<p>I have a question...I've done my research, and I know what a fabulous school UVA is; however, when I tell people from my area that I'm considering UVA, they're like, "Huh. I would have thought you would go to an ivy or something." I guess what I'm saying is that in my state, it seems as though most of the people I know don't recognize UVA as being the #24 ranked school in the nation. They perceive it to be no different than any other state university. I'm wondering if this will hinder me after college graduation. I'm thinking and hoping, though, that perhaps this attitude is simply prevalent among only those in my home state/region. Can anyone outside of Virginia address this, and has anyone else experienced this reaction?</p>
<p>Where are you from? I am from GA and everyone here highly regards UVA, so it may be where you are from. Maybe it is not as well known on the West Coast.</p>
<p>I’m from NY and alot of people don’t really know of UVA. Of course for me UVA is an “untouchable god”. I love the school and everything about it. I’ve been visiting UVA since a young age, going to sports, and vacationing in charlottesville</p>
<p>It’s not very well regarded outside of the Southeast. While it is a good school, I really think that you should consider going out of state. Not that UVA isnt a good school, but the attitude that you will develop there is very provincial; for your undergrad at least its important to get new experiences, come in contact with more diverse settings, and settle down for grad school or for pursuing a career. UVA is an isolated rural location in Charlottesville VA, and if you stay there for undergrad you wont develop much of an international worldview and that can hinder your grad school or your employment search since you will have a limited alumni network or a connection list and you will have an uphill battle getting valuable internships and work experience during school that you will need to get employed or graduate school admitted after graduation.</p>
<p>Im from NY. And… I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY. people think it’s just some old state university haha</p>
<p>The school’s reputation in these parts, West Coast: excellent academically, preppy, gorgeous campus, and rural.</p>
<p>Are you kidding about its reduced status because it’s not Ivy League?? I happen to think the ratings worthless; they say nothing of “fit.” However coming in 24/3000 colleges, nationally. is pretty remarkable. Would you think that coming in 24 out of 3000 applicants was commendable in a math or debate tournament impressive?</p>
<p>This website is truly toxic and misguided in its rankings-driven idea of ideal colleges.</p>
<p>Bedouin: can you explain the basis of the comments you have made? I attended UVa for both undergraduate and graduate school. I did not find UVa to be provincial or Charlottesville to be particularly isolated or rural. Where I now live and work (in the Northeast), UVa is widely recognized as an excellent institution both within the working world and in general. I have definitely benefitted professionally from being a UVa gaduate (although I don’t necessarily think your alma mater should be that big a deal in most hiring situations). Frankly I don’t know where your statements come from.</p>
<p>bedouin: You are incredibly misinformed about the University of Virginia, its reputation and its incredible student body which is very upper end stats OOS students (1/3), the top of the class of Virginia high schools (and many who can’t get in are devastated) and a large segment of in state Virginia students raised on the Beltway of Washington DC whose parents are often international or from far far away from Virginia…and transient by nature. </p>
<p>The alum network for UVA is amazing and wide.</p>
<p>Diversity is a core experience of the four years at UVA and one reason the college has so much cache.</p>
<p>sorry, OP…I see now you wanted OOS comments. I reside in a more rural section of VA. VA has a huge share of military families and families involved with the business of the federal government…so The University does serve a very mobile citizenry.</p>
<p>I am from PA (Philly), and I get one of two reactions when I say I go to “UVA”
- “Where?” Then I say “The University of Virginia” and they just say “oh” because they feel stupid.
