Many students applying to UVA may also find the following blogs to be of interest:
How to Get Into:
Let’s start by looking at the most recent admissions information.
UVA Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026
There were 50. 962 applications for admission into the Cavalier Class of 2025. Only 9,522 individuals or 21% were accepted. It is crucial to remember that applying to this university if you don’t live in Virginia is much harder. Out-of-staters were accepted at just a 15% clip, while Old Dominion residents were accepted 28% of the time in the 2021-22 cycle
UVA: Early Decision Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026
Early Decision applications to UVA have a definite advantage. The ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2026 was 32%, significantly higher than for the non-binding EA or Regular Decision rounds For the Class of 2025, ED applicants enjoyed a similar 33% acceptance rate
University of Virginia Admissions – SAT, GPA, and Class Rank
According to the most recent statistics available (Class of 2025), the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled students was 690-750 on the Reading and Writing section and 700-780 on the Math portion Among enrolled 2021-22 first-year students, an exceptional 90% hailed from the top 10% of their high school class A UVA freshman’s unweighted GPA typically hovers around a 3. 9.
Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2026
- 42% of applicants chose not to submit ACT or SAT scores with their application
- Only 26% of those accepted applied test-optional.
- Fewer applicants were accepted by CAS and the School of Engineering than in previous years.
- 13. 5% of admits were African American, up from 9% last cycle
- 10% of Class of 2026 offers were extended to legacy students
- 7% of offers were made to international students.
How UVA Rates Applicants
Class rank, GPA, recommendation letters, character/personal qualities, and state residency (again, being from VA is a major advantage) are the six factors that UVA rates as “very important” to the admissions process. Application essays, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability are all “important” components of the admissions process.
Despite receiving more than 50,000 applications annually, you can be sure that yours will be given a thorough and in-depth review.
Before making a decision, the UVA admissions staff reads “the entire application.” There are no “cut offs” because, as mentioned earlier, GPA is not standardized in Virginia. Before we offer any advice, we thoroughly review every file. We read and double check our files multiple times. One admissions officer stated, “The largest, most important piece of your puzzle is your transcript. This is the best way for me to effectively communicate what holistic admission looks like to you. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering that your transcript details four years of academic growth. ”.
It’s important to note that athletes who are recruited have a significant advantage. This is due to UVA’s devotion to its 27 NCAA Division I sports teams. Overall, approximately 750 student-athletes are presently attending the university. Of course, additional extracurricular activities can also improve your application profile. Check out our previous blog post, How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?, for tips on how to stand out on the extracurricular front.
Who Actually Gets Into the University of Virginia?
Let’s examine the demographics of the current student body of undergraduates. Geographically speaking, Virginians make up the majority of the Class of 2025.
- Virginia: 67%
- Out of State: 33%
Non-residents who come from states with an endless supply of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast) face the toughest competition. Your chances of being admitted to UVA will likely be improved if you are from a state in the Deep South like Alabama or Mississippi or a sparsely populated one like Wyoming or North Dakota.
In terms of ethnic identity, the undergraduate student body was divided as follows:
- Caucasian/White: 55%
- Asian American: 17%
- Hispanic: 7%
- African American: 7%
- Nonresident Aliens: 5%
According to the gender ratio, the university currently has far more female students than male students:
UVA’s Yield Rate
UVA%E2%80%99s yield rate%E2%80%94the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 40% This figure is just a shade below other powerhouse state universities like the University of Michigan (41%), UNC-Chapel Hill (43%), and UCLA (39%)
Tips for Applying to the University of Virginia
For the upcoming admissions cycle, you should be aware of the following information if you intend to join the 50,000 Wahoo applicants:
- Interviews are not a part of UVA’s evaluation procedure.
- You will be given preferential treatment during the admissions process if one or both of your parents were students at the university.
- UVA also does not consider “demonstrated interest. As a result, you won’t be evaluated based on whether or not you visited the campus, spoke with an admissions officer, etc.
- Make sure to devote enough time and energy to the primary Common App Essay and the two brief supplemental essays UVA requires. For the 2021-2022 cycle, they are as follows:
- We seek motivated students to join our multicultural community of academics, researchers, and artists. In a half page, or roughly 250 words, respond to the question related to the school or program you are applying to.
- College of Arts and Sciences – What piece of literature, music, science, or other creative work has surprised, disturbed, or inspired you, and how?
- Describe an engineering feat that benefits society and why it motivates you to pursue engineering in Engineering and Applied Sciences.
- Describe a memorable experience that increased your interest in attending the School of Architecture.
- Describe a health-related encounter or other significant interaction that increased your interest in studying nursing for the School of Nursing.
- Discuss your experiences that motivated you to apply to the kinesiology major in the Kinesiology Program.
- In a half page or roughly 250 words, respond to one of the following questions.
- What’s your favorite word and why?
- We are a community with peculiar language and customs. Name one of your eccentricities and explain why it makes you who you are.
- A distinctive feature of the UVA culture is student self-governance, which promotes student investment and initiative. Flash Seminars are one-time classes that facilitate lively discussion about thought-provoking subjects outside of traditional coursework. They were developed by UVA student Laura Nelson in her fourth year. What subject would you cover in a Flash Seminar, and why?
- When UVA students want to inform our community, they paint messages on Beta Bridge. Why are you painting this message on Beta Bridge, and what would you paint there?
- Rita Dove, UVA English professor and former U. S. Poet laureate once said in an interview that there are times in life when, rather than moaning, you should take action. Describe a time when you acted for the greater good rather than whining.
We suggest reading our blog post titled UVA Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips for suggestions on how to approach your UVA essay.
Should I Apply to UVA?
Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% mark for UVA who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are certainly viable candidates to UVA If you live in Virginia, getting accepted will be much easier than if you apply from another state or from abroad. If you are not from the state where the university is located, you will need to submit higher test scores as well as perhaps a unique qualification or “hook.” Teenagers who are interested in attending a school similar to UVA should include both “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. You can learn more about how to make a balanced college list here.
How I Got Into UVA (Stats, EC’s & More)
FAQ
Does legacy help at UVA?
A student is considered a legacy if their parent, stepparent, or adoptive parent holds a UVA degree. Legacy status is acknowledged in our review process. Legacies residing outside of Virginia pay the out-of-state tuition rate.
How much does legacy help UVA?
A Legacy Scholarship is currently worth $5,000 per year, or $20,000 over the course of four years at UVA. The Legacy Scholars Program has established a first objective of providing scholarships to five incoming students each year.
Do legacy students have a higher acceptance rate?
One reason: children of alumni. These students, referred to as legacy students, are allegedly up to eight times more likely to be admitted to selective universities.
How common are legacy admissions?
Use of Legacy Preferences Is Widespread, But Decreasing It is difficult to pinpoint the exact scope of legacy admissions at this time. According to a 2020 Wall Street Journal report, 56% of the nation%27s top 250 institutions considered legacy in their admissions process That’s a decline from 63% in 2004.