VA Colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the sense that all in-state Va schools are pretty tough to get into now that the population of NoVa has exploded over the past two decades.

Many are still uncompetitive for admission: Radford, Longwood, ODU...

I've never even heard of Radford or Longwood.

They both play D1 sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What source informs you that Penn State gives good merit aid?

The guidance counselor at DD's school. And it appears that the upper 15% of OOS applicants also get instate tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the VA colleges are here: http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp (Although a couple colleges, including JMU, don't have their 2018-2019 stats in yet)

Too bad JMU stats aren’t incuded here. But using VT as an example, DCUMers love to chirp about its high acceptance rate and describe it as a safety or “beneath” their kid. Average Hs GPA? 4.06

A weighted GPA of 4.06 is not hard to achieve for a reasonably good student. It takes a little bit of effort, a mixture of As and Bs with a few APs (one point bump) and a bunch of honors-level classes (a 0.5 poijnt bump) which most kids take, anyway.

When you get up to 4.4-4.5 range, then we're talking exceptional. 4.06? Not so much.

It depends on the school. You think an AP is easy? DD is the top of her APES class, and pulling an A-. She had a hard earned B in AP World but a five on the AP test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What source informs you that Penn State gives good merit aid?

The guidance counselor at DD's school. And it appears that the upper 15% of OOS applicants also get instate tuition.

That was not our experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

Penn State does not give good merit aid. A 1350 is just above the threshold for Clemson and may get a small merit award. A 1350 will get you close to $40,000 over four years at South Caroiina. 10 more points would get you closer to $60,000.

This info is spelled out on the websites for many public universities and is pretty easy to find.

Assuming that your DC is doing well this year and the weighted GPA will increase, see if they can raise their SAT by 100 to 150 points or so to make UVA more likely.

Not all jurisdictions, APS for example, give a .5 bump for honors courses.

That is the same as FCPS.

[Anonymous]

My DD had a 3.25 unweighted GPA and a 1420 SAT. She was accepted to UVA, Willam & Mary, Miami OH, University of South Carolina. Rejected by UNC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD had a 3.25 unweighted GPA and a 1420 SAT. She was accepted to UVA, Willam & Mary, Miami OH, University of South Carolina. Rejected by UNC.

What was her weighted GPA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

She is encouraging us to look at OOS flagships that give good merit aide, like Clemson/So. Carolinaa/Penn State.

Penn State does not give good merit aid. A 1350 is just above the threshold for Clemson and may get a small merit award. A 1350 will get you close to $40,000 over four years at South Caroiina. 10 more points would get you closer to $60,000.

This info is spelled out on the websites for many public universities and is pretty easy to find.

Assuming that your DC is doing well this year and the weighted GPA will increase, see if they can raise their SAT by 100 to 150 points or so to make UVA more likely.

Not all jurisdictions, APS for example, give a .5 bump for honors courses.

That is the same as FCPS.

Full 1 point bump for MCPS.