Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:15     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
OP here. We are trying to avoid far and cold, but I will keep all these in mind when it comes to RD applications.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:14     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In-state VA, medium size diverse public HS, weighted GPA 4.56, SAT 1510. Girl. Captain of varsity sport, 10 APs, AP scholar. Other random clubs. Intended major is undecided but possibly Bio (pre med) or Data Science or Finance.

ED: UVA
Rolling (but applying early): Pitt
EA: UNC, PSU, VT
Regular: W&M, Delaware

What would you add (or drop) to/from this list? Thoughts?


I think your chances of getting in through ED are pretty high. However, just in case you don’t, I would recommend adding BU (Boston University) to your RD list.

BU is an excellent school for pre-med, and you can’t go wrong with Data Science or Finance either. Some students even double major in Questrom and Data Science.

The sticker price is high, but you never know what kind of financial aid package you might receive. They were pretty generous with us, even though we’re a full-tuition-paying family for in-state(Virginia) schools.

Be sure to apply for merit scholarships as well. If you get a full tuition scholarship (which is very competitive), or even a half-tuition award, it would be comparable to W&M’s tuition.
Also, if you receive a strong tuition package, it will be locked in for four years even if your family income increases.



Terrible suggestion. Where do you people come up with these ideas? There's never any critical thinking involved.


?
RD is not binding, so you can still choose among your options after getting accepted.


Because nothing in OP's posts suggests they'd even remotely be interested in a school like BU. Nothing.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:12     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In-state VA, medium size diverse public HS, weighted GPA 4.56, SAT 1510. Girl. Captain of varsity sport, 10 APs, AP scholar. Other random clubs. Intended major is undecided but possibly Bio (pre med) or Data Science or Finance.

ED: UVA
Rolling (but applying early): Pitt
EA: UNC, PSU, VT
Regular: W&M, Delaware

What would you add (or drop) to/from this list? Thoughts?


I think your chances of getting in through ED are pretty high. However, just in case you don’t, I would recommend adding BU (Boston University) to your RD list.

BU is an excellent school for pre-med, and you can’t go wrong with Data Science or Finance either. Some students even double major in Questrom and Data Science.

The sticker price is high, but you never know what kind of financial aid package you might receive. They were pretty generous with us, even though we’re a full-tuition-paying family for in-state(Virginia) schools.

Be sure to apply for merit scholarships as well. If you get a full tuition scholarship (which is very competitive), or even a half-tuition award, it would be comparable to W&M’s tuition.
Also, if you receive a strong tuition package, it will be locked in for four years even if your family income increases.



Terrible suggestion. Where do you people come up with these ideas? There's never any critical thinking involved.

DP. In this case, OP hasn't done much research on merit aid offered by many high quality research universities.
Linear thinking, stubbornly stick to state Us. Unaware of many private schools with merit aid. That shows critical thinking??
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:08     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just checked our Naviance scattergrams for you for UVA at a mediocre FCPS HS.

There are a few denials/waitlists for SAT over 1500 and weighted GPA over 4.4 but most are acceptances.


Does Naviance differentiate ED vs RD? Seems to me (anecdotally) that high stats kids who don’t get into UVA used their ED somewhere else. I’ve read this on DCUM and it also happened to our friend’s daughter. She ED’d to a top Ivy (WL) and didn’t get in to UVA RD (WL.) Didn’t apply to W&M at all. Is attending Penn State Honors.


Your friend’s daughter should have applied to UVA EA not RD.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:06     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone suggesting small, expensive and far flung liberal arts colleges when it's very obvious from OP's list that they're not appealing to her or her kid?


Bc they’ll give this kid $$$$
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:04     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In-state VA, medium size diverse public HS, weighted GPA 4.56, SAT 1510. Girl. Captain of varsity sport, 10 APs, AP scholar. Other random clubs. Intended major is undecided but possibly Bio (pre med) or Data Science or Finance.

ED: UVA
Rolling (but applying early): Pitt
EA: UNC, PSU, VT
Regular: W&M, Delaware

What would you add (or drop) to/from this list? Thoughts?


I think your chances of getting in through ED are pretty high. However, just in case you don’t, I would recommend adding BU (Boston University) to your RD list.

BU is an excellent school for pre-med, and you can’t go wrong with Data Science or Finance either. Some students even double major in Questrom and Data Science.

The sticker price is high, but you never know what kind of financial aid package you might receive. They were pretty generous with us, even though we’re a full-tuition-paying family for in-state(Virginia) schools.

Be sure to apply for merit scholarships as well. If you get a full tuition scholarship (which is very competitive), or even a half-tuition award, it would be comparable to W&M’s tuition.
Also, if you receive a strong tuition package, it will be locked in for four years even if your family income increases.



Terrible suggestion. Where do you people come up with these ideas? There's never any critical thinking involved.


?
RD is not binding, so you can still choose among your options after getting accepted.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:02     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Why is everyone suggesting small, expensive and far flung liberal arts colleges when it's very obvious from OP's list that they're not appealing to her or her kid?
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 09:00     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In-state VA, medium size diverse public HS, weighted GPA 4.56, SAT 1510. Girl. Captain of varsity sport, 10 APs, AP scholar. Other random clubs. Intended major is undecided but possibly Bio (pre med) or Data Science or Finance.

ED: UVA
Rolling (but applying early): Pitt
EA: UNC, PSU, VT
Regular: W&M, Delaware

What would you add (or drop) to/from this list? Thoughts?


I think your chances of getting in through ED are pretty high. However, just in case you don’t, I would recommend adding BU (Boston University) to your RD list.

