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

[Anonymous]

Do you think AOs ready these threads and cackle over people trying to read the leaves through AO deans' lies?

I think they say things to parents just to mess with the Tiger parents, as then go back their "holistic" decision meetings, where they admit whoever they are in the mood for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Our admissions process at UVa is a holistic one."

Translation: we'll do whatever the heck we want and change the rules whenever we see fit to do so."

And that is OK.

And it seems to work. Rankings are high. Demand is high. Graduates are very accomplished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Dean J is a poor communicator and internally contradictory, on purpose.

Dean J uses "look good" in quotes and never defines it, and also doesnt say anything "looks bad".

Dean J makes people decide whether to apply to Engineering and then tells them they are apt to change their major so they shouldn't pickna major in high school.

You have to undestand that Dean J only says the same thing every wat the Dean can: you have no power to make a decision that moves the needle of admissions, because the school intentionally hides the admissions criteria from you, because admissions decisions are based on the university and student body as a whole not about the individual applicant

Stop trying to impress the AO. You can't.

[Anonymous]

It's better for your application to take a course your student is intrinsically motivated to do well in, than a course they hate but take just to try to suck up to Dean J.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD has a SAT1580, GPA weighted 4.4, from TJ and has taken 3 APs (none in Chem, Bio, Physics), 4th year of language, no APUSH. Good ECs. Was considering an ED to UVA, shoud she not apply?

That might be tough considering DDs classmates (her competition for acceptance) will likely have taken more AP courses.

With UVA admissions it’s not about the number of APs a student takes.

Right, but apparently OP’s daughter went to TJ but didn’t take APs in bio, chem, or physics, which I would tho k wouldn’t look great compared to other TJ applicants when UVA wants to see highest rigor in science - I would think *especially* from a stem school like TJ.

Yes agree, and not like PP is close to top rigor--that courseload at TJ is not competitive for UVA and may be tough for schools further down such as BC, William&Mary. TJ and other intense high schools have so many who apply to UVA. UVA already accepts a much higher % from these schools. However, why should UVA or any elite school take more students from the middle of the pack at TJ over a superstar near the top of the class in a rural high school, who took every hard class offered? The latter always wins, even if the SAT is 1480 not 1580.

Thanks for the feedback. A few more questions. DD has taken AV level courses in TJ - AI1&2 and Machine Learning. Does that demonstrate rigor? 3 APs until Junior year, and 3 APs currently on her Senior year- Thank you.

[Anonymous]

So let me get the list right based on this crowdsourcing;
Necessary- whap, apush, bc calc, physics, language as a senior.
Except that for each of these (except maybe apush) there’s a long line of people with real evidence this is not true bc they know people who didn’t have these classes.
What’s our evidence it is true? Anecdotal evidence that someone was lacking and didn’t get in. Let’s use critical thinking people. Isn’t more reasonable that there were other parts lacking on their app then the failure to take whap?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

She never says it's required for admission. Everyone knows that UVA and many elite colleges like to see, recommend, or encourage, rigor in all five core subjects. However, ultimately, many students are accepted without high rigor in each core subject. What none of us are privy to is the decision-making process. "We like this applicant but oops, no fourth year foreign lang. Deny." That is not how it seems to actually play out. There is some level of rigor that is sufficient. Maybe that level is different for different applicants. There is no one-size-fits-all, bright line rule.

My own kid was missing rigor in two subjects - foreign lang (only 3 years/thru level 3) and English (no honors/AP/DE). Attends a T10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's better for your application to take a course your student is intrinsically motivated to do well in, than a course they hate but take just to try to suck up to Dean J.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1

[Anonymous]

"Prefer" and "require" are two different things. Of course UVA prefers more rigor. That doesn't mean it's necessary for admission.

From an earlier post:

DeanJ's instagram, albeit a few years ago, 10th slide in the post https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3O...=2410571039632223712

"To summarize:

1. There is no foreign language requirement for admission to UVA"

[Anonymous]

I used to read admissions files for a top 20 law school. We got stacks of equal index, which was formula based solely on lsat and gpa. We got,say, 20 files and were told, pick 10 if it was a high index or pick 2 if it was a lower index. There were three of us reading the same stacks. If two people picked the same candidates, they got in. Obviously chances were higher the higher the index. But the point remains, if you shine brightly and happen to appeal to two out of three strangers- who are also judging you against 19 other random people who only share your index-then you will get in.
My point, gpa, rigor, sat- all of this is a function and there is inherent randomness. I don’t know how uva works but I would say work really hard at all if it. Don’t undercut essays. I still remember an essay someone wrote about their shoes.

[Anonymous]

Students need to realize that UVa is basically a lottery for tippy-top students. They simply aren’t large enough to accept all of the highly qualified applications they receive and they have to accept all kinds of students - Engineering and English and Accounting and Nursing, etc. if you’ve taken all the classes and done all the things, there’s still no guarantee. This is no reflection on you as a person.
Go ahead and apply if you think you stand a chance, but be sure to have a back-up plan. It’s no sin to be rejected from UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students need to realize that UVa is basically a lottery for tippy-top students.

First of all the phrase "tippy-top students" is asinine, stop it.

Secondly, no it's not. Just looking at Naviance from our FCPS high school makes it very clear that if you've got the stats it's a gimme. Same with W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

A student fit for UVA is going to be the kid that WANTS those classes for themselves. They are not the students that do it because their parents told them to or they think it’s expected or because Dean j said it. These are kids who love to be challenged and love learning. If you wouldn’t describe them as such, parents need to be realistic at the kind of student they are and let them find the right school for them.


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:Students need to realize that UVa is basically a lottery for tippy-top students.

First of all the phrase "tippy-top students" is asinine, stop it.

Secondly, no it's not. Just looking at Naviance from our FCPS high school makes it very clear that if you've got the stats it's a gimme. Same with W&M.

Sure, Jan. 🙄