Class of 2022 UVA Early Decision/Early Action Results

I’m sure that most of you have read Dean J’s blog post by now with the EA admissions statistics for UVA’s Class of 2026. I love how she breaks the numbers down between in-state and out-of-state, by the way. That is so helpful and I wish other flagship state universities would follow suit.

The Early Decision numbers for in-state applicants didn’t change all that much from last year, except there was more of everything: total applicants, accepted applicants, deferred applicants and denied applicants. It all balanced out, though. 38% accepted as compared to 39% last year; 29% deferred as compared to 26% last year; and 33% denied as compared to 35% last year.

Early Action followed a similar pattern for in-state applicants - the raw numbers for each group were up, but percentages were actually exactly the same as they were the year before: 30% accepted, 27% deferred, and 43% denied.

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But here’s the interesting thing. The percentages staying constant do NOT mirror what we are seeing and hearing anecdotally from kids here in Fairfax, Arlington, and even Loudoun County. Not at all. To the point that I checked my math about five times (I really hope I didn’t make a mistake)!

I am not going to perpetuate the rumor that UVA has quotas, because they don’t. Yet I would really love to know the breakdown of these in-state numbers by county or region. Is it possible that even though the in-state numbers as a whole don’t show a significant difference, the county-by-county breakdown would? It’s just really hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that the percentages stayed the same this year when so many of us counselors (independent and high school) are observing a different scenario with our Northern Virginia students:

Here’s what we noticed in particular:

1. Over the past two years there has not been a huge difference in terms of the quality of the admitted student pool between the ED and EA rounds. Statistically, ED is slightly easier, but it’s also a different applicant pool - there are typically more legacy students and recruited athletes in any school’s ED applicant pool. This can often balance out a moderate differential. Anyway, in terms of our internal data (which is admittedly statistically insignificant and from a similar demographic), it did not seem like the ED advantage was anywhere near as substantial as it is for some other schools. Other independent and high school counselors noticed the same.

2. This year was different, starting with ED. We had some students admitted in that round that I was very surprised (but thrilled, don’t get me wrong!) were admitted. These were not kids with any particular connections, either. And of course we also had students admitted ED that were extremely qualified. As well as a couple that we thought should have been admitted. But overall, it was a significantly easier ED year.

3. We did not have that many EA applicants this year, because so many of our students had UVA as their first choice and applied ED. We also had a lot of ED kids admitted to other schools who later pulled out their UVA EA apps. But of the remaining applicants we had in the EA pool, there were some really shocking decisions. Kids who 100% should have been admitted were not. If I shared their stats, which I can’t for confidentiality reasons, you would be shocked. And you can’t blame it on essays or teacher recs or something else, because these ultra-qualified kids have been admitted to other schools that are in some cases significantly more competitive than UVA. And SO MANY OTHER COUNSELORS are noting the same. I can’t tell you how many conversations I have had this week about it.

4. A number of students (not our clients, actually) were not admitted even though they had already advanced in the rounds for the Jefferson Scholarship. This is WILD to me. Understandably, these students were more focused on the scholarship at this point and assumed that admission itself was more or less a done deal, since, hello! They are supposed to be the top students in the applicant pool! The reason this is so interesting to me is because the admissions committee does not make the decisions for Jefferson Scholars - it's a separate committee from the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. And my assumption is that the Jefferson Scholars committee is free to make decisions based on merit, while the admissions committee has to take other factors into consideration about shaping the class.

Again, I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but the stats do not add up with what we observed from other years with our admittedly-not-representative-of-the-state-as-a-whole student group.

SO - My advice for Class of 2023 juniors interested in attending UVA? Apply early decision, and for the love of God, please PLEASE continue foreign language during your senior year!!! 😃 I HATED IT TOO SO I FEEL YOU BUT THIS WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU!

Academic Planning for Middle School Students Part II: Public or Private High School?

A few weeks ago, we published a post about academic planning for middle school students, where we delved into course selection for your middle schooler, and how the courses they take in middle school may affect what is available to them at their high school. 

