Virginia Tech

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

+100

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

So admissions is only driven by stats?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

So admissions is only driven by stats?

In very large state universities like VT, not quite maybe but pretty darn close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

So admissions is only driven by stats?

In very large state universities like VT, not quite maybe but pretty darn close.

Anyone that follows admissions knows VT places a high value on their short essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only place on earth where you will find anyone insisting - in the face of all data to the contrary - that VT is as selective as UVA is a forum called “Virginia Tech.”

Wrong. The argument is VT is a top choice, as is UVA.

What data do you have to support this claim?

Read the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

Oh please. If you actually read my post you’d know I said a lot more than checking a list by the front door. Selective reading comprehension at its finest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

So admissions is only driven by stats?

In very large state universities like VT, not quite maybe but pretty darn close.

DP. If you knew anything at all about VT, you'd know this isn't true. But you don't. Yet you're still here, pretending you do.

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Anonymous wrote:New poster here. Let’s be fair and rational about this. Yes, there are students at the very top of the class in FCPS who choose VT. But there are many more who choose UVA, William & Mary, OOS flagships, and top privates. Tech is not a typical destination for very top students - except maybe engineering.

How do you know who is very top? How do you know colleges agree with your assessment of who is very top?

DP. Please, let’s not pretend that any competitive college does not consider top students based on grades, test scores and ECs.

Ive had three kids graduate from a large NOVA public high school in the last five years and another from a private school in DC and it’s relatively easy to guess who’s considered a top student, both by the HS and by colleges. For one thing, we’ve got access to Naviance and that is a pretty accurate indication of the grades and test scores of whose getting in where. And if you, as a parent are involved at the HS and your kid’s life, you have a decent sense of who the student leaders are in various activities and who earns what awards at assemblies. And then there is the fact that every quarter the public school posts on a bulletin board by the main entrance who made principal’s list and honor roll by grade and the private school posts the rankings of the top 20% at the end of every semester by its main office. No, I wasn’t obsessed and tracking each student’s successes or grades or college admissions and I’m sure I don’t know who all the top students are but it’s not that difficult to know who most are. And, yes, in my very recent experience with four kids in private and public HS, the majority of top students are picking UVA over Tech if deciding between the two. My kids had/have plenty of very smart friends at Tech but the vast majority who also applied to UVA were either rejected or waitlisted by UVA.

Of course this is what colleges consider. The point is no matter how many anecdotes parents observe, they have not reviewed the applications. The key word here is "guess."

Except here all of the relevant metrics - admission rate, yield, grades and test scores - are all published by the state and are easily accessible to anyone interested. And they leave no doubt that UVA attracts and enrolls way more top students than VT. It’s not even debatable.

You know for a fact that every kid that applied to VT also applied to UVA? You know for a fact that every kid that got in at UVA was also accepted at VT?

It’s impossible to reason with someone so stubborn and illogical. You are never going to be convinced. Willful blindness.

The process is far more nuanced and cannot be simplified to anecdotes and limited data.

+100
Checking a list by the front office doesn’t tell you who is involved in a very selective activity outside of school. It doesn’t tell you about the countless hours spent doing that activity, or the awards won because of it. It doesn’t describe anything at all about a student, other than a grade. That’s it. It’s amusing that the PP thinks she actually knows who is doing what, beyond basic grades. She doesn’t have a clue.

You know nothing about college admissions. Sure, a “very selective” activity looks good on an application and can make a real difference when choosing between that applicant and another applicant with similar numbers who doesn’t have that or another activity - but unless the applicant is being recruited for the activity it won’t take the place of grades and (to a lesser extent) test scores.

The state doesn’t publish a list of extracurricular activities for a reason: they don’t matter nearly as much. In fact, if anything they matter LESS at VT than UVA.

I’m sorry, but you are absolutely wrong about this. Some activities aren’t “recruitable,” they are simply proof of an applicant’s deep knowledge base and commitment. It sounds as if you don’t know anything about either.

VT makes clear on it’s Common Data Set that while class rigor, grades, state residency, first generation, geographic location and other factors are “important” factors considered when reviewing the application, a student’s extracurricular activity are not. They are merely “considered.” Evidence of a student’s “deep commitment” to an extracurricular, to use your words, doesn’t mean squat if the grades and classes aren’t up to bar.

True - but why would assume the grades and classes aren't up to par as well? That's what many posters are trying to tell you. You simply want to argue and keep talking about a school that isn't even the topic of this thread. Are you that insecure?

Sigh. You are impossible. I’ve already provided the state’s data showing without question that they’re not. I’m not “assuming” anything. A 4.04 is lower than a 4.40. There’s no other way to look at it!

Jesus I feel sorry for your spouse. Do you always dig in like this when you’re wrong?

You’re arguing with multiple posters. All are trying to explain to you that maybe there is more to this than you realize. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opinion? Posting SCHEV stats doesn’t make your argument bullet proof.

Except it DOES. That’s what they’re there for - comparative purposes. My God I’m dealing with total idiots.

+100