Saturday, April 11, 2009

Green Checks

As you can see, I've been a bit busy reading applications and helping with Days on the Lawn.
Sorry for being missing in action.

A green check does not mean that there has been a decision made on your application. Not having a green check does not mean that a decision has not been made. We had this problem with the first-years back in the winter. It is merely a function of Peoplesoft. That is the place where you will eventually check your decision, but they are not complete let alone ready to be released at this time. No amount of anxiety or worrying or pleading on the blog will change the current date of release on May 1. Remember that we are using a new online system this year. This affects our reading style, timing and processes. Just because it was April 25 last year, it doesn't mean it will be that date this year.

I will get to your comments next week. I just wanted to put your minds at ease this weekend with this post.

79 comments:

Joker said...

Thank you Tranfermer, alot of us were talking about these green checks, so it is certain that all decisions will be on may 1st??

bounce said...

Ohh okay. That clears things up.

Sydney said...

I actually hope its not before May 1, I have finals and don't want a rejection ruining my groove :)

Thank you!

Kevin Jacokes said...

Haha, phew. Glad to hear it. Everyone talking about their checkmarks had me worried for a second.

Anonymous said...

It is still showing that my SAT scores are missing, but I spoke to someone in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and told them my scores are on my high school transcript, so they told me that is fine and my status would change on my S.I.S., but it still is showing as an incomplete (Yellow).

CarrJW said...

ATTN. EVERYONE:

For anyone interested, I have created a facebook page titled "UVA Transfers." Please feel free to join as it has become a great resource for chatting, along with helping to alleviate much of the tension that many of us are experiencing as decision day arrives, including myself!!! :) Good luck to all, and hope to see you there!

~Carrie

lINK: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70565710981&ref=mf

katydid said...

thanks transfermer! can't wait till may 1

confused said...

Why would my High School Transcript and SATs still be missing on my sis-page?! AHHHH! I sent them three times over a period of four months with the first being sent back in January (along with my College Transcript, which has been received already).

Anonymous said...

They've said before that many people's SAT Scores will remain under their To Do Lists until the day the decision is released. It doesn't mean they don't have them, the status just isn't going to be updated. If you've sent your scores that many times and Admissions has confimed that they have them then you're fine.

confused said...

I know about my SAT scores, but what about the HS Transcript?!

Sasha said...

I would assume that unless they've emailed you by this past Friday, they have it.

But in all honesty, if you really are that worried about your HS transcript, you should call the admissions office and have somebody actually look at your file. That'd probably help you out much more quickly than writing on this blog, as good as it is, will.

Transfermer said...

If you call the office, our staff will tell you that "you'll be emailed if something is missing." If you really sent it three times, email undergradadmission@virginia.edu.
Tell them Transfermer told you to write, and we'll see if we can get it checked out.

I promise I'll catch up on last week's comments tomorrow!! Thanks for being so patient readers :)

hopefulhoo said...

Thank you Transfermer for your response. I have called and e-mailed admissions once each this past week and I did receive that response that I would be notified if anything was missing. I waited, but with a little over two weeks until decisions come out I am getting slightly concerned. I have e-mailed that address -- thank you for the advice.

Anonymous said...

I have often wondered why other colleges don't conduct similar blogs to this one.After reading the posts and comments I now know why. The comments are redundant and your posts merely repeat what is clearly stated. Tranfermer you are an angel and your patients is admirable.

Anonymous said...

Less than 3 weeks to go!!! :) It is at 18 days now. CRAZYYYY!!! I'm so excited/anxious/nervous to find out if I was accepted. AHH!!!

Transfermer, you are great. Thanks for keeping this blog going and answering everyone's questions. You indirectly answer mine, which is always helpful.

As for the last post:(anonymous)
Yes, some of the questions/answers are redundant, but at the same time there are people who just want to clear things up and make sure that they have everything they need in order. If it annoys you, don't write in or read this blog any more than you have to. The admissions process is stressful, and sometimes it is better to have that confermation that everything is right. Just chill out, it's ok. :)

Countdown said...

Transfermer,

I have applied for the fall, but I am interested in taking summer classes at UVA. If I am accepted for Fall '09, can I start my UVA curiculum with summer clasees? Obviously these credits are from UVA, however would they count as transfer credits or would they be part if my academic curiculum? (Basically, I already have over the 60 credit hours accepted by UVA and I want to make sure I wouldn't be taking credits that won't count towards my curiculum) Thanks in advance!

