We DO Want Well-Rounded Students...But Not in the Way You Think

The first time I heard the phrase "well-rounded," I was in high school and even though that was a long time ago, I thought about it in the same context that many people use today. I thought about showing my well-roundedness through activities. While there were students whose extracurricular involvement was purely driven by their interests, many of us assembled lists that we thought broadcast variety. There was this perception that to be considered well-rounded, you need to cover certain bases: athletics, arts, academics, service, leadership, etc. I was so nervous about this that even though I didn't couldn't handle Model UN along with my other activities (pre-internet, being in Model UN required a mountain of work), I stayed in it out of fear that I needed it to look well-rounded.

Perhaps my experience is why I've always spent a good amount of time explaining that we don't have a checklist when it comes to activities and that everyone doesn't have to be well-rounded. After all, the incoming class of 3,800 students will be well-rounded. We don't have to engineer that. It just happens.


That being said, the "well-rounded" idea does apply in our review...to academics. In recent years, I've had more students articulate a feeling that they should be specializing in a certain academic field of interest. They think it will "look good" to show a focus in one subject...and they're dropping core subjects to do that.

High school is the time to build a great foundation. College is where you solidify that foundation and then leap into specialization. We want you to have a well-rounded academic foundation so you can go any direction once your get to college.  Dropping core classes in high school to load up in an area of interest isn't necessarily going to "look good" to admission officers.

I'm not talking about magnet or governor's school programs. In my experience, those allow for deep work in certain disciplines without sacrificing work in other core subjects.

Well-rounded

By the way, the vast majority of UVA students don't declare a major until they've been here for a year (Schools of Engineering and Architecture) or two (College of Arts and Sciences). If you think you know what you want right now, be aware that you might change your mind. It's really common!

Preliminary Early Action Numbers from #UVA Admission

24,950 students submitted Early Action applications to UVA this year.We have a lot of reading to do. Keep in mind that we only count completed applications in our official numbers. Some students won't complete their applications (despite many reminders!).

Reading 15% more applications is a big task for our staff and I'm going to ask one big favor of our applicants: use the applicant portal to submit updates and do not email them to deans in our office. Remember that our instructions tell you what credentials we want you to submit. If we don't ask for it, you don't have to spend time on it.

We don't cull the applicant pool using GPAs or testing, so all of those files are going to be reviewed by our team. Here's a recent blog post about why GPA isn't super informative in our review.

It will take several weeks to process all the documents that are arriving in our office right now. Please do not worry about your status page at this time. Once we are caught up on filing, we'll start contacting students by email about missing items. I know some of you have read this on the top of your portal page, but it's important to get this information to as many students as possible!

As for notification, we have always said that EA decisions will be ready by the end of January. It's probably safe to say we're going to need more time than in past years, when we've been able to post decisions early.

Back to reading...

Good-bye SIS, Hello #UVA Portal!

This admission season brings a few changes to our process. First of all, we are accepting the Coalition App. I've only seen one so far in my reading, but it bears mentioning. Second, you can now self-report your testing and new scores after you apply (see below). Third, we have moved to using a computer system called Slate that includes a student portal feature. That means you don't have to log into UVA's SIS to monitor your admission status (financial aid is using SIS). SIS is a student records system and it took a lot of work to customize it for admission work. Slate is a bit easier for everyone, admission officers and students, to use.

You'll monitor your application for admission via the student portal. You were sent an email with instructions for logging into the portal after we downloaded your application from Common App or Coalition.

Here's what the portal looks like when you log in to see your status page:

The application checklist will obviously get your attention right away. You can see what required documents have arrived and been added to your file. Not the "and been added to your file." It takes time for credentials to be filed with your application. If something hasn't been filed, it doesn't mean it wasn't sent or received in our office. It means the item hasn't made it into your file yet.

By the way, we don't have the staffing to log anything but the required documents.



On the bottom half of the page, there are three important features.

1. Uploading Updates

If you wish to submit an update for your file, you must use this upload feature.  The only required update is your mid-year grades. Anything else is totally optional. Do not send updates to individual admission officers. We have a note about this on the with our email addresses and people are still sending us their updates. We're reading applications. We don't have time to file this stuff. Upload it.

