gmu or cnu or vt? which is most selective?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what you major in: VT for sciences, GMU for social sciences, CNU would be a solid runner-up general choice.

I'm originally from VA-not-NOVA and I don't know anyone who considered VA Tech prestigious, unless they were interested in engineering or sciences or ROTC. All my coworkers and friends who attended Tech ended up hating it (they were not science majors) but I admit they are a fairly small sample.

It seems to be thought of as prestigious in NOVA, in other parts of the state it would be considered on-par with the others, especially if you are not a science/tech/engineering major.

Totally agree. For engineering, of course Tech would be more selective. But for everything else? GMU, hands down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia Tech admitted 70% of applicants. Admitted students had average 1249 SAT and 28 ACT
GMU admitted 66% of applicants. Admitted students had average 1159 SAT and 26 ACT
Christopher Newport admitted 65% of applicants. Admitted students had average 1179 ACT and 26 ACT.

All seem to be chasing a similar statistical pool. VT admission rate is higher because they have more spots to offer. Engineering kids probably bump up the SAT and ACT numbers for VT above the other 2. Not sure that VT and CNU get many cross admits. Other than both being state schools the size differential probably is a decision factor for most kids. Also absence of football at GMU makes a different environment than football crazed Blacksburg, even though both are large schools. This is why Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors. It appears most applicants at all 3 can expect to be admitted at whichever of these they prefer.

Interesting figures; it appears my "cool story" has actual validity. The differences between the 3 schools are not substantial; they should appeal to different groups of students or to parents who wish to guide their kids into a school that is the "right fit" for the kid.

[Anonymous]

It's a cool story because it's meaningless when your kid's applying from Langley, McLean or Madison (I'm sure other local HSs too, but I know the stats for these three schools). Fiske guide doesn't help with these numbers; you need to look at Naviance for your "validity."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've only lived in the area for 5 yrs but I have never even heard of CNU!? I assume it is part of the state system? I did realize that GMU has made strides in the last decade or so but I would still assume that VT is the most competitive of the 3.

VT is probably the most difficult, especially if you are applying to the engineering school (you must select two colleges to apply to in order of preference). VT has ED (binding) but the admissions offer discourages ED because often the students don't have sufficient breadth in sciences or math so they are rejected or put on a waitlist pending grades from fall of Senior Year. There are four top colleges of nine (Engineering, architecture, fashion design and something else I can't remember)- the top four are the most difficult to get into. It is the most difficult to get into engineering.

GMU has indeed "grown up" into the largest university in VA with 35,000 students, 1/3 of whom are Masters or Ph.D candidates. It has recently been rated as "no. 1" for up and coming universities. GMU has just finished a $900 million building project and is now turning to creating more dorm space out of the high-rise hotel on campus and wherever else it can to meet the demand for dorms. 75% of all freshman now live on campus in lovely, new facilities. The admissions committee has a staff dedicated to international students so I would no longer call it "regional". Also, GMU just opened Mason Korea in S. Korea this year. GMU also has an honors program permitting an exchange with Oxford. The Game Design Institute has a Scotland year abroad program, as well. It's not easy to get into either GMU or VT if you are applying from N. Virginia. If you are applying from OOS, it is much easier, but then you have to pay full-freight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've only lived in the area for 5 yrs but I have never even heard of CNU!? I assume it is part of the state system? I did realize that GMU has made strides in the last decade or so but I would still assume that VT is the most competitive of the 3.

VT is probably the most difficult, especially if you are applying to the engineering school (you must select two colleges to apply to in order of preference). VT has ED (binding) but the admissions offer discourages ED because often the students don't have sufficient breadth in sciences or math so they are rejected or put on a waitlist pending grades from fall of Senior Year. There are four top colleges of nine (Engineering, architecture, fashion design and something else I can't remember)- the top four are the most difficult to get into. It is the most difficult to get into engineering.

GMU has indeed "grown up" into the largest university in VA with 35,000 students, 1/3 of whom are Masters or Ph.D candidates. It has recently been rated as "no. 1" for up and coming universities. GMU has just finished a $900 million building project and is now turning to creating more dorm space out of the high-rise hotel on campus and wherever else it can to meet the demand for dorms. 75% of all freshman now live on campus in lovely, new facilities. The admissions committee has a staff dedicated to international students so I would no longer call it "regional". Also, GMU just opened Mason Korea in S. Korea this year. GMU also has an honors program permitting an exchange with Oxford. The Game Design Institute has a Scotland year abroad program, as well. It's not easy to get into either GMU or VT if you are applying from N. Virginia. If you are applying from OOS, it is much easier, but then you have to pay full-freight.