This week, we are going to focus on public vs. private high schools. Many eighth graders may be in the process of completing those private high school applications, and plenty of parents are wondering - is it worth the time and money?

The answer is… yes and no. Now, we know that may not be exactly what you want to hear, but the truth is that this is a very personal decision, and your ultimate choice will depend on what works for your individual student and family. However, we hope that these considerations can shed some light on the factors at play!

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Will a public or a private high school help my student more during the college process?

The fact is, top private schools tend to send a larger percentage of their students to highly selective colleges than public schools. But it is important to remember that private school applicants are a self-selecting pool - often more affluent or more ambitious (or both!) than the pool of students at public schools. So whether this is the case because private schools prepare students better for college, or simply because the students who attend private schools are also more likely to attend a certain sub-set of colleges, we can’t say for sure. 

However, private schools do typically offer smaller class sizes and extracurricular activities that enable students to get to know their teachers and school counselors better. This often results in more personalized attention than one would have at a public school where teachers and counselors have many more students to support. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, though, so make sure you do your research when it comes to school selection!

So, you’re saying my child will have less support at a public school?

Maybe. Private schools often have smaller class sizes, as we mentioned, and some have certain religious and social supports in place that are certainly not available at a typical public school. These are all great reasons to look to a private school education for your child. 

However, if your child has a diagnosed learning difference that requires more extensive support, your best option may actually be a public school. Accessibility is more carefully monitored and provided at public schools, which usually have more structures in place to support students with learning differences. 

Where will my child have better teachers?

Again, it depends. As we said above, students at private schools often have the opportunity to bond more with their teachers, and teachers have smaller classes to manage and can give more individual attention to each student. However, public school teachers are required to have a teaching credential, while private school teachers are not. Are there good and bad teachers at all high schools? Definitely. But at a public school, you know that every teacher has a teaching credential. 

My student is an academic high-flier. Won’t she do better at a private school?

We’ll say it again - maybe. Some students who are academically successful LOVE to be in an environment with other smart kids. Seeing other people around them working hard pushes them to perform to their max academic potential - they thrive on that friendly competition. 

Other students like to be the smartest kid in the room, and would much rather be the big fish in the small pond of their public high school than be surrounded by other (maybe more!) successful students at a selective private school. Only you and your student know their personality best and have a sense of which which environment is going to help them succeed.

Another factor to consider is that private schools are sometimes limited in the high-level classes they can offer. Public high schools often have a larger variety of courses, and almost always offer more specialized options for students who want to pursue engineering, entrepreneurship, or another particular academic pathway in high school. And certain school systems go way beyond that - did you know that FCPS offers options ranging from veterinary science to fashion marketing (held at a mall - how cool is that!). This chance to specialize can definitely be helpful in the college application process!

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The bottom line is: do your research. The above are just some of the things you’ll want to consider, but the available curriculum and level of support for students varies from school to school. Look up the course progression and opportunities available at your local public high school, so you can directly compare with any private schools you are considering. 

You may also want to consider an important factor we haven’t mentioned here: social influence. This is heavily specific to each individual school community and less about whether the school happens to be private or public. For example, public schools aren’t the only ones with drug problems - certain private schools struggle with substance abuse much more than their public school counterparts!

So as you weigh all of the options, don’t forget to carefully examine the culture of every school on your list to try to get a better sense of what your student’s peer group will look like. This is often the single most important factor that will influence your student’s choices relating to risky and undesirable adolescent behavior.

If you want more help in the high school search, book an 8th grade strategy session with us and we’d love to talk more about you and your family’s goals. And if you are interested in a presentation about academic planning for middle schoolers for your club or group, email Shannon to get on our calendar!

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Academic Planning for Middle School Students

We’ve been hearing the question a lot lately: “How soon is too soon for my child to begin thinking about the college process? He’s only a seventh grader, does he really have to worry about this right now?”

