Another round of those "likely letters" should be hitting mailboxes today and tomorrow (or over the weekend if you live very far away).
For more information about these letters, read this entry.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Where's Dean J?
As I've shared before, UVa will be using the Common App and moving to a new student information system next year (if you've heard current students complain about ISIS, you'll be happy to hear it won't exist in the near future). The preparations have been going on for about three years, but the end (or really "start") is in sight.
I now divide my time between the Office of Admission and the office that is responsible for setting up and preparing for the implementation of the new system. Some days, I'm surrounded by antiques in Peabody Hall with a window overlooking a busy lawn full of students going to class, and other days I'm surrounded by computers with a view of the highway.
The point is to let you all know why my comments aren't as quick and frequent right now. I'll still be at Days on the Lawn (admitted student events on Mondays and Fridays in April), but I won't have my eyes on the blog as consistently as I have for the last few months.
I now divide my time between the Office of Admission and the office that is responsible for setting up and preparing for the implementation of the new system. Some days, I'm surrounded by antiques in Peabody Hall with a window overlooking a busy lawn full of students going to class, and other days I'm surrounded by computers with a view of the highway.
The point is to let you all know why my comments aren't as quick and frequent right now. I'll still be at Days on the Lawn (admitted student events on Mondays and Fridays in April), but I won't have my eyes on the blog as consistently as I have for the last few months.
Off topic: financial aid documents
Before I start, let me say that we are not Student Financial Services, so questions about aid really can't be answered here. I'm just giving you all a heads up...
The "priority deadline" for financial aid has just passed. Be aware that the aid website has a list of documents you MUST complete and submit to be fully packaged. At some schools, the FAFSA is enough, but not at UVa. Our aid officers want all documentation up front (my understanding is that it gives you a better, more final package the first time around).
In the past, the aid office HAS taken documents late, so if you did not follow the "Applying for Aid" instructions and need to send in more forms, do so immediately.
I'm closing this entry to comments. Please direct questions to Student Financial Services.
The "priority deadline" for financial aid has just passed. Be aware that the aid website has a list of documents you MUST complete and submit to be fully packaged. At some schools, the FAFSA is enough, but not at UVa. Our aid officers want all documentation up front (my understanding is that it gives you a better, more final package the first time around).
In the past, the aid office HAS taken documents late, so if you did not follow the "Applying for Aid" instructions and need to send in more forms, do so immediately.
I'm closing this entry to comments. Please direct questions to Student Financial Services.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Weekend Topic: Sports
CavDog's a big fan of the fantastic UVa tennis teamWhat would you like to know about UVa sports? Last year's sports entry might be a good place to start.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Photos from Peabody
Everyone loves some "inside the office" photos, right? These ones from last year were a hit, so I thought I'd throw a few your way. Looking at them, I hope you understand why notification probably isn't going to be made early this year. April 1st is the day.
The first photo shows one dean's reading sitting in "buckets" outside his door. His desk and the floor around it have piles as well. These folders have already been read twice, but it's the time of the year when we do some rereading, double check decisions, review mid-year reports, and select students for Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars (the search box will get you more info about those processes).
The second photo is of our "miscellaneous credentials" file. This is where the components of an incomplete application sit.
As always, click to enlarge!
The first photo shows one dean's reading sitting in "buckets" outside his door. His desk and the floor around it have piles as well. These folders have already been read twice, but it's the time of the year when we do some rereading, double check decisions, review mid-year reports, and select students for Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars (the search box will get you more info about those processes).
The second photo is of our "miscellaneous credentials" file. This is where the components of an incomplete application sit.
As always, click to enlarge!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
As the seniors wait, the juniors begin
I sat on the first of probably many Junior Night panels this evening at a high school over in Richmond. These nights remind us that the new class of students is embarking on their search. I'm wondering if some of the seniors might use the comments to give some tips to the juniors who might be reading.
What do you wish you had known a year ago? What would you have done differently during your college search?
By the way, one of the students at that Junior Night sent CavDog a belly rub and asked for more pictures. How could I resist such a nice request?
What do you wish you had known a year ago? What would you have done differently during your college search?
By the way, one of the students at that Junior Night sent CavDog a belly rub and asked for more pictures. How could I resist such a nice request?
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
**NOTE: The follow is not to be taken seriously**
I was going to call this entry "Why you shouldn't write about Fahrenheit 451 or DMB", but I imagined panic stricken applicants running to their guidance counselors in tears and thought the disclaimer would be better.
What I'm writing about is NOT scholarly research. It is NOT statistically significant. It is NOT being taken seriously. It is just for entertainment.
A grad student at CalTech has analyzed the favorite books and musicians that students have listed as their favorites on Facebook and their SAT scores. He has come up with a chart that purports to show a relationship between the two. Again, this is more funny than anything and I'm sharing it because I think it'll give you a little breather from the admission talk.
You can see notes about how the student did this, the schools involved, and the test results on Books that Make You Dumb and Music that Makes You Dumb.
Click to enlarge!
What I'm writing about is NOT scholarly research. It is NOT statistically significant. It is NOT being taken seriously. It is just for entertainment.
A grad student at CalTech has analyzed the favorite books and musicians that students have listed as their favorites on Facebook and their SAT scores. He has come up with a chart that purports to show a relationship between the two. Again, this is more funny than anything and I'm sharing it because I think it'll give you a little breather from the admission talk.
You can see notes about how the student did this, the schools involved, and the test results on Books that Make You Dumb and Music that Makes You Dumb.
Click to enlarge!
The Senior Slide
Back in November, I wrote about the importance of your senior year. I think it's about the time that we need to revisit that topic.
About this time every year, guidance counselors and college admission officers start fielding the "how low can I go" questions. I think most of us bristle at this. After all, the message being sent is not what we expect from students preparing for entrance to a selective college or university. When we see a student we were prepared to admit drop AP/IB courses or let their grades fall dramatically between terms, it's hard to justify retaining a spot for them when there are other students with consistent records eagerly waiting in the wings.
Most students submit mid-years and final transcripts that are perfectly fine. It's a very rare student that gives us a reason to reconsider. We get all sorts of reasons for the drop - prom committee, the start of a sports season, just plain senioritis. The fact is that many students have planned proms, played baseball, and enjoyed a little spring fever without letting their grades slide.
Hang in there and keep up the good work!
About this time every year, guidance counselors and college admission officers start fielding the "how low can I go" questions. I think most of us bristle at this. After all, the message being sent is not what we expect from students preparing for entrance to a selective college or university. When we see a student we were prepared to admit drop AP/IB courses or let their grades fall dramatically between terms, it's hard to justify retaining a spot for them when there are other students with consistent records eagerly waiting in the wings.
Most students submit mid-years and final transcripts that are perfectly fine. It's a very rare student that gives us a reason to reconsider. We get all sorts of reasons for the drop - prom committee, the start of a sports season, just plain senioritis. The fact is that many students have planned proms, played baseball, and enjoyed a little spring fever without letting their grades slide.
Hang in there and keep up the good work!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Weekend Topic: Music
I started weekend topics just about a year ago with this topic and a lot has changed about the Charlottesville music scene since them.
Our most well-known local band came back to town to work on a new album and word is it's being mixed and mastered in Seattle. No word on another homecoming gig.
Our most popular indoor concert venue closed and the second most popular venue became the "it" spot for shows. Our resident mogul is renovating a historic theater on the Downtown Mall to fill the gap.
UVa's new basketball arena continues to bring in major touring acts, though I think most students go there for games than for concerts.
I could go on and on about our music scene, but would rather answer your questions. What would you like to know? Reading the entry and comments from last year might be a good jumping off point.
Please keep comments to music. If you have admission questions, they can wait until Monday.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Final Decisions are NOT ready at this time
I think some readers are over analyzing things and misinterpreting what I've written about our process.
Applications move through different phases of review. In the first phase, each folder is read by two readers. In the second phase, the application pool is looked at as a group and decisions get reviewed again.
At this time, decisions are not finalized.
As I've written before, we want to get decisions out as soon as possible. We do not want to delay this process in any way. When decisions are finalized, the printers will start churning out 18,000 decision letters. After that, our administrative staff will stuff 18,000 envelopes. Finally, the letters are put in the mail. The evening that letters are put in the mail, decisions will appear on your status pages (if you applied online).
Using the search feature at the top of the page or the tag feature (most entries are tagged to reflect their subject), you can read last year's entries from around this time to familiarize yourself with the timing of the process.
Applications move through different phases of review. In the first phase, each folder is read by two readers. In the second phase, the application pool is looked at as a group and decisions get reviewed again.
At this time, decisions are not finalized.
As I've written before, we want to get decisions out as soon as possible. We do not want to delay this process in any way. When decisions are finalized, the printers will start churning out 18,000 decision letters. After that, our administrative staff will stuff 18,000 envelopes. Finally, the letters are put in the mail. The evening that letters are put in the mail, decisions will appear on your status pages (if you applied online).
Using the search feature at the top of the page or the tag feature (most entries are tagged to reflect their subject), you can read last year's entries from around this time to familiarize yourself with the timing of the process.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Moving on!
Good news! By this point, most applications have been read by two different readers and we are ready to move into the next round of review, which which consists of more reading, looking at the bigger numbers (in state/out of state ratios and things like that). This next round should take another few weeks to complete. We'll be simultaneously reviewing applications for Echols/Rodman (use the search function at the top of the page to search for earlier posts about that).
If you haven't sent in first trimester or semester grades, you need to fax or email them immediately.
If you have a question about your specific case, call our office during business hours (8:30 AM - 5 PM) and speak with someone here. Our number is (434) 982-3200.
If you haven't sent in first trimester or semester grades, you need to fax or email them immediately.
If you have a question about your specific case, call our office during business hours (8:30 AM - 5 PM) and speak with someone here. Our number is (434) 982-3200.
Another sign of Facebook's pending demise...
The last time I wrote about Facebook, the comments seemed to point to high school students being tired of the "new" version, which made me think reports of the site's pending demise are true.
According this entry on The Chronicle's Wired blog, the number of unique US visitors "plateaued" for a few months and then dropped in January. Those into web stats might see this is the beginning of the end.
Twitter, anyone?
According this entry on The Chronicle's Wired blog, the number of unique US visitors "plateaued" for a few months and then dropped in January. Those into web stats might see this is the beginning of the end.
Twitter, anyone?