Anonymous said...

I can no longer find the link to check my application status on peoplesoft. Where can I find access to the U.Va. link?

Kevin Jacokes said...

Anonymous--

http://www.virginia.edu/sis/ will take you to the main SIS page.

From there just go down to where it says "New Undergraduate students" and click on your semester of entry. Or just click this link if you're a new student entering during the Fall 2009 semester: https://sisuva.admin.virginia.edu/epprd/signon.html.

Transfermer said...

Joker,
May 1st is it for the time being.

Anon,
It probably will not change, but this will not keep your application from being reviewed.

Hopefulhoo,
I’m curious. Did you get a response?

Countdown,
I’m pretty sure this would be a part of your major or area requirements, but that’s a question for your particular school. You would have to email them.

liz said...

Transfermer,

Between GAA and out-of-state quota requirements, what percentage of the people the admissions committee plans to accept will be from in-state students currently attending 4 year institutions? Or is it too early to say?

Thanks for all you do!

She said...

If 1/2 of the accepted transfers are from VCCS, and a 1/3 are OOS, then a 1/6 of the accepted students are from 4-year in-state schools. Yikes.

UVAfan said...

Transfermer,
I heard from a source that VCCS students are usually given priority in the admissions process, is this the case? If so, why?

I am from a VCCS :)

UVA Transfer said...

Only 25% of VCCS students complete the GAA properly, so I wouldn't say the GAA is a big force right now.

Sasha said...

Where are all these numbers about the composition of the admitted students pool coming from? Just out for curiosity, because I hadn't heard about such things besides the OOS to In state ration.

Lenny said...

ahh, the anticipation is murder! When is the deadline for accepting admission? Some schools deadline is May 1st and others is May 15th...

Cookie Monster said...

Want to eat Blue and Orange HOO Cookie soon! Hope decision letter have good cookie to eat.

hopefulhoo said...

Transfermer,

No, I have not yet received a response from the admissions office. I sent the e-mail Monday night. I am hoping that they are currently looking for my High School Transcript and SAT scores? I am getting worried by now because I believe everyone has had their to-do list checked off if they sent everything into admissions. As there anyway I can give you my contact information?

Thanks.

###'s said...

Transfermer,
I apologize but I am a numbers' person.
I saw an earlier post that 2300 apps submitted and the historical admit rate is close to 35% so I am guessing there will be about 800 offer letters give or take and looking at the past around 66% (overall avg. not individual college) will enroll, which would be around 528 students making the 2009 new transfer enrollment projection of 525 pretty close. I noticed the last few years you were able to enroll a few % above the projection. I am just curious how rigid the admissions office has to adhere to the Board of Visitor's projections? And if the waitlist functions independently of the admit/enroll statistics?

Thanks,
###'s
The data I got came from here:
http://www.web.virginia.edu/iaas/data_catalog/institutional/enrollment/Approved_Projections_07.htm

hopefulhoo said...

Transfermer,

Yes! I received an e-mail this morning saying that my message will be forwarded to the appropriate person. Hopefully, that person is you. Thanks for all of the help and I'll keep you updated on my status -- hopefully, everything will work out in the end. It would sure stink to be rejected because of an incomplete application.

Ben said...

Transfermer,

I have just been rejected by Virginia Tech, because, essentially, they didn't like the curriculum I have taken in my first two years at my University. I have taken two science classes at my university of the needed 4 to graduate, because I am majoring in Psychology and there are 2 classes in psychology which count for science credit which I have yet to, but plan to, take. I have not taken a math class at my university because I was unsure on my major up until now (in my 4th semester) and to graduate in the College of Arts& Sciences you are able to take a progression in Spanish to fulfill the math requirement. I can't help but feel that Virginia Tech did not understand this, and this being so, saw my coursework as lacking (even though I have taken high level courses).

Will UVA hold this against me as well? (Sorry for the length of comment-- also, I did not mention my school because I am not sure how specific we are supposed to be here, though I clearly can.)

Asked not said...

To Transfermer:

Would the admissions board care at all about any of the other schools we've been accepted to, or is that completely irrelevant? Please let me know!

Thank you

hopefulhoo said...

