<p>I heard UVA was preppy, but I'm not sure exactly what this means or if it's even true. Are students generally normal, down-to-earth people or are they snobby and elitist?
I also heard students have a preppy style. I like wearing cute clothes and dressing up, but I usually wear clothes that are in style but inexpensive, such as Forever 21 and H&M clothing. Would I be out of place without designer clothing?
I would love to go to UVA but I'm just a little nervous about this stereotype. Thanks!</p>
<p>There are 15,000 students at UVa. Anyone who attempts to describe a student population that large as being one way is being silly. The fact that you used the word stereotype makes me think you know this already. I think sometimes people confuse UVa pride for elitism. We have a really happy student body here (97% retention rate). I think that points to lots of students finding a home here. :)</p>
<p>We are a public school with students from all corners of Virginia, every state in the country, and over 100 foreign countries. There’s a little bit of everything in the study body. </p>
<p>Teenagers, IMO, wear the same things - jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, khakis, leggings (ladies), or athletic stuff. I don’t think you should be worrying about clothing right now.</p>
<p>My S is a first year OOS student who is not the slightest bit preppy. He has had no trouble making friends. He wears jeans, under armor hoodies, tshirts, button down flannel. But for a football game or two has switched to bowtie, a tradition at UVa (girls wear pearls) but not everyone does that either. IMO, fitting in clotheswise is a nonissue.</p>
<p>You can find nearly any type of person at UVa; many of them have interesting backgrounds, and deciding whether to interact with them or not based on their apparel may cause you to miss out on developing great friendships. This being said, do not worry about wearing designer clothing - be yourself and focus on academics and you will be fine.</p>
<p>There are very few, if any, UVa stereotypes that hold true. It’s just too hard to characterize 15,000 undergrads in any one way. Our clothing styles and personalities are all wildly diverse, which is one of the things I love about this school.</p>
<p>I disagree with the Dean. My daughter has struggled with the rigidity and homogeneity of UVa’s culture and is considering transferring.</p>
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<p>I too disagree with Dean J. There are obviously thousands of kids who don’t fit the stereotype, however, there are more “preppy” students than at, say, Va. Tech, Madison, etc. </p>
<p>I also disagree about the 97% retention rate being indicative of student happiness. My D hates UVA but will graduate from there. Many disgruntled kids stay for the prestigious diploma or because other schools won’t accept them (my D was turned down to transfer to Tech despite good grades at UVA). </p>
<p>I will add that the preppy stereotype isn’t as applicable when it comes to how the kids dress. There are plenty of prepsters who dress the part but you would have no problem fitting in if you wear jeans or, even, sweatpants. </p>
<p>I would just like to suggest that anyone struggling with homogeneity consider widening their social circle. At first, to be honest, I did sort of get the impression that UVa students are all very similar. That can tend to slap you in the face at first. But the issue was easily resolved once I actively tried to reach out to kids outside of that mold. I’m involved in a poetry group, improv comedy group, and debate and literary society, and all three of those activities are full of students outside the UVa stereotype. So is my dorm, Brown. Different activities attract different types, so diversity is out there if you look for it. </p>
<p>UVA has a unique culture. Preps are not hard to find but you can also find students in athletic and hunting gear. I strongly suggest a prospective student visit any school campus before committing so they may make an informed decision. </p>
<p>On a side note, it was good to see students in various styles of dress celebrate on the field after the win over Miami!</p>