL
CMU - WL
UNC CH - WL
VT - Accepted
W&M - Accepted
Lehigh - Accepted
UPitt - Accepted

DD is incredibly upset and so are we... JHU was her dream school but she relied on UVA + CMU as well. Anyone here confused and facing a similar situation?We all were convinced that DD had it in the bag - Worst of all is that many of her classmates w/ lower stats and worse ECs have gotten into a few of these schools.

A couple of thoughts. RD vs EA was probably not a great idea. But with her stats, I am very surprised. Is she Asian and a student at TJHSST? If so, I hear a lot of kids get boxed out in admissions by other kids getting in (even if they do not attend) during the EA process.

Which is why private schools try to prevent the top few students from running the table in RD by limiting apps.

[Anonymous]

So W&M was a "shotgun application" but she couldn't find the time to apply EA to UVA? W&M has 6 supplemental essays.

I think I used the wrong word - I was trying to say that W&M wasn't her top choice but she was very impressed with the campus life + students when she visited with a friend, which is why she decided to apply.