Transfermer,

Thank you for all of your help. I received an e-mail this afternoon stating that my transcript and SAT scores have been located. Thanks once again for all you have done. Accepted, Waitlisted or Rejected, this blog has been the best source for application information and helpful information.

UVAfan said...

Transfermer,

Right now at my VCCS i am taking a very difficult course (NAS 161) to be exact; a pre-req for SON. I am afraid that this course is sort of pulling me down and I would like to know...If i am accepted to UVA for fall 2009 (knock on wood) would this force admissions to reject me from UVA if I were to get a 'D' or an 'F', God forbid, on my 2nd semester grades? or would UVA admissions sympathize with me a little if i tell them the reasons as to why i got a low grade. I am speaking hypothetically of course.

If so, can i just re-take it in the summer at UVA or VCCS and still be well admitted to UVA?

THANK YOU SO MUCH TRANSFERMER, YOUR AWESOME!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tranfermer

I applied to UVA back in February and never received my SIS ID in my email. However, I did receive the confirmation email from common application. I have called in and the counselor said she asked a lady named Fran to contact me. Decisions will be made in two weeks yet I still don't know what I might be missing. Should I just sit and wait?

TeapotMonarch said...

I mentioned before that I was planning to take a summer school course at JSarge. I know "Human Biology" has the name biology in it, but I wanted to make sure it would count for a bio gen ed requirement? Is that the case?

Thanks so much!

joey said...

i feel like you can check all of the course descriptions, and what the courses fulfill, on uva's website. check the graduation requirements page/major requirement/CAS requirements. i guarantee its on there somewhere.

TeapotMonarch said...

I have that website and the transfer credit for the biology course I was talking about. The transfer equivalent is a biology course at UVA, but it is listed as a 000T number, which makes me worry that it may not count as a biology gen ed requirement.

TeapotMonarch said...

This thought just randomly occurred to me and I was wondering what peoples opinions are on this. I was reading a post on collegeconfidential about a letter asking why a child's grades slipped. I knew about these anyways (a friend of mine got one from UVA...but he pulled his grades up after too), but reading it again made me wonder. As a transfer student, would it be beneficial to write a similar letter? Say a students grades dropped a bit there senior year, but the rest of their records were quite good, including in college. I just want to add anything that can help me get in. :)

I know it's a very general situation, but any feedback would be helpful. :)

And as always, thanks Transfermer!

joey said...

I think this might answer your question -- The transfer credit analyzer says "UVA course equivalencies listed in the database as 100T, 200T, etc. represent transferable credit for which we have no precise equivalent. Such courses may be used for degree credit," or, in your case, biology gen ed credits. (http://www.web.virginia.edu/analyzer/Default.aspx)

I think you should be fine. I'm not trying to answer questions for Transfermer, I just had the same question a couple weeks ago.

TeapotMonarch said...

Thank you so much! I'm actually surprised I hadn't seen that before. Guess I shouldn't claim to know UVA admissions information backward and forward any more...

Kevin Jacokes said...

i feel like it's december 11th, and with 2 weeks left until christmas, i'm already tired of the holiday season because i started listening to christmas music and putting up decorations on october 31st.

le sigh.

er said...

Haha I know what you mean. I wonder how early they would possibly tell us. Maybe we'll get lucky and hear on the 25th, but I doubt it will be anytime sooner. Any other thoughts?

Anonymous said...

Okay... I guess I will join the crowd and worry some too. I applied under the GAA but am still stressed :(

Sasha said...

Teapot,
I thought about that letter too. Unfortunetly for those of us in that situation, I think it'd be rather tough to shake the 'senioritis' patch that is surely attached to grade slippage senior year.

Sasha said...

Regarding the GAA agreement, I feel that I don't really understand how it works.

I had assumed that if you attend a community college in Virginia (eg NOVA) for two years, and have a designated cumulative GPA, you are guaranteed admission to the public school in Virginia of your choice. If this were the case, no GAA applicants would be nervous.

How does the GAA actually work?

TeapotMonarch said...

You have to complete course requirements for the specific schools as well, from my understanding of it. I still don't understand why people are worried though when they are under the GAA for sure. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, I just don't understand it.

Kevin Jacokes said...

it's a pretty detailed agreement:
-minimum 3.4 gpa
-minimum 54 transferable credit hours, 45 of which are from a VCCS school (minimum doesn't count AP credits)
-foreign language (through 202 level in college courses, OR 4/5 on an AP OR a sufficient score on an SATII, which varies by language)
-various social sciences, humanities, historical studies, non-western perspectives, and natural science course requirements

complications arise when you're trying to make sure a specific course fulfills a course requirement or a specific language test satisfies the language requirement. there's a lot that can go wrong.