Do not upload resumes, research abstracts, or writing portfolios, please! We don't have the staff to read these things and don't need you to spend time on them. Your application is plenty of information!

2. Verifying Residency Status

Under application details, you can see the the decision plan you chose (early action or regular decision), the school to which you applied, and your residency status.

3. Updating Testing

If you receive a test score after submitting an application, you can share it with us here. Remember that we addressed self-reported testing in the application instructions and I wrote about it here on the blog before. You only need an official score report sent if you are admitted and decide to attend UVA.

Deadline Reminders for #UVA Early Action Applicants

It's the time of year when Early Action applicants are putting the finishing touches on their applications. There are some common questions and concerns at this point and I thought I'd go over a few of them. 

1. The deadline is November 1st, not October 31st.

You have until 11:59 PM on November 1st in your time zone to submit your application. Keep in mind that many schools share this deadline and while the Common App and Coalition App support teams will be around to help with issues (I know for a fact that the Common App team is up 24/7 around big deadlines), they are apt to be inundated with help requests in the hours before the deadline. Try to submit your applications early to avoid last minute issues.

2. Counselors and teachers aren't subject to your deadline.

You need to get all of YOUR parts of the application submitted by the deadline. Plenty of counselors and teachers have already submitted supporting credentials for students, but the system stays open for them. They get a grace period.

3. Double check that you've submitted on the application website.

Submitting an application isn't a one-click action. Make sure you follow the entire submission process. Log out and go back into the application you're using to make sure the submission went through. 

4. Your application will be incomplete the first time you log into the student portal.

A few days after your file is pulled into our system, we will send an email with login information for our student portal. Please be patient. It takes a few weeks for our staff to match all those transcripts and teacher recommendations to newly submitted applications.We only log required documents due to volume.

5. We do not accept resumes, abstracts, research, or writing portfolios

We do not accept supplements that fall outside the lines of art supplements (for the arts, architecture, and marching band). Your activities should be listed in the activity section of the Common App. Be concise and brief. If we have any questions about your activity list, we'll email you.

Recommendations should come from your counselor and a teacher of your choice. The feature for submitting "other" recommendations is even turned off in Common App to stop non-academic recommendations from coming in. Please respect our process and follow the application instructions on our website. 

6. Virginia residents must complete the residency questions to get in-state status.

If you are a Virginia resident, please be sure to fill out the residency section. The first section asks questions about you (you'll answer "no" to most of them). The next section asks about a parent. The parent section is where most of you demonstrate residency since most of you are dependents. Only send extra documentation to the Office of Virginia status if they contact you with a request for supporting information.

Submitting unnecessary documents slows the process down for everyone. 


Good luck! I'll be watching the comments below for questions. Feel free to tweet at me or DM me on Instagram if you have questions after office hours. I'm @UVADeanJ on both.

Let's Talk about the Residency Questions on the #UVA Application

While filling out an application to UVA, you'll encounter a question asking if you believe you qualify for in-state tuition. Answering yes will lead to answering some more questions that will be used by the Office of Virginia Status to certify that you have Virginia domicile (that's the real term).

The first set of questions are about you, the applicant. Most students answer "yes' to the question about having a Virginia driver's license and "no" to the rest of the statements. Few students own real estate or are filing tax returns here. They're dependents on a parent or guardian and that means they get their domicile status through their parent.

The second set of questions ask about a parent or guardian. This is where most students provide the info that gets them in-state status. Don't omit the parent section!

The criteria for being considered a Virginia resident is dictated by Virginia law. The Office of Virginia Status at UVA is required to collect this information to make a residency determination. Every year, there are students who assume that being born in Virginia and attending a Virginia high school make their residency status obvious, but the government still requires the status office to verify residency by gathering some very specific information.

You still need to fill out the residency questions if you were born and raised in Virginia!

