I’m not looking to find out why my daughter didn’t get in. I’m trying to find out why no one from our school gets in. In piecing things together… our high school is highly competitive. The top 20 or so kids in our school all apply to the ivies, and think of schools like UVA as “back ups”. I wonder if, over the years, UVA just stopped looking at our school.
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naaaah - I don’t think that’s it. I don’t know but I don’t think so.
If they have the rigor, grades, test scores, ECs, LORs that are good (maybe they don’t write good ones) or otherwise…I just think the kids haven’t made the cut.
There are many kids who get into Ivies and turned down at publics…from many schools.
But perhaps your counselors can call if it’s been that many and you think they’re over the moon - and have a conversation (general) - not about you specifically.
My guess is tho - this isn’t why.
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Maybe. I’m sure it’s possible someone did some data analytics and determined that yield rate from X school is low… but it could be a number of things and just bad luck that kids from a particular school haven’t gotten in in a while. I think it’s challenging to determine causes from the outside looking in, particularly for selective state schools with huge numbers of self selected applicants.
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@Dean_J says they don’t practice yield protection…
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Yeah, I think it’s more likely that it’s just bad luck and a quirk of statistics that kids from a particular school haven’t gotten in.
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I’ve read this in several books on college admissions. Admissions Counselors are region/state/county specific for a reason - they try to get to know the nature of the schools in those regions and there was definitely statements that they’ve accepted kids in the past and none have come, so why continue to accept kids from that school? Right or wrong, the colleges take the yield % as a high priority statistic.
Lots of stories out there on the 2nd/3rd tier schools where the ultra-high stat kids get rejected and lower (though still high) stat kids get in. The colleges believe the ultra-high are using them as back-up since in many case that’s exactly true.
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Many colleges do practice yield protection, but UVA states that they do not. I’m wondering if it has to do with those that applied and their stats, courses and grades vs what is available at the school? If I was at that school I’d get a counselor to reach out to the regional AO to discuss and develop a relationship to understand.
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If, as you say, all these students from your school are viewing UVA as a “backup,” perhaps a lack of enthusiasm for UVA is coming out in their essays or interactions with admissions people?
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For those in state students with high stats that didn’t get accepted, please know that if UVA is still your dream school it’s not over. Three and a half years ago, our son was in that position and this May, he’ll graduate from UVA with a Mechanical Engineering degree. He applied EA out of NOVA, was deferred and then eventually placed on the waitlist. Decided to go elsewhere, did really well, and applied as a transfer student after his Freshman year. He’s loved his last three years at UVA. It’s not where you start, but how you finish.
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Yes that’s true. My brother was high stats but did not get in his freshmen year which we didn’t understand then which was hard since both my sister and I were at UvA but he transferred after his first year and got into Comm school which is super hard to get into.
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Accepted
DD in state applicant
NMSF, Act 34, 4.0/4.5, 12+ DE, rank 1/25
Not a competitive school, she self studied on 7 APs since school doesn’t offer. +took classes through a local cc STEM program.
Unique extracurriculars ( mostly self initiated since school does not offer clubs/ extracurriculars aside from a few sports). Awards- NLE, NSLIY, etc.
Applied for biochem and international relations
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Also, you can get guaranteed admission after doing two years at a Virginia community college. This is a fantastic program and saves a ton of money as well.
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This is true - but is going to UVA so important that it’s worth giving up a four year experience when many students who were rejected can obtain elsewhere - and often with similar outcomes?
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I think it depends on the kid, and overall situation. I know when we were looking intially, just the idea of saving probably like $60K and ending up with the same degree sounds really appealing. There is definitely a benefit for a kid to move out and start learning to live on their own earlier, and experience dorm life, and be around a bunch of kids figuring things out, but YMMV.
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100% agreed - I was just getting at that if someone truly wanted a four year experience, it’s not UVA or bust…that’s all 
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All of this is dependent on the student, their family, finances and what they perceive as important/valuable.
The vocal majority seems to have a very narrow view of how things should be and anything that runs counter to that is foolish. You’ll see in-state students who opt to go to other comparable or even “lesser” schools that are more expensive because of fit or location. Or out of state students who have good/great less expensive in state options that choose to go to UVA.
As a parent who falls into one of the above categories, it’s impossible for others to know what variables are at play for all applicants and their families.
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Hello, did UVA announce Echols Scholarship as well?
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In the blog post it said next week…
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Thank you
Accepted
Arts and Sciences
In-State
3.99 UW
4.54 W
1510 SAT
11 AP’s 2 DE
Rank 20/437
Mediocre ECs Very Good Essay
I think my essays definitely compensated for my extracurriculars. I think UVA considers the essay portion of the application very much.
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