Some of you won't be visiting after today, so I feel that this is a good time to say thank you for being part of this blog. This blog is successful because you read it and you write comments. When I'm bleary eyed from staring at forms and transcripts, it's wonderful to look to the blog and be reminded of the students who are behind the applications. I'm thankful for the opportunity to interact with you here.
It's exciting to know that we're going to make some of you very happy this evening, but that excitement is tempered by the fact that we're going to make many of you sad or upset. One of the drawbacks to working at a highly selective school is that I have to say "no" more often than I get to say "yes". I console myself with the knowledge that you will all have other attractive offers, some from our 14 public sisters in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Regardless of what your status page says, you are going to be just fine. You are going to attend a great school and you are going to grow tremendously while there. You're going to have "ah ha" moments like you've never had before. You're going to learn from amazing, inspirational professors. You're going to meet people with whom you will stay friends for the rest of your lives. You're going to pull all nighters studying. You're going to pull all nighters not studying. You are going to have highs and lows, you're going to have great successes and you're going to fail miserably at something. What's going to make or break those experiences is your response and your openness to learn from them, not necessarily the location of the events.
Remember that your decision is not a statement about your value. Most of our applicants are perfectly capable of doing the work at UVa. Our first-year class just isn't large enough to accommodate everyone.
Best wishes to those who won't be back to the blog after this (if you're reading this by email, you can unsubscribe yourself at the bottom of the email). To the rest, I hope you'll continue to chime in to help the next group of applicants.
It's a big night and I'll be thinking about you all. Good luck!
Let's give the applicants a hand!