Kevin Jacokes said...

not to mention, the agreement is only for arts & sciences. i applied to mcintire, so i'm still sweating bullets.

Sasha said...

Thanks for that KJ,
I see how there is room for a class to fall through the cracks there. I had assumed that when enrolling for classes at a participating CC, people who knew they wanted to transfer would only register for classes that would fulfill the requirements. But doing that was also assuming everyone always knew they'd want to transfer.

Thanks again.

CarrJW said...

The GAA is tricky however, not only do you have to satisfy all of the course requirements and maintain a certain GPA, but THE CLASSES HAVE TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME. Many students are denied admission under the GRR because of failure to do so. Be weary and READ BETWEEN THE LINES. There are always underlying requirements that are involved with these sorts of things.

Transfermer said...

No no no, that's simply not true.
You can finish your GAA in any amount of time. You must apply to the University within two years of receiving your associates degree.

Smiles :) said...

Just a clarification question. I know there is the required 1/3, 2/3 ratio for out-of-state and in-state, respectively. However, is there a required GAA and non-GAA requirement as well? I know you're supposed to take in those who successfully complete their guaranteed agreement, but is there a set number for that such as in the residency ratios?

Oops! said...

I have learned that there are "hidden requirements" that aren't even listed in the text of the agreement. I've been told by a UVA admissions counselor that if you've ever received a grade below "C" in any post-secondary class, you are ineligible for the GAA.

I failed out of college seven years ago (not really, just too low of a GPA to keep my scholarships). I joined the military for five years and received my associate's degree from VCCS last year, qualifying for the GAA in all respects. But since I got some D's back in 2002, apparently I don't actually qualify.

It's a bad idea to rely 100% on the GAA to get in: don't do what I did, and only apply to UVA, thinking you have some kind of guarantee! As it turns out, I might have to take an involuntary "year off" from college... Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get in anyway.

Faxless said...

In SIS, I have a "Student 1040" added to my to-do list. It wants me to fax my Form 1040 in. I don't have access to a fax machine, but I live in the Charlottesville area. Can I drop it off? If so, which office in which building?

Thanks in advance!

Kevin Jacokes said...

Oops--

Not sure what you mean by these being "hidden" requirements that "aren't even listed in the text of the agreement.

If you read the agreement carefully, it tells you that you can't get below a C in any of your VCCS classes and can't get below a B in the required English courses.

http://myfuture.vccs.edu/Portals/0/ContentAreas/AcademicServices/VCCS_UVA.pdf

Kevin Jacokes said...

*forgot to put an end quotation mark in there

Oops! said...

Yeah, you can't get a grade below "C" in your VCCS classes. My classes were at another university in another state.

Oops! said...

Nope! Didn't transfer any of it. I started fresh at my VCCS school; my VCCS degree is completely self-contained and in accordance with the GAA (w/ >3.4 GPA, all grades C or above, language & NWP requirement met, etc). I only included my non-VCCS college credit on my UVA application because they asked for a chronological breakdown of what I've been doing since high school. It wasn't to transfer the credits. I thought those credits were too old to count for anything.

I can see what you're trying to say, but the agreement only talks about VCCS credits: "Achieves a cumulative grade point average in VCCS coursework of 3.4 or better.... Earns a grade of C or better in every VCCS course taken, with the exception that the grade in English 111 and English 112 must be a B or better." If those bad grades from another college in another state from 2002 don't appear anywhere on my VCCS transcript, I don't see how they're relevant to the GAA.

Anyway, I don't want to totally hijack this thread. I want to know about that "Student 1040" thing too, because the library here charges you $5 to use their fax machine and I'd really rather send it in the mail. But I wouldn't mind it at all if Transfermer tells me that I was misinformed. ;-)

Kevin Jacokes said...

yeah, i think it's best to talk to transfermer/dean j/give a call to someone at the office of admissions to get some clarification on those sorts of things.

still, i feel like the more requirements in the gaa you fulfill before applying, the more competitive you become, since the gaa requirements are things all uva students have to complete before they can graduate (the course requirements at least: foreign language, non-western perspectives, et cetera).