How to Decide Between Early Action and Regular Decision for #UVA

With the Early Action deadline looming, many students are feeling pressure to get some college applications submitted. Early Action isn't always the best route, though. Let's talk about how to decide between Early Action and Regular Decision at UVA.

Keep in mind:

1. We have the same review process during Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD). The early process is not easier at UVA.
2. Interest isn't a factor (this is non-binding EA, after all), so an early application is not seen as a statement about your intent to enroll at UVA.
3. The results of an early application could be admission, denial, or deferral.

Successful Early Action applicants usually have transcripts that show consistently strong work across the core subjects. My suggestion is to look at your final report card from 9th, 10th, and 11th grades side-by-side. If you can say that your program builds nicely and your grades are consistent, Early Action might make sense for you. Of course, having time to write well-crafted essays is a consideration and you have to have given your counselor/teacher plenty of time to write wonderful recommendation letters! 

Regular decision would be best for a student who needs more time to complete a thoughtful application or for whom one fall semester grades would be very helpful. There are so many scenarios where RD makes more sense then EA - rebounding grades, school changes, and the list goes on. 

Early Action = transcript shows 9th-11th grade work and senior courses
Regular Decision = transcript shows 9th-11th grade work and fall grades in senior courses

This is an area where there is definitely some conflicting advice. I fear that students listen to the advice of people who have never worked in our office or who are confusing UVA with another school on this issue.  For UVA, you need to submit your application at a peak moment in your high school career.

 As always, I'm happy to answer questions in the comments,

Don't rush! Early might not be the best route!

Do Activities Need to Align with Intended Major?

After a few weeks on the road during travel season, certain themes emerge in the conversations we have with students. I'm used to people fixating on their activity lists, but things are a little different this year. People seem to think that activities lists need to be carefully crafted to align with a particular major. There are two issues with that.

First of all, the only students to arrive at UVA with a major are students studying Kinesiology. Last year, there were only 58 of them in a class of 3,788 students. The other 3,730 students were undeclared. If you have another major in mind, you have plenty of time to solidify that interest. If you don't have a major in mind yet, you are normal at UVA!

Second, extracurricular activities are, by definition, are not aligned with your curriculum. I definitely support exploring your current academic interests through activities...it's just not necessary. Participate in activities that you find rewarding in some way. If an activity is no longer rewarding, you have my permission to step back from it. 

Jack contemplates joining the Beach Volleyball Club

Want to read about how we look at your activity list overall? Check out this past from last fall.

You Can Now Use the Coalition Application to Apply to UVA

I got word late yesterday that the Coalition Application is now live for UVA. After 10 years of being Common App exclusive, we have added the Coalition App as a second option for applicants. As is the norm, there will be no benefit for one application or the other during our review process. Use the app you feel most comfortable with.

Please remember that the schools can't provide technical support for the applications. Both Common App and Coalition App have links on every page for submitting a help ticket. What's more, it's helpful when you alert their teams of parts of the applications that aren't user-friendly, so don't hesitate to reach out to them if you have trouble.


If you plan on submitting one of the option art or architecture supplements with your application (remember to read the instructions for those!), you may find the Common App to be the easier system to use. The Common App seamlessly works with SlideRoom, the website where those supplements are submitted.

Sending Resumes, Abstracts, and Writing Portfolios to #UVA

I'm on call today and got two calls in a row from parents who wanted permission to send extra items to supplement their child's applications. I explained that supplements that adhere to our art and architecture portfolio guidelines (available on the application instructions page) are acceptable, but that we can't take anything that falls outside of them. Those calls reminded me that it's time to cover this topic on the blog.

First of all, the application is enough. We ask for quite a bit of information in our application: transcripts, two recommendations, three pieces of writing, test scores, and an activity list. We ask for the things we know we need to make our decisions. If someone is telling you that UVA needs things that aren't listed in our application instructions, they are mistaken. 

Please don't spend your money on stuff like this.

1. Resumes

The Common App allows each college to turn the resume function of the app on or off. It is OFF for UVA. I'm not sure about how the Coalition is handling that feature, but UVA does not accept resumes. The application presents information in a systematic format, which allows us to zero in on pertinent information quickly. You don't need to make more work for yourself. Follow our instructions and use the application to share information in a concise way.

