Im just curious because I have heard many different opinions on the matter. Thank you!
No. Why?
It seems that here in CA that a lot of my kids’ friends have already dismissed Southern schools-especially since the election. This aversion seems to include Texas and VA as well.
My senior daughter has several of these schools on her list-including UVA- but she only has one local friend who is considering any of these schools.
No. UVA will be just as competitive to get into as before.
As I’m sure Vandy, Duke, Univ. Texas, etc. will remain competetive.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a small drop in applications at UVA. It’s apples and oranges, but University of Missouri experienced a significant hit with a >35% decline in freshman enrollees over the last two years.
You are all wrong: UVa had nothing to do with the events. The city of Charlottesville’s decision regarding the statue and the protest are all independent of the university. UVA is as screamingly ridiculously liberal as most other big universities.
Yes, of course. But this is an image problem, and in the minds of some class of 2022 applicants/parents UVA and Charlottesville have an increased risk of KKK/white supremacist activity and violence.
@magtf1 no…
I don’t expect any drop in applications at UVa this year.
Penn State hasn’t seen a drop either with all the Sandusky/Paterno headlines. I don’t think the hazing incident will effect the numbers either.
It’s UVa, afaiac, no ordinary flagship. And recent doings are not the only thing going on.
I don’t know if this is a direct result of Charlottesville, but generally my DD’s friends (they are seniors) are less interested in southern schools than the two graduating classes before them.
However, the south is not the only place where there may be considerable racism. Indeed, some cities in non-south places like Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, and Baltimore have a highly racially segregated reputation.
Negative publicity can have an impact. In the fall of 2014, UVA was in the headlines when a female student was murdered and shortly afterward the Rolling Stone rape article was published. Applications fell that winter after several years of strong, consistent growth. Rationally, we know that UVA had no role in the Charlottesville violence. But people’s perception isn’t always rationale.
My kid refuses to consider anything south of the Potomac River because of perceived persecution of trans people.
It’s a pity because there are some very good match schools down south that teach what my kid wants to learn and aren’t too much of a drive, but at the same time I’m grateful for anything that cuts the list down to a manageable size.
I applaud your kid for prioritizing fit over reputation, that’s good and as you say it cuts down on the number of colleges that are being considered.