<p>college confidential (this site)</p>
<p>I got the same letter last year, and was offered Echols.</p>
<p>And are you in the echols program now, mrorange...Any comments or recommendations?</p>
<p>Yes, I'm at UVA now. Echols is nice, the priority registration and the lack of area requirements allow you to take pretty much any class you want (which is a huge deal here, I took classes my second semester that 4th years have trouble getting into). The Echols housing situation (put into 1 of 2 Alderman Road dorms specifically for Echols kids) is not for everyone. I personally did not enjoy it, and would have preferred to live in Old Dorms. </p>
<p>That aside, Echols is nice, but is not as important as it is cracked up to be. Several people I know who initially had higher stats than me did not get it (many of those kids from Northern VA), yet easily got into the program when they applied after their second semester (if you have a 3.6+ with 15 credits/semester you have a pretty good shot). Plus, after your first two years the priority registration isn't as necessary--it's really just useful for getting into those huge popular lecture classes. </p>
<p>Bottom line, Echols is just a recruiting tool to attract kids (like many people here on CC) who are going to also get into Duke/Cornell/Penn etc. - If your stats are in line for those type of peer schools, and you have good essays, you have an excellent shot at Echols.</p>
<p>Do others think you're "special"---maybe too good for them, etc.?</p>
<p>How does Echols housing compare to "Old Dorm" housing? (regarding location, perks, social relationships that happen there, etc.)</p>
<p>only like 50% of first years live in old dorms, most of the rest live in alderman...its nothing special.</p>
<p>The only difference is that you're living exclusively with Echols and Rodman Scholars who, at times, can be a bit different from the "typical" UVA student...</p>
<p>To clarify, the residence is in new dorms, where about half of uva students reside anyway. It's just that two of the dorms (and part of another) are exclusively echols people, and there is no difference other in terms of anything else. Though the echols dorms are conveniently located closest to the dining hall...</p>
<p>From what I've seen/heard, there may be some people who will joke about echols scholars being "too good for them" in passing, but very few people actually believe that and/or care (emphasis on the 'care'). Being an echols/rodman scholar has very little consequence at all on your daily life, besides the dorm living part. However it may help somewhat in some instances to indirectly demonstrate that you are a top uva student, like if you mention it when looking for research opportunities or what not.</p>
<p>My daughter received "the likely letter" on 2/16. She sent her application on 12/20 (I don't think that has anything to do with it--for whomever asked that question). Even if she gets the Echols, I think she prefers William and Mary (and a whole bunch of expensive schools that we can't afford!)</p>
<p>My daughter received the same letter dated 2/15. She is an out-of-sate legacy. She will consider UVa seriously only if she gets into the Echols Program.</p>
<p>I'm wondering how my d's stats stack up against the OOS applicants who've received this letter, as she has not. She's got all the numbers, not all 800s, 4s and 5s on APs, and everything else these schools seem to be looking for. Also named NMF, great ECs, concertmistress, ski race coach, blah blah blah. So, OOS admittees, are you kids the stratosphere scorers or slightly more modest in stats? Thanks for insights.</p>
<p>Not stratosphere--pretty much same as your daughter. However, she did tell me yesterday that she knows some classmates who received the letter and received a phone call. Mine has not received a phone call, although I think her credentials are better than those who HAVE received a phone call. I've stopped trying to figure out the admissions game . . . (well, almost!)</p>
<p>I got a phone call too, from a current Echols scholar who wanted to know if/what I knew about Echols. I did ^_^ . So she gave me a contact and told me to call her with questions if I had them. She said it was great, esp. the priority registration. Of course, I wouldn't have expected her not to say that!</p>
<p>If you want to know my credentials, I think I already posted them here in passing...whatever.</p>
<p>Ravenna:
Your numbers are slightly higher than my D's but you are IS and she is OOS so I don't think I can learn much from comparison to your record. Momokbt is right; it's anybody's guess and patterns are difficult to discern. She was admitted to Cornell but that doesn't indicate success elsewhere for sure...</p>
<p>cosmopolitan here are my stats: im from NY as u could tell</p>
<p>SAT's: 2230 (1530 M/V)
SAT II's: 800 Bio 770 Math IIC 730 Chem 690 US
AP's: Bio 5, US 5, Euro 5, Chem 4
Rank: 3/240
Great Ec's wit an abundance of leadership positons
essays: unique but i wrote them without getting it checked over so who knows</p>
<p>If you dont get a phone call, does that mean you're not chosen for Echol's? (I got a likely letter)</p>
<p>No, I don't believe that's true. It seems as if this phone call business is more random and unpredictable, so I wouldn't fret over it too much. The likely letter is what counts.</p>
<p>i didn't apply to the college of arts and sciences, but engineering.</p>
<p>is rodman scholar really a great honor?</p>
<p>The phone call seems to random. As sv3a said, it's the letter that matters. I didn't receive the phone call last year (and got echols), but there were people who did get it who did not get Echols.</p>
<p>cosmopolitan: Echols consideration is blind to instate/out of state status...</p>