<p>Dean J addresses likely letters in Notes From Peabody. This is an entry from March 5, 2010. </p>
<p>[Notes</a> from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Likely Letters 2010](<a href=“http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2010/03/likely-letters-2010.html]Notes”>Notes from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Likely Letters 2010)</p>
<p>A word of advice:</p>
<p>No one should expect a likely letter. They are extremely rare and you should be honored if you receive one. If you are expecting one, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. I know how much everyone wants one, but remember, they are only given to the top 3% (I believe this was the number) of UVA’s applicants.</p>
<p>Why would you take a gap year and transfer? You already got into some good schools and I don’t really think UVA should be your end all be all…</p>
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<p>This is my plan.</p>
<p>UVaorBust: If your parents, as well as yourself, live in NY then your residency is NY. How are you going to UF with a prepaid FL plan if you get in?</p>
<p>woosah, I lived in Florida for a few years when I was younger. My grandparents gave my parents pre-paid college plans for Florida. Thus, I have the pre-paid plan that is transferable to any college I attend.</p>
<p>I get that part, but since you are an out of state resident you pay the out of state tuition. A lot of students and parents do not understand the rules that surround the prepaid plans as far as residency is concerned. You cannot legally or morally use your grandparents address or any other property you own in Florida. This is why the forms for instate tuition are filled out for public colleges and decisions are made on them to determine if you are actually a resident. You would be amazed at the number of students and parents that try to do this in every state and it does not work. Most individuals with prepaid plans have the instate rate paid into the program, not the out-of-state. So be careful when you say you can go there for free since you are not a resident. </p>
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<p>Off the UF website:
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<p>Wow, my parents better look into this. The both called and emailed a dean at UF who said our fees were covered, but looking at those quotes - uhoh.</p>
<p>Edit: woosah, I just asked my parents. They bought the plan while we were still Florida residents. The plan is under my name and they are under the impression that it will cover my entire tuition. However, they are going to try to verify that today. I’ll update you if I hear anything. I think those quotes that you are posting refer to the actual purchasing of the plan.</p>
<p>Have you filled out your UF application yet? There is a section for residency. If you have not filled out your application you might want to get started.</p>
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<p>They are not, it refers to the actual application for UF and whether or not according to the admissions office (and state of florida) you are a resident of Florida, hence giving you the rights to instate tuition. You, nor your parents are residents of Florida so you do not meet the criteria for the instate tuition rate. Many people get very confused by this but it is quite simple: For most states you or a parent must be a resident of that state for 12 consecutive months prior to enrollment and you must be able to prove it. Please fill out the application and you will see what I am referring to.</p>
<p>I sent my application in over 3 months ago.</p>
<p>Then you know the section to which I refer. It is clearly stated not only in the UF application, but in the UVa supplement and any other public college you applied to as well. When you fill out or don’t fill out the instate residency form for instate tuition. If someone has a prepaid plan in one state and has residency for the 12 months prior to enrollment in another, then they do not have the rights and privileges of instate tuition. The plan may be in your name, however you and your parents live in NY, hence making you ineligible for instate tuition. Believe me the colleges here in VA struggle with this issue as well. The lower tuition is for those residents that reside in that state. How many times do you read on this blog, ‘I wish I lived in Va so I could pay the instate tuition.’ The perimeters are set in place in all of these states for a reason. </p>
<p>Did you read that section for the UF application or just skip over it? If you attempted to fill it out for the instate rate you would have seen you do not qualify for it, hence you nor your parents would have made this assumption. This is a clear case, you do not qualify for instate rates except for those colleges in NY. You may use the funds towards your tuition at UF or anywhere for that matter you just have to pay the out-of-state rate.</p>
<p>UVAorBust…What address did you put down on your app – your NY residence or your grandparents’? If you put down your grandparents’ FL residence it will raise flags among admissions officers when your NY high school transcript, NY teacher recommendations, etc. arrive. Dean J might be able to shed some light on apps where residency components don’t align; however, it’s fraud and I’d have to imagine if discovered, your application will no longer be eligible for consideration. There is good news about these plans – typically, you can use them for any school; you simply won’t get as much money. (The Texas Tomorrow Fund works this way.)</p>
<p>If (let me reiterate…IF) you don’t get accepted at your RD schools, you have two GREAT schools in BC and UMich. BC is continuing to rise in popularity and rankings (#31) and is VERY reputable. UMich is considered a top research institute. One is large, and the other isn’t. One is public, and the other is a private Jesuit institute. Not knowing your financial situation, I can’t advise you if it’s “worth it” or not. I find it perplexing, though, that you’d pay OOS for UVa and nor UMich – they’re both excellent schools and fairly lateral, IMO (UVA #25; UMich #29). As someone who’s been through this process, let me tell you…MOST students will have some surprises and disappointments come April 1. Is the process fair? Seldom. What we learned, though, is that you MUST appreciate the school(s) that saw your potential, saw your hard work and dedication in high school, and took a chance on you. “Love the one that loves you” as they say. My D never thought she’d be at UVa this time last year; however, she appreciated the fact they noticed her stats and is very happy; it seems to be a good fit. I guess my point is that you need to acknowledge you might actually be happy at UMich or BC – they accepted you – be grateful.</p>
