Why Doesn't Virginia Tech Use the Common Application?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Virginia Tech
1

I stumbled upon a thread for Georgia Tech from nearly a decade ago that sounds similar to the " Why isn’t VT more competitive" thread.

“How is Georgia Tech a great school with a 60% admit rate?”

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/georgia-institute-technology/723361-how-is-georgia-tech-a-great-school-with-a-60-admit-rate.html

In the thread, they go one to explain just how much the common app has improved their selectivity and even put them above UGA. I’m aware that this subject was touched on earlier but it shows that the common app does make schools more competitive.

Virginia Tech is one of the best engineering schools on this coast (even above UVA ) yet many look at the acceptance rate as the only factor to denote quality. If the people running the school want to bring the school to more notoriety, this clearly seems like the way to go about it. What reason, if any, is stopping them from adding the common app to increase competition. A lower acceptance rate would help VT to stand along side UVA and W&M as the engineering student’s top choice as it deserves to be.

2

Why should they want to increase application numbers just to not admit people? I personelly like how they aren’t playing that game.

3

I personally do not think the acceptance rate of VT is what keeps them from standing along side UVA and W&M. I think it is more along the lines that when people think which programs VT excels it is Engineering only. I mean look at this board, the majority of questions, chance me, etc. are for Engineering not other programs. The other programs at VT, while many are good, do not stand outs in the multitudes of rankings. UVA on the other hand has many highly ranked programs to include Engineering. W&M is known for liberal arts so not really a fair comparison to VT. Unfortunately, if an individual is the ONLY factor one uses to denote quality as you state above, I question the process. Maybe as a tie breaker, but should not be the main factor IMHO. Lastly, many would love the common app as it make applying much easier, but probably to many more schools than a person would either actually attend or afford.

4

VT will start accepting the Coalition application next year.

5

@bboop42 I agree that Virginia Tech is predominately an engineering school. However, what is Georgia tech with a 25 percent admit rate known for other than engineering?

6

Moving to common or coalition application may not be in the best interest of the school. Yes they will get more applications but the majority of those additional applicants will not have VT as their first, second, or even third choice. They’ll apply because it became easier to do so but will attend one of their top choices (assuming they get in).

Using a “common” app will have the appearance of increasing selectivity (smaller % acceptance) but with a much lower conversion rate (acceptances that enroll). Likely the objective measures (scores, etc) of the enrolled class won’t change very much just by using a common app.

The big problem for a school using a common app is the large possible variance in the conversion rate and the potential for a variance from the target class size.

7

@vageta17 I have no knowledge of GT, nor their programs. My comment on VT being primarily known for engineering was in response to your comment on if VT had a lower acceptance rate they might stand along side with W&M and UVA and why I do not think that would be the impact. It is all a numbers shell game IMHO.

I agree with @atxfather, simply increasing the # of applications does not change the mix of students that actually would accept…especially since VT is not known to be generous with funding that would attract someone on the fence.

8

another perspective to consider regarding virginia tech ga tech being known for engineering… ga tech really just offers engineering and business programs whereas virginia tech is the most comprehensive university in virginia. comparing them side by side as colleges and acceptance rates really doesnt’ work. but if you were to compare engineering program to engineering program that’s different.

9

What @atxfather said is correct. Basically, a student filling out a unique application is the first filter for the admissions office.

The common app is no magic bullet. Like Vanderbilt, GT was well known and considered very selective before the internet happend, even with a 50%+ acceptance rate.

Also, you are trying to draw a parallel between dissimilar schools. Apples and oranges.

VT is a very large rural state university.
GT is a small to medium urban high stem institute.

They are not similar at all.

Here are links to 2 sites that list comparable universities based on their published metrics, scores, size, stem, location, student body…

VT similar schools: ASU, ISU, LSU, TexasAM, Auburn, Indiana, CSU, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, UIUC…
http://www.collegeview.com/search/11fa84
http://universitybenchmarks.com/schools/virginia_polytechnic_institute_and_state_university.html

GT similar schools: RPI, CMU, MIT, Columbia, UPenn, Cornell, NW, Berkeley…
http://www.collegeview.com/search/11fad4
http://universitybenchmarks.com/schools/georgia_institute_of_technology-main_campus.html

Finally, Virginia is surrounded by good large engineering public programs which makes it difficult to draw good OOS students (pitt, pennst, ncst, wvt, md, rutgers, tenn, usc, clem, uncc). There isn’t a compelling reason for kids in these states to attend VT unless it is cheaper. Going to the common app would most likely backfire and cause the yield rate to plummet.