I am a male student from central VA. I will be applying next year.
GPA: 3.6 Unweighted and 4.3 Weighted (Not Ranked)
SAT: 1330
Almost all of my classes during freshman and sophomore year were honors courses and almost all of my courses during junior and senior year are ap courses. I am taking the most rigorous curriculum my school offers including AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics, AP Calc, and more.
I am involved in a few clubs and programs in my schools which include an intramural sport and some honor societies.
I expect my recommendations to be decent.
I have a hook which is that I will be the first in my family to attend a college.
I will be applying to a few safety schools, but I wanted opinions on how my application is looking so far.
Thank you everyone that replies!
Without taking other factors into account, such as race, club leadership, and school competitiveness, I would say they’re low reaches or partial matches (25th percentile SAT at UVA, <25th for William and Mary).
I was accepted to William and Mary, but went somewhere else. It has no supplemental essay, so make sure your common app essay is really good. Your greatest weakness is your test scores, so you may want to retake the SAT- colleges like improvement. You should also consider taking SAT subject tests, as not many people have them. Based on your schedule next year, Math 2, Chem (if you took chem previously), and other AP classes you got a 4 or 5 on will be good choices. If you can improve your scores, you have a good chance at W&M. Right now, I would say your chances there are ~35%.
One more thing… I will be applying early action. I am not sure if this increases my chances, but the in state acceptance rate for the arts and science college is 46%.
Definitely apply EA, just know that almost everyone does. Also do you know how many ppl your school normally sends to those schools? What’s your rank?
My school is pretty uncompetitive, but that allows many “less qualified” students to get into UVA (while it’s much harder for nova kids to get in, for instance). Your best chances are to compare yourself to the average student admitted as found in their website, AND the average student admitted from your high school. My school sends ~10 each year, and many only have sat scores of 1300-1400. But nova kids could have 1400-1500s and still get rejected.
Also how badly would you want to go to W&M? Maybe look into applying ED?
Make sure you show interest in both of these schools. I am not sure about UVA, but WM offers the chance to interview. Of course, sign up and attend real visits so they know you are serious.
^yes! If you have a unique skill or fun personality, show it off in an interview at W&M (if you don’t though, just show interest with a visit).
This summer, focus on raising your test scores and doing some ECs (volunteering/working/etc). Try the act too, I’ve had better experiences with it.
@agentaquastar about 10 to 15 students are accepted every year… I do not know their stats… I am not set on going to W&M so I do not think I would apply ED. I am also looking at Virginia Tech.
@Materof2 I am very interested in UVA. I would apply ED if it was available. I don’t think UVA cares about applicants level of interest. Do you have any other tips?
You need to consider that all colleges take “yield” into consideration. That’s where “your interest” comes in.
For example, let’s say you have stellar recs, perfect SATs and all As in the most rigorous classes at your non-NOVA HS. You had them at hello on your clever essays. You are president of 2 clubs, are a peer mentor, volunteer to help the less fortunate and have a hook. To top that off, you declare a major in a non science, non engineering and non business field. You’d be a shoe-in, right?
Well, not so fast. Unless you show interest, such as with a real college visit, followed by a hand written thank you note, UVA may think there’s no way you would actually attend even if they accept you. Colleges have some formula by which they use historic data to know what percent of accepted students actually confirm enrollment vs choose another college. They want to not only accept the best and brightest, but those who are likely to attend.
It could be said that those who show zero interest, are not likely to attend, but rather consider a school a reach or a safety.
So, that’s another reason why you schedule an official college visit. Plus, don’t you actually want to see the place?
https://admission.virginia.edu/faq
This confirms UVA doesn’t care abt interest nor does it offer interviews.
Either way, Materof2’s advice still applies. You should visit colleges if you can to get a feel for them. Will you even like UVA/W&M/Tech? Tech is the largest and spread out. W&M is historic and small. UVA is also pretty big, has nice TJ architecture, and attracts many elite and competitive students. A visit to UVA won’t help much, but it will for the other 2 schools.
That’s great then.
Honestly the best way to improve your chances is still to keep improving grades/scores/ECs/essays. Demonstrated interest helps, but that’s of lower significance at all of these schools.
This summer, study like mad for the act/sat. Write your essays well. When school gets back in, try to nab a few leadership positions if you don’t have any yet.
@agentaquastar That’s an interesting link with some great info. And lol, I wonder if UVA actually believes they don’t have cutoff grades and scores. I think that’s only there to give a glimmer of hope to the average student, who has as much chance of getting into UVA as Jim Carrey had at dating that supermodel in Dumb and Dumber.