<p>Fantastic post jc40. And in regards to my UF application, my parents are now 100% sure my prepaid tuition plan covers the tuition fully. On the UF application, under the residency section, it says there are exceptions to qualify for instate tuition purposes. One of the exceptions is that the applicant is applying under the pre-paid tuition program. I hope what I’m doing isn’t fraud, yikes. By the way, I’m very happy I’ve been accepted to both UMich and BC. They are both amazing schools. To be honest, I’m not really sure how this whole college process is going to pan out until I finally receive my RD applications back. Then the real drama will start ;). Hopefully a miracle strikes and I am accepted to UVA. That will solve everything :D.</p>
<p>Thanks jc40 and wahoo for trying to help me sort out this UF situation.</p>
<p>It is all good! Glad it will work out for you!</p>
<p>I thought it would be benifitial to bump this thread back up. I can not tell you how much I’m kicking myself for not putting more effort into my EA schools. START EARLY!</p>
<p>UVAorBust, can I give you a word of advice?</p>
<p>RELAX!</p>
<p>Getting into college XYorZ is not a be all, end all. It’s what you do once you’re there that counts. </p>
<p>Five years from now, you’re going to laugh at how obsessive you were about this. </p>
<p>Undergraduate admissions are a game. All this focus on EC’s and essays is ridiculous. Grad school admissions are 95% test score and GPAs.</p>
<p>With your reaction to your UF rejection, quite frankly I am afraid for your own sake how you will feel if you do not get into UVA. I know you’re thinking, “well it’s a more difficult school to get into, so at least it would not be out of left field.” But people are never rational at these sort of moments. In fact, your reaction to your UF rejection is extremely immature. You have constantly talked about it as a “safety,” as if you were too good to go there unless you “had to.” Then you became condescending towards Florida State. Do you know how many who have attended Florida State have gone on to do amazing things?</p>
<p>Acceptance to a college is the beginning, not the end of the process. </p>
<p>I would advise you to take some time off from posting on this site, perhaps a week to think things through. Think about how fortunate you are to come from a family that provided you the opportunity to excel and attend college.</p>
<p>Signed,
A lowly LSU undergrad</p>
<p>LSU, I’m trying my best to relax, but I’m not going to lie - how can I. Honestly, four years of high school comes down to these incoming decisions. I’m not quite sure if you remember your wait before your college decisions, but I’m sure you were just as anxious. I don’t think being anxious is a bad thing either. It shows a student has drive and wants to go for the best it can. </p>
<p>In regards to my reaction to my rejection at UF, I’m don’t think you are in a position to say it is immature. You honestly didn’t think it was ok for me to consider UF a safety. Have you looked at the decision thread? If not, here is a link: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-florida/1085141-official-2011-uf-decisions-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-florida/1085141-official-2011-uf-decisions-thread.html</a> I’m actually shocked some of these students were accepted over others that were denied. You don’t think it is right for me to wonder why my application was rejected?
And yes, I wouldn’t go to my SAFETY unless I had to. To be frank, I don’t think anyone would, and I’m pretty sure that is what a safety is for. As for FSU, I don’t know where I was ever condescending. My dad went to FSU and I have a great deal of friends who have attended or who are going to. My dad, an FSU grad, has told me about how little the majority of the students care about their academics. I do not want to attend a school known for partying and drinking (this reputation is given to me from people I know who have attended or want to attend). </p>
<p>I know you’re only trying to help LSU, but I feel like you’re trying to put words into my mouth. You’re trying making me seem like an elitist. Just the way you wrote “A lowly LSU undergrad” shows your scathing tone. If you can find one post on this site where I’ve made a student attend a school look “lowly” please let me see it.</p>
<p>I’m going on a cruise all next week - thank god. I really need a break from all of this. After rejection at UF, I honestly have been feeling like garbage. I feel horrible everyday at school, knowing the rejections to come.</p>
<p>Ahh, I forgot to post this one point as well. I always hear from people that
But honestly, this isn’t the case. I know what I want to do after college, and if I do not go to a college “prestigious” in the eyes of the employers, my chances of getting a job at the firm are nonexistent.</p>
<p>It might be sad, but it’s life.</p>
<p>In response to the post above about “prestige”. I think you have it drastically wrong, UVA, but even if you are right, you’ll soon face major problems.</p>
<p>First, prestige might have some sort of an effect of how elitists like yourself view others, but pushing yourself through a college that you dislike under the auspices that people will think more highly of you is proof of insanity. Its better to go to a place that you feel right for you. I’ve already decided that if i get in, i will likely attend American University. This is after i have already gotten into many more colleges with a higher USNWR ranking and a more prestigious sounding name. Sure, some people may think of an online college or some university in cairo when i tell them i go/went to ‘American’, but since i have an interest in politics/DC/ect. i feel its right for me.</p>
<p>Second, if this prestige thing holds true, then good luck with UVA. Most people with similar mindsets to you will automatically dismiss it as a “state school”.</p>
<p>Finally, you can go to Pace or Hofstra and graduate at the top of your class and still accomplish more then the guy who went to Harvard and didnt do anything with his opportunities, its all the individuals work ethic.</p>
<p>(I dont lurk the UVA forum 
, but this was on the recently discussed topics on the front page, and i felt it was my civic duty to correct elitist attitudes towards prestige, lest some poor soul go to a school because it has a better sounding name)</p>