Anonymous wrote:Guessing here, without direct knowledge, that a high stats ED kid stands a far better chance of admission than EA. They are really trying to shift to becoming a school of opportunities for those who haven’t had opportunities. If you are high stats and committed, that’s one thing. If you’re using it as one of 5 safety schools, they’d rather skip over you and offer the opportunity to someone who needs it. There are some casualties here: high stats kids for whom VT is first choice but they didn’t apply ED. Chances are good those kids will be accepted through the waitlist; sadly many move in.

Keep in mind also, they will be reabsorbing those who deferred this year. Likely many more than usual.

+1 They've made it clear that increasing enrollment of first-gen and underrepresented groups is a huge priority. If you aren't that and VT is your first choice you really should apply ED. My son didn't want to commit to ED because he wanted to give UVA a shot (rejected there). I was really nervous about that decision but it worked out OK as he did get in to VT.

Dear Virginia Tech: Thanks for confirming my high stats kid is too smart for your school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who were not accepted - this year is turning out to be a VERY tough year - I am not believing some of the stats I am seeing here - somewhat like the disbelief with the stats and rejections or deferrals for UVA this year

Here's what I'm learning from this board and college confidential. A 4.3 or above sounds really impressive. Then you learn that these schools have a 6.0 scale. So doesn't that make a 4.3 like a C+ average. With so much inflation in grades from the NoVa publics, college admissions has become a total nightmare.

I don't think it is as much HS grade inflation as the state colleges wanting mostly minorities. Sadly, the only lesson that is being learned by these kids, who have worked their tails off, by their own accord - without being prompted or Tiger parented, is that they don't matter. It is a hell of a message to send a kid, really.

That, and this is exactly what the TJ reform was about, so I foresee some backlash in the near future - if we are being honest here. Public education, across the board, is at risk of reform now.

I think the current movement by colleges is not so indirectly backlash of the Felicity Huffman debacle - way to stereotype white people, public schools and colleges - not all whites are a product of trust funds.

Aren't you stereotyping others as well?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who were not accepted - this year is turning out to be a VERY tough year - I am not believing some of the stats I am seeing here - somewhat like the disbelief with the stats and rejections or deferrals for UVA this year

Here's what I'm learning from this board and college confidential. A 4.3 or above sounds really impressive. Then you learn that these schools have a 6.0 scale. So doesn't that make a 4.3 like a C+ average. With so much inflation in grades from the NoVa publics, college admissions has become a total nightmare.

I don't think it is as much HS grade inflation as the state colleges wanting mostly minorities. Sadly, the only lesson that is being learned by these kids, who have worked their tails off, by their own accord - without being prompted or Tiger parented, is that they don't matter. It is a hell of a message to send a kid, really.

That, and this is exactly what the TJ reform was about, so I foresee some backlash in the near future - if we are being honest here. Public education, across the board, is at risk of reform now.

I think the current movement by colleges is not so indirectly backlash of the Felicity Huffman debacle - way to stereotype white people, public schools and colleges - not all whites are a product of trust funds.

Anonymous wrote:For those who were not accepted - this year is turning out to be a VERY tough year - I am not believing some of the stats I am seeing here - somewhat like the disbelief with the stats and rejections or deferrals for UVA this year

Here's what I'm learning from this board and college confidential. A 4.3 or above sounds really impressive. Then you learn that these schools have a 6.0 scale. So doesn't that make a 4.3 like a C+ average. With so much inflation in grades from the NoVa publics, college admissions has become a total nightmare.

Guessing here, without direct knowledge, that a high stats ED kid stands a far better chance of admission than EA. They are really trying to shift to becoming a school of opportunities for those who haven’t had opportunities. If you are high stats and committed, that’s one thing. If you’re using it as one of 5 safety schools, they’d rather skip over you and offer the opportunity to someone who needs it. There are some casualties here: high stats kids for whom VT is first choice but they didn’t apply ED. Chances are good those kids will be accepted through the waitlist; sadly many move in.

Keep in mind also, they will be reabsorbing those who deferred this year. Likely many more than usual.

My DC at TJ didn’t apply. But many of DC’s friends who got very high stats and significant awards were waitlisted. So this got to be yield protection.

Anyone know if they start to pull from the wait list before 5/1 or only after?

DS in, in-state, 4.4, test optional, engineering, honors, ranked 7th in class.

My DC withdrew VT EA app after getting in to first choice ED. Wonder how that impacts the stats—it would be counted as an app received but not admitted.

Anonymous wrote:Is the only way to avoid yield protection to applyED? VT is my sons first choice and he has high stats. Applying to Engineering from a nova public.

This is what my DC did. Sort of. Nova kid, 4.2 gpa, 1540 sat. Not sure if that is high stats for VT or typical. Wanted VT or UVA, so just went with ED to VT. Got in.

Anonymous wrote:Is the only way to avoid yield protection to applyED? VT is my sons first choice and he has high stats. Applying to Engineering from a nova public.

If it's truly his first choice, apply ED

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL, bold suggestion

Can't believe the # of OOS, is it still relatively cheap for them or something, I think these results have something to do with the overenrollment mess from recent times

I expect they, and all colleges, will pull heavily from the waitlist. So many kids applied to more schools than they normally would.

It's about $43k OOS and it seemed a number of people got merit of $3-$5k. Looking at a couple other big engineering schools, It's similar in cost to Pursue OOS but significantly less than Penn State.

I just looked at their Common Data Set for this year's freshman who also had a lot of inexplicable waitlisting. They did end up pulling a lot from the list and it seems like it was a good way for them to gauge real interest -- 65% accepted the waitlist slot and 57% of those were eventually offered admission.

Anonymous wrote:Is the only way to avoid yield protection to applyED? VT is my sons first choice and he has high stats. Applying to Engineering from a nova public.

I have no idea how much of a role it played in any of these waitlist decisions, but definitely pay attention to the essays. They are very short but very important. VT only really focuses on your transcript, test scores if submitted, and their essays. They don't look at recommendations or the common app essay. They won't look at a senior 1st semester grade report. They'll consider ECs but they aren't really important, except as something to draw from for the essays. Service is important.

Also, one tip that was tossed out at an info session and I didn't see anywhere else... The essay Q about a "long term goal," should really be about your career goal/why you want this major and what you've done so far to work towards that. This is NOT at all clear from how the question is written and probably a lot of kids write about something else and miss the chance to sell themselves for their major.

Anonymous wrote:LOL, bold suggestion

Can't believe the # of OOS, is it still relatively cheap for them or something, I think these results have something to do with the overenrollment mess from recent times

I expect they, and all colleges, will pull heavily from the waitlist. So many kids applied to more schools than they normally would.

It's about $43k OOS and it seemed a number of people got merit of $3-$5k. Looking at a couple other big engineering schools, It's similar in cost to Pursue OOS but significantly less than Penn State.