I know the general rule is that schools with <50% acceptance rates can’t be counted as safeties. But I’m in-state and far exceed their average SAT and GPA requirements (3.9 UW, 4.4 W, 2380 SAT), with a decent amount of ECs. The acceptance rate is much higher for in state students, and the bar is lower as well. I also don’t want to give too much information, but my school is a magnet school that routinely sends 100+ kids to UVA and W&M a year.
I also plan on applying to William and Mary, and same thing there, I’m in state and my stats are very high.
I just don’t really like any of my other state schools for a variety of reasons, and I would prefer for my safety to be in-state because 1) I don’t want to rely on getting merit scholarships, in state tuition is a guaranteed discount and 2) It would be much closer to home.
I’m wondering if I need to add yet another application to my list- I’m already applying to quite a few schools (since most of them are reaches) and don’t want to burden myself with an app to a school that I really wouldn’t like to go to.
If you have 5’s on AP’s, can narrow down what you want to study to about 2 subjects or less, have money, and don’t mind going to the UK, you could consider St. Andrews, Edinburgh, the other ancient Scottish unis, and Durham. UK admissions below the Oxbridge & LSE level tend to be pretty straightforward.
UVA is a safety for everyone LOL. I’m instate as well and everyone at my school uses the school as a backup who just want to burn out and party in college… so I think you’ll definitely get in.
“my school is a magnet school that routinely sends 100+ kids to UVA and W&M a year.”
If you came here hoping to be told that UVA is safe after your guidance counselor told you otherwise, well then listen to that guidance counselor. Your own guidance office will be able to give you a much more accurate evaluation than any of us can of just how safe UVA is for you.
@happymomof1
No, I haven’t met with my guidance counselor yet. She’s a busy woman and I want to narrow down my list before setting up a meeting… obviously I’m going to consider her advice lol.
@PsychicPanda2
Really? Huh. That’s not the rep I hear at all… JMU has the party rep lol
@PurpleTitan
Yeah, I would prefer to stay close to home so I’m not really interested in international. America has plenty of great schools to look at Thank you though.
@“Erin’s Dad”
I’m not, but I am in NoVA. I’d like to hear more information regarding your views and why you think that, if possible.
In general I’m a proponent of applying to at least one EA/rolling safety school so you have one admission offer locked up by the end of December. But you can talk to your guidance counselor who should have extensive knowledge of how students from your HS with your stats do in terms of admission from UVA and W&M. And check Naviance if your school has it.
@throwaway2017 , It’s kind of a known thing around Thomas Jefferson and Maggie Walker that you’re going to get in if you’re around average. I have friends who just flat out burned out senior year got a 3.3 and 1900-2100 sat and just went to UVA/William and Mary as it’s a safety. I assume you’re at on of those schools OP ;)as they’re the two best in V.A and are especially in demand applicants instate.
Also I must add the party scene at UVA is massive XD. I did an overnight and was hanging out with the Hullabahoos and lets just say things seemed to be out right out of the Project X movie. Honestly, maybe UVA is difficult to get in out of state, but it’s forsure a joke instate. Overall, you’re guaranteed if you apply to both W&M and UVA to get into one imo
UVA serves the entire state and the school has pressure to make sure they don’t just populate each class with top performers from NoVA. Those kind of stats from poorly represented counties would make the app stand out more.
I think it would be a huge mistake not to apply to a real safety school and these two schools are not safety schools for anyone IMO! If you were my child, I would not allow you to take this approach.
As @“Erin’s Dad” said, UVa has regional quotas to ensure that acceptance is reasonably even around the state. The Dean of Admission for UVa spoke at one of collegekid’s schools. Quote: “when we go to Northern Virginia we go to TJ [Thomas Jefferson] first and take our pick of what we like there. Then we look at the rest of the schools in the area.”
Your GPA and SATs definitely make you a contender, but even if you are at TJ, you really can’t treat either UVa and W&M as safeties. It would be a surprise if you didn’t get into at least one- but if you look at the posts on CC around April, you will see just how many people get surprised every year.
With high stats, being in NoVa, and being used to being ‘special’ I get why the other VA choices don’t inspire you. So the question is: what is your risk tolerance? if you got unlucky and didn’t get either school, would you rather take a gap year and try again, or go someplace else?
Not everyone who’s average gets in to UVa from instate. There are kids with good or even great stats who are denied to UVa each year. OP, you’ve been warned. Have at least one true safety. Virginia Tech should be considered.
Thank you though.