Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:55     Subject: Re:UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Well, duh. How is this surprising?


+2 This is their mantra. How are you surprised, OP? Reach the AP level in all 5 core subjects. The real question is whether they care if you take AB Calc vs. BC Calc or APES vs. AP Biology. Do they “rank” the APs by rigor?


I've heard that if you are STEM, that you should be in at least one of AP Chem, AP Bio or AP Physics.
If you are not STEM, I don't know...but I would think you should be in one of them too.

Georgia Tech admissions said you should be in BC if that's the most rigorous.

My kid is taking AP Bio and AP Physics (took AP Chem last year), and took 4 years of Spanish, but could not do 5th. We'll see if the extra science plus 4 years of Spanish helps.


At our HS the ones who get in unhooked to engineering at stanford/ivies have AP chem, APphysics C and Multivariable cal. Most also have AP BIO but it is not essential as the other 3. At the school across town, they can get in with BC calc and AP physC or Chem, plus AP bio, both is not needed. But both is also almost impossible there.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:55     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:"Our admissions process at UVa is a holistic one."

Translation: we'll do whatever the heck we want and change the rules whenever we see fit to do so."


There are no rules though. It is amusing seeing people who are so used to getting what they want not be able to control these colleges.


+100
And I would apply that statement to many other colleges that certain parents feel their kids are entitled to get into.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:48     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:We clarified that this means they expect AP or DE in every subject including world language and they said yes.

But I basically when I asked the definition of “rigorous” since most schools have more AP options than a student could humanly take, they said it’s whatever box the counselor checks. And your counselor says you took “most rigorous” that’s the most important thing ?

They would not give any direct answers and it was pretty unhelpful. Just keep repeating “holistic blah blah blah.”


This —most rigorous in ALL 5 coree—is the exact wording that every ivy and MIT and Northwestern and Duke said. For my 2022 and my 2023 high school grad. A subset of them went on to emphasize they want to see you challenge yourself to thebhighest level even in your “less successful “ and less favorite areas—ie if you get a B in something do not go off the most rigor path
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:35     Subject: Re:UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Oh, and you have to get all A’s in these classes.

And a 34+/1500+

And awesome EC’s.

Good luck. No pressure.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:31     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
And if you go to an IB school?
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:27     Subject: Re:UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Well, duh. How is this surprising?


+2 This is their mantra. How are you surprised, OP? Reach the AP level in all 5 core subjects. The real question is whether they care if you take AB Calc vs. BC Calc or APES vs. AP Biology. Do they “rank” the APs by rigor?


I've heard that if you are STEM, that you should be in at least one of AP Chem, AP Bio or AP Physics.
If you are not STEM, I don't know...but I would think you should be in one of them too.

Georgia Tech admissions said you should be in BC if that's the most rigorous.

My kid is taking AP Bio and AP Physics (took AP Chem last year), and took 4 years of Spanish, but could not do 5th. We'll see if the extra science plus 4 years of Spanish helps.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 20:18     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:"Our admissions process at UVa is a holistic one."

Translation: we'll do whatever the heck we want and change the rules whenever we see fit to do so."


OP here. Yeah this is how it felt. We asked if it would be looked down upon to forgo AP foreign language to instead take a second AP science (child’s interest) and were basically told yes but we were welcome to try to explain it. But the woman was about 25 and didn’t even go to UVA so I was wondering if she even actually knew. I’ve definitely heard/read of unhooked students going to UVA without AP foreign language.


Why would it matter where the AO went to college? Sounds like you didn’t like her answer but they make the rules, not us.


+1. I also thought that jibe was weird. “I wondered if the person employed by UVA admissions knew what UVA wants in admissions since they didn’t attend the university.” Why would anyone who attended UVA know more about what the admissions department looks for than someone employed by the admissions department?
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 19:54     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Is UVa test optional? If so, did the rep advise to submit test scores if at/aboce 25th percentile? Or go test optional?
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 19:13     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:Seems helpful to me. There are no hard and fast rules and you have to deal with uncertainty in this process. If you want certainty, move to Texas.

Texas doesn’t even have certainty. It’s guaranteed admission for the least desired college. Most majors there are incredibly holistic.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 19:00     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:Move to Wise County where you can get in without AP due to DEI


At least the Wise kids are less entitled
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 18:59     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:Move to Wise County where you can get in without AP due to DEI


You go first. Tell us how that works out for you.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 18:58     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Move to Wise County where you can get in without AP due to DEI
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 18:56     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why is foreign language required but advanced music or art is not?

More likely to continue music and art after high school than school foreign language.


Ummm no. No one does art or music. Everyone needs another language.


You appear to need more English before you worry about a second language.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 18:41     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
Anonymous wrote:Why is foreign language required but advanced music or art is not?

More likely to continue music and art after high school than school foreign language.


Ummm no. No one does art or music. Everyone needs another language.
Anonymous
Post 10/04/2024 18:40     Subject: UVA info session today said “most rigorous in ALL 5 core subjects.”
But what we really want to know is… how was Farmington Country Club?