Friday, February 22, 2008
A look inside SEAS
Someone just sent me this video made by a group of students about the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (we just call it SEAS here). I love engineering, so I really enjoyed listening to what current students have to say about their program.
See if you can spot the family arriving for an info session. They're in there somewhere...
See if you can spot the family arriving for an info session. They're in there somewhere...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
A moment of zen from CavDog (and CavBear)
You didn't need a moment of zen until March last year, but by the looks of the comments and the message boards, you need it now. One month to go, folks. Hang in there. By request, here are some CavDog pictures to provide a break from the admission talk.
CavDog is usually found under the desk while I'm reading applications
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Putting things in perspective
Some of the questions coming into the comment sections of my posts lately have led me to believe that some of you think admission officers are picky people who are sticklers for deadlines and quick to punish applicants for insignificant matters.
Many of the questions ask if something "will be held against" the applicant. For example, a student asked if she'll be in trouble if her counselor sent an updated transcript at mid-year when I wrote that we only require the student to fill out a mid-year form online. Another student was worried about not taking the SATs in January despite having said he'd take them again on his application. This is such small things and we aren't nearly as petty as you think we are.
Once again, I find myself wondering if you think we sit in a cold, dark room, at a long table with angry scowls on our faces and big, red REJECT stamps in our hands, just waiting for the next minor flub to let the hammer fall on an eager applicant.
Do I have it right? Humor me. Tell me what you imagine when you picture the UVa admission officers.
Many of the questions ask if something "will be held against" the applicant. For example, a student asked if she'll be in trouble if her counselor sent an updated transcript at mid-year when I wrote that we only require the student to fill out a mid-year form online. Another student was worried about not taking the SATs in January despite having said he'd take them again on his application. This is such small things and we aren't nearly as petty as you think we are.
Once again, I find myself wondering if you think we sit in a cold, dark room, at a long table with angry scowls on our faces and big, red REJECT stamps in our hands, just waiting for the next minor flub to let the hammer fall on an eager applicant.
Do I have it right? Humor me. Tell me what you imagine when you picture the UVa admission officers.
The Likely Letter 2008
I'm going to keep this entry very, very simple.
Around this time of year, many colleges and universities send letters to very strong students telling them that their applications are impressive. These letters are commonly referred to as "likely letters".
If you have questions about a "likely letter" from UVa, I hope this helps:
1. A small number of likely letters are sent each year. There is no set number of letter sent.
2. The letters are sent in waves, not at once.
3. Do not read into the absence of a letter. The vast majority of admitted students never receive one. It is best to assume you will not get one.
4. There is no relationship between likely letters and Echols/Rodman/College Science Scholars.
5. The letter means exactly what it says. We like you!
6. International students can get one of these letters.
Around this time of year, many colleges and universities send letters to very strong students telling them that their applications are impressive. These letters are commonly referred to as "likely letters".
If you have questions about a "likely letter" from UVa, I hope this helps:
1. A small number of likely letters are sent each year. There is no set number of letter sent.
2. The letters are sent in waves, not at once.
3. Do not read into the absence of a letter. The vast majority of admitted students never receive one. It is best to assume you will not get one.
4. There is no relationship between likely letters and Echols/Rodman/College Science Scholars.
5. The letter means exactly what it says. We like you!
6. International students can get one of these letters.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Q&A with Dean J, Part 5
I thought I'd pull out a few questions from the comments so more people would see them.
Q. I always wonder if I should be calling there to talk with a Dean just to ask questions about my application. Do you open files and note that the student never called for any reason or added anything new and then just put that folder in the "reject" pile?
A. This is definitely the waiting period. We are extremely busy with reading and if you called right now, chances are your file wouldn't be in the "library" for a note to be added anyway.
We have never read into student contacts (we aren't more apt to admit those who call/email).
Q. I took more standardized tests in January. Is it possible that they will be reviewed with my applications during the second round?
A. It's hard to know if your file was reviewed before or after your scores arrived. This is why we ask that testing be completed by December.
Q. How much does not taking an SAT II hurt an applicant's chance of acceptance?
A. SAT IIs can't hurt an application...they aren't a required part of the application.
Q. Will all applicants receive decisions on one day? or will some get earlier?
A. Decisions will be mailed at the same time. The USPS will determine when you get your letters. Decisions will appear on your status pages at a specific time on the day we mail the letters. The exact date and time will be posted as soon as we know the mail date.
Q. In addition to the SAT Subject Tests I completed, I said I would take another SAT subject test in Jan. 2008. I was not able to attend that testing. Do I need to let UVA know that I didn't end up taking it, or will they just assume I didn't take it?
A. No. You only need to notify us of major changes (dropping a class you were scheduled to take, for example).
Q. I am very worried that my transcript is still listed as not received!
A. Do you have multiple application accounts? Sometimes students create more than one application account and we check documents into one and they submit through the other. Only one physical folder exists for each student, but sometimes there are multiple online applications with the student's name on them.
Q. I'm curious if UVa does use outside resources like Facebook to help a decision, and how often you do.
A. Search for "Facebook" on this page (there's a search feature at the top of the page) and you'll find the answer to your question.
Q. I always wonder if I should be calling there to talk with a Dean just to ask questions about my application. Do you open files and note that the student never called for any reason or added anything new and then just put that folder in the "reject" pile?
A. This is definitely the waiting period. We are extremely busy with reading and if you called right now, chances are your file wouldn't be in the "library" for a note to be added anyway.
We have never read into student contacts (we aren't more apt to admit those who call/email).
Q. I took more standardized tests in January. Is it possible that they will be reviewed with my applications during the second round?
A. It's hard to know if your file was reviewed before or after your scores arrived. This is why we ask that testing be completed by December.
Q. How much does not taking an SAT II hurt an applicant's chance of acceptance?
A. SAT IIs can't hurt an application...they aren't a required part of the application.
Q. Will all applicants receive decisions on one day? or will some get earlier?
A. Decisions will be mailed at the same time. The USPS will determine when you get your letters. Decisions will appear on your status pages at a specific time on the day we mail the letters. The exact date and time will be posted as soon as we know the mail date.
Q. In addition to the SAT Subject Tests I completed, I said I would take another SAT subject test in Jan. 2008. I was not able to attend that testing. Do I need to let UVA know that I didn't end up taking it, or will they just assume I didn't take it?
A. No. You only need to notify us of major changes (dropping a class you were scheduled to take, for example).
Q. I am very worried that my transcript is still listed as not received!
A. Do you have multiple application accounts? Sometimes students create more than one application account and we check documents into one and they submit through the other. Only one physical folder exists for each student, but sometimes there are multiple online applications with the student's name on them.
Q. I'm curious if UVa does use outside resources like Facebook to help a decision, and how often you do.
A. Search for "Facebook" on this page (there's a search feature at the top of the page) and you'll find the answer to your question.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Process Update
Reading folders before breakfast usually means one thing: the end of our first phase of reading applications. By the end of this week, we should be moving on to the second phase of our review, which means every file will have been read at least once and we'll start double checking our decisions and printing those mysterious letters that have been deemed "likely letters".
Selection of Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars has been happening concurrent with the process and a few students have started to call those students we've flagged. Official notification about the scholars programs is made by mail. The programs mail the letters themselves and I'll let you all know here when that happens.
Weekend topics will start in another week or so, once the first round of reading is behind us.
Selection of Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars has been happening concurrent with the process and a few students have started to call those students we've flagged. Official notification about the scholars programs is made by mail. The programs mail the letters themselves and I'll let you all know here when that happens.
Weekend topics will start in another week or so, once the first round of reading is behind us.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Another round of Q & A with Dean J
Lots of questions came up in the comments section for the last post and I thought I'd answer them here so more people will see them.
Q. I am wondering if you read all the personal letters that applicants write to you personally? Does writing a personal letter to you hurt or help us as applicants? -Anonymous
A. Of course we read any letters sent to us, but writing to me isn't going to change your transcript, recommendations, essays, activities, and testing. At this point, unless something dramatic has changed in your program, there isn't really a reason to write to us. Wait until you get your decision and go from there. Waitlisted students often write us letters. You can read more about that if you look back at last year's blog entries from around decision time.
Q. Because we are entering our midyear grades and not sending an official transcript, does this mean that the UVA admissions office does not consider mid-year semester grades and class rank in the application process? For example, if my GPA or class rank have improved over the last semester, how can I tell the admissions office? Thanks! -Jessica
A. Jessica, if we ask you for something, we're considering it in our review process. Your first semester grades are very important to us. The comments section of the MY report is for adding any info you'd like to share with us.
Q. Under transfer FAQ's for the UVA transfer webpage, it said a student should have a B+ average to be competitive. If we've got just below a B+ average, will recs and essays come into play or will that low GPA knock us to the bottom of the pile. -KS
A. KS, courses taken also factor into our review, so don't assume you're out of the running if your GPA is a little short. As I'm sure you've read, transfers with a solid 3.4 GPA are competitive.
Q. How can I be sure my fine arts supplement was received? I sent it in and I don't know how to check...:( -Andy
A. Andy, art supplements are not checked into the computer system. They are sent to various departments for review. I believe the instructions tell you this.
Q. Do I absolutely have to send in my ACT score, even though I took it only once, and four years ago at that? I am a prospective transfer student. Thanks! -Rene
A. Rene, sending in your score can only help you, not hurt you.
Q. Can midyear grades break a decision? I have my lowest GPA(a lot of B's!!), but I am taking my most challenging course load yet. I know midyear grades can help an applicant but can they hurt them too? Sorry these questions must get tedious...just shows how nervous we all are! -Hooareyou
A. Hooareyou, midyear grades can change a decision if they show a dramatic departure from the grades earned in the past. Now, it's normal to see some change in grades when the challenge level goes up in the curriculum, so it's not the end of the world if a few Bs creep into the transcript.
Q. I am so anxious about finding out if I've gotten into UVA. I check the status of my application everyday and I've read probably all of this blog. My question is about the likely letters, because I want as much info on my admission ASAP.
Do you send likely letters to all applicants that are likely to get in? Like, are there some students likely to get in, that you never send letters to and for what reason? Will they all be sent at the end of February? -Anxious
A. Anxious, first of all, there's no reason to check your status everyday. The way our system works, decisions are "turned off" right now. They WILL NOT show up until I edit the database settings that govern what shows up on your status pages. If you read back, I talk about this fairly often and I tell students not to hammer the system because decisions won't show up without my giving you a heads up on this blog first. There is no ways, barring a bizarre computer glitch, that decisions will show up before
Likely letters are sent to a small percentage of students. A VERY small percentage. Perhaps I should repost the "Letter Frenzy" post I made last year.
