Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is no single answer to this. It depends on the child, the family, and many many other things.
One important thing to understand is that for a non-magnet public HS, UVa will focus on the top 10-15% of graduating students. A lower tier student might well be accepted based on ECs or special circumstances or something, but the focus (and most acceptances) will be in that top 10-15% of the class. Colleges can figure the approximate percentage from the school profile, so lack of an official class rank will not change this.
For a magnet — OR for a private that UVa likes and that UVa thinks is rigorous (whether or not it really is rigorous), UVa will focus on the top 10-25% of the graduating class. No one on DCUM really knows whether FH is in that category or not. In other metro areas in-state, there are private schools that fit that category, at least 2 exist in Richmond.
I am the college counselor who posted before who works with a lot of FH kids. I can tell you for sure that the potential scenario you described is NOT how UVA looks at FH. You need to be at the very top of the class, straight As.