Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 19:17     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does VA have colleges for average kids anymore? Or decent safeties? There seems to be a big drop off between the top 4 schools and the rest.


I assume VCU, CNU, Mary Washington, Longwood, ODU would all fit the bill?

Admittedly, that is a very broad and diverse range of different types of public universities, but I would have had JMU in that category, as easier to get into than UVA and VT, but not anymore??


It's definitely easier to get into than UVA. For VT it's more about major. There are majors at VT with very high admit rates.


Really?? I know it's harder to get into Engineering at VT, but I didn't know there were majors that had very high admit rates. Do we seriously have to wait until 2/28 for EA release date at VT?


The late Feb EA release date for BT is a big turn off, especially when RD is released mid March…you only find out like 2 weeks sooner…what is the point of offering an EA option


+1 VT was DS's clear first choice so it was very frustrating to wait so long, even knowing his major had a high admit rate and his stats were really strong. You still worry that it won't be an acceptance.


This is why both VT and JMU need to have ED.
DP

Agreed!
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 19:15     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, pretty wild.

JMU was a safety for DS, but DS was deferred w/ a 3.74 UW GPA

Accepted into Penn State engineering.


Not as simple as my DS had high GPA and was rejected, while your DS with lower GPA was accepted- must be the school they're applying from. At the risk of stating the obvious, a top priority of admissions officers is protecting their admissions yield. If an applicant to JMU has a high GPA/test scores and isn't applying ED, the school might assume that it's a safety and the applicant isn't likely to attend JMU if accepted. With a certain number of spots to fill the incoming class, that leaves JMU holding the bag, having denied another applicant with lower grades/scores who was more likely to attend if accepted. All schools just trying to fill their dance card. That's why 'demonstrated interest' can be important. Applying ED largely removes the unknown for the school, which is why this improves applicant's chances of admission.


It's kind of difficult to show JMU "demonstrated interest" when they are essay-optional and letter of recommendation-optional. I'm curious which essays, if any, they read in making their decisions.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 19:13     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In From MCPS
3.73 uw, 4.5 W
8 APs
1320 SAT
Okay ECs

Shocked at some of the deferred profiles!

Above student was probably unlikely to attend if accepted- JMU assumed it and decided against giving up a spot that wouldn't be taken. Protecting their yield.


I am fairly confident that JMU doesn’t yield protect.


DC's stats are higher in all listed categories and was accepted. They don't yield protect.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 19:11     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does VA have colleges for average kids anymore? Or decent safeties? There seems to be a big drop off between the top 4 schools and the rest.


I assume VCU, CNU, Mary Washington, Longwood, ODU would all fit the bill?

Admittedly, that is a very broad and diverse range of different types of public universities, but I would have had JMU in that category, as easier to get into than UVA and VT, but not anymore??


Yes, it is still MUCH easier than the others, whatever people are saying here. There may be some people who don't get into JMU and do get into Tech but surely that is the exception rather than the rule. And to get into UVA and William and Mary at a lot of schools (we are at McLean/Langley), you need a 4.4+ and strong scores. UVA may be test optional but they mostly take kids with high scores.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:57     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:In From MCPS
3.73 uw, 4.5 W
8 APs
1320 SAT
Okay ECs

Shocked at some of the deferred profiles!

Above student was probably unlikely to attend if accepted- JMU assumed it and decided against giving up a spot that wouldn't be taken. Protecting their yield.


I am fairly confident that JMU doesn’t yield protect.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:56     Subject: Re:JMU EA is out
Another MCPS acceptance
4.49/3.77 GPA
Test optional
7 APs (mostly 3s)

Would love for her to commit to JMU.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:43     Subject: JMU EA is out
In From MCPS
3.73 uw, 4.5 W
8 APs
1320 SAT
Okay ECs

Shocked at some of the deferred profiles!

Above student was probably unlikely to attend if accepted- JMU assumed it and decided against giving up a spot that wouldn't be taken. Protecting their yield.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:41     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In From MCPS
3.73 uw, 4.5 W
8 APs
1320 SAT
Okay ECs

Shocked at some of the deferred profiles!


Above student was probably unlikely to attend if accepted- JMU assumed it and decided against giving up a spot that wouldn't be taken. Protecting their yield.


It says they are in though.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:34     Subject: JMU EA is out
Why, exactly do we all think Penn State is so amazing? I’ve yet to meet an impressive Penn State grad.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:33     Subject: Re:JMU EA is out
JMU is going to continue to get harder to get in to…

Pretty campus
Rising sports programs
“Traditional College Experience”
Affordable In-State
Big enough but small than VT
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:31     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Rejected
3.6 W
6 APs
Did not submit test scores
Varsity sport

In at Penn State and VCU.
When did Penn State become a JMU backup? Talk about a fall!


This is all so hard to predict. My kid with 3.7W, fewer APs, high 1300 test scores was accepted to JMU but 2-2 at Penn State. Is it all major dependent?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 18:23     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:Deferred, with a 3.6 GPA and 34 ACT.


Wow. Would not have expected that.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 17:45     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC also got in and probably won't be attending, considering JMU being a safety for them. Looking at others who are accepted/rejected, is JMU competing with UVA/WM/VT these days for similar stat students? I thought they are for mid-range kids - not putting anyone down. Or do majority of students these days have inflated grades and mid-range SAT score that they don't submit?


Ridiculous comment. And yes, YOU ARE putting everyone applying or attending down. Your kid must be really sweet as well. Next!


+1.

Coming from someone who has had kids in the 1% test scores, that rose to the 94%. Rejected from every private school and then accepted to elite colleges.
Any one person’s “stats” are a snapshot in time. Anything can happen.
Honestly, this why you see wildly successful (for example) JMU and VaTech students vastly eclipsing their UVA counterparts. There really is no determinative path.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 17:44     Subject: JMU EA is out
Big congratulations to all the admitted students and hoping for good luck for those deferred!
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 17:43     Subject: JMU EA is out
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, pretty wild.

JMU was a safety for DS, but DS was deferred w/ a 3.74 UW GPA

Accepted into Penn State engineering.


Not as simple as my DS had high GPA and was rejected, while your DS with lower GPA was accepted- must be the school they're applying from. At the risk of stating the obvious, a top priority of admissions officers is protecting their admissions yield. If an applicant to JMU has a high GPA/test scores and isn't applying ED, the school might assume that it's a safety and the applicant isn't likely to attend JMU if accepted. With a certain number of spots to fill the incoming class, that leaves JMU holding the bag, having denied another applicant with lower grades/scores who was more likely to attend if accepted. All schools just trying to fill their dance card. That's why 'demonstrated interest' can be important. Applying ED largely removes the unknown for the school, which is why this improves applicant's chances of admission.


True, which is why JMU desperately needs to implement ED. There are so many students for whom it's their first-choice school yet they have no real way of expressing that beyond the usual that most applicants do (visits, etc.).
DP