It really depends on priorities. If in-state tuition is necessary, then you have options in VA...JMU, GMU, VCU, CNU.

If you're looking for a big school like VT, there are many OOS options. Some mentioned in previous posts will give merit aid to make COA closer to in-state.

Anonymous wrote:If VT is your DC’s #1 choice, what is your safety? Most kids we know are either going to JMU or going out of state to a flagship if VT is a deny.

Mason

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish VT would just reimplement ED so those who have it as their first choice could express that!!

Or they can implement what all these other major flagships do for EA and notify earlier than late Feb!!!

ED would be preferable so that those for whom VT is their first choice can express that in no uncertain terms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT non-engineering is much easier than VT engineering. JMU does not offer specific engineering degrees, so I am guessing srudent is not an engineering applicant.

It's increasingly not "much easier" at all.

That is not what the SCHEV data says.

Cite?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider GMU as a good alternate if VT does not work out. They have good Engineering and CS. For kids in the higher stats quartile, I would consider GMU a safety. But if the stats are lower, then GMU might become another "target" and not a safety

this. GMU engineering is held in high regard

Agree. As a hiring manager, i do not see new grads from VT in ECE outperforming new grads from GMU in ECE.

ABET only sets the floor for engineering programs, but they do set the floor high.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT non-engineering is much easier than VT engineering. JMU does not offer specific engineering degrees, so I am guessing srudent is not an engineering applicant.

It's increasingly not "much easier" at all.

That is not what the SCHEV data says.

Anonymous wrote:I wish VT would just reimplement ED so those who have it as their first choice could express that!!

Or they can implement what all these other major flagships do for EA and notify earlier than late Feb!!!

Anonymous wrote:We went with OOS flagships. Engineering major. In at Auburn, Clemson, Delaware, Penn State, Pitt and South Carolina so far. Starting to visit campuses to narrow down, though VT is first choice. Wish they would release EA decisions a bit earlier than mid-Feb.

My son had a similar strategy last year for engineering major (though he did apply and was accepted in GMU honors). Waitlisted at VT, Purdue, and Michigan. Accepted at GMU, Ohio State, Pitt, Penn State, Colorado, NC State, Minnesota, and Northeastern (only private application). Enrolled at Penn State. Just finished first semester and LOVES it. Financially, I wish he would have been accepted at VT as we are VA residents. We were okay with him choosing PSU over GMU though as it was just a better match for what he wanted.

I wish VT would just reimplement ED so those who have it as their first choice could express that!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider GMU as a good alternate if VT does not work out. They have good Engineering and CS. For kids in the higher stats quartile, I would consider GMU a safety. But if the stats are lower, then GMU might become another "target" and not a safety

this. GMU engineering is held in high regard

Ugh, that can't be comparable to a big, real university like VT. GMU is just basically like an expensive NVCC. No fun vibes.

Is this a question of academics or whether it’s “fun”?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider GMU as a good alternate if VT does not work out. They have good Engineering and CS. For kids in the higher stats quartile, I would consider GMU a safety. But if the stats are lower, then GMU might become another "target" and not a safety

this. GMU engineering is held in high regard

Ugh, that can't be comparable to a big, real university like VT. GMU is just basically like an expensive NVCC. No fun vibes.

We went with OOS flagships. Engineering major. In at Auburn, Clemson, Delaware, Penn State, Pitt and South Carolina so far. Starting to visit campuses to narrow down, though VT is first choice. Wish they would release EA decisions a bit earlier than mid-Feb.

Anonymous wrote:I would consider GMU as a good alternate if VT does not work out. They have good Engineering and CS. For kids in the higher stats quartile, I would consider GMU a safety. But if the stats are lower, then GMU might become another "target" and not a safety

this. GMU engineering is held in high regard

Vt business is just as hard as engineering. The non stem majors are also no safety really for anyone.

Anonymous wrote:VT non-engineering is much easier than VT engineering. JMU does not offer specific engineering degrees, so I am guessing srudent is not an engineering applicant.

It's increasingly not "much easier" at all.