2. Outside Recommendations

We require one recommendation from your counselor and one from a teacher of your choice. We are looking for insight into your style in the academic environment. People who have never taught you can't speak to your learning style or how you work in a classroom situation. Also, those people tend to think they need to summarize facts (hours worked, tasks performed). Repetitive information isn't helpful.

Some people want to send recs from faculty they met at conferences or special programs. Consider how briefly these people have known you and remember that your teachers and counselors have a little more familiarity with you.

The required academic recommendations are perfect! Don't worry about sending extras!

3. Research Abstracts

It's great to tell us about research, but don't send us an abstract. A line or two in the activity part of the application summarizing what you did is great. A paper is over the top and not useful. In fact, if you send us a paper full of jargon, you're increasing the chances that the gist of the work won't be clear. 

4. Writing Portfolios

We get three pieces of polished writing in your application. The application has a long essay and there are two short-answer prompts. That's plenty of writing for us. We don't accept portfolios.

5. Copies of Certificates

You sign off on our Honor Code when you apply and promise that the information in your application is accurate. We don't need a copy of a certificate to believe that you are a member of a certain organization or received an award for something. Leave those papers in the baby book or that folder where you stick important stuff.

6. Newspaper Clippings or Pictures of You Doing Something

Anyone who was on the staff of a literary magazine, newspaper, or yearbook is proud of their work. It's best to keep copies for yourself and your family. The same goes with photos (even the adorable baby-on-the-UVA-Lawn photos). They belong in a safe place at home, not in a college application.




We try to make this clear on out website with a statement above our email addresses:

 Again, colleges ask for the things they need to make their decisions. If we don't ask for it, we don't want you to spend time (or money) on it. Further, to make this process fair, we are specific about what we review for each candidate. We accept supplements that fit the criteria for arts and architecture supplements. That's it. So when you hit submit, it's time to move on to monitoring your status. You don't need to spend time and money crafting extra items to send us.

How Many APs Do You Need to Get Into UVA?

A counselor emailed us yesterday to say that a family left an information session with the impression that we "required" students to take 8 AP courses. My first reaction was to question whether this was really an information session at UVA. We never, ever mention numbers of AP courses in the context of admission requirements. Everyone knows course options differ. Plenty of students don't even have access to APs or APs in that number.

We don't have firm requirements when it comes to the high school curriculum. This is why we often encourage students to challenge themselves in each of their core subjects. Putting together a great program looks different at each school and for every student at that school. Yes, we want you to stretch and challenge yourself when it comes to course selection and we want you to get good grades. There is no standard formula for that. We hope you're talk to your counselor, some teachers, and parent about the choices that are right for you.

Gratuitous CavPup with students photo

How Self-Reporting Scores to #UVA Works

If you've looked at our application instructions lately, you may have noticed that the testing section of the page has changed. We decided that we would start using self-reported SAT and ACT scores with the 2018-2019 application. Let's go over how that will work.

When you fill out the Common Application (and someday, the Coalition Application), you'll enter your SAT and ACT scores in the testing section. Answer "yes" to the first question and then add the types of scores you'd like to report. You must report either the SAT or ACT. International students can submit their TOEFL scores here, too. Reporting scores from other kinds of exams is totally optional.

You aren't required to get official score reports from the testing agencies as part of the UVA application process. However, if you are admitted and decide to enroll, you will be required to have an official score report sent from the testing agencies.

It's no secret that I haven't been a fan of the rising cost of score reporting, so I'm excited about this news!

Notes from Peabody is 13 Years Old Today!

I wrote my first, short post on this blog thirteen years ago today. I was one week into my job at UVA, completely homesick for Boston, and wondering if I could really make it to the end of the three years I planned to stay here. The blog started with my observations of UVA as an outsider, but evolved when I realized people really enjoyed the posts in which I attempted to demystify the admission process.

One of the most popular photos from the early years...our file room.

Whether you just stumbled upon this blog today or have been reading for a while, thanks for reading.