Q. I am wondering if you read all the personal letters that applicants write to you personally? Does writing a personal letter to you hurt or help us as applicants? -Anonymous
A. Of course we read any letters sent to us, but writing to me isn't going to change your transcript, recommendations, essays, activities, and testing. At this point, unless something dramatic has changed in your program, there isn't really a reason to write to us. Wait until you get your decision and go from there. Waitlisted students often write us letters. You can read more about that if you look back at last year's blog entries from around decision time.
Q. Because we are entering our midyear grades and not sending an official transcript, does this mean that the UVA admissions office does not consider mid-year semester grades and class rank in the application process? For example, if my GPA or class rank have improved over the last semester, how can I tell the admissions office? Thanks! -Jessica
A. Jessica, if we ask you for something, we're considering it in our review process. Your first semester grades are very important to us. The comments section of the MY report is for adding any info you'd like to share with us.
Q. Under transfer FAQ's for the UVA transfer webpage, it said a student should have a B+ average to be competitive. If we've got just below a B+ average, will recs and essays come into play or will that low GPA knock us to the bottom of the pile. -KS
A. KS, courses taken also factor into our review, so don't assume you're out of the running if your GPA is a little short. As I'm sure you've read, transfers with a solid 3.4 GPA are competitive.
Q. How can I be sure my fine arts supplement was received? I sent it in and I don't know how to check...:( -Andy
A. Andy, art supplements are not checked into the computer system. They are sent to various departments for review. I believe the instructions tell you this.
Q. Do I absolutely have to send in my ACT score, even though I took it only once, and four years ago at that? I am a prospective transfer student. Thanks! -Rene
A. Rene, sending in your score can only help you, not hurt you.
Q. Can midyear grades break a decision? I have my lowest GPA(a lot of B's!!), but I am taking my most challenging course load yet. I know midyear grades can help an applicant but can they hurt them too? Sorry these questions must get tedious...just shows how nervous we all are! -Hooareyou
A. Hooareyou, midyear grades can change a decision if they show a dramatic departure from the grades earned in the past. Now, it's normal to see some change in grades when the challenge level goes up in the curriculum, so it's not the end of the world if a few Bs creep into the transcript.
Q. I am so anxious about finding out if I've gotten into UVA. I check the status of my application everyday and I've read probably all of this blog. My question is about the likely letters, because I want as much info on my admission ASAP.
Do you send likely letters to all applicants that are likely to get in? Like, are there some students likely to get in, that you never send letters to and for what reason? Will they all be sent at the end of February? -Anxious
A. Anxious, first of all, there's no reason to check your status everyday. The way our system works, decisions are "turned off" right now. They WILL NOT show up until I edit the database settings that govern what shows up on your status pages. If you read back, I talk about this fairly often and I tell students not to hammer the system because decisions won't show up without my giving you a heads up on this blog first. There is no ways, barring a bizarre computer glitch, that decisions will show up before
Likely letters are sent to a small percentage of students. A VERY small percentage. Perhaps I should repost the "Letter Frenzy" post I made last year.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
It's 70 degrees in Charlottesville (a notification update)
The flip flops, shorts, and t-shirts are out and the admission deans are stuck inside reading your applications. I sometimes wonder if weather affects admission decisions...we could study it, but I don't think we have the time...
Last year, February 1st was the first day I was asked why decisions weren't out yet. This year, the question didn't come until three whole days later!
We're currently about half way through the first round of reading. During the first round, each application gets read by at least two different deans. It will probably take about three more weeks to finish this round. When that's done, we'll start double checking our decisions, reviewing students for the Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars programs, and getting those lovely "likely letters" ready. I promise you that I'll update you when those things start happening. For now, use the side navigation to look at posts made a year ago to familiarize yourself with the pace of things.
Notification will not be made early, as far as I can tell at this point. April 1st is the big day.
Gratuitous CavDog shot
Last year, February 1st was the first day I was asked why decisions weren't out yet. This year, the question didn't come until three whole days later!
We're currently about half way through the first round of reading. During the first round, each application gets read by at least two different deans. It will probably take about three more weeks to finish this round. When that's done, we'll start double checking our decisions, reviewing students for the Echols, Rodman, and College Science Scholars programs, and getting those lovely "likely letters" ready. I promise you that I'll update you when those things start happening. For now, use the side navigation to look at posts made a year ago to familiarize yourself with the pace of things.
Notification will not be made early, as far as I can tell at this point. April 1st is the big day.
Gratuitous CavDog shot
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Submitting the First Semester/Trimester Grades Report
The mid-year report for UVa is super easy. We don't need anything from your counselor. You simply log into the online application to fill out a form. You'll have room to explain any changes in curriculum or to give us updated information about testing and activities.
Here are some screen shots to get you to the report.
When you log into the online application website, you'll see the general admission menu:
Click the image to make it bigger
Click on "Apply Online" to get to the online application's menu. At the top of the menu, you'll see a message confirming that your application has been submitted and a link to the mid-year report form. Click that, fill in your courses and grades, submit it, and you're done!
If you applied with a fee waiver and haven't provided documentation yet, you will not see this link. Your application is not considered complete until the documentation has arrived.
Click the image to make it bigger
Hope that helps! If you are admitted to the University, your need to have your school send a FINAL transcripts as soon as the second semester is over. We'll verify the grades you submitted at that point.
The final transcript is very important. You will not be able to sign up for classes at orientation without it! I'm going to give you this heads up many times over the next few months. Every year, a number of students show up for orientation without ever having submitted a final transcript and they get stuck hanging out at the Office of Admission waiting for their school to fax a transcript while everyone else is registering for classes.
Here are some screen shots to get you to the report.
When you log into the online application website, you'll see the general admission menu:
Click the image to make it biggerIf you applied with a fee waiver and haven't provided documentation yet, you will not see this link. Your application is not considered complete until the documentation has arrived.
Click the image to make it biggerHope that helps! If you are admitted to the University, your need to have your school send a FINAL transcripts as soon as the second semester is over. We'll verify the grades you submitted at that point.
The final transcript is very important. You will not be able to sign up for classes at orientation without it! I'm going to give you this heads up many times over the next few months. Every year, a number of students show up for orientation without ever having submitted a final transcript and they get stuck hanging out at the Office of Admission waiting for their school to fax a transcript while everyone else is registering for classes.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Let's hear some ideas for weekend topics
I promised the return of the weekend topic, but instead of writing about what I think is interesting about live at UVa and in Charlottesville, I'd like to know what's on your mind. In the past, we've talked about transportation, restaurants, outdoor activities, and weather (40 degrees today). The idea is to have topics that aren't admission related and to instead give a better idea about what life is like in Charlottesville.
What topics would you like to see discussed on the weekends?
What topics would you like to see discussed on the weekends?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Should UVa's Office of Admission have a presence on Facebook?
That opinion was formed back when a .edu email address was required for membership. These days, it seems that Facebook has exploded in the same way that MySpace did. Third party applications dominate the site and people with an anonymous Gmail account can sign up and get a profile. It looks like a very different site and while some features are great, others impede navigation and clutter pages.
Today, The Chronicle's Wired Campus blogger writes about one professor who has written a blog entry predicting that this the year of Facebook's demise (he goes on to talk about positive effects of Facebook). He writes about the things that Facebook users probably find tedious about the current state of the site.
What do you think? Do you think we (UVa Office of Admission) should have a formal presence on Facebook? Do you think Facebook is falling out of favor? If so, what site might fill in that space for students?
Monday, January 21, 2008
The return of the weekend topic
I started writing about non-admission topics on the weekends last year and thought I'd return to doing that. It's nice to get away from the admission talk for a little bit and I think it also helps some students who might want to ask questions about life in Charlottesville.
I'll start things off with a correction. One of my topics last year was the weather. I confidently wrote that we didn't close UVa for snow. Well, looking back, I found a day or two in 2003 when classes were canceled (but the school stayed open). This past week, classes after 4 PM were canceled because of another storm. Now, that didn't really affect a large number of undergrads, but it's worth mentioning. Mea culpa.
Our "storm" this week brought about three inches of snow to Charlottesville. It was nice to get a taste of winter, but it was also nice to see it melt away within a day or two.
Despite it being his first time seeing snow, CavDog was unimpressed by the falling flakes.
I'll start things off with a correction. One of my topics last year was the weather. I confidently wrote that we didn't close UVa for snow. Well, looking back, I found a day or two in 2003 when classes were canceled (but the school stayed open). This past week, classes after 4 PM were canceled because of another storm. Now, that didn't really affect a large number of undergrads, but it's worth mentioning. Mea culpa.
Our "storm" this week brought about three inches of snow to Charlottesville. It was nice to get a taste of winter, but it was also nice to see it melt away within a day or two.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Online + paper = slowing down our process
There's a practice that seems more common than ever: sending paper copies of documents already submitted online.
I don't know why this is being done, but it defeats one of the nice things about having an online application, which is having less mail to open and less paper to process. Many counselors seem to be enclosing a copy of applications that have been submitted by their students online, many students are sending copies of essays, and many teachers are sending duplicate recommendation letters.
Online applications are supposed to streamline the process. However, if we have to handle two copies of everything, the flow of documents is significantly slower. Trust the online process! Know that if there's a problem, we'll email you.
Which reminds me...please keep checking the email account you gave us on your application. You can update it if it changes, but that is the primary way that we will contact you if there is a problem.
I don't know why this is being done, but it defeats one of the nice things about having an online application, which is having less mail to open and less paper to process. Many counselors seem to be enclosing a copy of applications that have been submitted by their students online, many students are sending copies of essays, and many teachers are sending duplicate recommendation letters.
Online applications are supposed to streamline the process. However, if we have to handle two copies of everything, the flow of documents is significantly slower. Trust the online process! Know that if there's a problem, we'll email you.
Which reminds me...please keep checking the email account you gave us on your application. You can update it if it changes, but that is the primary way that we will contact you if there is a problem.
New status message
I decided to update the message on the status message to make it more clear and to use some HTML to make it look a little nicer.
