<p>My S got Echols today---in Ohio.</p>
<p>Did anyone receive a Likely Letter a few weeks ago but not yet receive an acceptance or an Echols letter?</p>
<p>I got a likely letter and didn't get echols.</p>
<p>Do you mean that you got accepted but not Echols or that you haven't heard yet? And if you were accepted, when did you receive the letter?</p>
<p>No, I havent gotten accepted either. I got the letter Feb 15.</p>
<p>The likely letter doesn't necessarily mean that the applicant will receive Echols/Rodman status. It simply means that the applicant is being considered. Some who receive the letter will be selected for the Echols program, and some won't.</p>
<p>Yeah I am definitely not expecting to get echols. I was blown away that I got the letter at all. I just want to get accepted :-)</p>
<p>a lot of my friends got the likely letter but not the echols acceptance</p>
<p>My daughter received her letter for Echols today, dated on 3/15 and postmarked on 3/17. We will be at the lawn on 4/7.</p>
<p>Just a note, if you don't make Echols your first year, you can apply during your first year. People usually do this to get priority registration. </p>
<p>Since UVa is a huge school and has a fantastic range of classes to pick from, getting to register a week before everyone else is pretty sweet. If you're a first year echols, you even get to register before a lot of the fourth years. So basically, you're almost guaranteed to get into any class you want when you get here from the very beginning. </p>
<p>BTW, according to an admissions person I talked to my first year, a big flag for a good Echols Scholar is usually extremely impressive essays. Stats don't really matter. But it just happens that ES have above average scores and thus the association between the two.</p>
<p>Son's Echols letter came today.....also dated 3/15 and postmarked 3/17. He had earlier received a likely letter and a phone call. Since his prom is April 8, an April 7 out-of-town visit may be a little dicey. But I guess you can attend other weekends later in April?</p>
<p>Cami, your son can visit on any of the Days On The Lawn. The Echols DOTL only differs from the others in that it's only Echols/Rodman scholars and some of the talks are tailored to them. Also, there are more current Echols students available to talk to prospective first years.</p>
<p>are people still getting echols letters?</p>
<p>SoccerGrl - Kids are still getting Echols letters at my son's school - instate.</p>
<p>^^^ comforting. Got the likely letter, but haven't gotten an Echols letter. Still have hope, though.</p>
<p>Same here. One person from my school got Echols so far (salutatorian), but the val didn't.. they have very similiar credentials. I still have hope too as I got the letter but no Echols, and I was very proud of my UVA essays. Still rushing home to check the mail though!</p>
<p>qx3k, how hard is it to get into Echols during your first year?</p>
<p>Samedi, info from the UVA web site:</p>
<p>"...The first-year admissions process is managed within the Echols Office. All first-year students with a GPA of at least 3.6, especially in challenging classes, are invited to apply. They submit a transcript and several essays explaining their intellectual interests no later than April 1. The Echols Director and Echols faculty advisors review the applications and make their decisions in May, pending a review of second-semester grades. Students will learn of their acceptance via letter in late May or early June. Application materials will be available in Garrett Hall by early February.</p>
<p>As with the initial selection there is no fixed number of first-year acceptances. In 2004 we received 137 applications and admitted 72 students..."</p>
<p>Current Echols Scholars:</p>
<p>Do you know if it's worthwhile for parents to attend Echols Day on the Lawn for the parent's program? My son applied ED, so we don't need to be "sold" on UVA, but we would certainly attend if your parents found it informative. Thanks.</p>
<p>Well, I attended with a few other parents of Echols Scholars last April, so I will comment on the experience if you are thinking of coming. It was perhaps one of the prettiest days of the year so the University was sort of stunning to see, and we left UVa with an even higher opinion of the social atmosphere which is decidedly upbeat for a selective university. There will be a formal sit down lecture with a panel of Scholars for questions and answers..mostly parents were quiet..the kids were the ones asking and talking. I was impressed with the support Echols Scholars get in advising and in seeking unique internships/other learning experiences and on our day at least one of the panelists was also a Rhodes Scholar. My impressions were that Echols Scholars tend to take up a large range of interests on campus and to have a lot of initiative. Since less than half of Echols Scholars choose UVa, it was a pretty large group of parents and seniors, but somehow the administrators and Echols Scholars were so gracious that it felt very personal and warm. I "hung back" with a cluster of parents, and we generally saw the Echols Scholars socializing and meeting and greeting from a distance, so I have to say that if you are already sold on UVa, your S would be quite OK on Echols Day solo. As parents, you can pick up paperwork on financial aide or foreign study but it was totally unnecessary to be there from a parental point of view. The students seemed to make good use of the chance to talk with each other and with current Echols students at a reception on the lawn, but again, parents tended to bunch together and stay apart. My son learned a lot about what to expect in labs, clubs and foreign study options from these contacts. You will see the dorms that Echols students are assigned to as well. Prepare to walk a lot..no wonder the kids at UVa seem upbeat..they have to cover some ground every day and get their exercise. I had not seen some facilities at UVa until that day and was blown away with their beautiful new gym/pool exercise center which is world class.</p>