2018-2019 #UVA Application Essay Advice

One of the most common questions I get from students is "what was your favorite essay." It's a hard question to answer because I have read so many excellent essays over the years and could never pick just one favorite. Instead, I often talk about what makes an essay good. Notice that I didn't say great or memorable. Every essay doesn't have to be off-the-charts amazing. They don't have to be destined for publication (more on that later). They have to be good. Aim for good.

A good essay conveys the voice and personality of the writer. A good essay shares something that hasn't come through in the other parts of the application. A good essay has made it to it's final form after a round or two of editing. So how does this all come together? Well, I have three main pieces of advice that I give every year:

1. Don't "Overthink" the Topic

The essay prompts colleges give you are deliberately broad because we want students to have some room to take an essay in whatever direction feels right for them. I think some people spend a lot of time googling essay prompts (that's a major source of traffic for the blog in the fall) because the think someone will tell them what the college wants. What we want is to get to know you through these essays. Use the topic that lets you be authentic in your writing.

As you get closer to the deadline, you may start hearing others talk about their essays. Don't let other people's essays make you second guess your topic. You may be tempted to change your essay. I don't think this is always a good idea. You probably wrote with more authenticity about your first choice topic than you will if you use a topic that popped into your head during a moment of panic.

2. Don't Feel Beholden to the Academic Essay Format

Many students are taught to write the "five paragraph essay" in school (I learned it when I was in grade school, too!). This kind of essay has an introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. This format is fantastic for class or for a testing situation, but it's not necessarily the best way to let your personality shine through. Don't feel obligated to use the academic essay format for your application essays. Application essays are personal statements. Use the format that works best for the story or message you want to convey.

I usually tell students to free write first and then cobble together the structure that makes sense for their essay.

3. Get Some Advice.

It's smart to get someone you trust to look over your essays. Remember, though, that these essays need to convey your voice and style, not someone else's. When someone gives you advice that you find helpful, rework it to fit your style. If someone gives you advice that doesn't feel right, don't use it. This sounds obvious, but when you are having a moment of self-doubt, you may need a reminder.

If you're a parent reading this, try to empower your student to say no when the advice they are getting isn't right for them. There are some well-meaning, but not necessarily helpful folks who may want to chime in during this process. The student is the expert on what a high school senior sounds like. They should have final say in what goes into their essays.

  Bonus Tip: Don't Be Intimidated by "Essays that Worked."

The first time you have to do anything, it's really common to google it. If you google "college application essays," you will come across some essays that will be said to have gotten someone into a dream school. First of all, an essay alone doesn't do that. A compelling application, which includes well-written, interesting essays gets someone into college. Second, essays that get published are not normal. Most application essays are never going to see publication. It's fine to look for inspiration online and in books, but do not let an essay about some great feat convince you that your essays needs to be over-the-top impressive. Again, those essays aren't normal.

Most students talk about everyday things in their essays. They write about an academic interest, an activity, a family situation, or a work of art/music/literature. The way you can distinguish yourself from the other students who are going to write about that same topic? You write about why that thing is important to you instead of writing about why it's important to all people.

We can't wait to read your application essays!

Which Activities are Most Valued by #UVA Admission?

I was reading some old articles about admission with an eye towards how parents provide support and guidance during the college search. I came upon a comment on an article that struck me.

The problem is often that children's childhoods are literally sacrificed to that ideal of getting into UVA/Princeton/Yale, etc. This girl may have been discouraged from pursuing her actual interests (scouts, horseback riding, etc.) and instead had them channeled into things that would look better on an admissions application (chess club, afterschool Chinese) beginning in kindergarten.

Our solution was to encourage our kids to do what they loved and to think of college admissions as a crap shoot. 

First of all, lumping UVA in with schools that have single-digit admission rates might not be the best move. We have always published our admit rates broken down by residency. We offered to 38% of the Virginia residents who applied this past year and we offered to 23% of the out-of-state applicants. I can't fathom UVA ever being among the 15 or so schools with single-digit admit rates.

