Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 21:00     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The UVA alumni association does counseling sessions for children of alumni, and the say that taking your schools most rigorous course load and gpa are the two most important factors in admittance.


UVA legacy family here.

Rigor and Grades/GPA are the two most important factors in admission. The applicant are expected to take the most rigorous classes offered by the high school and be in top 5-10% of class. GPA is being evaluated in the context of the high school's overall graduating class. The cut off will be different for each school.

A note on the rigor, if your child is a language arts student, then APs in English, History, Foreign language, and Math (AP Stats or AP Calc if possible) are expected. But if your child is STEM focused, we were told it is ok to forgo APs in foreign language and history (during senior year) but have to replace them with additional AP or post APs in math, STEM or science classes. For the STEM applicants, MV, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, AP Physics C (not 1 or 2), AP Stats are definitely more desirable for an UVA admission. This is our take away.



What if they can’t get to AP foreign language? My student will be in Spanish 5 senior year which is a prerequisite to AP Spanish.


AP Spanish can be done after Spanish 3 at TJ and prob. after Spanish 4 at base high schools.


I see. We are in MCPS.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 15:10     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:
What if they can’t get to AP foreign language? My student will be in Spanish 5 senior year which is a prerequisite to AP Spanish.


Spanish 5 sounds pretty high level to me. if the school offers Spanish 5 Honors, then it would be ideal for the student to take the honors over the regular.

I think it is worthwhile to meet with your school counselor and reach out to UVA admissions team (or any college admission team) to go over the high school course progression.


YOU can take a college-level course in Spanish at your local community college or those colleges which might grant you student non-degree status to take a course. you could do that during a summer or during the day with the principal’s permission. My DD took college level chemistry the summer before senior year and got an A. It may have been a deciding factor in his favor since it demonstrated that he could handle a tough college course and get an A.

Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 12:48     Subject: UVA Early Action
Take a nationally-normed test in Spanish lang (OPI/WPI and the like) if you can't get an AP and since the SAT IIs are dead...

It will be interesting to see what yield% UVA will get to this year

Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 09:27     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action

What if they can’t get to AP foreign language? My student will be in Spanish 5 senior year which is a prerequisite to AP Spanish.


Spanish 5 sounds pretty high level to me. if the school offers Spanish 5 Honors, then it would be ideal for the student to take the honors over the regular.

I think it is worthwhile to meet with your school counselor and reach out to UVA admissions team (or any college admission team) to go over the high school course progression.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 09:21     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The UVA alumni association does counseling sessions for children of alumni, and the say that taking your schools most rigorous course load and gpa are the two most important factors in admittance.


UVA legacy family here.

Rigor and Grades/GPA are the two most important factors in admission. The applicant are expected to take the most rigorous classes offered by the high school and be in top 5-10% of class. GPA is being evaluated in the context of the high school's overall graduating class. The cut off will be different for each school.

A note on the rigor, if your child is a language arts student, then APs in English, History, Foreign language, and Math (AP Stats or AP Calc if possible) are expected. But if your child is STEM focused, we were told it is ok to forgo APs in foreign language and history (during senior year) but have to replace them with additional AP or post APs in math, STEM or science classes. For the STEM applicants, MV, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, AP Physics C (not 1 or 2), AP Stats are definitely more desirable for an UVA admission. This is our take away.



What if they can’t get to AP foreign language? My student will be in Spanish 5 senior year which is a prerequisite to AP Spanish.


AP Spanish can be done after Spanish 3 at TJ and prob. after Spanish 4 at base high schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 09:20     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The UVA alumni association does counseling sessions for children of alumni, and the say that taking your schools most rigorous course load and gpa are the two most important factors in admittance.


UVA legacy family here.

Rigor and Grades/GPA are the two most important factors in admission. The applicant are expected to take the most rigorous classes offered by the high school and be in top 5-10% of class. GPA is being evaluated in the context of the high school's overall graduating class. The cut off will be different for each school.

A note on the rigor, if your child is a language arts student, then APs in English, History, Foreign language, and Math (AP Stats or AP Calc if possible) are expected. But if your child is STEM focused, we were told it is ok to forgo APs in foreign language and history (during senior year) but have to replace them with additional AP or post APs in math, STEM or science classes. For the STEM applicants, MV, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, AP Physics C (not 1 or 2), AP Stats are definitely more desirable for an UVA admission. This is our take away.



What if they can’t get to AP foreign language? My student will be in Spanish 5 senior year which is a prerequisite to AP Spanish.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 09:00     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Isn’t this what Dean J said all along? Rigor and good grades.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 08:55     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:The UVA alumni association does counseling sessions for children of alumni, and the say that taking your schools most rigorous course load and gpa are the two most important factors in admittance.


UVA legacy family here.

Rigor and Grades/GPA are the two most important factors in admission. The applicant are expected to take the most rigorous classes offered by the high school and be in top 5-10% of class. GPA is being evaluated in the context of the high school's overall graduating class. The cut off will be different for each school.

A note on the rigor, if your child is a language arts student, then APs in English, History, Foreign language, and Math (AP Stats or AP Calc if possible) are expected. But if your child is STEM focused, we were told it is ok to forgo APs in foreign language and history (during senior year) but have to replace them with additional AP or post APs in math, STEM or science classes. For the STEM applicants, MV, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, AP Physics C (not 1 or 2), AP Stats are definitely more desirable for an UVA admission. This is our take away.

Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 07:51     Subject: UVA Early Action
I’ve heard the actual admissions Dean say GPA isn’t as helpful as class rigor and grades. So maybe we just believe the admissions person?
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 07:18     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
The UVA alumni association does counseling sessions for children of alumni, and the say that taking your schools most rigorous course load and gpa are the two most important factors in admittance.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 07:14     Subject: UVA Early Action
The rigorous box person needs to take a break. Lots of counselors don’t even fill that section out. It doesn’t matter.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2021 06:51     Subject: UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What UVA thinks is a demanding program is different from what Tech does. I don't think they need the counselor to tell them what they want in a program. They know the schools and what courses they want to see from the students.


I realize to post this makes you fell good because you didn’t push the counselor on the box checked off. That was your choice. Other parents gunning for UVA need to know about the box and ask their counselors. If you are going to be competitive for UVA. Your counselor needs to check off the “most rigorous” box. I asked mine and they did so. It’s important. And if not, find out why before senior year starts!




Do private schools fill out this same form and “most rigorous” box too? My VA resident kid goes to school in DC and I have never heard off this box?
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2021 22:08     Subject: UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:What UVA thinks is a demanding program is different from what Tech does. I don't think they need the counselor to tell them what they want in a program. They know the schools and what courses they want to see from the students.


I realize to post this makes you fell good because you didn’t push the counselor on the box checked off. That was your choice. Other parents gunning for UVA need to know about the box and ask their counselors. If you are going to be competitive for UVA. Your counselor needs to check off the “most rigorous” box. I asked mine and they did so. It’s important. And if not, find out why before senior year starts!


Anonymous
Post 02/16/2021 17:25     Subject: UVA Early Action
What UVA thinks is a demanding program is different from what Tech does. I don't think they need the counselor to tell them what they want in a program. They know the schools and what courses they want to see from the students.
Anonymous
Post 02/16/2021 17:06     Subject: Re:UVA Early Action
Anonymous wrote:“Most rigorous” is not a binary answer.


Yes it is. Parent to counselor: “ are you able to check off the “most rigorous box” for my son ? Yes or no. If no, then the question is “will you be able to check off the “very demanding” box for my son? They know the answer. They just don’t want to tell you. But most are public servants being paud by the State and you need the information. Insist.