What separated UVA accepted vs. rejected applicants this cycle? Three things stood out: where applicants live, when they applied, and whether they'd done research or academic competition work. The University of Virginia admits about 17% of applicants by its official rate, and like most public flagships it admits Virginia residents at a much higher rate.
We compared 92 UVA applicants from self-reported 2026 r/collegeresults posts: 33 admitted, 45 rejected and 14 waitlisted. This is part of a larger comparison of accepted vs. rejected applicants at top colleges, which explains how the data was collected. (UVA's official rate is above the 15% cutoff used for that article's pooled numbers, so its decisions aren't in the pooled figures there.)
People who post results skew strong, so compare the two groups with each other, not with your own odds. A difference of a few people can be noise.
Virginia residents did far better
11 of 15 Virginia residents in the sample were admitted (73%), versus 18 of 60 out-of-state and international applicants (30%). Seventeen posters didn't say where they live and are left out of this split. That's one of the widest residency gaps in our data, and it has held as the sample grew.
It matches UVA's own numbers. Its Common Data Set shows in-state applicants admitted at 25.9% and out-of-state applicants at 13.8% (Fall 2024 entering class). The sample's rates run higher because the people who post skew strong, but the direction is the same. We compare in-state and out-of-state rates across public flagships in in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates.
UVA admitted student GPA and SAT
| Admitted | Rejected or waitlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| Median unweighted GPA | 4.0 (21 stated) | 3.90 (42 stated) |
| Median weighted GPA | 4.63 (20 stated) | 4.40 (38 stated) |
| Median SAT (scores sent) | 1530 (27 people) | 1530 (42 people) |
| Median ACT (scores sent) | 35 (8 people) | 34.5 (14 people) |
| Median AP/IB courses | 11 | 10 |
| National-level award | 82% | 66% |
Grades were a real difference: 13 of the 21 admits who stated an unweighted GPA had a 4.0, versus 7 of 42 among everyone else, and admits had a higher weighted GPA. Test scores were identical. 85 of the 92 sent scores. With more posts, national-level awards also pulled ahead among admits (82% versus 66%); with 36 applicants they had been even.
UVA accepted students' activities: research and academic awards
Admits listed these more often:
- National Merit: 48% of admits versus 22% of everyone else, the biggest gap at UVA.
- Research: 67% versus 42%.
- A selective summer program: 42% versus 19%.
- A competition placement award: 73% versus 53%.
- A science fair award: 21% versus 3%.
- Robotics or engineering teams: 27% versus 12%.
- Visual arts, theater or creative writing: 36% versus 20%.
And some showed up more among applicants who weren't admitted:
- A paid job: 24% of admits versus 42%.
- A service or leadership award: 12% versus 27%.
- Internships: 30% versus 41%.
- A varsity sport (not recruited): 30% versus 42%.
The pattern looks like Georgia Tech and UIUC for research and competitions, and research and summer programs have held through every update. The robotics gap shrank a lot as the sample grew (it was 46% versus 4% with 13 admits), which is a reminder that small groups exaggerate. One twist: at UVA internships and paid jobs showed up more among non-admits, while at Georgia Tech internships came out ahead. For what counts as real research, see do high schoolers need research for admissions.
Early action: nearly every admit used it
27 of the 30 admits who stated a round applied early action; 3 applied regular decision. Among non-admits, 27 of the 40 who stated a round also applied early action, so applying early alone didn't guarantee anything. Nine applicants said they were deferred first, and none of them were admitted in the spring.
UVA's early action is non-binding. If you're deciding between rounds, early decision vs. early action covers the trade-offs, and if you've been deferred, deferred from a college? here's what actually helps.
What UVA applicants can take from this
- From out of state, treat UVA as a reach. Both the official numbers and this sample show a large in-state advantage.
- Apply early action. Nearly every admit here who named a round did, and it's non-binding.
- Research and academic awards showed up more than jobs or leadership titles. Research, summer programs and competition placements lined up with admission in this sample.
- Compare with UNC Chapel Hill, another public with a large in-state advantage, where grades and scores did more of the sorting.
UVA's College Intel page carries the same applicant-profile comparison, updated as new posts are logged.
Sources
- College Intel's tally of self-reported r/collegeresults posts, 2026 admissions cycle (404 posts logged as of Oct 9, 2026; 92 with a UVA decision). Recruited athletes and transfer applicants excluded. Aggregates only; no individual post is reproduced, and no figure rests on fewer than 3 people.
- University of Virginia Common Data Set 2024-2025 -- Institutional Research and Analytics (in-state and out-of-state admit rates, Fall 2024 entering class)
- College Scorecard -- U.S. Department of Education (UVA's official admission rate)