When it comes to a student's involvement outside the classroom, we don't favor certain kinds of activities over others. With 869 student organizations are currently registered in our system, it should be pretty obvious that we value variety. I hope you'll chose to make meaningful contributions in some arena (home, school, job, community, etc) of your life.

I've heard a lot of people talk about colleges valuing long-term activities in the admission process. While it's always interesting when a student has sustained involvement, that isn't something we require. Plenty of students change their activities as their interests evolve. Also, as your academic responsibilities become heavier, it may make sense to cut pack on your involvement so you can get your school work done. I don't want you staying on a team or in a club if it's making your feel stressed or miserable. Move on to do other things!

Lastly, admission is not a crapshoot. Admission offices establish pretty elaborate review processes to form their incoming classes. It is not random. I do like that the parent who wrote the comment encouraged their student to participate in activities that they loved!

2018-2019 #UVA First-Year Application Essay Prompts

The first #UVA22 orientation is on Grounds right now, which marks the end of our time working with last year's senior class. It seems like a good time to share our essay prompts for the next application season.

Each year, we solicit feedback about our prompts from students and admission staff. Some times we tweak a question, sometime we add to the options, and sometimes we remove options. Our prompts aren't changing too much, but we did add one option to the second.

2018-2019 First-Year Application Essay Questions 

1. We are looking for passionate students to join our diverse community of scholars, researchers, and artists. Answer the question that corresponds to the school/program to which you are applying in a half page or roughly 250 words.

• College of Arts and Sciences - What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?

• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - If you were given funding for a small engineering project that would make everyday life better for one friend or family member, what would you design?

• School of Architecture - Describe an instance or place where you have been inspired by architecture or design. 
  
• School of Nursing - School of Nursing applicants may have experience shadowing, volunteering, or working in a health care environment. Tell us about a health care-related experience or another significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying Nursing

• Kinesiology Program - Discuss experiences that led you to choose the kinesiology major. 

2. Answer one of the following questions in a half page or roughly 250 words.

• What’s your favorite word and why?

• We are a community with quirks, both in language and in traditions. Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are.

• Student self-governance, which encourages student investment and initiative, is a hallmark of the UVA culture. In her fourth year at UVA, Laura Nelson was inspired to create Flash Seminars, one-time classes which facilitate high-energy discussion about thought-provoking topics outside of traditional coursework. If you created a Flash Seminar, what idea would you explore and why?

• UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message?

• UVA students are charged with pushing the boundaries of knowledge to serve others and contribute to the common good. Give us an example of how you’ve used what you’ve learned to make a positive impact in another person’s life.

I'm happy to answer questions in the comments. I'll share some more advice for essay writing next week.

Saturday Information Sessions at #UVA

I'll be giving the information session tomorrow morning and thought I'd share a few thoughts for those who will be visiting us on the weekend this summer.

Please keep in mind that the University is closed on Saturdays, so you may experience a fairly quiet visit. Buildings may be locked and those that are open may not be especially exciting. The Rounda is open and I believe you can also view our copy of the Declaration of Independence at the Special Collections Library (it's prime season for tourists!).

If you'll be able to stay in Charlottesville for lunch, I recommend walking to The Corner or driving to the Downtown Mall. The Corner is a shopping district adjacent to UVA and the Downtown Mall is just a mile down University Avenue/Main Street. Your student tour guides can point you in the right direction and Charlottesville residents are usually happy to talk your ear off about their favorite restaurants.

UVA is quiet, but beautiful in the summer!

Follow HooStories, the #UVA Student Blog!

The Office of Admission hires a team of student interns each summer to give tours and work on special projects. One of the special projects the team has take on every summer for the last several years is running the HoosStories blog.

I'm so glad to share that HooStories is back up and running! The interns have published their introductory posts and they are starting to write about different facets of live at UVA.


Be sure to follow the UVA Summer Instagram account, which is a fantastic companion to the blog. The student interns will be sharing over there as well!

When Should the College Search Begin?

I once had a fifth grader in one of my information sessions. They weren't being dragged along with an older sibling. They were here with Mom and Dad, both of whom attended UVA. The mom said "it's never too early, right?"

