This year was even more challenging than last year

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two who got into UVA. One had pretty average ECs, four year varsity sport, was captain senior year. Not earth shattering performance, MVP of a team that usually had a losing record. Had a part-time menial job for a few years. I assume ECs were a minimal part of the reason he was accepted. Top GPA, rank and good essays.

The other DC had two sports, one at a national level, the other was varsity captain for three years. Lots of leadership, started own business.. ECs were definitely a strong and rounded part of her app.

Net net, I don't think ECs do much for UVA other than to maybe round out the application.

A lot has changed in just a few years in College Admissions. Unless these were really recent, you can't extrapolate from them. Or if hooked

This was HS class of 2021, so only one year has passed.

Anonymous wrote:I have two who got into UVA. One had pretty average ECs, four year varsity sport, was captain senior year. Not earth shattering performance, MVP of a team that usually had a losing record. Had a part-time menial job for a few years. I assume ECs were a minimal part of the reason he was accepted. Top GPA, rank and good essays.

The other DC had two sports, one at a national level, the other was varsity captain for three years. Lots of leadership, started own business.. ECs were definitely a strong and rounded part of her app.

Net net, I don't think ECs do much for UVA other than to maybe round out the application.

A lot has changed in just a few years in College Admissions. Unless these were really recent, you can't extrapolate from them. Or if hooked

I have two who got into UVA. One had pretty average ECs, four year varsity sport, was captain senior year. Not earth shattering performance, MVP of a team that usually had a losing record. Had a part-time menial job for a few years. I assume ECs were a minimal part of the reason he was accepted. Top GPA, rank and good essays.

The other DC had two sports, one at a national level, the other was varsity captain for three years. Lots of leadership, started own business.. ECs were definitely a strong and rounded part of her app.

Net net, I don't think ECs do much for UVA other than to maybe round out the application.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

+1
Few of the kids who have the 4.4+ weighted GPA probably have no ECs, but UVA is the most clearly driven by high GPA in a heavily weighted course schedule as the primary defining factor. You can have kids in at VT from a really wide range of GPAs and SATS and their yield protection shows by the waitlisting of high stats kids. VT is less selective than UVA by far, but also way less predictable.

I don't think this is true. I think test scores are very important which is why the 75th percentile of enrolled students last fall had an ACT of 35. Can you provide a cite for your claim?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

You have to stop looking at Naviance as if it's complete, reliable data. It's not. Students self-report unverified data for those charts.

No they don't. High school counselors report the data. Students give permission.

It's not verified. Trust me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

You have to stop looking at Naviance as if it's complete, reliable data. It's not. Students self-report unverified data for those charts.

No they don't. High school counselors report the data. Students give permission.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

+1
Few of the kids who have the 4.4+ weighted GPA probably have no ECs, but UVA is the most clearly driven by high GPA in a heavily weighted course schedule as the primary defining factor. You can have kids in at VT from a really wide range of GPAs and SATS and their yield protection shows by the waitlisting of high stats kids. VT is less selective than UVA by far, but also way less predictable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

You have to stop looking at Naviance as if it's complete, reliable data. It's not. Students self-report unverified data for those charts.

Anonymous wrote:VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

I think the exact opposite. UVA is all gpa by high school. Just check naviance and you will see a clear line (in state). VT is all over the place for engineering. They value first gen and URM and WL a lot of high stats kids with strong EC.

There are no "good" ecs or "bad" ecs-- the point is to let your kid pursue something that interests them enough that they will do well in it, take on leadership roles and sustain it over time. This then helps them develop relationships with people who will write their recommendations, material for personal essays, and gives evidence that they can be academically successful while engaging in meaningful outside activities and contributing to their community.

If your kid isn't interested in ECs I strongly encourage a part-time job then. It looks bad if you don't do ECs because you're uninterested in them, like watching tv or playing videogames more or need to spend all your time studying to get your level of academics (they worry in the latter that this will fall apart in college where there are more tempting distractions and less parental control--plus colleges want people who contribute to the community not just take their classes). But if you're not doing ECs because you are working it shows purposefulness (even if it's a crappy fast food job).

A real, paying job where you are accountable to a manager who isn’t one of your relatives or parents’ friends.

This is a ridiculous question that presumes you can strategize your way into UVA and VT if you just know the "secret code" of ECs.

How about you let your kid do the ECs that s/he is actually interested in doing and let life play out?

How about you open up your mind to your kid being o.k. if they don't get into UVA or VT?

VT is more pure numbers driven than UVA.

Which ECs do these schools expect, if any? What about for VT’s engineering program?