Your application has been received and is being processed. At this time, we are data-entering thousands of credentials which have been mailed to us. If items are not listed as received, please do not call our office as they may have arrived, but not checked into our computer system. We will contact you if we are missing any documents crucial to the review of your application.
First-year applicants should log back in to submit mid-year or first trimester grades online as soon as they are available. Please check the admission blog at http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com periodically for updates about our process.
Thank you for applying online to the University of Virginia!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Book of the Year so far...
The most popular book I've seen used as a topic for essay 3 so far this year is....(drum roll)....
Obviously, it's still early in reading season, so my "Book of the Year" may change, but it seems as though this bit of existentialism is being served up quite routinely in AP English classes this year. There have been some fantastic essays in which students have talked about how this book affected them and how they act. Of course, there have been plenty of essays that read like a book report, summarizing the plot.
I'm personally enthralled by absurdists like Camus, Ionesco, and Bérenger ( and other French writers like Sartre and Hugo), so it's been fun for me to read your "take" on this one.
Obviously, it's still early in reading season, so my "Book of the Year" may change, but it seems as though this bit of existentialism is being served up quite routinely in AP English classes this year. There have been some fantastic essays in which students have talked about how this book affected them and how they act. Of course, there have been plenty of essays that read like a book report, summarizing the plot.
I'm personally enthralled by absurdists like Camus, Ionesco, and Bérenger ( and other French writers like Sartre and Hugo), so it's been fun for me to read your "take" on this one.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Some surprises in the numbers
When we decided to eliminate early decision at UVa, we were convinced that the move would cause a drop in the number of applications received. We thought this was an acceptable trade off.
Well, the preliminary numbers are in and we have a big surprise. Our applications numbers are up. Now, the increase isn't dramatic, but it's still very exciting. I think a number of schools out there are interested in eliminating early programs and they are watching Harvard, Princeton, UVa, Florida, and Delaware this year to see how our application statistics are affected by the move.
Looking at the Data Digest, we had 18,046 applications last year and 17,798 were completed applications (meaning students followed up with all the required documentation). At the moment, we have over 18,500 applications submitted (the number . It will take a few weeks to know how many become completed applications and then a few months for profile data to be compiled.
Well, the preliminary numbers are in and we have a big surprise. Our applications numbers are up. Now, the increase isn't dramatic, but it's still very exciting. I think a number of schools out there are interested in eliminating early programs and they are watching Harvard, Princeton, UVa, Florida, and Delaware this year to see how our application statistics are affected by the move.
Looking at the Data Digest, we had 18,046 applications last year and 17,798 were completed applications (meaning students followed up with all the required documentation). At the moment, we have over 18,500 applications submitted (the number . It will take a few weeks to know how many become completed applications and then a few months for profile data to be compiled.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Deadline Extension
In a few hours, the application will be back open. Those with accounts created should be receiving the following email:
Late last night we experienced technical difficulties with our server which resulted in some students having problems submitting their on-line application by the January 2 deadline. In light of this event and the power outages in some areas of the country due to heavy snow, we have decided to extend our application deadline one week to January 9th. We hope this will give students additional time to complete their applications. The on-line application should be accessible this afternoon. Students who have any questions or difficulties can call the admission office at 434-982-3200 for assistance.
Thank you very much for your patience.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
A gentle reminder about status
Please remember to read the note on your status page once you submit. I'll repost it here:
"Your application has been received and is being processed. At this time, we are data-entering thousands of credentials which have been mailed to us. If items are not listed as received, please do not call our office at this time. First year applicants can expect to see items listed as received at the end of January. We will contact you if we are missing any documents crucial to the review of your application. First-year applicants should also log back in to submit mid-year or first trimester grades online as soon as they are available.
Thank you for applying online to the University of Virginia."
No reading today
We aren't reading applications today. Instead, the entire staff is opening mail. The conference room table is full of deans with date stamps, staplers, staple removers (really, one is sufficient), highlighters, letter openers, and candy. After lunch, our daily mail delivery will arrive and the stacks will get much, much bigger.
As you can imagine, it will take quite some time to process and check in all the documents that are arriving right now. If you submit an application today, you probably won't see a change in your status page for a week or two.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Letters! We get letters!
Whenever I look at the mail bins downstairs, I think of the that little song...
Anyway, the mail is pouring in and that's great. Our mail services staff is busily opening bin after bin of letters and passing them along to the processing staff to be checked in and then filed. However, something else is pouring in: FedEx and UPS packages from students living in the US. Now, it's perfectly normal for international students to send applications via one of those delivery services (DHL seems most popular), but there really isn't any need for students living in the United States to send their applications or supporting documents by special courier.
Pass the word around. Don't spend $20 (or whatever it is) to mail anything by FedEx or UPS or DHL if you live in the US. There's plenty of time for documents to get here via the US Postal Service.
This is considered a very small amount of mail.
Anyway, the mail is pouring in and that's great. Our mail services staff is busily opening bin after bin of letters and passing them along to the processing staff to be checked in and then filed. However, something else is pouring in: FedEx and UPS packages from students living in the US. Now, it's perfectly normal for international students to send applications via one of those delivery services (DHL seems most popular), but there really isn't any need for students living in the United States to send their applications or supporting documents by special courier.
Pass the word around. Don't spend $20 (or whatever it is) to mail anything by FedEx or UPS or DHL if you live in the US. There's plenty of time for documents to get here via the US Postal Service.
This is considered a very small amount of mail.
Monday, December 17, 2007
The status of your status page
There seem to be many students checking their application status at odd times. I thought I'd explain how the status page works and when you'll see updates to it.
First of all, you won't see anything about your credentials until you hit the submit button. At that point, anything that our staff has already checked in will show up. As we get closer to the deadline, the amount of mail we get grows dramatically and mail may sit for a few days before the staff is able to process it. It could take around two weeks for something that arrives in early January to get through the system.
If recommendations are submitted online, the name of the writer and the date they submitted their letter will show up on your status page. Paper recommendations are not logged into the system. You will not see information about them on your status page.
Once your application is complete, your status will not change until the notification date in late March. The exact date and time of that will be posted here and on the UVa website.
Though your status won't change, you need to log into your account to send us your mid-year grades as soon as they're available. We do not need your school to send an updated transcript with your first semester grades. You simply need to log in and report them through the online application website.
Hope that helps! Please use the comments if you have any questions about status!
First of all, you won't see anything about your credentials until you hit the submit button. At that point, anything that our staff has already checked in will show up. As we get closer to the deadline, the amount of mail we get grows dramatically and mail may sit for a few days before the staff is able to process it. It could take around two weeks for something that arrives in early January to get through the system.
If recommendations are submitted online, the name of the writer and the date they submitted their letter will show up on your status page. Paper recommendations are not logged into the system. You will not see information about them on your status page.
Once your application is complete, your status will not change until the notification date in late March. The exact date and time of that will be posted here and on the UVa website.
Though your status won't change, you need to log into your account to send us your mid-year grades as soon as they're available. We do not need your school to send an updated transcript with your first semester grades. You simply need to log in and report them through the online application website.
Hope that helps! Please use the comments if you have any questions about status!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Transfer status update
Spring transfer decisions are going to be turned off today. By now, everyone should have their official letters. If you haven't received any notification, contact our office.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Application supplements
The deadline for sending performing and visual art supplements has passed and we're now in the process of sorting and sending mail bins off to various departments around grounds so faculty can start their review of CDs, slides, DVDs, and other media. Of course, in the mix are a few items that aren't really mean for arts faculty. Some people send DVDs, books (I wrote about those last year),
and other items. Unfortunately, the extras don't get much attention unless we're in the mood to procrastinate and throw in a DVD that didn't fit any of the art categories.
Thanks for your submissions! The faculty will review them in the next few weeks and then notes will be added to your files to let us know what they think.
A blurry picture of some art supplement sorting
and other items. Unfortunately, the extras don't get much attention unless we're in the mood to procrastinate and throw in a DVD that didn't fit any of the art categories.
Thanks for your submissions! The faculty will review them in the next few weeks and then notes will be added to your files to let us know what they think.
A blurry picture of some art supplement sorting
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Ready for the onslaught
I took CavBear down to the file room this morning to have a look around. It's a pretty different scene than the one I showed you all just a few months ago, isn't it? Those red boxes are full of file folders and I know there are plenty more stacked up in one of our storage rooms.
We're ready and waiting!
The good news is that many students have hit the submit button already. Those applications will be reviewed by the Office of Virginia Status, then get matched up with any supporting documents that arrived earlier in the season, and finally be marked "ready to read". I'd guess that about 3,000 applications are either in processing mode or being read right now. In a few weeks, that number will jump dramatically.
Good luck finishing up those applications, everyone!
Miscellaneous credentials waiting for an application
Friday, November 30, 2007
Spring transfer decision time
In roughly 45 minutes, I'll be "flicking the switch" (which is really typing "-1" five times) to turn on decisions for spring transfer applicants. Good luck to all!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Shock! Panic! Horror!
There seems to be a problem with one of the email servers at UVa today. If you've emailed us in the last few days and haven't gotten a reply, sit tight. I'm sure things will be back to normal tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Yield Protection
Years ago, when I was just a wee student worker in an admission office far, far away, an admission officer showed me an article in the Wall Street Journal about a new practice that was growing in popularity. Interestingly, when I looked the article up this morning, I found that it was written by none other than Dan Golden, the author of The Price of Admission. Anyway, that's not the point...
The article was about the practice that is sometimes referred to as "yield protection". Schools that use this "strategy" often waitlist top applicants under the assumption that those students are using the school as a safety and will opt to go elsewhere when they make their final decision. This has become common enough that outside consulting groups offer to give admission officers some sort of predictive rating for each applicant (don't ask me the details of that process...I don't know much beyond the fact that it exists).
Here and there, I'm asked about this practice and whether it's used at UVa. We do not practice yield protection at all. The applicant pool here is so broad that it'd be hard to compile a profile for a student who wouldn't enroll. I think the practice might be more popular at smaller schools.
The article was about the practice that is sometimes referred to as "yield protection". Schools that use this "strategy" often waitlist top applicants under the assumption that those students are using the school as a safety and will opt to go elsewhere when they make their final decision. This has become common enough that outside consulting groups offer to give admission officers some sort of predictive rating for each applicant (don't ask me the details of that process...I don't know much beyond the fact that it exists).