Luckily, the University Guide Service gives historical tours of the UVA Lawn and Rotunda in addition to admission tours. Since we were in session, I was able to send the family to the Rotunda for the tourist tour with an invitation to come back to see me in five or six years.

The fact is we're seeing more parents of young students making reservations for tours and information sessions and I don't think that's a trend we want to encourage. While it's smart to be thinking about how course selection early on will affect a student's options in 11th and 12th grade, I don't think we should be encouraging middle schoolers to do a deep dive into the college search. Things change A LOT in high school. We have students who change their minds about the UVA school that interests them between November and April. There's no way we should be encouraging children to craft a college list.

If you want to expose a younger student to a college campus, ours is wonderful. Between the Rotunda, the Lawn, the Declaration of Independence, and Monticello across town, there's a lot to see here! I just hope you won't introduce the admission process until the are withon a year or two of applying.

Jack loves to greet little siblings, but we don't need them to start the college search just yet!

Visiting #UVA in the Summer

We are so excited to see reservations rolling in for our summer information sessions and tours. If you're planning a visit to UVA this summer, here are some notes for you to consider.

1. Registration helps us pick our venue.

The Office of Admission doesn't have an auditorium for large groups, so we reserve spaces around the University to accommodate our information sessions. Making a reservation ensures that we have a large enough space for our guests. Registration for each month typically opens a month prior, but we have July and August up since many people are making summer visit plans now.

Attending the information session and tour will not have any bearing on our review if you decide to apply to UVA. We don't use interest here!

2. We'll communicate with visitors by email.

A confirmation email goes to the student after they register for the information session and tour. In addition, we will send a reminder with parking information in it a few days before your scheduled visit. Please watch for these emails and share them with anyone visiting with you. Parking can be tricky in the summertime because of new student orientation and summer camps on Grounds. Don't just plug UVA into Waze and expect to park when you get close to the University. Use the instructions we send you.

3. Summer is construction season.

As soon as graduation is over, the work crews get busy with all sorts of projects around the UVA Grounds. Fewer people are inconvenienced by closures and detours during the summer. I try to remind myself that these projects are making UVA even better than ever.

4. Bring a water bottle.

Our tours are about 90 minutes long and summer in Virginia can be hot! Bring a water bottle and take advantage of the bottle fillers we have around Grounds (they are usually next to water fountains). We have water coolers in our office, so you can get a refill when your tour guide brings you to Peabody Hall at the end of your tour.

If you're touring #UVA this summer, bring a bottle to fill at one of our water stations.

A post shared by Dean J|UVA Office of Admission (@uvadeanj) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

Live Q&A about Curriculum Options in the #UVA College of Arts Sciences

We get a lot of questions about the curriculum options within the College of Arts and Sciences, so I thought I'd share this info. There will be a live chat about the New Curriculum and Forums on Facebook this Wednesday, June 6th, at noon. You can watch and ask questions via the College's Facebook page.

A 2018 Waiting List Update

You may have seen our tweets and Instagram posts about UVA having a higher than usual yield on offers of admission this year. We were able to make a few offers to students on the waiting list, but it's become clear that there will be no movement in certain parts of the class. 

This evening, an email is going out closing the waiting lists for the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, School or Architecture, and School of Nursing. 

After considering the size of the first-year class and the spaces available in the student body, I regret to inform you that we will not be able to offer you admission this year. Our first-year class is full and I believe it would be unfair to keep your name on the waiting list any longer.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in the University of Virginia and wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors. If you are interested in pursuing the possibility of transferring to the University after one or two years in another college or university, please visit our transfer page to learn more about this process.

Sincerely,

Greg W. Roberts
Dean of Admission
University of Virginia

We are keeping the [tiny] waiting list for the Kinesiology program open in case of cancellations.

I know this is disappointing news for many of you. I hope you can look at your chosen school and move forward with you plans to go there with excitement. Thank you so much for being part of this blog.  Best wishes for a wonderful summer and exciting start to your college career!