<p>In early October, to be specific the day of UVA's homecoming, I scheduled a campus visit and information session. Unfortunately, I was not able to see the game but the campus was PACKED!!! After the tour and getting lost quite a few times in the charming town, I went to the information session. It was in a big auditorium/theater close to the official bookstore and the lady was..... putting it nicely, making me fall asleep! Wouldn't you expect an older lady who claims to have worked at UVA for a long time to talk in something more than a whisper and be inspirational? My dad and I left after about 10 mins as many others did as well. Luckily, I persisted to tour the main quad with the historic little dorms. One of the doors was open and three outgoing seniors took the time to chat. I explained the information session and they quickly said that those 'suck.' That gave a little reassurance, but I really did like everything else I experienced. Sorry if this is really long I just want to make sure UVA is a lovable school that people have pride for after a whole 4 years!</p>
<p>I know this is general but I found no posts really related so could someone give me some types of campus vibes and how it changes? Also how the campus vibe might be different for being an athlete? I thought that it felt a little disconnected in some areas.</p>
<p>The reason there are no related posts could be that your experience isn’t all that common. We are told time and again that tour tours and info sessions are refreshing and different from those given at many other schools. Our deans are pretty down to earth (I’m one of them, so I’m biased!) and most will go out of their way to help you…even at 7:40 AM on a Saturday morning. 
</p>
<p>There are obviously going to be times when an individual student isn’t going to gel with a dean or tour guide’s style. In your case, it was the dean…though maybe you would have felt differently if you had stayed more than 10 minutes. The whisper comment is interesting…we use a microphone in the movie theater when we use it. Are you saying there was no microphone? That would be very odd. The theater folks are very good about that.</p>
<p>UVa has thousands of very passionate, happy students. Our retention rates are high. You’ll see posts of students and alumni on this forum routinely. They aren’t asked to spend their free time here…they do it because they want to talk about their Alma Mater. Please don’t make a decision about UVa based on a brief impression of one person. There are all sorts of people, things to study, and organizations in which to be involved. Almost any kind of student can find their niche. </p>
<p>Feel free to ask me questions via [the</a> admission blog](<a href=“http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/]the”>http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/). :)</p>
<p>britta, I’ve never gone to a UVA informational meeting, but I have to say as a parent that my S (now a first-year at UVA) and I rarely found these things very helpful when we visited other schools. It wasn’t the fault of the schools or the presenter–they just don’t know who happens to be in the audience and what those people’s interests are. Any big school will have a lot of different kinds of people around, and they will form sub-communities, not a homogeneous, easy-to-characterize “campus culture” as often happens in high school, where everybody knows everybody else. You need to find a place where you have a comfortable niche, not where you get along with everybody, which is not feasible anyhow–there are just so many hours in the day and too many different activities to get involved in. My S found it much more helpful to talk to faculty and students in his intended major field, and to students who share his particular interests. If you are an athlete, you should make contact with the kids on the team you might play on, and the coach, because they will be critical people in your undergraduate life.</p>
<p>Britta…My D and I went to so many college information sessions when she was in high school. It was our experience that after a while, they all sort of sound the same. We never attended one of UVa’s sessions for potential applicants. We did, however, go to the one in April for accepted applicants. It was fine, but so were the others we went to. What we found to be much more helpful was the student-led tours. We asked a lot if questions about their experiences both in and outside of the classroom. We also talked to random students and teachers at each university we visited. It was awkward for my D (who can be shy) to strike up conversations in the cafeteria or bookstore, etc. but she did. She felt these perceptions were much more valuable than what might be gained from a scripted info session. Two questions she asked students at each school she visited were, “What other schools did you apply to?” and “Why did you ultimately select this school?” She learned SO much from ths responses to these questions. For example, when visiting BC, many kids tild her they had also applied to Villanova, Georgetown, and Notre Dame. Putting two and two together she followed up by asking, “As a Protestant from the south, will I fit in?” This is just one example, but you get the jist. It sounds like the conversation you had with the seniors illustrates my point. In short, you shouldn’t discount a school because of it’s info session unless something is said that completely turns you off. </p>