Here and there, I'm asked about this practice and whether it's used at UVa. We do not practice yield protection at all. The applicant pool here is so broad that it'd be hard to compile a profile for a student who wouldn't enroll. I think the practice might be more popular at smaller schools.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Students take over AccessUVa blog
This is pretty neat news, in my opinion. 'Hoos for Open Access, a recently formed CIO (Contracted Independent Organization...our name for a student club), has taken the reigns of the AccessUVa blog.
They have one great idea mentioned on the blog already: they'll be online to chat every Sunday evening from 8-9 PM EST. They also have an email address for questions outside of that hour.
They have one great idea mentioned on the blog already: they'll be online to chat every Sunday evening from 8-9 PM EST. They also have an email address for questions outside of that hour.
Does senior year matter?
PK asked:
I don't know where the idea that senior year wasn't considered in the college admission process came from. I remember hearing the same thing back when I was in high school and it didn't sit right with me. Now that I'm on the other side of the desk, I can put this one to rest. Senior year definitely comes into play during our review process. Let me explain my thinking...
The way I see it, part of what we do is spot trends. We look at the last four years as predictive of the next four years. Obviously, high school starts the same way for many students. Aside from making some choices about foreign language and electives, your course are often dictated. As you advance, you're able to make more choices about what you'll take. Ideally, by senior year, you'll have work that shows us that you're ready for college level work.
Now, if a student seems to be doing great work in junior year, then pulls back in senior year, dropping their AP/IB/DE classes for lower level work, we're concerned about the transition to the college level. Is this student really ready? Will they "hit the ground running"? Why take this student when our applicant pool has plenty who have maintained a high level of difficulty for all four years of their high school career?
Consider, as well, an analogy I often use during my presentations. Your high school career can be compared to a concert. The start of the show is usually full of energy, with signs of good things to come. Junior year is the like the end of the main set. It ends on a high note, making the audience want more. Senior year is like the encore. There might have been a time when encores weren't standard, but these days, they're expected and the songs played better be the best ones of the entire night. They're the songs that send the crowd off thinking that they can't wait for the next show. They HAVE to see that band again.
If the band pulls back, starting the encore with a great song, then finishes it with a ballad, you might leave the show wondering why they didn't do more with all of that momentum. This is a similar to the feeling we have when we read an application that shows a step down in curriculum strength without any explanation or when we get mid-year (or even final) grades and they are significantly different from the ones earned earlier in the high school career.
As for the second part of PK's question, we don't recalculate GPAs at UVa. We look at the method used by your school to calculate them and go from there.
Hello Dean J, I was just wondering how senior year grades were considered. Are they included in your overall GPA or not?
I don't know where the idea that senior year wasn't considered in the college admission process came from. I remember hearing the same thing back when I was in high school and it didn't sit right with me. Now that I'm on the other side of the desk, I can put this one to rest. Senior year definitely comes into play during our review process. Let me explain my thinking...
The way I see it, part of what we do is spot trends. We look at the last four years as predictive of the next four years. Obviously, high school starts the same way for many students. Aside from making some choices about foreign language and electives, your course are often dictated. As you advance, you're able to make more choices about what you'll take. Ideally, by senior year, you'll have work that shows us that you're ready for college level work.
Now, if a student seems to be doing great work in junior year, then pulls back in senior year, dropping their AP/IB/DE classes for lower level work, we're concerned about the transition to the college level. Is this student really ready? Will they "hit the ground running"? Why take this student when our applicant pool has plenty who have maintained a high level of difficulty for all four years of their high school career?
Consider, as well, an analogy I often use during my presentations. Your high school career can be compared to a concert. The start of the show is usually full of energy, with signs of good things to come. Junior year is the like the end of the main set. It ends on a high note, making the audience want more. Senior year is like the encore. There might have been a time when encores weren't standard, but these days, they're expected and the songs played better be the best ones of the entire night. They're the songs that send the crowd off thinking that they can't wait for the next show. They HAVE to see that band again.
If the band pulls back, starting the encore with a great song, then finishes it with a ballad, you might leave the show wondering why they didn't do more with all of that momentum. This is a similar to the feeling we have when we read an application that shows a step down in curriculum strength without any explanation or when we get mid-year (or even final) grades and they are significantly different from the ones earned earlier in the high school career.
As for the second part of PK's question, we don't recalculate GPAs at UVa. We look at the method used by your school to calculate them and go from there.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
New feature!
I used to keep lists of musicians mentioned in application essays on my door. My colleagues would add to it when they thought of it and we'd laugh over some of the choices (please, no more Tupac essays). I thought I'd take the list to the internet and add it to my blog. You'll find it to the right, below the welcome comment.
This isn't a comprehensive list...just the topics that either struck me as interesting or ones that are extremely popular.
Enjoy!
This isn't a comprehensive list...just the topics that either struck me as interesting or ones that are extremely popular.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
How could the process be more kind?
Leaving Alderman Library with a post-lunch cup of coffee, I was greeted by more chalk messages than usual (chalking high traffic areas is a common method of promoting events here). Imagine my surprise to learn that today is International (not National, mind you) Kindness Day!
I don't have much to say about the application today, so why don't I turn it over to you, dear readers. How could the college search and/or application process be a little kinder for you?
I don't have much to say about the application today, so why don't I turn it over to you, dear readers. How could the college search and/or application process be a little kinder for you?
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Interested to Know asked:
I personally don't miss the Early Decision process at all. The atmosphere in our office is extremely pleasant right now. When we start our reading season, our lives change dramatically...to the point that loved ones groan when the first pile of folders comes home. We stop going to movies, concerts, and sporting events. Thanksgiving sneaks up on us. The holidays are a blur. I'm really enjoying fall in Charlottesville for the very first time (CavBear would have never gone to the Halloween festival if we had Ed...I wouldn't have had time for that).
Up until now, I've only really thought about the educational reasons for the ED change. I'm realizing that this is a nice change for us personally as well. We're probably better admission officers right now. When the piles start mounting, we don't have as much time to talk with students on the phone or greet our visitors when they return from tours (Deans greeting the tours is a tradition here).
Obviously, things will change this year. We'll probably see a decrease in application numbers, because some student will have applied ED elsewhere. We're okay with that. Our reading load in January and February might be a little heavier, but I think it's a fine trade off!
Without reopening the pros and cons of that debate, are there parts of the ED process that you will miss, and how do you expect the elimination of ED will impact UVa's Admissions Office as you work to select the young men and women who will join the UVa community in the fall of 2008?
I personally don't miss the Early Decision process at all. The atmosphere in our office is extremely pleasant right now. When we start our reading season, our lives change dramatically...to the point that loved ones groan when the first pile of folders comes home. We stop going to movies, concerts, and sporting events. Thanksgiving sneaks up on us. The holidays are a blur. I'm really enjoying fall in Charlottesville for the very first time (CavBear would have never gone to the Halloween festival if we had Ed...I wouldn't have had time for that).
Up until now, I've only really thought about the educational reasons for the ED change. I'm realizing that this is a nice change for us personally as well. We're probably better admission officers right now. When the piles start mounting, we don't have as much time to talk with students on the phone or greet our visitors when they return from tours (Deans greeting the tours is a tradition here).
Obviously, things will change this year. We'll probably see a decrease in application numbers, because some student will have applied ED elsewhere. We're okay with that. Our reading load in January and February might be a little heavier, but I think it's a fine trade off!
Monday, November 05, 2007
Reading Season Day 1
It's the first day of reading season and as you can see from my unusually short stack of applications, our processing team is now trying to match applications with supporting credentials so we'll have complete applications folders to read.
If you've completed your part of the application, but haven't hit the submit button yet, I think now is a good time to do that. I imagine that the mail stream will pick up significantly in the next few weeks and submitting before the rush might help us process it more quickly.
Good luck and feel free to post questions in the comments!
Friday, November 02, 2007
Hope you had a happy Halloween!
CavDog (ahem, CavBee) made an appearance at the Halloween Festival on The Lawn on Wednesday. His sad eyes are for those of you who were working on ED and EA apps instead of enjoying Halloween.
Edit: I realize that this didn't actually post on November 1st...oops!
Edit: I realize that this didn't actually post on November 1st...oops!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A love letter to Fairfax County
Dear Fairfax County,
You'll always hold a special place in my heart. Oh so many years ago, when I got my very first job in the admission world, my first recruitment trip was to Virginia and the first stop was Fairfax County. Wait, I'm lying. The first stop was Baltimore because it was cheaper to fly into BWI, but you get the idea. I spent three lovely days in NOVA and was struck by the great schools I visited. Every student I met seemed enthusiastic and engaged.
When I moved to Virginia to work at UVa, I was overwhelmed with the number of fantastic Northern Virginia students who applied. Of the in-state students at UVa, about half were from that area and with good reason. Some of the best schools in the country are up there.
Imagine my complete shock upon reading an article in which an admission officer at another school felt Fairfax County schools were weak; specifically that they have "a culture that’s more dominated by athletics and rock music and less dominated by APs and high academic achievement." The math, science, technology magnet school is blamed for "robbing" the rest of the county high schools of all the best students. Unfortunately, our Dean, Jack Blackburn, was also interviewed for the article and some people have decided that he said the things I've quoted.
So, my dear Fairfax, I want to set the record straight. We love you. We understand your grading system and it doesn't confuse us. We know that you have great curricula for your students. We think TJHSST is a wonderful place, but we know that there are amazing students who opted not to go there; ones who had no interest in leaving their home high school. We think rock and roll is just fine and good sports are a lot of fun to have around, so don't apologize for being great musicians, singers, or athletes.
We've had large numbers of wonderful students from Northern Virginia coming to UVa for years and I don't see anything about to change that trend.
~Dean J
You'll always hold a special place in my heart. Oh so many years ago, when I got my very first job in the admission world, my first recruitment trip was to Virginia and the first stop was Fairfax County. Wait, I'm lying. The first stop was Baltimore because it was cheaper to fly into BWI, but you get the idea. I spent three lovely days in NOVA and was struck by the great schools I visited. Every student I met seemed enthusiastic and engaged.
When I moved to Virginia to work at UVa, I was overwhelmed with the number of fantastic Northern Virginia students who applied. Of the in-state students at UVa, about half were from that area and with good reason. Some of the best schools in the country are up there.
