<p>Yep- Jefferson Scholars are notified on the 28th after the selection weekend (unsuccessful nominee myself)</p>
<p>cfc, unsuccessful nominee, but you still received a likely letter :D. That alone is an honor.</p>
<p>So in the blog it says two waves of likely letters. Does that mean we still have a chance?</p>
<p>My son received a LL from UVA today.</p>
<p>Dean J, can you elaborate a bit more on the goal of the likely letters. I have been following your blog, and have read the intent of the process, but I am having a hard time really understanding the value.</p>
<p>While it is a wonderful process for the select few that are chosen to receive a letter (congratulations to those that did), it adds an enormous amount to worry and anxiety to the large percentage of students who do not. This is already an incredibly stressful time for all.</p>
<p>While I was aware of the likely letter, my daughter was not until this evening when postings began to appear on facebook from her peers. While she is an extraordinary student with stats on par or above her peers that received letters today, our mailbox was empty. She spent the evening in tears in spite of the facts that I shared with her about the process. While UVA was at the top of her list before today, she has already shifted her sights elsewhere in anticipation of disappointment on April 1. This makes me sad as I feel she is still well in the running to receive acceptance but may decide another school is better for her. I know that is not the intent of the likely letter!</p>
<p>Before the existence of social media and blogs, the likely letter process may have provided a relatively private means of reaching out to the strongest applicants in hopes of drawing them to UVA without alienating other very qualified applicants. But that is not the case in todays world. By simply scrolling through their most recent facebook news, very anxious seniors will all know who did and who did not get a letter today. What bothers me is that the process leads to more than 90% of ultimately accepted students feeling like they were not an obvious fit for UVA and questioning if it is right for them before a decision even arrives. This includes a significant number of highly qualified applicants. From what I have seen </p>
<p>UVA top choice that received letter = huge relief and excitement
UVA top choice with no letter = looking at other options
UVA second/lower choice that received letter = nice safety net if top choice rejects
UVA second/lower choice with no letter = not my first choice, so who cares</p>
<p>Just questioning if the likely letter is really creating more harm than good.</p>
<p>By the way… while I understand it was not Dean Roberts intent, the wording of the mass email really did come across as a rejection letter.</p>
<p>Although I’m not Dean J, certainly one of the reason is to prevent the extremely talented and qualified applicants from committing to any other universities that may release decisions before UVa does.</p>
<p>Would that only make a difference if a commitment was required before April 1? Perhaps normal for athletes, but are schools asking for a commitment from non-athletes before April 1? With many top colleges not sending likely letters and releasing RD April 1, this doen’t make a lot of sense to me. A highly talented student that is truly undecided will wait until they have all their options in line.</p>
<p>1220Ant, tell your daughter to feel better. You have to realize, a SMALL, and I mean SMALL percent of students receive likely letters. Just because she didn’t receive one means nothing. Trust me, I’m rather crushed myself, but it is one of those things you’ve got to accept. They’re will always be more qualified, deserving applicants out there. </p>
<p>Really, she shouldn’t be worrying at all. And I agree, the wording of that email did make it appear as a early rejection. But honestly, it is not over until it’s over, and I’m pessimistic to say the least. To be sad about not receiving a likely letter is foolish. Tell her to cheer up, because I bet she still has a great shot!</p>
<p>Almost every elite school sends out likely letters. Stop whining about it. Most who are accepted don’t get one.</p>
<p>I got the mass email today and was kind of disappointed by the title (Re: UVA Admissions Update made me hopeful for a change in status), but then I came home and got the LL, whoo! Totally wasn’t expecting it because I’m out of state (CA) and I didn’t even know they sent out LL.
Stats:
GPA - UW 3.94 W 4.71
Class Rank:1 of 860
Scores:
Single Sittings: 2320 (800W, 730M, 790W), 2300 (800W, 770M, 730W)
SAT Superscore: 2360 (800W, 770M, 790W)
SAT IIs: 800 (Chem), 800 (USH), 790 (Math II. Fail)
National AP Scholar (7 5’s, 1 4)
NMF
700 Hours Community Service, usual smattering of clubs and leadership
Competitive Trampolinist, lol</p>
<p>The admissions blog said some more likely letters will be coming out in a second wave.</p>
<p>(My son got one today.)</p>
<p>One of the major reasons for likely letters is because other colleges with earlier acceptance dates have been successfully lobbying for students. Those other colleges had much more time to invite students to special weekends and shower them with t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. Many students will have already fallen in love with another college by March 30th. </p>
<p>That is why I am very glad UVa is switching to non-binding early action next year.</p>
<p>@ GeneralAdmission: FYI my spouse is a Stanford alum, kid applied SCEA to Stanford. We received the S letter you described stating not all applicants of alumns would not necessarily be accepted or words to that effect. Our kid was accepted a few weeks later SCEA. So you may be reading too much into it.</p>
<p>@ Dean J: Liked the email, it was thoughtful and appreciated.</p>
<p>The statistics for LLs are for all applicants though, right? 10% of ~23,000 applicants is ~2,300 students, so more than two thirds of the accepted students (assuming that all LL recipients get accepted). So it isn’t that uncommon, is it? If it’s 10% of accepted students, I’m totally wrong, I just thought I saw that it was out of everyone.</p>
<p>Brishe, the % of applicants who get LL’s is a single digit. I’ve heard as low as 3% but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>Oh wow, okay! I don’t know where I got 10 from then :\ The application process has clearly made me lose my mind</p>
<p>Don’t worry we’re all in the same boat! I feel like I can’t do anything besides college confidential and Dean J’s blog these next 25 days!</p>
<p>UVAorBust…loved the EW&F link!</p>
<p>Those candidates who received LL Saturday or today have very, very high stats as evident by those who have shared. Their SAT, GPA’s, and I’d venture to say # of APs/scores most likely put them in the top 5% of measurable objectives; consequently, roughly 95% will not get LLs. As it’s been stated, those who didn’t get LLs still have a great chance of admission and should in no way feel this is a personal reflection on their qualifications. The LL is simply designed to put UVa on the radar of kids who may be getting acceptances from other very prestigious institutions. From personal experience, I know that’s the exact effect it had on my D. She began to envision UVa as a possibility in mid-March and started perusing their website more and more. She was among the many, I’m sure, who did indeed choose UVa over other, higher ranked schools because she began seeing herself as a Cavalier a few weeks earlier than the others.</p>
<p>Dean J,</p>
<p>I just want to clarify for all my classmates at TJHSST who have gotten one, as well as myself. Likely letters aren’t official admissions, so the decision can be changed. However, if you receive one and no honor code/grade slippage/other major changes occur, you can bet on an admission? I know a lot of us are anxious for 4/1 to get here, so having this reassurance that if we don’t do something stupid we should get in. Has there ever been a case where no new information comes into the equation, but a student receiving a likely letter is not admitted?</p>
<p>If you got a likely letter, congrats! If you didn’t, it’s not the end of the world. I didn’t get one, and still got in OOS. My belief is that getting one just means UVa loved your application so much that they want the thought of attending UVa ingrained into your head well before decisions come out, and it gives you time to visit it, stay overnight with Monroe Society, and attend a class or two during this time between now and April 1st, before you are rushed into making a decision. But don’t freak out if you didn’t get one. The only reason it seems like a big deal here is because there are some amazing students on CC who will be receiving LLs, but in reality, its a tiny percentage of applicants.</p>