<p>I created this thread for those who want to discuss the selections for 2013 Echols scholars. If possible, please post when you received the email as many people (like me) don't get their regular mail until late. If you would like, post stats and subjective components of your UVA app</p>
<p>CC20132017 - would you mind sharing your SAT scores? And any other stats you feel comfortable sharing?</p>
<p>SAT scores definitely do not drive these decisions.</p>
<p>I got echols too! Very excited, love the idea of not having to do area requirements.</p>
<p>Echols as well guys! I am an intended hard sciences major so it’s a little hard not to read into the fact that I received Echols and not CSS (in terms of where I stand amongst admits and in terms of research opportunities as UVa). Echols still sounds great though! I love the priority course registration idea.</p>
<p>Hello all- congratulations to those accepted! I was accepted as well. I applied to a few ivies, ucla, stanford, uchicago, and a few other schools. Now, I know that nobody can give me a definite answr but how do echol scholars generally fair with ivies and the schools I listed? Just looking for some sort of reassurance</p>
<p>Hmm, well the uva applicants aren’t exactly the same student body that stanford applicants are, but if you find it comforting the fact that only 5% of uva applicants got echols might reassure you :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to all Echols Scholars!
@ Und3rCOver
Yes, priority registration is nice, but exemption from area requirements is even more of a perk in that you may enrich your education with seminar classes and courses both within and outside your focus in the sciences.
My son was an ES who as a second year found/was recommended/was offered a volunteer position in a research lab which eventually became a part-time paid position, as well as a paid full-time summer position. He is currently working hard but quite happy as a Phd graduate student in a field of the biological science at an Ivy.
Again congratulations, and best wishes to you.</p>
<p>Echols used to be a bigger deal before they hacked the priority registration in half, gave everyone the opportunity to make their own major, etc. It is still a great honor but don’t feel bummed if you didn’t get it. For instance, one of the future teachers in the program with me had to go back and complete missing area requirements because the program is only applicable to the College and not to the state of Virginia’s education requirements in Curry. Also I think it becomes irrelevant if you get into McIntire as well. You probably have most of your area requirements done through APs anyways. 
Congrats to those who got it and no worries to anyone who didn’t!</p>
<p>Our D is an Echols Scholar, but the exemption from area requirements wasn’t really a caveat. Most Echols kids enter UVA with so many AP credits so they’ve already fulfilled their requirements. (She had 11 APs, for instance, and 1 DC.) As a pre-med student she has found the program helpful in that it has allowed her more personal advising, she has the benefit of priority registration, and it has given her applications for certain programs/internships a bit more credence. </p>
<p>To those super high stat students who are scratching their heads trying to figure out how some with perhaps inferior stats received an invite and you didn’t, please do not let this affect your decision to attend UVA. There is a level of subjectivity in the selection – factors such as gender, residence, etc., etc. are considered. What’s great about Echols/Rodman is you can always apply during the spring of your first year. Congrats to those who were accepted and good luck to those hoping to apply next year!</p>
<p>Does anyone know if Virginia students have heard about Echols?</p>
<p>Floraandfauna, I’m from Virginia and I heard today!</p>
<p>General question to any current Echols/alumni: I’m thinking about living on the echols dorm next year because they’re apparently nicer, but I heard that the dorms are kind of socially isolated from the rest of campus. Is that true?</p>
<p>Manwittheplan69…Unless things have changed since 2010, first year Echols students are required to live together their first year – after that, they can live wherever and with whomever.</p>
<p>It does not seem too “republican” for Thomas Jefferson’s University to select an aristocracy of scholars who are given special privileges before they have even attended a single class at UVA.</p>
<p>I’m still unclear as to the difference between one’s experience as an Echols scholar as compared to a non-Echols (regular) UVA student. Looking at the area and competency requirements, many if not all of the language, writing, etc would likely already be met by many incoming UVA students. As for the freshman seminar requirement, I look forward to a small size class where one can engage with and get to know other new students, who likely don’t live in the same dorm.</p>
<p>Are we required to live in honors dorms or is that part optional?</p>
<p>Special faculty advising and access to research opportunities are also mentioned as advantages. Where does that leave the remaining 3,000+ freshman? Fending for themselves? Doesn’t sound particularly egalitarian…</p>
<p>I appreciate the value of an intellectually vibrant group of students, but I imagine a healthy portion of the students at UVA would fall into that category. No?</p>
<p>Lol…Looks like I cross-posted with muckdogs07. My point exactly, muck…</p>
<p>Also, is it typically difficult for a UVA student to get into classes of his or her choice? Again, what are all the non-Echols to make of their 2d class citizen status?</p>
<p>Amusing exchange here, I applaud your candor and unwillingness to accept the rules as “given”.</p>
<p>I myself think that since the world is rather meritocratic, it’s a good idea for colleges to be so, by conferring special privileges on those who earn them. But that can go too far, since part of what a college is supposed to do is to enable discovery and development of potential, not just recognize past achievement.</p>
<p>Many schools have these honors programs, some which require separate application, and some which don’t. I find some of them completely pointless, they seem to have been designed only to attract high-performing students, without adding any educational value … money would be much better, but that has a real cost :-)</p>
<p>UVA’s honors programs do seem to have some value beyond recruitment. But the messages are mixed, since they’re trying to “Congrats you’re special!” and “Don’t worry, it’s not THAT special” at the same time. :-)</p>
<p>First-Year Scholars are required to live together. You used to be able to get out of it if you had an allergy problem, but since you’re in the newest dorms that doesn’t work anymore (I assume). The dorms probably won’t be as socially isolated now that they’re opening up new Alderman dorms. You have a lot of people say that because they’re not in a Quad that they’re isolated, but they’re really not. Hereford is what I think of as isolated.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I follow the issue of selecting candidates for Echols/Rodman, etc. As is pointed out many schools have a version of an honors college. UVa does not utilize a separate application as I would assume given the common app, supplement, and various credentials, it’s a fairly comprehensive application and serves their needs for selection. If a student is interested that wasn’t selected prior to matriculation they can apply once they are at the university, so it is in fact open to all. </p>
<p>The ‘mixed messages’ that you feel you are receiving I don’t believe are from the University, and certainly not from all students involved in the program. I believe what you’re hearing is feedback on an internet message forum from a few people who are/have been involved and are perhaps downplaying a bit of their experience in the spirit of not making those that were not selected feel bad. If they were speaking one-on-one privately with a new Echols/Rodman they may be more enthusiastic about things they found helpful. If they did that in this setting with people who are feeling a bit let down that they/their student was not selected they would come off as a bit insensitive.</p>
<p>If you look at the comments here, they are darned if they do, darned if they don’t. If the program is really something worthwhile then UVa is giving special privileges to some before they matriculate, what about non Echols/Rodman are they 2nd class citizens? If the program is played down as not really that much of a perk then it’s completely pointless without adding educational value, money would be better.</p>
<p>Blue, I think you’re taking the discussion more seriously than was intended.</p>
<p>For my part, I mostly agree with you – there’s nothing wrong with an honors program such as Echols/Rodman, and UVA seems to do a decent job with it.</p>
<p>On the mixed messages comment: that’s also meant to be a bit of a sly remark. It’s inevitable that a college will say, whether it’s about general admission or a specific program, both “congratulations” to those selected, and “this doesn’t mean you’re a bad person” to those who were not. And there’s nothing wrong with that either.</p>