<p>As far as your experience at UVa is concerned…I actually was there that weekend with my family visiting our D. It was NOT a typical weekend. The crowds were unreal and traffic, although normally bad on 29 in CVille, was brutal. The restaurant lines were intense too. We went to the MD game a few weeks later and the campus was completely different. The spirit at UVA is intense (one of the reasons she chose it); consequently, homecoming weekend will not resemble others. She REALLY likes her new school, and if it’s a good fit for you, I hope you decide to apply. If not, I wish you all the best in your continued search.</p>
<p>Both my sons are 1st years at UVa and love it! You can well imagine the number of colleges across the country we visited last year with two of them going through this process. I agree with Dean J, staying only 10 minutes does not always give you all there is to discover about a school. Also, the tours are very important! Asking questions of the tour guide, as well as other students on campus gives you the opportunity to get first hand information. UVa is a beautiful campus, but here is what I have heard from my sons these past few months… My (history) professor is awesome, c-span is coming to film our class; I have been really busy will intramural sports, this fall alone I was on the flag football, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball and soccer teams for our dorm; I made it through to the third round of the University Judiciary Committee; I have gotten to know so many new people; I love going to the corner…(you can add in all types of food in this blank-they are boys what do you expect : ) Bottom line is they had many colleges to chose from come April, however they each chose UVa for very different reasons. It was the only school that had everything they were looking for. If there are other students from your school that attend UVa go for an overnight visit and attend some classes, see it first hand through the eyes of a student. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>My tour experience of UVA was the absolute opposite. When I visited when I was younger I just wanted to see the campus because I loved the lacrosse team. I wasn’t into the whole college scene and wasn’t looking forward to sitting in a tour. I was SHOCKED. Firstly, the campus made me drool. How could you not love the amazing green everywhere? Everything just felt so pristine. When I saw the dorms on the lawn I honestly thought those rooms were nicer than my own. The buildings are just spectacular. I love the old, southern brick feel spread throughout the campus.
That was only the beginning of the tour. </p>
<p>Secondly - the people. I live in New York and am used to the hustle-bustle of NY. If someone says hello to you whom you do not know you immediately categorize them as a creeper (in NY that is). When I was walking the campus random students stopped me and told me how much they loved the campus. They recommended restaurants and offered me insight on how to get in. I was in absolute shock that people were taking time out of their lives to help me. </p>
<p>Third - the tour itself. This was the part of the day that I thought would be horrible. However, Dean Muth immediately made it different than what I expected. He told jokes, responded humorously to some people in the room, and over-all lightened the mood. My tour guide was great. He wasn’t IS and showed an immense amount of love for the campus. He told us the things he loved and why. </p>
<p>Overall this tour basically initiated my college process. I went on the tour and ever since have been working my hinny (yes hinny lol) off to try to attend a college like UVA.</p>
<p>Just an FYI…Deans lead information sessions and students lead tours. Dean Muth would have presented an information session. Students show up at the end of the sessions to take the group on a tour.</p>
<p>Is that a response to my response Dean J? Dean Muth’s speech was great. He was a very funny guy and made the essay writing process seem a little less tedious. I believe my tour guide was an OOS student. Don’t quite remember where he was from, but I remember him talking about how different the Va atmosphere was from his own.</p>
<p>Thanks for the posts they really help clarify! And Dean J, the dean I had for the information session didn’t have a microphone and was not talking loudly either, which I found a bit odd. But I am looking at schools with intense school spirit but great academics and I think UVA fits the bill nicely! @jc40; your D sounds a little bit like myself, and yes I agree the lines were packed! We stayed over friday night and went to a cozy coffee/ice cream bar I believe? But the town itself seems really nice.
also @ UVAorBust your insights are inspiring! When I visited other southern schools I felt that the people were much friendlier than up north!</p>
<p>@ woosah thats awesome that both your sons attend… it must show that UVA appeals to many interests!
