Let's Review One Important Detail from the GAA

If you are applying from a Virginia Community College, you may be considering the Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA).  There are many important details on the GAA including the fact that you cannot use it to apply for spring semester.  That's right.  See the detail below clipped from Section 1.  Now, if you are not admitted for spring and want to try again for fall, then we'll consider you for the GAA. But again, it is not open to applicants for spring admission.

The Spring Application Deadline is...

...Just around the corner!

There are a number of procedures that will occur once you submit the application.  You'll receive confirmation from Common App, but it's very important that you receive confirmation from our institution as well.  It will take 48-72 hours for your application to go through the system.

After this, you'll receive a SIS ID and password.  These are attributes you'll use to check your decision come December 1.  More importantly, it's where you'll find your to-do list. 

Your to-do list will tell you when we are looking for and when we've received required materials.  After you apply, please allow 10-14 days for your materials to be matched to your application.  This is a human and manual process and our staff works very hard to keep on top of the hundreds of documents that we receive.

Good luck everyone!

Order those High School Transcripts Now

We have a little over a month until the deadline for spring admission, October 1. If you are applying, you will be required to submit a high school transcript or GED score report.

This document is required for every applicant, no matter how old you are and no matter how many college courses you've taken, no matter how many associates' degrees you have.  Even if you're planning on getting an associates, or maybe you already have one... the high school transcript is required.  Squash those rumors.  We have seen diligent applicants who graduated from high school 20, 30 years ago get their transcripts. It's more possible than you might think.  But, it does take time, so start early.

If you attended high school outside of the U.S., we require a translated transcript.  Most applicants use WES or the World Education Service. Again, this can take a long time, so start working on it as soon as possible, be you a spring or fall applicant.

If you graduated high school recently, we are still closely looking at your high school record.  Typically, the longer you've been in college, the less we'll look at your high school record.

Order those transcripts now. Check it off of your mental to-do list early. You can send them even if you have yet to apply.  We will hold onto it until your application is submitted.

Taking a Foreign Language

Did you know that foreign language is a requirement to graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Commerce School?

Most transfers we meet with are surprised to hear this.  And unfortunately, this means that they are already behind in their pre-requisite course requirements. 

When putting the final touches on your fall course schedule this year, make sure to sign up for those foreign language courses.  The McIntire School of Commerce requires coursework or exemptions (through the SAT II/AP) through the 202 level of a language.  If you are a Virginia community college student interested in the Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA), these courses are also required to be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to the fall in which you want to enter.

If you are not applying under the GAA, you are strongly, strongly encouraged to get started on this coursework before you apply.  The more core courses you have while transferring, the more competitive you'll be in the admissions process. 

The Common App is Now Live!

Well, summer is far from over, but the CA people have been hard at work preparing to launch this year's application. It went live last Friday.  As transfers, you have the first deadline. That would be October 1, 2014.   If you are interested in applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, the Urban Planning program and the Architectural History, program, then you can apply at this time.  Remember that to be an eligible transfer, you must be going into at least your second year or second semester of college this fall.  If you graduated high school this past school year, you are not eligible and must wait for the fall semester deadline of March 1.  AP, IB scores nor dual enrollment will make you a transfer at this time. 

If you are in a bachelor's degree seeking program and you are a rising junior applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, this is your last chance to apply.  After the fall semester, you will be ineligible.

To start your common application, go to www.commonapp.org.
Note: If you created an account last year, you'll need to create a new one for the 2014-2015 school year. 

The Wait List has closed

We've come to a point where the transfer class is full. Regrettably, we can't offer admission to everyone. In due time, you should receive an email notifying you of the closure. 

We know that the wait can be long and tedious, so we appreciate your patience and cooperation in sending your final transcripts.

We'll use this summer to make posts about preparing for the spring application.  This will be available on Common App's website around August 1. Look out for summer tips and guidance.

Second Wave of Wait List Offers

This weekend, we will offer to about 30 more students.  Most come from Arts and Sciences, but there is one from Commerce and a few from Engineering.  I believe this will be the final wave, but the wait list isn't formally closed.  When it closes, we will post it on the blog and everyone remaining will receive an email with the announcement. We will do our best to close the wait list by the end of June.

Transfer Wait List Update

The process is finally beginning to churn again.

This weekend, we will offer to about 70 students from the wait lists for the College, Engineering and Architecture.  No word yet on Nursing or Commerce.

These decisions are announced through email, so check the email account you noted on your application. Check your junk mail too.  The decision will be posted on your SIS self-service page and that is where you'll pay your deposit.  In order to keep the process moving, you will have 48 hours to deposit. 

Good luck!

UPDATE ON 6/14/14:
The emails went out Friday evening.  There will be no more emails this weekend. Historically, there have a couple of waves of decisions.  I can’t promise there will be another, but let’s hope so.

If you need an extension on your deposit deadline because you need to know your financial aid situation before you deposit, please reply to the email you received. We will not give you an extension if you did not submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the deadline of April 1. 

Student Financial Services was notified of your new decisions on Friday. They will now work to get you your awards out as soon as possible.  If they have posted items on your to-do list, please see to them straight away.   We want to wrap this up quickly, but appropriate financial aid awards can sometimes take weeks. 

 

Complete or Incomplete? That is the Question.

Thank you for your comments over the weekend.  On Saturday, our Student Information System was down for updates.  When it came back up, it made many matriculated students accounts' appear incomplete.  This was a false alarm and we apologize for the anxiety.  The situation was rectified just 20 mins ago.  Please go back and check to see that you have a green 'complete' circle. If you don't, send us an email.

Again, this is only for matriculated students.  This did not affect wait listed students.  If you are on the wait list, a final transcript request does not appear on your to-do list... but don't let that confuse you.  We need your final transcript to compare you to other wait-listed students.

And here's another reminder to remember to click the button to "Remain on the Wait List."

UPDATE: Now, any matriculated student who has an incomplete yellow triangle has not sent us a final transcript. 

Send in those final transcripts

Your exams are coming or have come to an end.  Let's hope you are happy about the way you performed.  Make sure to get those final transcripts into our office! 

Nursing and Commerce are often the schools that take few if any off the wait list.  The same is true this year.  As the College of Arts and Sciences is our largest school, we'll be taking 60-70 students from the wait list.   The dust is still settling, but we hope to have the wait list resolved by the end of June. There are just over 400 students on the wait list for all schools.

Offered admission for Fall 2014?

Please use this post to pose questions if you have been offered admission.

Congrats! As I said in my other post, you will receive an offer letter in the mail. Your admissions deposit can be paid online.  This goes towards your first semester’s tuition. Below your online “letter” you should see buttons to accept or decline our offer of admission.  Clicking “YES” will not completely secure your spot in the class.  You will need to pay your $400 deposit to set it in stone.  You can pay with a credit card (we do not accept VISA) or with an e-check.  As specified in the letter, you will have until May 15^th to put down a deposit. 

As far as the next steps go, 72 hours after you deposit, you will be able to take U.Va.’s responsible computing quiz, officially set up your email account and register for orientation. Housing and dining information will take a little longer to come.   It is so important to keep an eye on both your old and new email addresses.  EVERYTHING happens on email.  Don’t miss important deadlines by ignoring these accounts. Your academic credit will not be evaluated until you pay your deposit and send in your final transcript. This evaluation is ongoing until summer orientation.  

If you decide not to come to U.Va., please be sure to decline the offer using the other button-- the "NO" button. We and our wait listed students would really appreciate this courtesy.

UPDATE: We do not have an open house for transfer admission.  Our faculty and students are in the midst of final exams.  Financial aid awards should start going out next week.