is applying Test Optional to UVA arts and sciences disadvantageous

[Anonymous]

any private college counselor will tell you that white and asian kids need to submit their scores. TO is for the hooked. Admissions will never admit that but that is what is happening. Sure you will find the oddball white kid who gets in TO but everyone knows what is really going on. . Anyone who listens to deans of admissions (marketing people) is a fool. We now have a different set of admissions for different classes. it is what it is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to imagine that the range of scores they're getting is small, so it makes sense that they don't find them significant anymore.

With close to 50% not submitting scores, high scores would be helpful.

I keep hearing that if you come from a good school district, are MC-UMV-Wealthy, no scores = low scores to universities nowadays. As our Counselor likes to say, nobody is NOT submitting a 35 or 1500 SAT.

I hear that here, but I am not hearing it from college counselors.

Then you do you! Don’t ask for the DCUM opinion and then say well that’s the DCUM opinion.

[Anonymous]

2023 results from a NOVA HS. 35 admitted overall and only 3 TO. Food for thought

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:any private college counselor will tell you that white and asian kids need to submit their scores. TO is for the hooked. Admissions will never admit that but that is what is happening. Sure you will find the oddball white kid who gets in TO but everyone knows what is really going on. . Anyone who listens to deans of admissions (marketing people) is a fool. We now have a different set of admissions for different classes. it is what it is

This is all vibes and assumptions. "Everyone knows what's going on" isn't evidence. And the idea that a private college counselor--talk about marketing!--knows more than an actual admissions officer... well, you know what they say about a fool and their money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2023 results from a NOVA HS. 35 admitted overall and only 3 TO. Food for thought

+1

If it’s you TO and a kid that submitted high scores (all else relatively equal- same, sex, color, gpa, level of ecs)—schools will take the one with tests.

You have the option to not submit scores and it won’t be a negative, but it’s not going to be a positive. The tests in the above situation were a positive and provided an additional authentication.

NO TO school is ever going to come out and tell you it will hurt your chances if you don’t submit. NONE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2023 results from a NOVA HS. 35 admitted overall and only 3 TO. Food for thought

Similar. COVID’s been over for 3 years. Testing centers open for 3 years. It’s not 2020 anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:any private college counselor will tell you that white and asian kids need to submit their scores. TO is for the hooked. Admissions will never admit that but that is what is happening. Sure you will find the oddball white kid who gets in TO but everyone knows what is really going on. . Anyone who listens to deans of admissions (marketing people) is a fool. We now have a different set of admissions for different classes. it is what it is

This is all vibes and assumptions. "Everyone knows what's going on" isn't evidence. And the idea that a private college counselor--talk about marketing!--knows more than an actual admissions officer... well, you know what they say about a fool and their money.

DP. Our HS college counselor told us this—not a paid counselor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were an UMC white kid from NOVA I’d submit my scores.

This (but for Asian kids too).

I know what Dean J says, and maybe that's the case for 90% of the applicants so painting it with one brush is more efficient then slapping a bunch of asterisks next to a statement, but the CC from our local public was very clear - UVA, W&M, and Tech expect to see scores from applicants coming from their school.

So you’re taking the CC of your local public over the Dean from the actual University??

Our HS CC who has over a decade of experience and a relationship with the area AOs from our state schools? Who knows exactly which kids from the school get in and which kids don't with much more specificity than Dean J? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to imagine that the range of scores they're getting is small, so it makes sense that they don't find them significant anymore.

With close to 50% not submitting scores, high scores would be helpful.

I keep hearing that if you come from a good school district, are MC-UMV-Wealthy, no scores = low scores to universities nowadays. As our Counselor likes to say, nobody is NOT submitting a 35 or 1500 SAT.

I hear that here, but I am not hearing it from college counselors.

Yup. This has become the accepted wisdom of DCUM, reinforced within DCUM. But when people cite actual information from actual admissions officers, people find reasons not to believe it. It’s like mass delusion.

Looking at the latest common data set, 71 percent of accepted students at UVA submitted test scores. That number is relatively high. I believe data over propaganda from the admissions office.

[Anonymous]

Can you please share the link which indicates this? I could not find it. Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you please share the link which indicates this? I could not find it. Thank you

https://ira.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1106/files/2023-10/CDS%202023_508-1.pdf

[Anonymous]

DCUM just really wants testing to be more important than it is. Why are you afraid for your kid to be judged on their academics without testing?

If the AOs say TO is fine, why are you so adamant that they're wrong? How does it benefit them to lie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM just really wants testing to be more important than it is. Why are you afraid for your kid to be judged on their academics without testing?

If the AOs say TO is fine, why are you so adamant that they're wrong? How does it benefit them to lie?

They want certain categories of students to apply test optional , but can’t say that aloud. Not sure why this is hard for you to understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe the school over DCUM. Scores aren’t getting people into UVA and TO isn’t keeping people out.

💯

^
THIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM just really wants testing to be more important than it is. Why are you afraid for your kid to be judged on their academics without testing?

If the AOs say TO is fine, why are you so adamant that they're wrong? How does it benefit them to lie?

No. Grade inflation has gotten so out of hand.

My kid has straight As all 4 years- requiring test scores. It’s a way to distinguish kids that failed AP exams (didn’t submit them) and have low standardized test scores from the rest of the 250 Valedictorians at a single HS.