It is hard, OP. Really hard. Congrats to those that were accepted!

Anonymous wrote:Your high school counselor submits a “school and class profile” each year, which is submitted along with your child’s transcript. It provides all the information needed to rank your kid: GPA range and number of kids who have that GPA in your kid’s class, the number and types of AP courses offered (for example, Langley offers 31 AP courses) and the percentage of your kids’ classmates who have taken or are taking those AP courses.

It takes the college reader only a few second to guesstimate rank within class using these documents. This is how colleges protect high schools who want to claim “we don’t rank”.

+1. This is important to understand.

Just be sure to take at least four years of foreign language. Don’t bother applying with less.

Anonymous wrote:For UVA, you need to be top 5% of the class. For WM, top 10%.

It’s not that the schools require this, but if you have the GPA to land in these spots, you’ll probably have taken the number of AP classes and gotten the grades to have a top weighted GPA. And, if you have that background, you’ll probably score well on the AP and ACT/SAT tests. There’s high correlation between all this stuff.

Looking at SCOIR, I just realized that the rough top 5% is true at my DC’s private school too. I see zero acceptances outside the very top corner of the scattergram (highest GPA and test scores).

For UVA, you need to be top 5% of the class. For WM, top 10%.

It’s not that the schools require this, but if you have the GPA to land in these spots, you’ll probably have taken the number of AP classes and gotten the grades to have a top weighted GPA. And, if you have that background, you’ll probably score well on the AP and ACT/SAT tests. There’s high correlation between all this stuff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told the GPA should be a 4.5 when you apply from Northern Virginia high schools.

This is true. The 75th percentile of entering students at UVA had a 4.5: median was a 4.4: bottom 25th percentile had a 4.2. Generally, if you are an unhooked kid in one of the top
NOVA schools you need to be in the 75th percentile which means 4.5+ GPA, 35 ACT, 1510+ SAT. Top 6% rank. 10-12 APs. Most rigorous box checked. This was all born true in the recent EA admissions results thread here wherein every single kid who got into UVA for EA had hit the 75th percentile.

Not true in our case, under 75% in GPA and SAT, got in. (Going to VT though.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is easier to get into UVA from lower performing NOVA high schools. My kid attended one of those, and is at UVA now, and doing well academically.

Ding! Ding! Ding!
This is the answer. Look at the high schools that many on here disdain.
For UVA and the like, you’re competing with the other applicants from your school. It’s easier to stand out at Lewis or Mount Vernon than a higher performing school.

+1.

The formula is pretty straightforward, but you need to check all the boxes.

If you’re a white male from NOVA, you need to take AP classes for most subjects starting in the tenth grade and do well in them (mostly As), do well on the AP tests (mostly 5s, but some 4s are fine), score a 34/1500 on the ACT/SAT. Have some normal extracurriculars, but nothing crazy. Write a good common app essay. Basically, show that you’re a smart kid, but you don’t need crazy leadership or national awards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told the GPA should be a 4.5 when you apply from Northern Virginia high schools.

This is true. The 75th percentile of entering students at UVA had a 4.5: median was a 4.4: bottom 25th percentile had a 4.2. Generally, if you are an unhooked kid in one of the top
NOVA schools you need to be in the 75th percentile which means 4.5+ GPA, 35 ACT, 1510+ SAT. Top 6% rank. 10-12 APs. Most rigorous box checked. This was all born true in the recent EA admissions results thread here wherein every single kid who got into UVA for EA had hit the 75th percentile.

1/3 of kids enrolled are test optional, which means their academic ability is much, much lower than a 1510/35. lol. Probably scoring a 1300 on the SAT. I know, I know. There is no grade inflation, GPAs are more accurate than test scores. Just pointing out the flaw in your blather. You are delusional about UVA. Come back when they are TEST REQUIRED.

Anonymous wrote:At least in FCPS, there is no class rank. So that is not a barrier.

o

Completely false. Your high school counselor submits a “school and class profile” each year, which is submitted along with your child’s transcript. It provides all the information needed to rank your kid: GPA range and number of kids who have that GPA in your kid’s class, the number and types of AP courses offered (for example, Langley offers 31 AP courses) and the percentage of your kids’ classmates who have taken or are taking those AP courses. It takes the college reader only a few second to guesstimate rank within class using these documents. This is how colleges protect high schools who want to claim “we don’t rank”.

You need to schedule a meeting with your counselor and ask the tough questions - is my kid taking the right AP courses? Is he on target to get the “max rigor” box checked off? If not, what does he need to do now? What is his approximate rank? They may hem and haw. Be assertive.

Anonymous wrote:I was told the GPA should be a 4.5 when you apply from Northern Virginia high schools.

This is true. The 75th percentile of entering students at UVA had a 4.5: median was a 4.4: bottom 25th percentile had a 4.2. Generally, if you are an unhooked kid in one of the top
NOVA schools you need to be in the 75th percentile which means 4.5+ GPA, 35 ACT, 1510+ SAT. Top 6% rank. 10-12 APs. Most rigorous box checked. This was all born true in the recent EA admissions results thread here wherein every single kid who got into UVA for EA had hit the 75th percentile.

The best way to figure this out is to check your school’s scattergrams in Naviance and use the “Compare Me” feature. The scattergrams show where your student falls compared to other applicants from the school and the Compare Me will give you a number of how many applied and were accepted. This was very accurate for our kids. Our Naviance showed that over 4.5 was the sweet spot. There were some denials over a 4.5, but those were outliers.

You’re mostly competing against students at your own school, not across NOVA. AP and IB classes are the same everywhere. UVA is still pulling from the top of each school’s applicant pool, and there are strong students at every school.

Also, “lower performing” schools usually aren’t that way because of weaker teachers or curriculum—it’s about demographics and resources. Our kids went to a public IB school that people often dismiss, took rigorous classes, did sports and clubs, and all went on to great colleges.

It is hard - I have heard a 4.4 is the minimum GPA from a NOVA public (McLean, Langley, etc), and I think you're almost forced to ED.

While a PP said "tons" of kids have already committed, when you're talking about a class size of 600-625 at McLean in 2026, 16 kids is not a ton (Less than 15 of these were ED). And, it is not guaranteed every year. Last year (2025), McLean sent 17 of a class of 625 (I think less than 5 were admitted ED). Again, wouldn't call that a ton.

Anonymous wrote:It is easier to get into UVA from lower performing NOVA high schools. My kid attended one of those, and is at UVA now, and doing well academically.

+1.

You definitely want to make sure you’re not going to one of these schools (ranked in order)


Thomas Jefferson High School
Open High School
Langley High School
Richmond Community High Schoo
Woodson High School
Oakton High School
Meridian High School
McLean High School
Marshall High School
Madison High School

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that difficult, judging from the huge numbers from many NOVA public’s.

+1

Just look at the Insta for Commits pages for NOVA schools. Tons already got in form Langley, Oakton, McLean, etc. even Justice.

What’s more: only a few post on Insta; others get in and never even post.

My kid was WL a couple of years ago. Take the hardest classes in core subjects. My kid elected to only take honors English and NOT AP Lang and Lit. "Maxed out" every other subject. 3.98/4.5, 1560

This! Max out in all five core subjects, AND do well in them. That’s what my kid did: 1470 SAT and 4.3 gpa. Admitted ED.