Sky-High GPAs at Virginia State Schools? Time to Ground Expectations and Open Doors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

No you don't need high test scores and 4+ GPA to get to JMU. I know a girl who is now a rising sophomore who had barely a 3.0 and very average scores (1200) who got off the JMU waitlist. That being said, those that don't get in there can do GMU or CNU. There is TONS of middle ground. There is literally a state school for everyone in VA.

Ok name the schools in VA that are middle ground. It used to be VA Tech (non engineering) and JMU but that’s not the case anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

It sounds like JMU is actually rejecting kids with higher than a 4.0, so maybe you are better off not applying if you have the scores listed for UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

No you don't need high test scores and 4+ GPA to get to JMU. I know a girl who is now a rising sophomore who had barely a 3.0 and very average scores (1200) who got off the JMU waitlist. That being said, those that don't get in there can do GMU or CNU. There is TONS of middle ground. There is literally a state school for everyone in VA.

Ok name the schools in VA that are middle ground. It used to be VA Tech (non engineering) and JMU but that’s not the case anymore.

Sure, already did.
JMU is absolutely still a middle ground school, CNU and GMU. Tech for non tech people is pretty reliable too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

It sounds like JMU is actually rejecting kids with higher than a 4.0, so maybe you are better off not applying if you have the scores listed for UVA.

they are really not, people who are sharing that are really anecdotal examples and not the common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

Looking at average GPA and SAT scores for most students now and comparing them to the days of old is really eye opening. There is plenty of hard evidence available that there is grade inflation today at just about all schools, from public to private. There is also evidence that an SAT score from today is comparable to an SAT score of at least 100 points lower from the early 90's. I agree things are muddled in the college admissions world, and I think the main culprit is grade inflation and test optional, making it harder for above average kids to really set themselves apart from just average kids, since everyone just gets lumped together. If you have a very decent but suboptimal SAT score, you don't report, but that pretty much puts you in the same pool as people who actually bombed the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Virginian taxpayers need to go scorched earth on your elected representatives and do hard quotas for Virginian students. Need to follow the model of California and North Carolina. Make rich kids from NY and NJ go to their in-state colleges - all those brats think they are too good for SUNY or Rutgers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having read the first ten responses or so I can’t believe no one has said the GPA requirements have moved up with grade inflation in the public schools.

OP, without retakes and grade inflation your kid would not get a B+ in their class, they’d get a C or low B. Ten years ago your kid still would not have received an offer from tech or UVA. The school is not inline with their abilities and/or academic performance.

Agree, it’s a reflection of the grade inflation and retakes in public. My kids all went to different private schools in VA that did not offer all the weighting and retake options. All got into VA colleges with GPAs below the 25% ranges for GPA, and lower test scores now that those are also skewed.

The GPAs are so misleading at this point. Parents thing their kid with a 4.0 is a top student, but they don’t realize there’s a kid with a 4.8 in the same class as their kid.

yep. Had this conversation with a neighbor who thinks her snowflake is a genius with a weighted gpa of 4.1. Her kid is in the bottom 50% of the highschool rankings wise. She could not believe this.

I bet I know who she is 🤣😂🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginian taxpayers need to go scorched earth on your elected representatives and do hard quotas for Virginian students. Need to follow the model of California and North Carolina. Make rich kids from NY and NJ go to their in-state colleges - all those brats think they are too good for SUNY or Rutgers.

Sure - if you want your in-state tuition to be raised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

No you don't need high test scores and 4+ GPA to get to JMU. I know a girl who is now a rising sophomore who had barely a 3.0 and very average scores (1200) who got off the JMU waitlist. That being said, those that don't get in there can do GMU or CNU. There is TONS of middle ground. There is literally a state school for everyone in VA.

I don't believe this for one minute.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having read the first ten responses or so I can’t believe no one has said the GPA requirements have moved up with grade inflation in the public schools.

OP, without retakes and grade inflation your kid would not get a B+ in their class, they’d get a C or low B. Ten years ago your kid still would not have received an offer from tech or UVA. The school is not inline with their abilities and/or academic performance.

Agree, it’s a reflection of the grade inflation and retakes in public. My kids all went to different private schools in VA that did not offer all the weighting and retake options. All got into VA colleges with GPAs below the 25% ranges for GPA, and lower test scores now that those are also skewed.

The GPAs are so misleading at this point. Parents thing their kid with a 4.0 is a top student, but they don’t realize there’s a kid with a 4.8 in the same class as their kid.

Just wanted to put in some context.

The GPA ranges cited by OP sound like our FCPS school (Mclean/Langley) for weighted GPAs of accepted students. If you max out on APs in FCPS, you can get a 4.5 weighted GPA at the max, not including DE courses. LCPS and other systems have different ways to calculate weighted GPA so the max rates are higher.

Our dingbat FCPS school counselor told us that with a weighted GPA of 4.3 and an SAT of 1500+, DC was guaranteed to get into UVA. From past experience with previous DC, we didn't believe her at all. But DC did get in. DC had 4 Bs on their transcript when they applied.

Anyhow, at our school, about 25% of the graduates had weighted GPA of 4.0 or above, at least according to this year's graduation program listing the honors graduates (wGPA 4.0 or higher).

The University of Virginia (UVA) doesn't have minimum GPA or SAT score requirements for admission, but the average GPA of admitted students is around 4.31.

The average GPA at Virginia Tech is 4. This makes Virginia Tech Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

The average GPA at JMU is 3.55.

Wrong: JMU is 3.89 https://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admittedly, I haven't read all five pages of this conversation. But when the OP says UVA wants a 4.3, does that include the senior year grades?