Thanks for all this info! GMU sounds like it has tons of great opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what you major in: VT for sciences, GMU for social sciences, CNU would be a solid runner-up general choice.

I'm originally from VA-not-NOVA and I don't know anyone who considered VA Tech prestigious, unless they were interested in engineering or sciences or ROTC. All my coworkers and friends who attended Tech ended up hating it (they were not science majors) but I admit they are a fairly small sample.

It seems to be thought of as prestigious in NOVA, in other parts of the state it would be considered on-par with the others, especially if you are not a science/tech/engineering major.

I'm a lifelong VA resident too(not NOVA). And the prestige pecking order in VA has always been W&M, UVA, VT, and JMU. Many of the top students in my h.s. went to VT, and not just for the sciences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what you major in: VT for sciences, GMU for social sciences, CNU would be a solid runner-up general choice.

I'm originally from VA-not-NOVA and I don't know anyone who considered VA Tech prestigious, unless they were interested in engineering or sciences or ROTC. All my coworkers and friends who attended Tech ended up hating it (they were not science majors) but I admit they are a fairly small sample.

It seems to be thought of as prestigious in NOVA, in other parts of the state it would be considered on-par with the others, especially if you are not a science/tech/engineering major.

I'm a lifelong VA resident too(not NOVA). And the prestige pecking order in VA has always been W&M, UVA, VT, and JMU. Many of the top students in my h.s. went to VT, and not just for the sciences.

I'm not a lifelong VA resident, but I went to school in NoVa and live here now. W&M is no more prestigious locally than UVA; they just appeal to different personalities. And that's almost the case now where VT and JMU are concerned, although it does seem to be harder to get into VT from local high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what you major in: VT for sciences, GMU for social sciences, CNU would be a solid runner-up general choice.

I'm originally from VA-not-NOVA and I don't know anyone who considered VA Tech prestigious, unless they were interested in engineering or sciences or ROTC. All my coworkers and friends who attended Tech ended up hating it (they were not science majors) but I admit they are a fairly small sample.

It seems to be thought of as prestigious in NOVA, in other parts of the state it would be considered on-par with the others, especially if you are not a science/tech/engineering major.

I'm a lifelong VA resident too(not NOVA). And the prestige pecking order in VA has always been W&M, UVA, VT, and JMU. Many of the top students in my h.s. went to VT, and not just for the sciences.

I'm not a lifelong VA resident, but I went to school in NoVa and live here now. W&M is no more prestigious locally than UVA; they just appeal to different personalities. And that's almost the case now where VT and JMU are concerned, although it does seem to be harder to get into VT from local high schools.

I agree about VT and JMU. It is just as hard to get into JMU as VT. Lots of very qualified kids at DC's school were rejected this year.

[Anonymous]

JMU is not "just as hard" as VT to get into. It's harder than it ought to be, all things considered, for kids around here. And too many qualified kids are rejected. But it's still harder to get into VT from area high schools. Look at local stats for proof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JMU is not "just as hard" as VT to get into. It's harder than it ought to be, all things considered, for kids around here. And too many qualified kids are rejected. But it's still harder to get into VT from area high schools. Look at local stats for proof.

This theory doesn't play out at our high school. Looking at Naviance, JMU was the more selective school. Also, several kids DC knows were accepted to VT but not to JMU. It's pretty much a crapshoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JMU is not "just as hard" as VT to get into. It's harder than it ought to be, all things considered, for kids around here. And too many qualified kids are rejected. But it's still harder to get into VT from area high schools. Look at local stats for proof.

This theory doesn't play out at our high school. Looking at Naviance, JMU was the more selective school. Also, several kids DC knows were accepted to VT but not to JMU. It's pretty much a crapshoot.

VA parents are lucky to have so many excellent choices.

[Anonymous]

Sigh. I'll be bummed if my kids go to one of these schools. Or worse - if they can't even get in!