1530 SAT at McLean High not enough for UVA now?

[Anonymous]

Sometimes people forget how small UVA is compared with other VA public universities. UVA is much smaller than VT for example.

And UVa is absolutely dwarfed by other states' public universities (such ad UCLA, UMich, UCB, UIUC).

UVA admissions can be tight in part because it is small for a public university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people forget how small UVA is compared with other VA public universities. UVA is much smaller than VT for example.

And UVa is absolutely dwarfed by other states' public universities (such ad UCLA, UMich, UCB, UIUC).

UVA admissions can be tight in part because it is small for a public university.

You just contradicted yourself, moron. UCLA, UMich, UCB all dwarf UVA in size, yes, but are all equally if not more selective than UVA. What they have in common with UVA is their academic reputation. It's UVA's reputation that makes it so selective. Not its size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people forget how small UVA is compared with other VA public universities. UVA is much smaller than VT for example.

And UVa is absolutely dwarfed by other states' public universities (such ad UCLA, UMich, UCB, UIUC).

UVA admissions can be tight in part because it is small for a public university.

This 💯. The limited spots is what drives the insanity.

[Anonymous]

I have heard of plenty of kids from competitive FCPS high schools get in with 1480-1510 range, but they all had high rigor and excellent grades to back it up. I wouldn’t worry about retaking the Sat, focus on getting As in those tough classes. Time better spent.

[Anonymous]

I dunno. Our private advises kids hit for the upper range of the SAT score. So, a 75th percentile SAT might not be high enough.

What’s the harm in letting your son retake it?

A 1375 was a low score even a couple decades ago. From my public high school the top students in the AP track all had scores above 1500. 1375 would have been in the B grade range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people forget how small UVA is compared with other VA public universities. UVA is much smaller than VT for example.

And UVa is absolutely dwarfed by other states' public universities (such ad UCLA, UMich, UCB, UIUC).

UVA admissions can be tight in part because it is small for a public university.

This 💯. The limited spots is what drives the insanity.

I guess you didn't read my response. UCLS, UMich, UCB -- all much bigger, all just as if not more selective.

It's reputation that drives selectivity, not size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dunno. Our private advises kids hit for the upper range of the SAT score. So, a 75th percentile SAT might not be high enough.

What’s the harm in letting your son retake it?

A 1375 was a low score even a couple decades ago. From my public high school the top students in the AP track all had scores above 1500. 1375 would have been in the B grade range.

Question for you: are you posting from the DMV? Do you know anything about UVA admissions?

[Anonymous]

My TJ kid with 1550 4.3 WGPA was rejected from UVA 2 years ago. I think UVA has a hard WGPA cutoff even with high SAT.

[Anonymous]

Yes OP the GPA will be the issue

[Anonymous]

Or UVA is gaming the system - UVA doesn't publish the data so we have to get it from other sources: https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/colleges/UVA-admission-requirements

Average GPA is 4.32 and 1445 SAT. Those are averages so a good chunk are below.

1. When everyone at McLean HS applies to UVA then they can reject most of them. You are measured against your HS applicants.
2. They have the rest of NoVA that they need to distribute the admits to. And a good chunk of NoVa is applying.
3. They need to admit a good amount from the rest of VA this is a political decision. The rest of VA are paying into UVA as well.

OP your kid did everything right - the deck was unfairly stacked. If this was simply the old UCal formula; Weighted GPA*1000 +SAT + EC Points + AP Points + competitive school points and ranked everyone in VA your kid would be in.

If your kid wants to go to UVA really bad then transfer in after first year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's your zip code.

This. From McLean and Langley, you need a 4.5 on top of that SAT score. Highest rigor, highest grades. No room for an emotional breakup, friend troubles, personal issues to work through, or family struggle. Be perfect since age 14 or no UVA for you.

Which means there are lots of parents helicoptering and snow plowing to make this happen and they have all the money they need to support that.

If you have more money you don’t obsess about your kids going to an in-state school like UVA. You let your kids enjoy life a bit more and go to another in-state school, a SLAC or an OOS flagship, comfortable that their basic smarts and social skills will serve them well later.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read all the replies but I think he needs to focus on gpa, not SAT. DS is at UVA and has many friends that were admitted test optional without scores, but had high GPAs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the focus on UVA? He sounds like a great kid - he should go to one of countless universities that would be happy and proud to have him rather than focus on one that sets a ridiculous, arbitrary bar just because they can. IMO.

"Just because they can" means they can because they're better and more desirable. Why wouldn't a high achieving kid want the best?

It’s not the best. It’s arbitrary. OP’s son is functionally indistinguishable from the kids deemed “good enough” to be accepted to UVA.

[Anonymous]

Also just to add to my post above, I think 1500+ is fine to submit for uva, he just needs to again get that gpa up.