<p>Ok.... so I really like UVA. I would love to go there and I am a rising senior. I am from Jersey. I was hoping you guys could help me out. I pretty much want to know what the best tihngs I can do between now and early decision time and regular decision time to give me the best chances of acceptance. Here are my stats quickly....</p>
<p>--GPA:
Sophmore year: 3.5 uw 3.6 w
Junior year 3.7 uw 4.1 w
No rankings go to colleges but I'd say about top 15% at a VERY hard prep school.</p>
<p>--E.C. Activities/Leadership
2 internships, 3 president positions, co-founder of this and that. Extracurrics are very strong. Lots of bands/instruments. JV sports :).</p>
<p>--Standarsized tests
SAT: math 740 reading 760 writing 710
SAT2: US History 700 Bio 710 Math1 720
AP: US History 4 Bio 4 English 4 (Will take ap art history, ap psych, and maybe spanish 4 ap)</p>
<p>Have not yet started essays seriously and my teachers shouls have 4 good recs coming.</p>
<p>My mom went to UVA for her Ph.D, and is a fairly distinguished historian now. Gives a lil money every year.</p>
<p>SO PLEASE HELP ME OUT. WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT NEEDS TO BE BETTER? ESSAY STRATEGIES? APP EARLY?</p>
<p>Thanks so much everybody,</p>
<p>Mike</p>
<p>Thanks to your mom, you're a legacy and would be considered as an instater. As an "instater", your SAT is all right, but raise your GPA so your "rank" could be top 10%. For advice, apply early and focus on your essays. Early decision has a smaller pool and it would be easier for an OSSer but even easier for you. Essays just a huge factor in the application.</p>
<p>essay. early. better grades. got it.</p>
<p>but will senior year grades ever be seen by e.d. app readers?</p>
<p>I also plan on doing ED to UVA and my counselor told me that they wouldnt see my senior grades to that point but would later mid year (mid year report?)...I really dont know, my counselor may be wrong but thats what I was told so far, anyone else know?</p>
<p>What the georgetown rep said to me was that for the most part ea/ed is based on performance up through junior year. I think there is 1 sat date this fall that can make it in the records before ea/ed.</p>
<p>Also does UVA reject a lot ed or are most defered to regular decision?</p>
<p>My first quarter wasn't even over when I applied ED. However, they DO see your schedule - as in, don't take fluff classes like knitting and whatnot haha. They wanna see that you're still challenging yourself senior year. And yes, you have to send both a mid-year report and a final grade report. Doesn't matter much unless you go from straight A's to straight C's or D's. 1 C is okay. Just don't fail anything.</p>
<p>Well then what if I have mostly A's and some B's throughout Junior and sophmore year... but I think I can do way better senior year. Almost worth it to wait for regular decision... no? I mean I guess if I get defered then my good senior grades will help me out.</p>
<p>If UVA is indeed my first choice in a month or two I will app early and hope for the best.</p>
<p>Oh, and P.S. Georgetown's EA Single Choice system has got to be the most annoying thing ever. Any way around that? As in applying early to UVA and Georgetown... and Villanova for safety???</p>
<p>yeah, you can just apply to georgetown ea. lol i mean they won't check, and if UVa is your first choice and you get in then you're still not binding at gtown.</p>
<p>Which school within UVa do you plan to apply?</p>
<p>Jags, so you are saying just apply to both early and nobody will check it? Cause I'd like to do that if possible....though I guess that is off the record :)</p>
<p>Phdinee, I am applying to the college of arts and sciences at UVA for sure because I am an undecided major but I am strongly considering going into the business program following sophomore year.</p>
<p>thanks again guys and gals.</p>
<p>no, they won't check. you'll get the normal people on this board who are going to spout the "thats immoral, they'll find you, you'll get rescinded everywhere" but in actuallity, no one is going to check - nor do i know how they could.</p>
<p>Your overall credential is a bit low (just a little), but your mom went there.
So I think you will get in with 75/25 chance. Keep it up, man.</p>
<p>I know plenty of people who apply to a few places that have early action and 1 early decision. Early decision isn't really binding anyways - but it does backfire. One girl at my school got into Columbia early decision a few years ago and up until this year NO ONE at my school since her has gotten into Columbia. Cause you're 17, you can't sign contracts. With UVA, the honor system is really big though, so if you don't feel comfortable applying to an EA and an ED school then don't. Also UVA might not be the place for you if you don't consider your word as good as a legal contract.</p>
<p>Yeah I don't want to get into anything shady. I don't want to break any rules of the college before I actually go there, wherever I end up going. I was just checking if the single choice is really a rule or more of a guideline/suggestion. I do very much value my word and try to uphold a high level of integrity. In the hypothetical situation that I applyed to UVA ed and Georgetown ea I would be willing to go to UVA if I got in cause it is binding and Georgetown as more of a backup thing in case I don't get into UVA.... but anyway.</p>
<p>I think my college advisor and I will have a conversation about the whole situation soon.</p>
<p>phdinee, you would guess a 75/25 chance for UVA? Is that ed? what is that based on? grades mostly and my mom? what can I do in the next 3/4 months to make that number higher? Anybody else agree?</p>
<p>thanks.... i know i am repeating myself, sorry.</p>
<p>mike</p>