Thursday, January 15, 2009

Recommendations Revisited

I've posted it on this several times, but as with any blog, pertinent information tends to get buried. Let's recap this subject.

1) Know that recommendations or "instructor evaluations" as they are called on the Common App, are RECOMMENDED and not required. Therefore, we do not recommend a number. Historically, transfer applicants send in 0-2 recommendations. You will not be penalized if you send 0. You will not be penalized if you send 3. However, please bear in mind that we are reading hundreds of applications and will not read every recommendation if you decide to send us an exorbitant amount with your application.

2) There are a variety of ways to send these recommendations. They can be 1) mailed to the address on our website. They may be 2) faxed to (434)924-7674 OR 3) they may be emailed through traditional email to uvarecommendations@virginia.edu. Your name must be in the subject line and we'd like your Date of Birth in the body of the email.

** We do not have the capability to receive the instructor evaluation through the CommonApp portal. Please send them via one of the three ways I've listed above.


Do I need to submit a Secondary School Report Form and College Official's Report?
NO
We at UVA do not, nor have we ever used these types of forms in our transfer review process. The Common Application is made for hundreds of Universities and Colleges and some use these forms, some do not. That's why it's important to check the schools' websites for specific instructions.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks, i was confused about the secondary school report form!

Sud said...

Could you give us a percentage of how many applicants have a letter of recommendation sent in? I am just curious. If this is not possible, I understand. Thanks in advance.

Anonymous said...

Can we submit recommendation letters after submitting the Common Application?
-Chuck

Anonymous said...

How is high school performance considered in the admission process if we don't have to submit a Secondary School Report?

Anonymous said...

transfermer,

when reviewing transcripts, is the particular university and level of academic difficulty of that particular university taken into consideration?

Kelly said...

I was not accepted as a Spring transfer, but am applying again for the fall. In my letter it says to send my transcript with my fall semester grades and the classes I am taking this semester. Do I need to send an official transcript, or is an unofficial one okay?

Anonymous said...

On the common app one of the required essays for transfer students asks what we have done while not enrolled in college (not including summer) but what if this does not apply. I did not take time off from school so would I just not write that essay? HELP PLEASE! Thanks.
- Amy

Sasha said...

Amy,
I didn't take any time off after high school either. Therefore, I am not going to answer that question. Best of Luck.

Anonymous said...

Amy,
Transfermer said that we didn't need to answer that question if we didn't take time off.
-Chuck

Unknown said...

whoops... I think my high school has sent that school report anyway... I hope that's ok and won't go against me. I know absolutely nothing about transferring and I've been having trouble trying to get straight information from anyone.

Anonymous said...

transfermer i have a question relating to the supplemental essay #1; i am a first year who is apply to transfer so i would be placed under the college of arts and sciences.. could you please elaborate on this question? are you talking about my future classes?

Transfermer said...

Yes Chuck, but it must arrive by March 1.

Greg, we feel the HS transcript will give us enough information, and if it doesn't, we'll attempt to contact the hs.

Yes Jimmy.

Kelly, they have to be official.

Alex, it will "not go against you." It's simply not required.

Anon, your future major.

Anonymous said...

Transfermer,

I have a few questions about the second essay in the Supplement section of the application.

When they say to describe an activity during periods of time when I was not in college, does that mean high school?

And, since I'm not spending the spring semester out of college, I really don't know what I'm supposed to write for this essay at all. Am I even supposed to write this essay if I'm not taking the spring off?

Anonymous said...

You can ignore my question. I just realized it was already answered.

Thanks anyway!

Anonymous said...

Is there any other type of evaluation form that goes with the recommendation letter?

Anonymous said...

i was still confused about the HS transcript. so we do need to send in an official HS transcript along with the transcript from college? but not the school report?

Anonymous said...

I hope everyone's application process is going well. Good luck!
-Amy

Transfermer said...

UVA Transfer,

Please read this post and the comments closely. I think you'll find your answer.

Right,

HS Transcript REQUIRED
Secondary School Report(SSR) NOT REQUIRED

Anonymous said...

transfermer... If I wasn't accepted as spring transfer, and planning to re-apply as fall transfer, is latest official transcript all required? if so, is it better if I let the school mail the transcript? or can I pick it up from school and mail it myself? because I have a little essay to mail as well. also, should I mention anything else in the mail to clarify that I am re-applying who don't require to pay additional $60 application fee? do you have all the recommendation letter from spring application?

Transfermer said...

Yes uva dreamer,
Your transcript including your Fall grades is most certainly required. It doesn't matter whether or not you or your school mail(s) it.
You should email undergradadmission@virginia.edu and this will tell us that you would like your application "rolled over." We hold onto all materials for two years.

Anonymous said...

May my professor simply submit a letter of recommendation in lieu of the Common App Instructor Evaluation form? I am studying abroad this semester and as that form must be signed by both applicant and instructor, it would save us some steps in that process.

In other words, would it receive the same consideration as the recommended form? Thank you!

Unknown said...

Does faculty's recommendation and official transcription only apply for school of art and science, or it is also applied to school of commerce?

Because I saw on the website for the transfer students who are interested in school of commerce, they need to send official transcription and reference letter.

Thank you

-Kelly

Annie said...

Recommendations cannot be written by high school teachers, correct?
If that is correct, but I took a dual enrollment class through PVCC in high school, could the teacher of that class write a recommendation or does that still count as a high school teacher?

Kerry said...

What do we need to send in regarding course description? I'm a sophomore and I don't know if I need to find a class description at my current college for every class I've taken since freshman year?