My rising high school senior has raised her GPA from 3.88 to 4.05 this year, and she could conceivably go somewhere into the 4.2's if she excels senior year.

So would the 4.3 (and 4.0, and 3.5) benchmark be compared to the 4.05 she has at end of junior year, or the 4.2something she could conceivably end up with?

I've seen the GPA's listed on SCHEV for incoming freshman, and assumed those are the final numbers after senior year. Correct or incorrect?

Correct but weighted https://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admittedly, I haven't read all five pages of this conversation. But when the OP says UVA wants a 4.3, does that include the senior year grades?

My rising high school senior has raised her GPA from 3.88 to 4.05 this year, and she could conceivably go somewhere into the 4.2's if she excels senior year.

So would the 4.3 (and 4.0, and 3.5) benchmark be compared to the 4.05 she has at end of junior year, or the 4.2something she could conceivably end up with?

I've seen the GPA's listed on SCHEV for incoming freshman, and assumed those are the final numbers after senior year. Correct or incorrect?

PP with DC at Mclean/Langley who is going to UVA. DC had 4.3 GPA cumulative after 1st semester of senior year, when DC applied. Since then DC slacked off so their green check will show up as 4.23 wGPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I think the issue is that there is no place for above average but not really high GPA kids. It’s either you need 4.0+/high test scores to go to WM/V tech/UVA/now JMU or you go to school that accepts most kids. There is no middle of the road.

No you don't need high test scores and 4+ GPA to get to JMU. I know a girl who is now a rising sophomore who had barely a 3.0 and very average scores (1200) who got off the JMU waitlist. That being said, those that don't get in there can do GMU or CNU. There is TONS of middle ground. There is literally a state school for everyone in VA.

Ok name the schools in VA that are middle ground. It used to be VA Tech (non engineering) and JMU but that’s not the case anymore.

Sure, already did.
JMU is absolutely still a middle ground school, CNU and GMU. Tech for non tech people is pretty reliable too.

VCU and ODU are also middle ground schools. MWU is also not too bad for what it is.

Longwood and Radford are the equivalent of Frostburg State and Salisbury State.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having read the first ten responses or so I can’t believe no one has said the GPA requirements have moved up with grade inflation in the public schools.

OP, without retakes and grade inflation your kid would not get a B+ in their class, they’d get a C or low B. Ten years ago your kid still would not have received an offer from tech or UVA. The school is not inline with their abilities and/or academic performance.

Agree, it’s a reflection of the grade inflation and retakes in public. My kids all went to different private schools in VA that did not offer all the weighting and retake options. All got into VA colleges with GPAs below the 25% ranges for GPA, and lower test scores now that those are also skewed.

The GPAs are so misleading at this point. Parents thing their kid with a 4.0 is a top student, but they don’t realize there’s a kid with a 4.8 in the same class as their kid.

Just wanted to put in some context.

The GPA ranges cited by OP sound like our FCPS school (Mclean/Langley) for weighted GPAs of accepted students. If you max out on APs in FCPS, you can get a 4.5 weighted GPA at the max, not including DE courses. LCPS and other systems have different ways to calculate weighted GPA so the max rates are higher.

Our dingbat FCPS school counselor told us that with a weighted GPA of 4.3 and an SAT of 1500+, DC was guaranteed to get into UVA. From past experience with previous DC, we didn't believe her at all. But DC did get in. DC had 4 Bs on their transcript when they applied.

Anyhow, at our school, about 25% of the graduates had weighted GPA of 4.0 or above, at least according to this year's graduation program listing the honors graduates (wGPA 4.0 or higher).

The University of Virginia (UVA) doesn't have minimum GPA or SAT score requirements for admission, but the average GPA of admitted students is around 4.31.

The average GPA at Virginia Tech is 4. This makes Virginia Tech Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

[b]The average GPA at JMU is 3.55.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having read the first ten responses or so I can’t believe no one has said the GPA requirements have moved up with grade inflation in the public schools.

OP, without retakes and grade inflation your kid would not get a B+ in their class, they’d get a C or low B. Ten years ago your kid still would not have received an offer from tech or UVA. The school is not inline with their abilities and/or academic performance.

Agree, it’s a reflection of the grade inflation and retakes in public. My kids all went to different private schools in VA that did not offer all the weighting and retake options. All got into VA colleges with GPAs below the 25% ranges for GPA, and lower test scores now that those are also skewed.

The GPAs are so misleading at this point. Parents thing their kid with a 4.0 is a top student, but they don’t realize there’s a kid with a 4.8 in the same class as their kid.

Just wanted to put in some context.

The GPA ranges cited by OP sound like our FCPS school (Mclean/Langley) for weighted GPAs of accepted students. If you max out on APs in FCPS, you can get a 4.5 weighted GPA at the max, not including DE courses. LCPS and other systems have different ways to calculate weighted GPA so the max rates are higher.

Our dingbat FCPS school counselor told us that with a weighted GPA of 4.3 and an SAT of 1500+, DC was guaranteed to get into UVA. From past experience with previous DC, we didn't believe her at all. But DC did get in. DC had 4 Bs on their transcript when they applied.

Anyhow, at our school, about 25% of the graduates had weighted GPA of 4.0 or above, at least according to this year's graduation program listing the honors graduates (wGPA 4.0 or higher).

The University of Virginia (UVA) doesn't have minimum GPA or SAT score requirements for admission, but the average GPA of admitted students is around 4.31.

The average GPA at Virginia Tech is 4. This makes Virginia Tech Extremely Competitive for GPAs.

[b]The average GPA at JMU is 3.55.

This can’t be true. I know kids with GPA’s higher then this who were rejected.