Imagine my complete shock upon reading an article in which an admission officer at another school felt Fairfax County schools were weak; specifically that they have "a culture that’s more dominated by athletics and rock music and less dominated by APs and high academic achievement." The math, science, technology magnet school is blamed for "robbing" the rest of the county high schools of all the best students. Unfortunately, our Dean, Jack Blackburn, was also interviewed for the article and some people have decided that he said the things I've quoted.
So, my dear Fairfax, I want to set the record straight. We love you. We understand your grading system and it doesn't confuse us. We know that you have great curricula for your students. We think TJHSST is a wonderful place, but we know that there are amazing students who opted not to go there; ones who had no interest in leaving their home high school. We think rock and roll is just fine and good sports are a lot of fun to have around, so don't apologize for being great musicians, singers, or athletes.
We've had large numbers of wonderful students from Northern Virginia coming to UVa for years and I don't see anything about to change that trend.
~Dean J
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Printing problems resolved
Apparently, tightening security on some of our servers made the print function on the online application a little buggy. A solution should be in place today.
Just to reiterate what is already on the Print Application page, the process was written before Adobe 7.0 debuted with significant changes to the way past versions worked. It's not perfect, but it should give you an idea of what your data looks like on a PDF.
Just to reiterate what is already on the Print Application page, the process was written before Adobe 7.0 debuted with significant changes to the way past versions worked. It's not perfect, but it should give you an idea of what your data looks like on a PDF.
Monday, October 29, 2007
A fun diversion for the football fans
Something a lot of students attending football games look forward to is The Adventures of CavMan, an animated short that features the visiting team's mascot causing some sort of disturbance on campus and CavMan appearing to send the mascot on its way. The film always ends with CavMan riding across Grounds towards Scott Stadium and the entrance of the real, live CavMan into the stadium with fireworks, the band, cheerleaders, and football team.
I've always thought the videos are pretty clever and fun, but never realized that a few were available online. I also never realized that the same technology that's used in video game animation is used to create these videos. You can see the making of CavMan videos on the Virginia Sports website. A few of the videos are available on the Special Programming page of that same website.
I've always thought the videos are pretty clever and fun, but never realized that a few were available online. I also never realized that the same technology that's used in video game animation is used to create these videos. You can see the making of CavMan videos on the Virginia Sports website. A few of the videos are available on the Special Programming page of that same website.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Recommendation Overload
I've spoken with a good number of students during this travel season who are prepared to send supplemental recommendation letters. I always tell students that we'll read whatever they send us, but that they need to keep the number of supplements reasonable. I fear that by not naming a specific number of recommendation letters, "reasonable" is being defined as the number each particular student has decided to send us. Let me see if I can explain where we stand on this.
UVa requires one recommendation letter as part of your application. Traditionally, your guidance/college counselor writes this letter. Now, many students feel as though there's a teacher who knows them better than their counselor, so they supplement the counselor letter with a recommendation from a teacher. This is often a good idea.
Some students don't stop at one supplemental teacher recommendation and we wind up getting several letters that basically say the same things. Teachers tend to know students in similar ways unless they moderate a club or activity in which the student is involved. The letters wind up being a tad redundant. The extras don't add anything to the application. In fact, if you have an admission officer who has been reading for eight hours before getting to your application, they might find plowing through your folder to be quite tedious.
If you feel strongly that you must send multiple recommendation letters, they should be from people who know you in different ways. Beyond that, they better know you and not your parents. Letters from people who are writing as a favor to your parents typically follow a formula: one paragraph about themselves, one paragraph about your lovely family and parents (as if we don't assume everyone comes from a lovely family with nice parents), and one paragraph, usually about two sentences long, that mentions some information gleaned from your resume and then asks that we give you our "full consideration" (wink, wink). Early in the season, these letters are kind of humorous (as if we weren't going to give you our full consideration before, but now that someone has asked us, we'll read everything and give you a shot). After a few months, though, you can imagine how they come across.
Bottom line: Quality over quantity is the best rule of thumb for all parts of the application, but especially for your recommendations. I'd rather read a nice, short letter from your counselor or a teacher that tells a story about you than get oodles of letters with sweeping generalizations that could apply to any smart, hardworking high school student.
UVa requires one recommendation letter as part of your application. Traditionally, your guidance/college counselor writes this letter. Now, many students feel as though there's a teacher who knows them better than their counselor, so they supplement the counselor letter with a recommendation from a teacher. This is often a good idea.
Some students don't stop at one supplemental teacher recommendation and we wind up getting several letters that basically say the same things. Teachers tend to know students in similar ways unless they moderate a club or activity in which the student is involved. The letters wind up being a tad redundant. The extras don't add anything to the application. In fact, if you have an admission officer who has been reading for eight hours before getting to your application, they might find plowing through your folder to be quite tedious.
If you feel strongly that you must send multiple recommendation letters, they should be from people who know you in different ways. Beyond that, they better know you and not your parents. Letters from people who are writing as a favor to your parents typically follow a formula: one paragraph about themselves, one paragraph about your lovely family and parents (as if we don't assume everyone comes from a lovely family with nice parents), and one paragraph, usually about two sentences long, that mentions some information gleaned from your resume and then asks that we give you our "full consideration" (wink, wink). Early in the season, these letters are kind of humorous (as if we weren't going to give you our full consideration before, but now that someone has asked us, we'll read everything and give you a shot). After a few months, though, you can imagine how they come across.
Bottom line: Quality over quantity is the best rule of thumb for all parts of the application, but especially for your recommendations. I'd rather read a nice, short letter from your counselor or a teacher that tells a story about you than get oodles of letters with sweeping generalizations that could apply to any smart, hardworking high school student.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Did you forget to write a thank you note?
Recent chatter on a professional listserve prompted a New York Times reporter to write about the thank you letters admission officers receive from students after info sessions, tours, and interviews. When I interviewed students at another school, I always sent a little note of encouragement after the fact and often got a thank you note in return. I thought it was a nice practice. However, these days, it seems as though even the simplest act, such as visiting a high school, is deemed thank you "worthy" and the number of letters, and their frequency, is surprising.
If you write a thank you note to someone at UVa, it'll probably get sent downstairs to the file room to be placed in the miscellaneous credentials files. If an application with a matching name arrives at some point, the letter will make it into the application folder, but it won't get much attention considering the other documents in the file.
I guess what I mean to say is that thank you notes are fine to send, but no student should suddenly panic because they haven't been sending notes during their college search. I fear that the New York Times article might make students feel as though this is a practice they "must" to do in order to be competitive. That just isn't the case.
If you write a thank you note to someone at UVa, it'll probably get sent downstairs to the file room to be placed in the miscellaneous credentials files. If an application with a matching name arrives at some point, the letter will make it into the application folder, but it won't get much attention considering the other documents in the file.
I guess what I mean to say is that thank you notes are fine to send, but no student should suddenly panic because they haven't been sending notes during their college search. I fear that the New York Times article might make students feel as though this is a practice they "must" to do in order to be competitive. That just isn't the case.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Greetings from Northern Virginia!
I thought I'd post my travel schedule in case any Fairfax County students want to ask questions in person this week. I'm hitting about 20 of the 25 public schools in the county. Wish me luck with the traffic!
Monday
10:00 am - Hayfield Secondary School
12:00 pm - West Potomac High School
1:15 pm - Mount Vernon High School
Tuesday
8:00 am - Lake Braddock Secondary School
9:30 am - West Springfield High School
11:45 am - TJHSST
1:00 pm - Edison High School
Wednesday
7:30 am - Chantilly High School
9:00 am - Centreville High School
10:30 am - South County Secondary School
1:00 pm - Robinson High School
7:00 pm - Bishop Ireton Evening Program
Thursday
8:00 pm - Fairfax High School
9:15 am - Woodson High School
10:45 am - Annandale High School
12:00 pm - JEB Stuart High School
1:30 pm - Marshall High School
Friday
8:00 am - Madison High School
9:30 am - Oakton High School
11:30 am - Langley High School
1:15 pm - McLean High School
One of my colleagues will be visiting other Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Loudon schools. If your school wasn't on the list, sit tight and check with your Career Center in a few weeks!
Monday
10:00 am - Hayfield Secondary School
12:00 pm - West Potomac High School
1:15 pm - Mount Vernon High School
Tuesday
8:00 am - Lake Braddock Secondary School
9:30 am - West Springfield High School
11:45 am - TJHSST
1:00 pm - Edison High School
Wednesday
7:30 am - Chantilly High School
9:00 am - Centreville High School
10:30 am - South County Secondary School
1:00 pm - Robinson High School
7:00 pm - Bishop Ireton Evening Program
Thursday
8:00 pm - Fairfax High School
9:15 am - Woodson High School
10:45 am - Annandale High School
12:00 pm - JEB Stuart High School
1:30 pm - Marshall High School
Friday
8:00 am - Madison High School
9:30 am - Oakton High School
11:30 am - Langley High School
1:15 pm - McLean High School
One of my colleagues will be visiting other Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Loudon schools. If your school wasn't on the list, sit tight and check with your Career Center in a few weeks!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
A first for Dean J
Walking down the stairs from the dome room in the Rotunda where I gave this morning's information session, I saw something I've heard about, but never seen at UVa. A letter to the Seven Society. The Sevens are one of the "secret" societies at UVa (the quotes are because only a few of the societies are really secretive). The Sevens are a philanthropic group of alumni that's been known to help people in need with a financial boost now and then.
There's a great story about The Sevens giving tuition money to a student who had lost both his parents in an accident. The roommate of one of our summer tour guides once got a letter instructing him to go to the 7th aisle of the supermarket, to the 7th box, etc. and he found an envelope with $277 in it and instructions that he was to buy a needy family in Charlottesville a Thanksgiving dinner. It's definitely one of the most interesting groups we have!
To get a message to The Sevens, put a letter in the arms of the Thomas Jefferson statue on the second floor of the Rotunda.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
The Essay Topic
If you were a college admission officer at UVa, you'd read about 100 application essays each day. The vast majority would be in response to the question that asks students to write about a challenging or unsettling work, as the majority of students apply to the College of Arts & Sciences (CLAS). Many of the essays written in response to that prompt will contain, roughly, one of the following ideas:
This is one exercise in which you want to stand apart from the rest of the applicants. So, while Calculus may be challenging, it might be more advantageous to write about something a little more unique. While the work you've been studying in your AP or IB class may be unsettling, keep in mind that students around the country are taking AP and IB classes with a similar syllabus.
