Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

I know of several students who did not take physics and were accepted to UVA and VT. For science they took bio, chem, APES. Non-engineering majors, though.

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."

Honestly, though, this is all college admissions today.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

Sorry, but that is common knowledge and available on the UVA and VT websites. Even my SN kid at a FCPS high school took Physics. Parents have to at least google their kid's curricum if they plan to invest $170k to $400k in higher ed. Our high school had Physics in writing as mandatory for anyone going to college. I think it was also a basic degree requirement

IB schools dont tell the kids to take physics and due to stupid IB req many didnt have space to take it.
I mean the counselors make under 100 and went to usually third tier colleges, why would they fight for your kid, if they are in a FARMS school then they claim being too burned out-by what?, and if in a high achieving school then they figure the parents would step in...ultimately just laziness

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

APES is fine but they should have also taken a year of physics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD knows of several kids from her sport that are at UVA now that did not take language senior year or reach AP level.

Athletes are hooked.

Nope; not playing the sport in college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are oos, but our counselors never have said ANYTHING about taking 4 years of a foreign language in HIGH SCHOOL. They said to take a minimum of 3, and that 3 is fine. [/b]They said take 4 years if you are looking at the elite colleges, but they also said this knowing it is very very common to take 1 or even 2 years in middle school. This is literally the first time in my life (3 kids) I have ever heard that college want you to take 4 years in high school. [b]Sheesh, thought he was good stopping at Spanish 4 so he could take 6 APs and track class senior year.
We shall see I guess!

You are contradicting yourself. UVA is a top elite school, 24th in the nation. no 3 or 4 of all of the public schools

No I am not. Sorry if I was not clear. They said to take 4 years of language, but they never said to take 4 years of language in high school. They knew that most of the kids were coming into high school with one or two of the years completed. I am not arguing the 4 years. I'm arguing that they never said it all had to be done between the grades 9-12

I suspect they did. I suspect it was written down somewhere. All they had to do google or ask questions. This subject has been discussed ad nauseum on College Confidential, Reddit, the college's own pages. Read a book on college admissions. Listen to a podcast, join an online group. You would invest much more time and inquiry when buying a home, no? Why not the second biggest expenditure you will ever make after a home purchase? Why are you relying on an underpaid, often young, public or private employee who is also processing 450 other seniors? Hire a private counselor if you don't have the time to ask basic questions

Anonymous wrote:My DD knows of several kids from her sport that are at UVA now that did not take language senior year or reach AP level.

Athletes are hooked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

Sorry, but that is common knowledge and available on the UVA and VT websites. Even my SN kid at a FCPS high school took Physics. Parents have to at least google their kid's curricum if they plan to invest $170k to $400k in higher ed. Our high school had Physics in writing as mandatory for anyone going to college. I think it was also a basic degree requirement

My DD knows of several kids from her sport that are at UVA now that did not take language senior year or reach AP level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are oos, but our counselors never have said ANYTHING about taking 4 years of a foreign language in HIGH SCHOOL. They said to take a minimum of 3, and that 3 is fine. [/b]They said take 4 years if you are looking at the elite colleges, but they also said this knowing it is very very common to take 1 or even 2 years in middle school. This is literally the first time in my life (3 kids) I have ever heard that college want you to take 4 years in high school. [b]Sheesh, thought he was good stopping at Spanish 4 so he could take 6 APs and track class senior year.
We shall see I guess!

You are contradicting yourself. UVA is a top elite school, 24th in the nation. no 3 or 4 of all of the public schools

No I am not. Sorry if I was not clear. They said to take 4 years of language, but they never said to take 4 years of language in high school. They knew that most of the kids were coming into high school with one or two of the years completed. I am not arguing the 4 years. I'm arguing that they never said it all had to be done between the grades 9-12

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Yes some are terrible. A friend has a kid applying to UVA and VT who is crazy smart but somehow their public school did not mention physics might be a good choice and let the student skip it. Over half of the honors students take it, the parents just did not know and the counselors let the students pick the classes. The student took bio, chem, and AP comp sci and APES. Now as a senior they are hearing their DC is not going to get in despite being top 10% gpa.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD has a SAT1580, GPA weighted 4.4, from TJ and has taken 3 APs (none in Chem, Bio, Physics), 4th year of language, no APUSH. Good ECs. Was considering an ED to UVA, shoud she not apply?

That might be tough considering DDs classmates (her competition for acceptance) will likely have taken more AP courses.

With UVA admissions it’s not about the number of APs a student takes.

Right, but apparently OP’s daughter went to TJ but didn’t take APs in bio, chem, or physics, which I would tho k wouldn’t look great compared to other TJ applicants when UVA wants to see highest rigor in science - I would think *especially* from a stem school like TJ.

Yes agree, and not like PP is close to top rigor--that courseload at TJ is not competitive for UVA and may be tough for schools further down such as BC, William&Mary. TJ and other intense high schools have so many who apply to UVA. UVA already accepts a much higher % from these schools. However, why should UVA or any elite school take more students from the middle of the pack at TJ over a superstar near the top of the class in a rural high school, who took every hard class offered? The latter always wins, even if the SAT is 1480 not 1580.

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if counselors asked your child where they want to go in 9th grade and helped them get there? So frustrating that they get to senior year and they are like oh sorry, you didn't take a foreign language senior year so it's not an option for you.

I would like to thank DCUM for bringing this topic up on previous threads years ago that I happened to read because my kid placed out of her language after 10th grade (she was in the AP class of that language in 10th, got a 5 on the exam, she was just super good in that language) and her school didn't have a higher level so technically she had placed out. But because I had read about needing 4 years, she now takes a second language (started doubling up in 10th). Otherwise she would have only had 2.

Point is: yeah, counselors really need to get parents and the students involved more in 9th when they're doing the schedules and forecast 4 years out. this was my first kid, I had no clue what I was doing and the counselor was zero help.

Anonymous wrote:DD has a SAT1580, GPA weighted 4.4, from TJ and has taken 3 APs (none in Chem, Bio, Physics), 4th year of language, no APUSH. Good ECs. Was considering an ED to UVA, shoud she not apply?

Sure she might as well try! Please realize that skipping all the hard AP's that TJ offers means she is at a disadvantage compared to the others applying from TJ. Honestly her SAT hurts some: shows she could have handled all the rigor that TJ offers , but chose not to challenge herself. So many students there have 2 main science AP's as well as APUSH, and a lot of others. 3 AP's is very low at TJ, considering a huge amount take 1-2 in 10th and 3-4 as a junior.
4.4W, unless it has shifted significantly in the last 2 yrs, is not likely top 25%. The top GPA is usually 4.66-4.68 and there are dozens above 4.5W. UVA will take unhooked kids below the top quartile from TJ but they are almost always the ones who have taken the max rigor but have slightly lower grades than the top group. Yours has average rigor and above average but not a star GPA, so it is not likely. Does not hurt to try if it is her dream!

Anonymous wrote:We are oos, but our counselors never have said ANYTHING about taking 4 years of a foreign language in HIGH SCHOOL. They said to take a minimum of 3, and that 3 is fine. [/b]They said take 4 years if you are looking at the elite colleges, but they also said this knowing it is very very common to take 1 or even 2 years in middle school. This is literally the first time in my life (3 kids) I have ever heard that college want you to take 4 years in high school. [b]Sheesh, thought he was good stopping at Spanish 4 so he could take 6 APs and track class senior year.
We shall see I guess!

You are contradicting yourself. UVA is a top elite school, 24th in the nation. no 3 or 4 of all of the public schools