<p>I'm interested in hearing any comments from out of state students who attend or are thinking of attending UVA. How do you fit in? Are large groups from the same VA high school cliquish? Since your stats are on the high side and that's how you got there, are you challenged enough? Parents/friends/students....anybody please respond. Actually in state students could share their experiences with OOS kids. THANKS.</p>
<p>yeah, i'd love to know that too. i'm an out of stater from new york.</p>
<p>Really looking for some input here!</p>
<p>My son and daughter both went to UVA. We are from VA but all of their best friends were out of state (NY,NJ,IL,OH,MA,MS,CA) and all were extremely happy at UVA. It's a big school;you can find every type of person. Some of the VA high school kids are cliquish, but more often hometown kids see each other rarely. UVA students tend to be bright, friendly and tolerant.
As far as an academic challenge, my two were both Echols and found the academics exhilirating and challenging but still had time to party!</p>
<p>A few more questions: do Echolars scholars take separate classes? I know they have some perks for registering and for housing but how about the actual classes? And do kids from Virginia think they are "settling" by going to UVA? In most states going to the state school is often a let down. Is that true in VA even though the state options are so good?</p>
<p>Uh, is UVA a state school?</p>
<p>Bluejay, Echols Scholars take the same classes as regular UVa students. If you are a Rodman Scholar (engineering), you will take a few classes only for Rodmans.</p>
<p>As for UVa being a let down or not, I guess that depends on the individual person. I know that the majority of students (54%) who get into UVa choose to go there. That's a high yield compared to many other schools. Based on info from the book "Choosing the Right School," here's a sample:</p>
<p>Duke: 42%
Emory: 13%
Georgetown: 44%
Rice: 39%
UC Berkeley: 41%
Wake Forest: 39%
Washington & Lee: 45%
William & Mary: 38%</p>
<p>As for just in-state students, I know that 66% of the ones admitted choose UVa over other schools. I guess for those who really wanted to go to Harvard and didn't get in, UVa would be a let down, but getting a stellar education for an in-state price tag makes UVa the 1st choice for many in-staters.</p>
<p>Tenniscraze, UVa is a state school.</p>
<p>Bluejay,
Echols do not take separate classes although sometimes they end up in all-Echols small seminars b/c they get to register first. The "initial registration" perk is huge;Echols automatically get basically every class they want. Also, my kids loved the first year Echols dorm. Most of their best friends are from that dorm. And, contrary to some popular opinion, Echols kids are not scholarly nerds. A few are, but most tend to be even more fun b/c they are so bright. Also, you will find the same first year "mistakes" in the Echols dorm as in all the first year forms:drunken vomiting, unwise hookups,sleeping through quizes, etc.
As for Va. students' opinion of "settling" for an in-state school, my son did have an initial feeling that it would be a glorified high school for him. After Echols Day on the Lawn, though, he turned down Duke to go to UVA. He loved his experience there, academically and socially, and was able to move on to a top notch medical school.
My daughter never felt UVA was second class, probably b/c of my son's experience. She turned down an "Ivy" to go to UVA and is deliriously happy there.
A final thought: it is not a "given" that all good Va. students get in to UVA. Our high school has dozens rejected every year with superior grades, SATs and accomplishments. It is considered quite an honor here if you are admitted.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies!</p>