No early decision or legacy preferences Virginia Tech

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At VT do you apply as intended major? Are you able to change majors later as a sophomore or even junior like at some other universities ?

It’s harder than at most other places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They say ED favors students who don’t need to wait on financial aid decisions

YES. As a donut-hole family, we really do need to look at merit aid at different schools and weigh options carefully. I'm bummed my kid can't ED when it's a clear admissions advantage at some places. I'm happy VT is doing this!

Yeah, screw other people as long as it's better for you, right?

New poster: isn't that what everyone would want? We are looking at admissions information through the lens of what helps or hurts our kids the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid wants V Tech more than any other college. She felt pretty good applying ED. She has other colleges she’ll be applying to, but is there any thought here on her chances EA? She’s feeling pretty down.

Major: engineering
1500 SAT (770 math)
4.32 weighted - honors in core, plus three APs junior year
AP scores of 5 in Chem, physics 1, stats
3 more APs for sr yr

Participated in the ODU/VTech/UVA BLAST program.

Light ECs: sport since elementary - on two teams since starting HS, instrument, theater, leadership role at away summer camp

In or out of state?

DD is a rising sophomore in engineering (out of state) w nearly identical stats but minus the blast program.

OP —have her look up the supplemental essays for VT and have her draft carefully. VT reads the supplemental essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 Why should a public university give legacy preference?

I don't think they ever really did. We know several VT parents whose kids did not get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saw this news a few days ago. Great changes!

Do you have a link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does VT give merit and/or financial aid similar to what UVA and W&M give for in-state residents?

No, but it’s $15,000/year less expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They say ED favors students who don’t need to wait on financial aid decisions

YES. As a donut-hole family, we really do need to look at merit aid at different schools and weigh options carefully. I'm bummed my kid can't ED when it's a clear admissions advantage at some places. I'm happy VT is doing this!

Yeah, screw other people as long as it's better for you, right?

New poster: isn't that what everyone would want? We are looking at admissions information through the lens of what helps or hurts our kids the most.

Another NP: we would much prefer Early Decision, and we're a donut hole family too. We can afford public, in-state tuition, and since our kid's top choice is VT, ED would be best for us. It's the best way to show commitment to a school, but now he can't even do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At VT do you apply as intended major? Are you able to change majors later as a sophomore or even junior like at some other universities ?

Yes, you apply to your intended major. As another PP said, it is difficult to switch into engineering and business, but if you're switching to most other majors, it isn't a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saw this news a few days ago. Great changes!

Do you have a link?

Sorry, just saw the link.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saw this news a few days ago. Great changes!

Not for me. I’m an alum and my daughter will be a senior and Tech is her first choice.
They would have to change it this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were legacies ever a thing there? Their main goal was 40% first gen or urm. I guess they will have to change the urm part after the Supreme Court ruling.

They have been reducing the use of legacies in decision criteria over time. They stated that for the past few years, they did not provide any preference to legacies in admission decisions, and they found that the number of legacy admissions remained the same. Therefore, they are simply making this stance official, because it wasn't necessary.

15-18% of their students applied early decision. 75-80% of their students apply early action. Last year only 5% of their students applied regular decision. If you apply regular decision, all the slots will probably be filled.

My guess is that the early decision candidates are mostly legacy who really want to go to VT, and definitely candidates who don't have to worry about financial aid (or are able to take the risk.) This might affect their legacy numbers.

Technically this improves the chances for someone applying early action (because the early decision folks don't get an early shot at the available slots), but it also means that everyone is in the 95% pool. VT's yield numbers are likely to drop, because the highest caliber students might be using the school as a safety rather than their target school. The lack of ED means that if you really wanted to go there, you have no real way of indicating that. You now are more likely to compete against those exceptional students, reducing your chances (more likely to get a deferral).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 Why should a public university give legacy preference?

I don't think they ever really did. We know several VT parents whose kids did not get in.

Legacy never means guaranteed admission at any school that considers it, but that doesn't mean they don't really consider it. For those kids, it was considered but it still wasn't enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were legacies ever a thing there? Their main goal was 40% first gen or urm. I guess they will have to change the urm part after the Supreme Court ruling.

They have been reducing the use of legacies in decision criteria over time. They stated that for the past few years, they did not provide any preference to legacies in admission decisions, and they found that the number of legacy admissions remained the same. Therefore, they are simply making this stance official, because it wasn't necessary.

15-18% of their students applied early decision. 75-80% of their students apply early action. Last year only 5% of their students applied regular decision. If you apply regular decision, all the slots will probably be filled.

My guess is that the early decision candidates are mostly legacy who really want to go to VT, and definitely candidates who don't have to worry about financial aid (or are able to take the risk.) This might affect their legacy numbers.

Technically this improves the chances for someone applying early action (because the early decision folks don't get an early shot at the available slots), but it also means that everyone is in the 95% pool. VT's yield numbers are likely to drop, because the highest caliber students might be using the school as a safety rather than their target school. The lack of ED means that if you really wanted to go there, you have no real way of indicating that. You now are more likely to compete against those exceptional students, reducing your chances (more likely to get a deferral).

+1 - which is disappointing for those of us whose kids have VT as their first choice. Now they have no way of showing their commitment. Same with JMU. ED is a great tool and it's too bad they're getting rid of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They say ED favors students who don’t need to wait on financial aid decisions

Even non-binding ED?

ED is always binding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 Why should a public university give legacy preference?

Michigan sure seems to. Have seen numerous dumb as sh$t kids admitted because Mommy and Daddy went It’s unbelievable what gets in. Big donations, I guess.