VT specific questions about how Regular Decision works

<p>D is from out-of-state, and applied Regular Decision to College of Architecture and Design (Interior Design). We're slowing educating ourselves as to how VT works. Our questions boil down to:</p>

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<li><p>Regular Decision deadline is 1/15. D's application materials should all be there as of 11/1. Is the earliest that she would be notified about acceptance really 4/1?</p></li>
<li><p>Is the acceptance general to the university, or specific to the major?</p></li>
<li><p>Must the FAFSA be filed first after Jan. 1st for any scholarship offers to be made? (And do they tell her what to apply for?)</p></li>
<li><p>D's stats:
SAT Math: 720
SAT Crit. R: 590
SAT Writing:710
Unweighted GPA: 3.8</p>

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<p>It seems like these stats put her in a moderately good chance of acceptance to her program - but perhaps those stats are not good enough for much merit aid? (Out-of-staters pay through the nose - wish VA would enter into a tuition consortium with PA, but no such luck.)</p>

<p>Would appreciate answers to any or all - you can use the question numbers for convenience's sake. Thanks!</p>

<p>I can help with some of your questions and I’m sure others will fill in. As for RD timing - YES, even if you are super efficient and get all your paperwork in early, RD notifications won’t be until around their posted date of 4/1 (yes, it’s a long hard wait!). They do require fall semester senior grades for RD, so those will still need to be sent (your HS counselor usually does this).</p>

<p>The acceptance will be to one of the two majors you have chosen, not just general admission. For student who don’t want to pick a major yet, you can choose University Studies in your application and you will get accepted into this ‘program’, which is not a degree granting major - it is for undecided students. You should always pick you first choice major (if indeed you have one). Barring the more competitive majors (engineering, Architecture and Design, and there maybe a couple of others), you general will get your major choice upon admission. </p>

<p>I warn anyone who has their heart set on entering one of these more competitive majors NOT to put down anything but University Studies as their second choice. I know with Engineering, if you don’t get accepted as your first choice you can still follow the same academic tract, meeting the requirements, and transfer IN from University Studies (maybe can do it with Architecture too, don’t know). But…if you put down something other than University Studies as your second choice and you end up getting accepted into that second choice major, you may find it a big headache and rather restricting when it comes time to do your schedule choices at orientation. Certain courses are restricted/or not from certain majors for incoming freshman. My son’s high school friend put down Engineering as his first choice and Biochemistry for his second. He got Biochem. When we told him what courses to select to keep him on track and eligible for transfer into Enge., he discovered at orientation/scheduling time that he was rather locked into a Biochem track and it would put him significantly behind the Enge. track. He chose to stay with Biochem and is happy there.</p>

<p>As far as FASFA - If I remember right you won’t be able to fill it out until after in opens for the new year and that’s what the school with use for any type of need based aid.
Others will know better, but from what I know. VA Tech doesn’t have an awful lot of merit or need based aid compared to some other colleges/university. We didn’t get into that part of it, since I was not expecting any, but did fill out the FASFA for the standard Federal Government subsidized loan that we did want our son to make use of.</p>

<p>Tech is very numbers oriented when it comes to admission. AND along with the numbers they want to see that a student challenged themselves academically as best as their particular school could offer (honors & AP classes). They would much rather see B’s in those type classes than A’s in regular level classes. Tech does not really look at extra-curricular, teams, letters of recommendation, etc for admission (they will use these when deciding certain scholarships however).</p>

<p>Just my opinion, but it looks to me like your student is on track for admission to University Studies (or other less competitive majors), but borderline for Architecture. Somewhere on Techs website there are stats (for each major, also) posted as to what the past incoming freshman class stats were so that may help you. It gets more competitive every year.</p>

<p>Good luck to your daughter with all of her applications.</p>

<p>Thanks, gigagirl, that was lots of good info. VT is not her first choice, which is why she went with Regular Decision. I’m just trying to collect info to help us to figure out whether or not to wait until 4/1 to make a decision, if a good offer comes along.</p>

<p>Appreciate it!</p>

<p>Our son heard well before the 4/1 date last year …he was regular decision for engineering. He saw his acceptance online with the account that you can track your admissions process. He had his acceptance on Feb 19. I know others in engineering heard much, much later. He was out of state, and a legacy. Not sure if any of that had anything to do with it. Also he submitted his application to VT in early Jan just prior to the deadline. So I would just have your D check her status often. She may or may not hear sooner. We were lucky…</p>

<p>I believe my DD1 received her acceptance in mid-March, 2011. </p>

<p>And to echo what bowman1 posted, we also have heard that legacies may hear much earlier than those with no connection to the school. I am hoping that is the case. DD2 should have her app finished this weekend.</p>