The answer: yes and no. Your seventh grader certainly does not need to start drafting a Common Application essay or begin taking AP exams quite yet! But with just a bit of thought toward the end of middle school, you can help set your student up for success later on - during the active phase of the college process.

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Believe it or not, middle school coursework often sets the stage for high school. Take a look at the basic progression:

As noted, this student would not be able to take high school Calculus if she were to continue on this path - which may be a dealbreaker for a student applying to an engineering or other STEM program. And that student might not even realize that her seventh grade math course is closing such a big door!

Compare that progression to this very advanced progression that would allow a student to take higher-level high school math courses:

This progression can differ from school to school, so talk to your student’s counselor about their individual school’s progression and whether middle school credits count toward the high school transcript.

If at all possible, we recommend that all middle school students plan to take Algebra I and at least one year of a foreign language. If your student does well in Spanish I and Algebra I in middle school, he will be able to continue with a more challenging high school progression.

But if your student doesn’t do well, there is no harm done - he will just retake Algebra I in high school and the previous grade will likely not appear on the transcript! So working to get that head start in middle school course planning can really only benefit most students, with the caveat that this can depend on the school system.

In the end, colleges are far more concerned that students are challenging themselves during high school - so if taking Algebra I in the eighth grade is going to mean an extremely stressful year for you and your student, it is better to wait!

Remember: colleges won’t know which types of opportunities students had in middle school, but they will want to see students who choose the most challenging classes in their progression once high school begins (and of course, students who excel in those courses!). 

The bottom line is that your student should take the most rigorous curriculum available to them in high school.

Their placement at the start is relevant, but it doesn’t matter nearly as much as it matters to take advantage of everything their high school offers!

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Still have questions about middle school course planning? Book a strategy session with us and we can help set your student up for success, in high school and beyond!

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In-Person College Visits During COVID-19

Whether we’re meeting with Class of 2021 seniors who are making their final decisions, Class of 2022 juniors who are hoping to squeeze in some visits before finalizing their lists in June, or Class of 2023 sophomores who don’t know where to start with their college search during such a strange time, everyone’s asking the same question:

When WILL SCHOOLS OPEN FOR IN-PERSON VISITS AGAIN?

We don’t have a crystal ball, so the answer for many colleges and universities is that we simply don’t know. But there are a number of institutions that have reopened for prospective students already - yes, you could theoretically tour one of these schools this weekend if you felt like it!

That said, the offerings vary greatly from school to school - and many won’t be the typical campus tours of years past. Keep reading to learn more about what’s being offered right now and how to make the best out of each opportunity!

1. Traditional Campus Tours

Some schools are offering relatively traditional visit opportunities. In general, these tours are offered through one of two approaches.

The first, at schools like Tulane, American, the University of Alabama and Loyola University Maryland, are small-group tours. These are very similar to pre-COVID tours, except that the schools typically require advance registration and the use of face coverings. Some schools doing small-group tours will also limit the number of guests that the student can bring, and others may limit the scope of the tour (Tulane will only take tour groups through outdoor areas of campus, for example). 

The second option is an individual tour and meeting with an admissions representative. Smaller schools, like the University of New England, will allow students to register for a visit that consists of a one-on-one meeting with an admissions counselor as well as a private tour for the student and family. These events typically also require face coverings, limit the number of guests, and may take extra precautions such as requiring visitors to fill out COVID-19 symptom questionnaires. 

Pro Tips:

• If you do your research and find out that the school you want to see is offering tours, try to book sooner rather than later! You will get the best sense of the campus while school is in session, so you can see what the day-to-day really looks like. On many campuses, you will see a very different school after May begins, and this is even more true during an already unusual time! 

• Even if you are able to snag a tour reservation, take your own “unofficial” tour to see even more of the campus (mostly, the parts that the tour doesn’t show off!). See the section below on informal tours for more tips. 

• Finally, take notes! Just like virtual tours, in-person tours will blur together after a while, and you want to make sure that you write down your thoughts and feelings about the school during and soon after your visit. And make sure that you send an email afterward to thank your regional admissions representative for the experience. Clients who want more help on the thank-you email should reach out to us and we can provide a template!

