@hokiemama24 Did you say this was the first admission cycle with VA laws in place for undocumented students to now be eligible for in-state tuition? That is crazy if that is true! It is not fair to the many students who have worked incredibly hard for all-around bad outcomes this year for unknown reasons (and whose families actually work hard, abide by the law and pay taxes). Unbelievable year and a real kick in the teeth to so many of these deserving kids who already had their high school experience stripped from them due to covid. Most accomplished kids we know (in which VT and UVA would be safety schools) were waitlisted or denied this year. It makes no sense, but if what you are saying is true, and it would not be a complete surprise, then it makes more sense - in an illogical way.
Yes, undocumented HS students who meet Virginia residency requirements are eligible for in-state tuition. It does not make them lazy, criminal, or automatically mean they don’t pay taxes.
The craziness of this year’s admissions cycle is hardly limited to Virginia, so I think it’s a stretch to assume that this tuition change is a significant factor. The test optional policy is far more impactful (and I believe disadvantaged students with high scores, oddly enough).
OH MY GOD, are they even taking people off the waitlist. I mean I know it could go on till July but what could they be possibly doing to take 3 months EXTRA.
I need some encouragement. 
Whoa there, most schools don’t seriously pull from the waitlist until after May 1 so they have firm numbers. Last year was an anomaly due to covid, so don’t go by that information. VT has been all over the map in recent years with admissions. When they overenroll, nobody comes off the waitlist. In other years they do. Because they keep making major changes each year in their app process I don’t think they are very good at predicting yield, so they might have been conservative with acceptances this year and will need the waitlist. Good luck to you!
How the waitlist will probably work (based on what we know already):
- How are they doing URM/First Gen yield? This is a major priority so these waitlist candidates move to the front of the line IF they are running short. Not many here because even marginal candidates were already offered.
- They have to pull min 30% from OOS. These are typically the first to open up because higher expense has lower yield. Fill with open spots by major. Capped at around 30ish%.
- 50% InState will come from NOVA, 50% other parts of the state. Keep it balanced and fill by majors with availability. Starting May 2nd. Every 4-5 days (because there is a small window to accept AND candidates will be forced to let VT know they have accepted elsewhere) There will be a new wave of offers until admission is closed. Anywhere from 0-5 week cycle.
My OOS son was waitlisted in Feb and then offered admission at the end of March with the regular May 1 decision date. Engineering.
Yes. OOS opens first. InState not until May 1st.
Last year the first IS pulls came a few days before the May 1 matriculation deadline for offered students. For those who posted on CC, they were given 15 days to accept the waitlist pull. I suspect it will be tighter turnaround time this year as indications are Fall 2021 will be a “normal” in person semester.
My D is declining her offer today. Good luck to those waiting!
Source?
Anecdotal based on their stated admission goals, admission demographic statistics, and previous waitlist patterns.
https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/E19_Report.asp
OOS = between 30-35% over the past 4 years.
NOVA = between 46-52% of instate admits over the past 4 years.
The actual dates of when in state movement will happen is a guess based on the Universal May1 deadline. OOS offers are already happening. The admission office stated that they fill by space availability in requested major.
What major?
But I thought they only start in-state wait list pulls after May 2? Now it’s a guess? 
Busting chops, but I think it’s important to be speculative rather than definitive when posting in these forums. There are viewers who take posts very literally.
I agree with @ShenVal18. If it’s conjecture then label it as such; don’t make definitive statements as if it is insider information.
FWIW, I should add that I think Chip’s general analysis is pretty good. But when there are impressionable 17-18 year olds asking questions I don’t know that they always catch the nuance of the answers.
Bio
Agree with you somewhat, however UVA shouldn’t be a safety school for anyone no matter your stats.
Well, yeah. Saying, ‘here’s how I think it might work’ is very different from saying ‘here’s how it works, 1., 2., 3.’
Plus, we don’t know the current percentages of NOVA vs. non-NOVA (or what their yield will be), so you can’t necessarily apply that percentage to a waitlist even if it’s accurate for the final makeup of the class. And I assume he meant speculative rather than anecdotal.