<p>It's me, a nervous senior who's in serious doubt about her chances of getting into UVA. My counselor just had a baby, so I haven't had a chance to talk to her. Instead, I saw another counselor at school who said that with my grades, I don't have a chance of getting into UVA. It's been said that over the years UVA has taken a disliking to kids from my school, as most of the senior class applies (and is accepted but doesn't go,) and since we're in-state, it's not great for funding or something like that.</p>
<p>Anyway, my weighted GPA is a 4.042 (not including 1st semester grades for this year, seeing as we're in the third week of school.) My unweighted GPA is around 3.67 (I know, I know, it's low...)</p>
<p>I have friend who graduated from UVA last year. His high school guidance counselor told him there was no way he would get in to Virginia. Good thing he didn’t listen to her. Just make sure you have options about which you feel confident as alternatives.</p>
<p>That seems a bit silly. I don’t think UVA is in the business of trying to offer admission to students they only believed would attend. Their goals are in admitting top quality students that will contribute to the university community.</p>
<p>The best thing you can do is just forget what that counselor said. Tell yourself you are going to apply and then do it, you have a chance of getting in but you will have 0% if you don’t apply. That might sound like its BS advice, but it’s the honest truth. If you listen to her advice, you will regret it later if you want to go to UVA.</p>
<p>Also, a 3.7 GPA isn’t bad so don’t knock yourself for it.</p>
Oh my goodness, please don’t think this! This makes no sense at all! We read randomly…I don’t even think about how many students are applying from a student’s school when I read. The fact is that there are dozens and dozens of Virginia high schools that have many students applying here. What’s more, we don’t factor “demonstrated interest” into our review. We don’t try to gauge the likelihood that a student will enroll when we read. </p>
<p>Honestly, my friends tell me all the time I have no shot, even my guidence councilor said I should stop looking at UVA and look at University of Arkansas… You heard right Arkansas. I was about to say, are you on something? Thank god I have a new councilor this year.</p>
<p>Edit: also Dean J, I saw in the college room that UVA is coming to NYC this October 6th. Do have a link or anything where I can find more info about that?</p>
<p>If you feel like there’s a fit at UVA, apply. IMO, GCs err on the side of caution. They don’t want you to come into their office disappointed if you didn’t get in, and they also don’t want to be the GC of the student who didn’t get in anywhere. It makes them look bad. So they downplay your chances and they push safeties. There may be some GCs out there who know who you are as a student and a person, and they suggest a school you’ve never thought of before that you actually like and have a chance of getting into, but unfortunately, I have not met one. I sincerely hope my experience is not the norm for all CCers.</p>
<p>Hi
My son was told by his guidance counselor, who is a very experienced person, that he would not get in to four of the 8 schools that he applied to. He applied, tried his best on the apps and even was offered money at some of them. It does not hurt to apply. Just make sure you have safeties</p>
<p>Thirty years ago, my guidance counselor told me not “waste an application” by applying to MIT because my school would only process 7 applications before April 1. She meant well but I am so glad that I ignored her. </p>
<p>I was worried that my daughter would be upset by getting rejected to some tough schools. I was wrong. Apparently getting rejected from a tough school entitles one to full *****ing (CC considers the word inappropriate, but think female dog changed to a verb in the present tense) rights in April that those who get into all of their colleges miss out on :-)</p>
<p>I read a study in the Wall Street Journal that future income is more correlated with the ranking of the schools that reject you than the school you actually attended. It makes sense because the most successful people aim the highest and learn that failure is an essential prerequisite to success. Those who never aim that high never learn that.</p>
<p>Unless you are already applying to too many schools, I don’t think you should listen to your counselor. My math teacher often told me the same thing Barq45 said: if you don’t apply then you have 0% chance in the first place.</p>
<p>@ClassicRockerDad: About your story, did you get to MIT in the end?
As for the study, I got rejected from Stanford, so that means my future is bright, yay! :p</p>
<p>I honestly feel like I’m getting old and I’m only 17… Anyways, don’t listen to your councilor. If you can afford the application definitly go for it. I’ve heard numerous stories of people getting into colleges that they thought they had no chance at.</p>