2. Hybrid Campus Tours

Other schools offer opportunities for students to come to campus in some form, but with elements of self-guided or virtual tours to supplement a safe visit.

The University of Richmond, for example, offers both a self-guided walking tour and a self-guided driving tour of campus. They provide students with a map, written descriptions of the buildings on campus, and driving directions, in addition to audio about each building that you can play from your car! This is a great option for local students to take a day trip and see the campus. 

And while you’re driving, head on down to Virginia Tech - they also offer a driving tour map and audio to help you get to know the campus safely. GW, right in our backyard, has a self-guided walking tour brochure that you can pair with audio from their student-run podcast tour as you walk around campus. William & Mary has a walking tour brochure as well that will allow students to read along - keep in mind that masks are required at all times while on campus! 

Pro Tips:

• Maximize your walking or driving tour by arranging an outdoor lunch or coffee with a friend who attends that school. Don’t know anyone personally? Ask your school counselor if there are any alumni there who would be comfortable meeting with you. Make sure you check out the local area as well, and track down a Starbucks, community park, beach, or whatever is important for you to have nearby. 

• You’ll notice that all of the examples in this section are local to DC-area residents. If you are unable to travel to see the school of your dreams, you can still develop an understanding of the type of school you are looking for from our many excellent Virginia schools. For example, you know how Georgetown is a green campus near the city, while GW is in the city? Same goes for University of Richmond (green and suburban) vs. VCU (extremely urban), even though both schools are in Richmond. Once you have an understanding of the differences, you might be able to form an educated opinion on whether Columbia or NYU is more your speed - even if you can’t make it to New York! 

3. Informal Walk Through Campus

Other schools, like Johns Hopkins or UVA, are not offering tours at all. There are a few ways you can combat this if you really want to get a better sense of a school by visiting in person. One is to show up on campus for an informal walk or drive. This is an especially good solution for nearby schools that do not require a lot of travel. 

Again, this is also a great time to reach out to friends or other contacts at the school to see if they’ll meet you for a socially-distanced conversation about their experience. 

Pro Tips:

• Make sure to check university regulations to confirm that you will not be breaking any rules by visiting campus and walking around or driving through. Some schools are not open to visitors at this time, and you can reach out to the Public Safety department to inquire.

• While you won’t likely have access to dorms or academic buildings on an informal walk, pay attention to everything you see outside - do students hang out on the quad? Is there a popular dining hall or coffee shop? Do you see flyers or posters hanging up around campus for events that interest or excite you? Remember that even if you are not able to step foot on campus itself, you can still look online to find an off-campus spot that’s popular with students. For example, grab bagels at Bodo’s!

• Finally, don’t be afraid to wander “off the beaten path” to find the less desirable parts of campus - if the gym is outdated or the math building is really far away (and you’re a math major!), you want to find out sooner rather than later.

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Whether you choose to visit in person or virtually, take careful notes and do a gut check by envisioning yourself on campus. Not sure where to begin with your visits? Current clients should reach out to us for more tips, or leave a question in the comments and we’ll answer it in a future post!

Note: DC College Counseling does not encourage or advise students to visit campuses in person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each family needs to make the decision for themselves about whether or not this is safe based on current conditions, vaccination status, and individual comfort level. If you are not planning to visit schools in person just yet, take a look at our blog post about virtual visits to make the most out of your virtual experience!

Breaking Down School Counselor & Independent Counselor Differences (and Misconceptions!)

We <3 School Counselors

Did you know that this is national school counseling week? Here at DC College Counseling, we love school counselors and try to collaborate with them as much as we can! We also enjoy providing consulting services for counseling staff at private and public schools. 

We get this question all the time - what will you do for my daughter that her school counselor won’t? Or, from some of our clients, why doesn’t my son’s school counselor do what you do?

The answer is that being a school counselor is a very different job from being an independent consultant, with very different responsibilities. Luckily, both can work together to make sure families have maximum support during the admissions and application process!