I'm not completely certain about how students arrive at these common topics, but "over thinking" might be to blame. After reading the essay topic, something must pop into your head. Don't second guess it and talk yourself into writing about something more "impressive" or academic. Write about what comes naturally...we'll probably get a better sense of your voice and style in that essay than from something that's been contrived and coached into existence.
Sound good? Feel free to use the comments section for asking questions.
- Calculus is hard
- AP _____ (fill in an subject) is hard
- 1984 is an unsettling book
- The DaVinci Code is an unsettling book
- Guernica is an unsettling painting
This is one exercise in which you want to stand apart from the rest of the applicants. So, while Calculus may be challenging, it might be more advantageous to write about something a little more unique. While the work you've been studying in your AP or IB class may be unsettling, keep in mind that students around the country are taking AP and IB classes with a similar syllabus.
I'm not completely certain about how students arrive at these common topics, but "over thinking" might be to blame. After reading the essay topic, something must pop into your head. Don't second guess it and talk yourself into writing about something more "impressive" or academic. Write about what comes naturally...we'll probably get a better sense of your voice and style in that essay than from something that's been contrived and coached into existence.
Sound good? Feel free to use the comments section for asking questions.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
How important is the essay?
It's a beautiful Saturday morning in most parts of the country and a lot of you are stuck inside with your first weekend of homework since going back to school. Your college application essays are probably at the forefront of your mind in addition to the work that comes with the new school year. I've given essay advice in the past, but I thought I'd revisit the topic since it's an extremely important one. I'm going to do this over the course of a few entries. Let me start actually convince you that your essay is important because I don't think students believe this when they hear it.
Inside your application folder (and folders can be electronic or physical...we have physical folders this year and will be using electronic ones next year) is your application form, the School and Transcript Report form filled out by your counselor, school profile, transcript(s), recommendation(s), and a reader sheet that has your simple biographical data on it, testing, and areas for making notes about every component of the file.
There are a lot of forms in there and a lot of the information is in the form of data. It seems as though students know how the data elements need to look to be competitive. Your transcript should show a strong curriculum and good grades, your resume should show some involvement in school and/or community, your recommendations should be from people who can say wonderful things about you, etc. Most students wind up looking pretty strong. So, what's to distinguish one student with a strong curriculum, good grades, and nice recommendations from another student with a strong curriculum, good grades, and nice recommendations?
On top of that, consider the human element in the application review process. I hope you've picked up on this during your campus visits...admission officers like students. When we read your application, we're looking for reasons to admit you, not reasons to deny you. Reading a strong application with boring or predictable essays isn't very exciting, but when we're "won over" by amazing essays, we're quick to advocate on an applicant's behalf. If you're worried about getting into some of your schools, I think you should spend more time editing your essays than on reformatting your resume.
Are you convinced?
Inside your application folder (and folders can be electronic or physical...we have physical folders this year and will be using electronic ones next year) is your application form, the School and Transcript Report form filled out by your counselor, school profile, transcript(s), recommendation(s), and a reader sheet that has your simple biographical data on it, testing, and areas for making notes about every component of the file.
There are a lot of forms in there and a lot of the information is in the form of data. It seems as though students know how the data elements need to look to be competitive. Your transcript should show a strong curriculum and good grades, your resume should show some involvement in school and/or community, your recommendations should be from people who can say wonderful things about you, etc. Most students wind up looking pretty strong. So, what's to distinguish one student with a strong curriculum, good grades, and nice recommendations from another student with a strong curriculum, good grades, and nice recommendations?
On top of that, consider the human element in the application review process. I hope you've picked up on this during your campus visits...admission officers like students. When we read your application, we're looking for reasons to admit you, not reasons to deny you. Reading a strong application with boring or predictable essays isn't very exciting, but when we're "won over" by amazing essays, we're quick to advocate on an applicant's behalf. If you're worried about getting into some of your schools, I think you should spend more time editing your essays than on reformatting your resume.
Are you convinced?
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Ranking season comes again
Once again, it's ranking season. US News & World Report rankings will come out shortly and I feel compelled to once again point out that success isn't only found at a top ranked school. This year's methodology hasn't come out, but I imagine that, once again, US News did not take student satisfaction, student services, study abroad options, graduate school admission, or job placement as criteria. Aside from the average SAT scores, no student information seems to be included in their calculation.
That being said, I guess I have to write about UVa's ranking...tomorrow. I can't believe I had to do this, but the rankings are "embargoed" and aren't supposed to be released, though someone at another school sent them to me before the numbers sent to UVa directly made it to my inbox.
With UVa's hiring of some very prominent researchers, we might see our ranking shift in the coming years because the methodology used by US News puts a high value on faculty resources.
Update:
That being said, I guess I have to write about UVa's ranking...tomorrow. I can't believe I had to do this, but the rankings are "embargoed" and aren't supposed to be released, though someone at another school sent them to me before the numbers sent to UVa directly made it to my inbox.
With UVa's hiring of some very prominent researchers, we might see our ranking shift in the coming years because the methodology used by US News puts a high value on faculty resources.
Update:
UVa has crept up one spot on the national list to #23 (tied with
What does the application process say about the school?
I was away from the office for a few days to welcome the newest member of the Dean J household, Cav Pup (no, that's not his real name, but it will be on this blog). After he had someone's attention during virtually every waking moment for a few days, I decided to let him have his first taste of solitude and run to the recycling center yesterday. It was a quick trip, but as I flung old copies of the newspaper, The Hook and Cville Weekly (our two alternative weeklies) into the newspaper recycling container, I wondered how much of the bin was taken up by college brochures, fliers, and application materials.
Did you know that a 2% rate of return on an admission mailing is considered pretty good? Did you know that a large portion of every admission office's budget goes towards designing, printing, and mailing brochures? Does it all seem a little absurd in light of that 2% return rate?
At UVa, we've decided to cut back. We've never been big on having an elaborate "package" of mailings, but we have mailed out tens of thousands of viewbooks and applications each year. This year, we decided that with over 90% of applications coming in online, it was time to end the printing and mailing of the applications. Those who really want to apply on paper can download the application from our website.
Did you know that a 2% rate of return on an admission mailing is considered pretty good? Did you know that a large portion of every admission office's budget goes towards designing, printing, and mailing brochures? Does it all seem a little absurd in light of that 2% return rate?
At UVa, we've decided to cut back. We've never been big on having an elaborate "package" of mailings, but we have mailed out tens of thousands of viewbooks and applications each year. This year, we decided that with over 90% of applications coming in online, it was time to end the printing and mailing of the applications. Those who really want to apply on paper can download the application from our website.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Are UVa students conservative or liberal?
Every once in a while, someone mentions that they were told that UVa is full of conservatives. This originally surprised me, seeing that most colleges and universities in the United States are liberal places, as are the cities that surround them. Charlottesville is no exception, with it's eclectic mix of musicians, artists, writers, politicos, lawyers, and academics (the list could be longer).
Some statistics from our Office of Institutional Research just came my way and they point to UVa being a bit more left than some people believe it to be. 28% of UVa students designate themselves as conservatives, 35% are liberals, and 37% say they're "middle of the road".
Do those numbers surprise anyone?
Some statistics from our Office of Institutional Research just came my way and they point to UVa being a bit more left than some people believe it to be. 28% of UVa students designate themselves as conservatives, 35% are liberals, and 37% say they're "middle of the road".
Do those numbers surprise anyone?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Application website down
You'll notice that the application website is down today. You probably know what that means. Stay tuned for an announcement...
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
One last note for the Class of 2011
There was a nice story about the incoming class on our local news station last night featuring one of our summer student workers and Parke Muth, one of our admission deans. It dealt with the percentage of students who are international, African American, Asian, and Hispanic. The incoming class is the most diverse one we've ever had!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The wait is almost over!
The new online application is almost ready! We'll be making some final text edits and testing the application's functionality for the next few days and anticipate "going live" with the new undergraduate application in early August (stay tuned for an exact date).
I hope you've had a great summer and are getting excited for the start of your senior year!
CavBear enjoys a little summer reading
I hope you've had a great summer and are getting excited for the start of your senior year!
CavBear enjoys a little summer reading
Friday, July 20, 2007
Is PR's "Counselor-o-matic" just a revenue tool?
Our student workers did an interesting project last week that prompted me to revive the old issues blog. They started playing around with The Princeton's Review's "Counselor-o-matic", which is on their webpage. The "tool" is supposed to suggested appropriate matches for students after they have answered a few pages of questions about their academic profile. We were wondering what sorts of responses would prompt the Counselor-o-matic to suggest UVa as a reach, match, or safety. Below are the "profiles" we used (GPAs are unweighted):
Profile 1: 4.0 GPA, top curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2000 SAT
Profile 2: 3.9 GPA, top curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2300 SAT
Profile 3: 3.9 GPA, weak curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2400 SAT
Profile 4: 3.8 GPA, top curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2200 SAT
Profile 5: 3.7 GPA, good curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2300 SAT
Profile 6: 3.6 GPA, top curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2100 SAT
Profile 7: 3.2 GPA, okay curriculum, top 20% of the class, 1700 SAT
The results: UVA didn't come up for a match for ANY of the profiles. One of the "top 5%" students specified their location as Virginia and still didn't get UVa as a match. She then got more specific and said she lived right here in Charlottesville and didn't get UVa as a match. At the same time, some very random, unknown schools came up time and again as "match" schools. The only changes that allowed UVa to show up on a list where designating ethnicity or an interest in sports.
The whole exercise has me wondering about whether the "Counselor-o-matic" is a marketing tool (schools are offered the opportunity to pay for "increased visibility" on that website). What's more, it has me worried that some students are going through the survey once or twice and think the resulting lists are reliable.
I think The Princeton Review has some explaining to do.
Profile 1: 4.0 GPA, top curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2000 SAT
Profile 2: 3.9 GPA, top curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2300 SAT
Profile 3: 3.9 GPA, weak curriculum, top 5% of the class, 2400 SAT
Profile 4: 3.8 GPA, top curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2200 SAT
Profile 5: 3.7 GPA, good curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2300 SAT
Profile 6: 3.6 GPA, top curriculum, top 10% of the class, 2100 SAT
Profile 7: 3.2 GPA, okay curriculum, top 20% of the class, 1700 SAT
The results: UVA didn't come up for a match for ANY of the profiles. One of the "top 5%" students specified their location as Virginia and still didn't get UVa as a match. She then got more specific and said she lived right here in Charlottesville and didn't get UVa as a match. At the same time, some very random, unknown schools came up time and again as "match" schools. The only changes that allowed UVa to show up on a list where designating ethnicity or an interest in sports.
