<p>Want to go to University of Virginia, applied early decision:</p>
<p>National Merit semifinalist
SAT 770 verbal 760 math, 1530 total
Both parents have U.Va. degrees
Eagle Scout, debate team captain, honors choirs, soloist
In-state Virginia, rural school
White male</p>
<p>...BUT I have 3 B's on my high school record and that makes my GPA 3.98 (3.85 unadjusted), which takes me down to a class rank of 38 out of 264 -- right, not even in the top 10 percent of a weak rural school.</p>
<p>And if not U.Va., how about W & M?</p>
<p>...really should have worked harder in high school. </p>
<p>You have a decent shot, IMHO.
Your class rank is a bit lower than what they're looking for but
your legacy status and other stats are looking good.
Just pray that they focus more on your credentials other than
the class rank.</p>
<p>If I had to guess I'd say you will get deferred early decision and will get in during regular admission. As the previous poster said this is because of your class rank</p>
<p>From what I can see, you have a great chance. My brother matriculated to the University of Virginia, and he did not have the best grades nor did he have as many extracurricular activities as you do. Also, he was out-of-state. You have a lot going in your favor. In my humble opinion, if your personal statements are good, you should get in early. William and Mary is a lock. I'm also applying to UVA and William and Mary. Good luck to the both of us.</p>
<p>You have a good chance at getting in. You're in-state & you're a legacy. Just make sure you don't slack on your essays. People who think they have it locked can screw up their chances w/ bad essays. The admission officers really pay attention to what you write.</p>
<p>Well, I got deferred Early Decision. I later heard that people below the top 5 percent of class rank have a very heavy burden in the ED phase, but a better shot in regular decision.</p>
<p>As for my essays, I don't know if they were good or not. I have won a writing award or two for other stuff, so I'm not a terrible writer, but who knows?</p>
<p>Time now to complete applications to W&M and a few "reaches" out of state. I had a Governor's School instructor who was from Duke and encouraged me to aim high.</p>
<p>Does anybody know a good school in this part of the country that would like a National Merit semifinalist with good SATs and GPA, but bad high school rank? Especially if I've decided to take school more seriously now?</p>
<p>I can't believe you're calling yourself a "slacker", 3 B's?? I wish! I live in northern VA, and I know so many stupid people at my school who got in ED at UVA, so I can't believe you didn't get in. UVA is so random, my friend got in with a 3.8 and a 1280ish...and so many people I know got in because of their minority status (One girl got in and put "Spanish" for ethnicity because she's 1/8 Spanish, but she's the whitest Mormon girl ever...go figure). UVA seems to care a lot more about grades than anything else...have you thought about UNC-Chapel Hill or Elon? You should have a chance at both of them (definitely Elon, which is a great undiscovered school!)</p>
<p>Slacker, I can't believe people are telling you might get deferred. What a load of BS. You are in. Great SAT scores, good EC's, legacy, I've sure you wrote a great essay and have great reccomendations. You are in!</p>
<p>one kid got into engineering from my schoool.. 9B's in high school, 1250SAT, 710m 540v. his mom is currently enrolled in a phd program at uva though.</p>
<p>another girl was deferred, 14/390 rank and 1360 SAT, but we know why..... she wrote her essays about how great she is, and how she is above everybody in our community... lol WHAT A SUICIDAL ESSAY TOPIC!</p>
<p>Well, it's like this. When I get a 94 on a test and that's the A-cutoff, I'm fine with that. (I have the knowledge and that's what counts, not showing that to somebody on a test.) I have some friends who would want to know how they could have gotten the other 6 points and obsess about that. Occasionally with bad luck or forgetting to turn something in, that gives me a B in a class.</p>
<p>What was your courseload like? 3 b's and low rank? you must have had a weak schedule and gotten almost no weight.... if you have a weak schedule.. thats why u didnt get in. 3 b's is still really good, but looks way less impressive in easy classes.</p>
<p>If you're not from NOVA, and you're instate, you've got to come from the very very top of your class. While your GPA is impresssive, your rank shows that there are quite a few people with higher GPAs, and implies that and like you stated, your school is weak.</p>
<p>UVA is a grade whore. If you're grades aren't at the top [and you're not a recruited athlete, URM, etc], they don't want you. They don't give a crap about the rest of the app if the grades aren't top notch.</p>
<p>WM is worth the app, but it's not any easier to get in there. However, there are many students at UVA and WM who were rejected from the other one.</p>
<p>/went to a nova HS
//applied ED to UVA, deferred -> rejected
///now attend WM (and have many friends at UVA)</p>
<p>What was your courseload like? 3 b's and low rank? you must have had a weak schedule and gotten almost no weight</p>
<br>
<p>Actually, not. It is the toughest load possible at my rural school -- but that means only 5 APs total, schoolwide. I'm taking all 5.</p>
<p>The real ranking problem is that, at our school, Special Ed kids who take one mainstream class and spend the rest of the time in Special Ed get their ranks according to that one class. Say it's art and the Special Ed kid gets an "A" . . . that kid at 4.0 is ranked ahead of my 3.98. With my current APs, I'll get past the logjam at 4.0 for my final class rank. But our school doesn't re-rank at midyear, so I'm stuck with my junior rank for the college admissions season (14%).</p>
<p>Nothing against the Special Ed kids, though. They have enough to overcome in life without others in school disparaging them. It just causes quirks in the rankings. (Do other schools do it this way, though?)</p>
<p>You'd think admissions offices would know about this, maybe. But still, if I had worked harder, I could already be above 4.0. No complaints, no whining. In fact, I think I'll take my dad's advice . . . he thinks visiting this board stresses me out . . . may be right. So I guess I'll be away a while. Thanks, all, for the advice and information, and good luck to everyone.</p>