UVA Transfer said...

Transfermer,

I think CarrJW was just confused by this wording in the GAA:

"Completes an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Arts and Science degree in the VCCS within the two-year period preceding application to the University"

If you don't read that exactly right, you can mistake it for meaning "You have to complete this in two years."

I feel like the GAA is a great thing. I did deal with quite a bit of hassle while trying to complete it (The NWP being one thing) but I do think it was worth it in the end. I truly feel like I completed the same work I would have completed if I had been at UVA the past two years.

TeapotMonarch said...

I will not admit at how often I check this blog (let's just say way, way too often). I keep hoping there will be an update. It would be so wonderful to find out this week, then, if I need to wallow, I won't be wallowing two days before exams...I have the money ready to buy Ben and Jerry's if need be.

Again, good luck to everyone! Either way, less than two weeks!

nervous said...

Yes, hopefully Transfermer has been missing in action because they're finishing everything up this week. Good luck to you as well! And everyone!

Kevin Jacokes said...

don't worry teapot...i think i check Dean J's and Transfermer's blogs three times per day and College Confidential four to five times per day. i check SIS only once per day, just to see if they accidentally turned my decision on before everyone else. :)

Not Transfermer said...

Transfermer has been ee swallowed by zee numerous transfer applications;thus, ve are all en zee accepted leest for zee fall '09.

Just kidding, get some laughs in your life though; we are almost to the release date.

Laterzz

Smiles :) said...

Teapot, I totally agree with you.

Anonymous said...

I called... they still don't know he exact release date for decisions. I asked if it would be early and they said they did not know yet.

Sasha said...

I think it was on this Monday last year when they announced that all decisions would be up on April 30th. I don't have any idea how that will make any of you feel better.

Smiles :) said...

What makes me check the blog everyday is that last year, ON April 25 they announced that applicants whose decisions had been made could view them that night; no advance warning or anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining; I mean it's wonderful that they got to view it early. My point is that I'm wondering if something like that will happen again this year, so I keep checking just in case...

Anonymous said...

if its showing up that they need your student 1040 EZ form, isn't that some kind of indication that you've been admitted. It seems to me that they wouldn't really evaluate your financial aid if you weren't admitted...who knows.

Chuck said...

If we get our decision early, I bet that Transfermer would make a post about that topic. So guys don't stress! Just worry about the decision the day they come out!

gonjun said...

where is it saying that they need your 1040ez?

Anonymous said...

I imagine the 1040ez is to verify tuition status -- in-state vs out-of-state

Kevin Jacokes said...

^yup. i would imagine so as well.

worried said...

they're not asking for mine!! does this mean i've been rejected?!

Kevin Jacokes said...

let's all take a chill pill. it doesn't help to speculate as to why some people are seeing certain things while others aren't. we'll find out within a week or so.

Anonymous said...

No this is just a process that financial aid goes through. Last year I was denied and still required to send that information in. No worries. Also, if you have only recently submitted for aid it probably will not show up.

Anonymous said...

Not everyone has to file or is eligible to file the 1040ez form. If they haven't requested it from you it is because it does not apply to you and I doubt that it means anything about your decision status...

Transfermer said...

Liz,
I don’t have that information. What She says is not exactly right. I can only say that about 1/3 of the admitted students are from out of state.

UVAfan,
They are not given priority in a blanket fashion. All applicants must have competitive grades and a good number of the required courses.

Good observations ###s,
The waitlist is a part of these numbers. Typically, we admit 600-700 on the whole.

Hopefulhoo,
We try our best to have all applicants complete (that’s what we call it) before reading them. Thanks for your kind words.

Ben,
I can’t say. I hope you explained this in your application. We try to take limitations into consideration. I think it’s a good idea to keep the school out of it.

Asked not,
No

UVAfan,
You will probably hear from us. We’ll want an explanation. These things can go both ways. Hopefully you can pick up some steam in these last few weeks 

Anon with no SIS ID,
You can write to undergradadmission@virginia.edu

Teapot,
If it was something that concerned you, you could have included it in the application, but again we look at these on a case-by-case basis. I worry you’re thinking too hard about this.

Smiles,
There is no quota.

Faxless et al,
See my blogpost from a few mins ago.

TeapotMonarch said...

Transfermer,

Thanks for the response! I just want to make sure I do what I need to get into UVA.