The whole exercise has me wondering about whether the "Counselor-o-matic" is a marketing tool (schools are offered the opportunity to pay for "increased visibility" on that website). What's more, it has me worried that some students are going through the survey once or twice and think the resulting lists are reliable.
I think The Princeton Review has some explaining to do.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
It's your turn to talk back
Around this time of year, schools around the country send out something called an admitted student questionnaire. Some schools pay The College Board to administer the survey for them, others (like UVa) create something themselves. Regardless of how it arrives, I think I speak for my colleagues when I saw we hope you take a few minutes to answer our questions. This is your chance to tell us about how you decided to go to the school in which you enrolled. It's also your chance to tell schools if they could have done something a little better.
Most ASQs have questions about where you decided to go instead of the school behind the survey. This is to help schools know what their "peer" institutions are. We know where our admitted students are often accepted, but it helps to see if there are new names to consider.
Some students are concerned that the colleges may "track" what they say in these surveys. I'm not quite sure why there's any concern, especially if you've already turned the school down, but let me assure you that we don't care about matching your answers up with your name. We are, however, interested in matching your answers up to characteristics about you. For example, we look at how students who applied to a certain school responded, or to how the answers of out of state students compared to Virginians. The data collected will help us focus on the programs and activities that students found most useful and also help us plan our travel season in the fall.
Most ASQs have questions about where you decided to go instead of the school behind the survey. This is to help schools know what their "peer" institutions are. We know where our admitted students are often accepted, but it helps to see if there are new names to consider.
Some students are concerned that the colleges may "track" what they say in these surveys. I'm not quite sure why there's any concern, especially if you've already turned the school down, but let me assure you that we don't care about matching your answers up with your name. We are, however, interested in matching your answers up to characteristics about you. For example, we look at how students who applied to a certain school responded, or to how the answers of out of state students compared to Virginians. The data collected will help us focus on the programs and activities that students found most useful and also help us plan our travel season in the fall.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Be careful with your personal information
I've just heard reports that someone is calling college-bound students and requesting credit card information under the guise of being a financial aid officer. The students are being told that their next tuition payment is due immediately and that they can take care of it over the phone by giving some personal information.
Obviously, when you get a spoof email, it's easy to ignore, but I imagine it's a pretty scary when someone calls from a college or university and says there's a problem with your account. Just be forewarned that tuition bills at UVa are sent by mail and no one from our Student Financial Services office would call and ask for a credit card payment to be made.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be an aid officer from UVa, report it to the police (I imagine caller ID information would be very useful) and let our Student Financial Services office know about it (you can reach them toll free at 866-391-0063).
Obviously, when you get a spoof email, it's easy to ignore, but I imagine it's a pretty scary when someone calls from a college or university and says there's a problem with your account. Just be forewarned that tuition bills at UVa are sent by mail and no one from our Student Financial Services office would call and ask for a credit card payment to be made.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be an aid officer from UVa, report it to the police (I imagine caller ID information would be very useful) and let our Student Financial Services office know about it (you can reach them toll free at 866-391-0063).
Saturday, June 09, 2007
The UVa student blog is born!
As if you couldn't see it coming, our Summer Guides, students who spend the summer working with the Office of Admission, have started a blog. They've come up with a pretty spiffy title: The View from Grounds. They're just getting going and I'm sure they'd love to field questions from prospective students about anything on your minds.
Hoos for Hokies message finally comes down
After a record setting 50 days, the Hoos for Hokies message that was painted on the Beta Bridge has been painted over. At first, I hoped that this new message was painted on the opposite side of the bridge, but alas, it is directly over the original and over the update that was added by an art class at UVa (the artists were unknown at first, but were later revealed).
Thursday, June 07, 2007
2008 Essay Questions
We've already posted the 2008 essay questions on the Office of Admission website, but I thought I'd post them here as well. See this as a hint. If you spend time working on college applications this summer, work on your essays. A lot of the time we spend reviewing applications is spent reading essays. Analyzing transcripts and reading forms can get a little dry, which makes us really look forward to getting a sense of personality from your essays!
(1) Please answer the question that corresponds to the school you selected on Part I of your application in half a page, or roughly 250 words.
College of Arts and Sciences: What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised or unsettled or challenged you, and in what way?
School of Engineering: Discuss experiences that led you to choose an engineering education at U.Va. and the role that scientific curiosity plays in your life.
School of Architecture: What led you to apply to the School of Architecture?
School of Nursing: Discuss experiences that led you to choose the School of Nursing.
(2) Answer one of the following questions. Limit your response to half a page, or approximately 250 words.
- What is your favorite word, and why?
- Describe the world you come from and how that world shaped who you are.
- Discuss something you secretly like but pretend not to or vice versa?
- What issue of local,national,or international significance concerns you? Why?
- "We might say that we were looking for global schemas, symmetries, universal and unchanging laws - and what we have discovered is the mutable, the ephemeral, the complex." Support or challenge Nobel Prize winner Ilya Prigogine's assertion.
(3) Please write on a topic of your choice.
If an essay question for another college piqued your interest, feel free to submit your response to that question. Please limit your submission to one page, or approximately 500 words.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
It's maintenance time
It's almost time for the ApplyOnline website to come down so that we can prepare it for the next season. The site won't be coming down, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up just in case there are some hiccups in the next few weeks. You'll still be able to log into your application, though there will be a point over the summer when we archive all accounts to have a nice, clean database ready for the next group of applicants.
You'll see a note about that when the time comes.
You'll see a note about that when the time comes.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Did you forget to respond?
There are still a good number of students who have not sent any response to our offer of admission. Today, we'll assume those students have turned us down and change their status.
If for some reason, you were offered admission, haven't replied yet, and want a spot in the incoming class, call our office. This does not apply to waitlisted students who were offered a spot. The letter those students received informs them of their reply deadline (usually one week after the letter is received).
If for some reason, you were offered admission, haven't replied yet, and want a spot in the incoming class, call our office. This does not apply to waitlisted students who were offered a spot. The letter those students received informs them of their reply deadline (usually one week after the letter is received).
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Yet another UVa blog
Inspired in part by the traffic to this blog and the high number of comments from transfer students, yet another UVa admission blog has been created, the UVa Transfer Admission blog.
I hope some of you transfers will still visit Notes from Peabody, but I imagine you'll all be very excited to see a blog dedicated to addressing your concerns.
I hope some of you transfers will still visit Notes from Peabody, but I imagine you'll all be very excited to see a blog dedicated to addressing your concerns.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A tiny bit of waitlist movement
There's been a very small bit of movement on the waitlist for freshman. I won't guess at a number...I was personally working with architecture students, so I'm not aware of how many are coming off the waitlist for the other schools. I'll just venture a guess that the number will be much, much less than it was last year (last year the number was around 145).
We'll start going to the transfer waitlist over the course of the next week to ten days. My sense is that the students contacted will mostly be CLAS students, but a few might have applied to other schools.
I know that this is not great news for many of you, but it looks like the class is nearly full at this time.
We'll start going to the transfer waitlist over the course of the next week to ten days. My sense is that the students contacted will mostly be CLAS students, but a few might have applied to other schools.
I know that this is not great news for many of you, but it looks like the class is nearly full at this time.
Friday, May 18, 2007
A new blog on the UVa block
Our AccessUVa coordinator has just started her very own blog! For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, AccessUVa is our financial aid program. Our coordinator works in the Office of Admission and serves as a liaison between us and the Office of Student Financial Services. She'll be writing about college costs and how to navigate the financial aid process at UVa. She'll also be happy to see your comments and questions. Remember that she isn't a financial aid officer, so she won't be able to pull up your financial aid application (that is done in Student Financial Services), but she will be able to help you understand your financial aid application and award letter.
I hope you all will be as thoughtful with your comments on her blog as you've been here on mine. After all, a blog isn't really a blog without comments and conversation!
I hope you all will be as thoughtful with your comments on her blog as you've been here on mine. After all, a blog isn't really a blog without comments and conversation!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Important notes for transfer students
Transfer decisions were posted yesterday morning and letters are going in the mail today. There are three pieces of information related to your decisions that I'd like to share.
1. You have until May 15th to reply. The site said May 1st yesterday and we've asked for an edit to be made.
2. If you were a "spring rollover", meaning you applied to start in the Spring, weren't admitted, and we rolled your application over to the fall, the decision you see when you log in is the one from the Spring. We have to make new accounts for the rollover applicants. We'll be emailing each student in that very small group to let them know, but I thought I'd put the info out there now.
3. We aim to go to the waitlist by June 1st. If you are on the transfer waitlist and want to be considered, you must send your spring grades.
I want to add a personal note of thanks for your applications. I always find the stories transfers share with us in the applications to be very powerful. If you were not admitted, that in no way diminishes your accomplishments and the obstacles you've overcome in the course of your educational career. As with the first year process, there are a limited number of spots and we don't have room for every great student out there.
Congratulations to those of you who were admitted! You'll start to receive information from various offices at the University shortly to let you know about setting up your "e-services" account, housing, transfer orientation, etc.
1. You have until May 15th to reply. The site said May 1st yesterday and we've asked for an edit to be made.
2. If you were a "spring rollover", meaning you applied to start in the Spring, weren't admitted, and we rolled your application over to the fall, the decision you see when you log in is the one from the Spring. We have to make new accounts for the rollover applicants. We'll be emailing each student in that very small group to let them know, but I thought I'd put the info out there now.
3. We aim to go to the waitlist by June 1st. If you are on the transfer waitlist and want to be considered, you must send your spring grades.
I want to add a personal note of thanks for your applications. I always find the stories transfers share with us in the applications to be very powerful. If you were not admitted, that in no way diminishes your accomplishments and the obstacles you've overcome in the course of your educational career. As with the first year process, there are a limited number of spots and we don't have room for every great student out there.
Congratulations to those of you who were admitted! You'll start to receive information from various offices at the University shortly to let you know about setting up your "e-services" account, housing, transfer orientation, etc.
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