Selective Schools

[Anonymous]

I have a student starting high school and was wondering what are the requirements these days to get into selective schools, like UVA and W&M. Obviously, good grades and test scores matter, but how many AP courses? If your child was accepted in the last 6 years, what was his/her course load? I can look on Naviance for GPA and test scores, but wanted to know the course load.

[Anonymous]

If the student has (almost) all As (>4.0 average), 1350-ish on the SAT, 5-8 APs, and is from NoVA, about a 1 in 3 chance ate either UVA or W&M.

[Anonymous]

^at

[Anonymous]

Basing not on my own kid, but those I knew who got in the years above:

All those I knew who got in, had:
At an IB school, IB diploma or similar number of IB courses
At AP school around 6, though a couple took tons.


It seemed like the most important thing was that you took tough AP/IB in core topics in your area of interest, and high level courses throughout rather than trying to wring out ever last AP/IB credit.

So, STEM kid--AP Calc BC, and AP in one or preferably more core sciences (Bio, Chem, Physics). Ok if they don't take AP/IB HL Lit if that's not their thing--but they should take at least Honors (or SL if in IB diploma). Ideal if they find one reading/writing intensive to take an AP/IB in. AP Computer Science is a good elective/other science if offered.

Like wise, social-science/humanities kid should take their IB HLs/APs in those areas, and take Bio/Chem/Physics but don't have to do AP.

"Most rigorous courseload" at a school doesn't seem to mean every last AP/IB course in schools that offer 20+ options. Some kids with 6 APs got in and some kids with 12 did not.

[Anonymous]

Ask the school counselor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask the school counselor.

YMMV but our school counselor was vague on this point even when directly asked.

[Anonymous]

The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

You post this same comment ALL THE TIME. What is the deal with you? Let me guess, you and your spouse and all your kids went to UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Not necessarily true. My DS is a Freshman at W&M, graduated from a FCPS high school and is actually BELOW the bottom 25% category. He's UMC, caucasian, both parents have college degrees (I've got a masters), he's not an athlete, not a legacy, not an international student and has not won any national award. He did the full IB diploma and went to one of the "awful" IB high schools. He's an Eagle Scout, held numerous leadership positions in high school and had a part time job. He did the interview and I think what got him in with his below average statistics was:

1. The HS he graduated from - I firmly believe if he graduated from Woodson or Langley or McLean, he most likely would have been rejected.
2. Being a male
3. Doing the interview

Plus, obviously the rigor of his courses, good grades (but not straight A's), good extracurriculars, a great letter of recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Not necessarily true. My DS is a Freshman at W&M, graduated from a FCPS high school and is actually BELOW the bottom 25% category. He's UMC, caucasian, both parents have college degrees (I've got a masters), he's not an athlete, not a legacy, not an international student and has not won any national award. He did the full IB diploma and went to one of the "awful" IB high schools. He's an Eagle Scout, held numerous leadership positions in high school and had a part time job. He did the interview and I think what got him in with his below average statistics was:

1. The HS he graduated from - I firmly believe if he graduated from Woodson or Langley or McLean, he most likely would have been rejected.
2. Being a male
3. Doing the interview

Plus, obviously the rigor of his courses, good grades (but not straight A's), good extracurriculars, a great letter of recommendation.

Or maybe they made a mistake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Not necessarily true. My DS is a Freshman at W&M, graduated from a FCPS high school and is actually BELOW the bottom 25% category. He's UMC, caucasian, both parents have college degrees (I've got a masters), he's not an athlete, not a legacy, not an international student and has not won any national award. He did the full IB diploma and went to one of the "awful" IB high schools. He's an Eagle Scout, held numerous leadership positions in high school and had a part time job. He did the interview and I think what got him in with his below average statistics was:

1. The HS he graduated from - I firmly believe if he graduated from Woodson or Langley or McLean, he most likely would have been rejected.
2. Being a male
3. Doing the interview

Plus, obviously the rigor of his courses, good grades (but not straight A's), good extracurriculars, a great letter of recommendation.

Or maybe they made a mistake

DP. Couldn't you find a more respectable way of working off your frustration and whatever is bothering you in your life? If you couldn't my sympathy for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Not necessarily true. My DS is a Freshman at W&M, graduated from a FCPS high school and is actually BELOW the bottom 25% category. He's UMC, caucasian, both parents have college degrees (I've got a masters), he's not an athlete, not a legacy, not an international student and has not won any national award. He did the full IB diploma and went to one of the "awful" IB high schools. He's an Eagle Scout, held numerous leadership positions in high school and had a part time job. He did the interview and I think what got him in with his below average statistics was:

1. The HS he graduated from - I firmly believe if he graduated from Woodson or Langley or McLean, he most likely would have been rejected.
2. Being a male
3. Doing the interview

Plus, obviously the rigor of his courses, good grades (but not straight A's), good extracurriculars, a great letter of recommendation.

Congrats to your DS! Did he apply to W&M ED?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Doesn’t quite explain why those same SLACs are experiencing the same stats creep does it? But hey, just say dumb stuff. Anonymity, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Doesn’t quite explain why those same SLACs are experiencing the same stats creep does it? But hey, just say dumb stuff. Anonymity, right?

It appears that the selectivity of most highly selective schools has crept up over the past 10 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Virginia State Council of Higher Education provides a invaluable stats for both private and public universities and colleges in the Commonwealth. Enter the name of the college hit enter and the statistics for the entering class of 2018 will come up. These statistics are lower than those for the accepted class because many Virginians use UVA and W&M as safeties to Ivies or SLACs. So these are the statistics of the students who actually showed up. In the case of UVA, the top 25% of the entering class of 2018 has had a median GPA of 4.48, the 50% median was a 4.33 and the bottom 25% meddian was a 4.16. Test scores were 1480; 1420; 1330; and ACTs were 34, 32, 30. If you are not a URM, first-generation, low-income family, athlete, super-contributor legacy, international student or national award winner, you need to be looking at the top 25% category, especially if you are a NoVA student. In other words, you need to be in at least the top 10% of your class for both UVA and W&M. You will find the statistics will keep creeping up on you each year that you are in high school. This is because parents are refusing to pay $75 - $82K a year for SLACs so are increasingly looking to the great value that state schools offer. http://research.schev.edu//enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.asp

Doesn’t quite explain why those same SLACs are experiencing the same stats creep does it? But hey, just say dumb stuff. Anonymity, right?

It appears that the selectivity of most highly selective schools has crept up over the past 10 years.

They are all just copying what the top SLACS do. They have to do it to cover the increased costs of marketing, admissions personnel, travel, glossy brochures, fancy gyms, mailers, and emails to your kid in order to get your kid to submit an application, any type of application, just so the institutions can reject them thereby driving down their selectivity percentages they can report to USN&WR. It's all one massive marketing game to climb the ranking of USN&WR. To compete costs money.