BU is an excellent school for pre-med, and you can’t go wrong with Data Science or Finance either. Some students even double major in Questrom and Data Science.

The sticker price is high, but you never know what kind of financial aid package you might receive. They were pretty generous with us, even though we’re a full-tuition-paying family for in-state(Virginia) schools.

Be sure to apply for merit scholarships as well. If you get a full tuition scholarship (which is very competitive), or even a half-tuition award, it would be comparable to W&M’s tuition.
Also, if you receive a strong tuition package, it will be locked in for four years even if your family income increases.



Terrible suggestion. Where do you people come up with these ideas? There's never any critical thinking involved.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 08:43     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Want to add Rochester for generous merit aid.
These low ranking privates provide very solid education, particularly for premed students.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 08:38     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
If you need $$$,
Look at Case, CU-Boulder, St Olaf, Grinnell, Mac, Kenyon, Dickinson, Denison, Elon, Sewanee, Reed.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 08:31     Subject: Re:How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don't want to try private? maybe a few top SLAC like Wellsesley. If just public, how about UM, UCLA?
The list is really short in today's standard.


OP here. We've been reading and researching but can't really find any comparable privates that would give decent merit aid. We wouldn't qualify for need-based and while we could pay $90k a year for college, I'm just not convinced it's worth it. Especially since it's looking likely DD will want to attend some form of grad school as well. I don't know - is that a mistake? She is our oldest so this is new to us. We have the money but we are frugal by nature and I do think she'd be happy somewhere like UVA.



Case Western offers merit aid as much as 45k. Grinell and many lacs are very generous as well. They may not ranked as high as UVA, however, education quality is comparable.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 08:19     Subject: Re:How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don't want to try private? maybe a few top SLAC like Wellsesley. If just public, how about UM, UCLA?
The list is really short in today's standard.


OP here. We've been reading and researching but can't really find any comparable privates that would give decent merit aid. We wouldn't qualify for need-based and while we could pay $90k a year for college, I'm just not convinced it's worth it. Especially since it's looking likely DD will want to attend some form of grad school as well. I don't know - is that a mistake? She is our oldest so this is new to us. We have the money but we are frugal by nature and I do think she'd be happy somewhere like UVA.



We're in a similar situation and I think you're on the right path. We have three kids and undergrad costs would easily be $1.2M if we did this. It seems like merit aid (if even received) for privates is a much smaller percentage of total costs than it used to be.

DD loves some of the better SLACs, but she also likes the State schools. She's also a bloom where you're planted type of person and would enjoy a variety of environments as long as the academic standards are decent.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 07:49     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just checked our Naviance scattergrams for you for UVA at a mediocre FCPS HS.

There are a few denials/waitlists for SAT over 1500 and weighted GPA over 4.4 but most are acceptances.


Does Naviance differentiate ED vs RD? Seems to me (anecdotally) that high stats kids who don’t get into UVA used their ED somewhere else. I’ve read this on DCUM and it also happened to our friend’s daughter. She ED’d to a top Ivy (WL) and didn’t get in to UVA RD (WL.) Didn’t apply to W&M at all. Is attending Penn State Honors.


Yes, in our Naviance scattergram there’s a different shape depending on RD, ED. I want to say that RD is just a check mark and EA is check with square around it, but I’m not 100%. Definitely it’s easy to spot when you have it in front of you


I wish we had this level of detail. Our FCPS school does not. I also wish they had it by major.


PP here. If it makes you feel better, our naviance only has acceptances. So no idea if half of the 1500+ 4.0uw kids were rejected! It’s not as helpful to only see green
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 07:43     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just checked our Naviance scattergrams for you for UVA at a mediocre FCPS HS.

There are a few denials/waitlists for SAT over 1500 and weighted GPA over 4.4 but most are acceptances.


Does Naviance differentiate ED vs RD? Seems to me (anecdotally) that high stats kids who don’t get into UVA used their ED somewhere else. I’ve read this on DCUM and it also happened to our friend’s daughter. She ED’d to a top Ivy (WL) and didn’t get in to UVA RD (WL.) Didn’t apply to W&M at all. Is attending Penn State Honors.


Yes, in our Naviance scattergram there’s a different shape depending on RD, ED. I want to say that RD is just a check mark and EA is check with square around it, but I’m not 100%. Definitely it’s easy to spot when you have it in front of you


I wish we had this level of detail. Our FCPS school does not. I also wish they had it by major.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 07:42     Subject: How does this application strategy look?
Anonymous wrote:In-state VA, medium size diverse public HS, weighted GPA 4.56, SAT 1510. Girl. Captain of varsity sport, 10 APs, AP scholar. Other random clubs. Intended major is undecided but possibly Bio (pre med) or Data Science or Finance.

ED: UVA
Rolling (but applying early): Pitt
EA: UNC, PSU, VT
Regular: W&M, Delaware

What would you add (or drop) to/from this list? Thoughts?


I think your chances of getting in through ED are pretty high. However, just in case you don’t, I would recommend adding BU (Boston University) to your RD list.

BU is an excellent school for pre-med, and you can’t go wrong with Data Science or Finance either. Some students even double major in Questrom and Data Science.

The sticker price is high, but you never know what kind of financial aid package you might receive. They were pretty generous with us, even though we’re a full-tuition-paying family for in-state(Virginia) schools.

Be sure to apply for merit scholarships as well. If you get a full tuition scholarship (which is very competitive), or even a half-tuition award, it would be comparable to W&M’s tuition.
Also, if you receive a strong tuition package, it will be locked in for four years even if your family income increases.