Another broad question; I only saw the historic dorms on the lawn… can anyone detail housing experience for the 4 year time? I don’t really want to move ‘off campus’ which I am finding to be somewhat of a trend at many schools (mainly in a bigger city/town)</p>
<p>hey Britta - I am a first year right now so I can help you out with the housing thing. Right now I live in a first-year dorm on Alderman Road (great location, it takes me about 10 minutes to get to classes). During first-year, if you apply for on-Grounds housing by December 1, you are guaranteed to get it (and you can remain in it for the remaining 2 years after that if you wish!). That’s what I did and am living in Bice (close to the nursing school which I am in/Jefferson Park Ave) next year with 5 other girls! There are lots of other options as well if you want a single room/less people in your apartment.
Hope that helped!</p>
<p>Too often, prospective students are turned off by the personality of a single presenter or a single tour guide, or something unpleasant that happened on the day of the visit. That is the least important factor.</p>
<p>(If you look up Brown University, you will find comments from many parents who were angry because they got parking tickets on the day of admissions info sessions).</p>
<p>I’d also recommend looking at some sites where current students post their opinions, including u n i g o .com and college p r o w l e r.com. Again, don’t be overly influenced by the opinions of one or two students on those sites, either.</p>
<p>Many people who visit colleges remind me of people on the HGTV show House Hunters. Honestly, they find fantastic buys that seem so obvious, but are turned off by simplistic features such as the paint color or floors. You have to realize, one aspect shouldn’t immediately turn you off. And I’m speaking as a hypocrite right now. When I visited Duke I left before the tour was even given. I felt a really pretensious vibe, but I do regret not actually seeing the campus.</p>
<p>“UVa has thousands of very passionate, happy students. Our retention rates are high. You’ll see posts of students and alumni on this forum routinely. They aren’t asked to spend their free time here…they do it because they want to talk about their Alma Mater.”</p>
<p>I’m one of them! Being in graduate school at another university makes me miss UVA and compare it with UVA and I even find myself saying “this is done way better at UVA” and my “school” is supposed to be one of the “best” universities in the world, but I don’t really care about that–I don’t regret going to UVA for one second and I remember complaining about it when I was there at times, but that’s what we all do. So yeah, don’t base your experience on a single comment. That student can turn out to be a loving alum as well, you never know.</p>
<p>Housing for first-years has shifted a bit. It now includes many options:</p>
<p>Option #1: Old dorms-McCormick Road area-built in the 50’s hall style-My sons live in different dorms, but both in this area. They said they meet a lot more people than other friends that live in ‘new dorms’ due to the hall style. You become friends with the 22 or so other people that live on your hall. </p>
<p>Alderman Road-New dorms-These are on a schedule to each be redone. These are suite style and house usually 2 students per bedroom with I believe 3 bedrooms per suite and a small living room area. The layout can be seen online in the housing site. The redone dorm-Kellogg is beautiful!</p>
<p>Hereford area-This is a haul to main grounds, however they do have a great UVa bus system to get you where you need to go from this area. It is a manageable walk, however if you are concerned about living here don’t be. One thing they say that is positive about this area is the dining hall. My Sons will go to Runk for dinner occassionally. They have a really good friend that lives there and when I see him he says it is okay. </p>
<p>For subsequent years-the options for on-campus are on the housing website and other students would be best to answer this for you. My sons are going to live off-campus next year near the Corner. However, as has been stated in other housing responses on other posts, off-campus at UVa usually is as close if not closer than some of the on campus housing. </p>
<p>Hope this helps Britta!</p>
<p>Just throwing this out there, In the past week alone two alumni’s have stopped me on the train and asked me if I was attending UVA or applying there (I was wearing my UVA sweatshirt). I proceeded to tell them that I’m currently a senior and UVA is my #1 and they had nothing but great things to say about the school. It really goes to show the attitude of UVA. One of the guys who stopped me had to be atleast 70 and took his time to tell me some of his favorite memories of the school. Don’t let one small thing discourage you from this great school.</p>
<p>I’ve had bad experiences with tour guides at other schools as well but you cant let that affect your opinion of the school.
In my own opinion nothing is better than UVA. The campus was beautiful, the people are all so friendly, and I even went on a great student run tour. If I could get in there now I’d go there in a heartbeat. It’s so stressful to have to wait until April 1st!</p>
<p>Hey Brit, I’m a first-year at UVA now. If you have any questions, just send me a message.</p>