Required Materials
1. Completed application form
2. Uploaded transcript (can be unofficial)
3. Completed and uploaded counselor certification form (below)
Priority application is an optional deadline. The benefit of applying priority is that you will find out your results earlier (mid-July). If you don't get accepted priority, your application will be moved to regular decision, giving you another opportunity to be considered for Hoos First Look. It will not improve or worsen your chances if you apply priority.
This program is specifically targeting students who will be juniors in the academic year 2020-2021. So therefore, if you will be a senior in high school in the academic year 2020-2021, you will not be eligible to apply for the program. This is so that students can implement the one-on-one advice received from UVA admissions counselors throughout the remainder of their high school careers.
First-generation students generally do not have a parent who has graduated from a traditional 4-year college in the United States. We consider low-income as someone who currently receives free/reduced lunch, however, we also take into account the number of people in the household and use the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s income limits as a guideline. Of course, we look at each student’s application with a holistic approach and adjust our perspective according to each student’s unique situation.
First, spend a good amount of time on those essays! They really help you share your personal story, as this program is intended for low-income and/or first-generation college students. It's helpful to copy and paste the essay questions into a Google Doc or a Word Doc and write your responses there to view your word count. And when you're ready to submit, you can just copy and paste them into the Hoos First Look application.
Second, we aren't looking for the perfect student or the person with 10 extracurriculars. We are looking for juniors who have the potential to get into and are interested in UVA, but need that extra push to help make them more competitive and learn more about the school.
Given the unique circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Hoos First Look program will be conducted as a reimagined virtual program. While we are unable to fly-in students to Grounds this fall, participants will still be able to experience a taste of college life by connecting with current students and staff through interactive panels, webinars, and more. The program will continue to introduce students to the college application process and the resources available at the University of Virginia.
We expect to release Hoos First Look decisions sometime in late September. Applicants will be notified of their decision via email.
The application process for Hoos First Look is very competitive as we receive far more applications than we can admit into the limited spots we have. Unfortunately, this means that we are unable to invite every talented student to the program, even those who may be a good fit for UVA. Ultimately, your Hoos First Look decision does not directly impact your chances of being accepted into the University of Virginia and we highly encourage you to consider applying to the University of Virginia in the fall of your senior year.