In fact, we believe that the best outcomes are more likely to occur for any student when that student’s parents, school counselor, and independent counselor(s) approach the process together as a unified “Team Student” front - along with any other supplemental service providers such as therapists, tutors, or academic coaches!

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My Daughter’s School Counselor is Lazy

I hear this a lot and cringe every time. While there are of course bad apples in every profession, most school counselors aren’t lazy at all - they are just busy! In Fairfax County, for example, the average school counselor is responsible for over two hundred students. TWO HUNDRED! And that’s actually considered to be a great ratio - nationally, there’s an average ratio of five hundred students per counselor.

And they do a lot more than just college counseling - often, that’s just a very small part of their job. Public school counselors are typically responsible for ensuring students’ academic, personal, and social growth, and are usually assigned to students with a wide variety of needs, sometimes across multiple grade levels.

Due to the scope of their roles, most public school counselors report spending only 20% of their time on college admissions and the application process. This makes sense when you consider that less than half of high schools in the US have dedicated college counselors!

The landscape is very different at private schools (and particularly independent schools) where school counselors have much smaller caseloads that usually consist of between 30 and 40 students. These school communities often do have a dedicated college counseling team that is fully separate from the “personal counseling” team. With fewer competing job duties and many fewer students, there’s no question that private school counselors are able to provide much more one-on-one assistance for their students than their public school counterparts.

Still, it’s a misconception that private school counselors can do everything. They can’t!

Did you know that Colleen spent eight years working as an independent school college counselor after working in college admissions? Here she is with her co-counselor Whitney on Twin Day during their former school’s spirit week!

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Sometimes our public school families are surprised to learn that a majority of our students actually attend private schools. However, it’s not a coincidence that so many of these private school families come to us for the first time with their second child, after realizing the first time around that they needed more help than their school counselor could reasonably provide! In total, our staff will spend an average of 70 work hours per student - on top of the school counselor’s work!

The reason we have time to do this is that we only engage with a maximum of 20 students per counselor; moreover, our students are also supported by our amazing team of essay coaches and administrative staff. We are able to allocate resources ourselves to be fully focused on the process for each individual student, whereas school counselors answer to school boards, trustees, and other individuals with a stake in the college counseling process. Lastly, we don’t spend our time writing recommendation letters or sending transcripts, so we’re able to spend more of our day in a student-facing capacity.

How will the admissions process look with each type of counselor?

In addition to our standard services, we also provide what we like to call “professional nagging” - following up with students to ensure that they are completing everything to the best of their ability well before the deadline. 

This is one of the main reasons why we are so popular with families with second children - first-time parents often do not realize that this process is much more complex than it initially appears. Even the most amazing, experienced school counselors are not able to take on the role of managing and facilitating every aspect of the process for students and families. 

They just don’t have the time to do this type of personalized project management, which is why working with both a school counselor and independent consultant might be the best choice for families that need help each step of the way. It can also be a great option for families with students who are not likely to self-advocate and seek out help from a busy school counselor. No one is able to hide when working with our team. When students don’t respond to us, we seek them out! On the other hand, most school counselors have students lining up who are need immediate help - it’s not realistic to expect them to bypass students with immediate needs to track down unresponsive ones.

There are a few major takeaways here:

• A student’s school counselor plays an essential role in the college admissions process. An independent counselor can by no means replace a school counselor’s value in this process, from the letter of recommendation to advocacy calls and everything in between.

• An independent counselor’s role is not essential to the process, but can certainly make it much easier on everyone involved. However, a dedicated and knowledgeable parent with a lot of free time to commit to college admissions-related tasks can substantially lessen the value add of an independent counselor.

• It’s very important for families to manage their expectations of school counselors. They simply cannot provide the same level of support that a paid independent consultant can, and it’s not right to suggest that they are bad at their jobs because family expectations are off base.

• While school counselors and independent counselors have different roles, they can work together to provide students with the dedicated support they need to put their best foot forward in the admissions process!

Don’t forget to say thank you to your school counselor this week!