Or - “Wow it is impossible to get in there out of state!!! My (son/daughter/niece/etc) wants to go there but doesn’t have the grades… etc”</p>
<p>So it really depends. People who know anything know it is a good school. People who don’t really know anything except for Ivies/state schools/other private weird schools aren’t really informed anyways so who cares. That is my 2 cents.</p>
<p>H, you stole my thunder but here goes anyway.</p>
<p>OP, when you say people don’t know about UVA, exactly what people are you talking about? Keep in mind it has a top rated undergrad business school, Darden’s a top 10 regularly, the Law School, the Med school, and I could go on. Its highly likely that any prospective employer or grad school will be very familiar with UVA. Consider another scenario: if you are planning to open a restaurant in New Mexico after you graduate, the banker you ask for a loan will recognize the UVA name but who’s going to get better name recognition than that? only HYP and maybe a couple of other Ivies plus G’town and Duke largely on the strength of their sports teams. You think Carnegie-Mellon is a household item in New Mexico? The same banker won’t be exactly wowed by any of the small LACs either, no matter how good they are. Its a hypothetical but you get the point.</p>
<p>Bedouin, please give us the basis for your comments. They don’t correspond to reality. People actually drive from DC to C’ville just to eat there and the C’ville restaurant scene gets highlighted every year in the W Post. It may be two hours from DC but its no backwater.</p>
<p>In Southern California, many people think it’s just another Big State U.</p>
<p>But I used to think that about UCLA as well :o)</p>
<p>Also some more helpful advice. Do NOT go to college for a name. Who really cares if people don’t know about the school. At my school I tell people I would sell my left leg to go to UVA and they look at me like I’m crazy (yes thats a metaphor for the deep love I have for UVA). Don’t pick a school because people know the name because I gaurentee you won’t be happy. 99.9% of the kids at my school hope to get into Tufts because that is where every one applys. I know I love UVA and would go their in a heart beat and people look at me wierd because I’m not dieing to go to Tufts. Pick the college you like best and you will perform best there. In the long run educated people will know about UVA. Who cares if your friends don’t in 20 years at your high school reunion I know they will tell you how lucky you are to have attended such a prestigious school because thats what it is.</p>
<p>Rural is relative. Virginia Tech is in Blacksburg. THAT is rural. Some like that environment because of it’s proximity to the Blue Ridge and they are sportsmen. Some deal with the location because the engineering school is highly rated. Charlottesville is not rural. It is less than 2hrs from the nations capitol. It may be small for your taste, but again, it’s all relative.</p>
<p>Make your decision based on the schools merits and your own feeling of how you would fit there. I am from the mid-Atlantic, however before I came to this site there are so many schools I had never heard of because they were LAC’s. My son is engineering. I’m sure they are awesome schools, well regarded in their fields of study. Just because something isn’t a ‘name dropper’ doesn’t mean it isn’t great.</p>
<p>Not to bash teenagers, but teenagers aren’t really the best-possible source for the information you’re seeking. I went straight from UVA to Manhattan and I can attest that Virginia is *very *highly regarded in the business world of New York. Part of that–true–is because of its highly-ranked business and law schools, but most of it is because people in the business world have interacted with highly-competent Virginia grads. Few people would put it on par with Princeton or Yale but you’d be surprised how closely it nips on their heels in the reputation department. Of course, part of *that *might be the self-selection of capable, ambitious grads who go to places like New York. </p>
<p>Hey did the OP even come back and say where s/he lives?</p>
<p>I really appreciate the insight everyone has provided. I’m from the southwest by the way, and like I said, I know UVA is reputable, and a few of my friends do too, but they wouldn’t consider it to be on par with say Duke. I think most people’s attitudes in my area would be different if UVA was a private university. If you said Berkley here, people would think home to uber liberal free spirits but that’s about it. The majority of people I know (and they’re not “hicks” as you might suspect but college graduates with advanced degrees) would never know unless you brought it to their attention that Berkley is so highly rated and can indeed be compared with many prestigious private schools (just as UVA can). They would, on the other hand, know about schools like the ivys, Duke, NYU, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Amherst just to name a few. </p>
<p>I’m relatively certain I want to live in my home area after school, so this lack of recognition is something I’m pondering. I’ve narrowed my choices and feel socially, UVA fits me best; however, it’s the academic fit I’m still stuggling with.</p>
<p>1) I think you mean Berkeley, not Berkley
2) Amherst is known in the Southwest? Top-notch LAC but known in the Southwest?
3) Go to UT-Austin or Texas, Texas A&M or ASU, you’ll get ~plenty~ of that much needed-academic attention you’re longing for.</p>
<p>I think UVA sends like about at least 5 to Stanford Law every year, which is a lot.</p>
<p>Definitely see your point, now that you’re talking about returning to the SW USA. I think your perceptions are pretty accurate. </p>
<p>However, I’ve also found that where you went to school doesn’t matter that much early in your career (with obvious exceptions such as applying to a white-shoe law firm in NY or DC) and later on doesn’t matter at all, save for the fact that you did or didn’t get a great education. That remains with you for life.</p>
<p>I have to imagine that the people who aren’t aware of the strength of schools like UVa and Berkeley just aren’t familiar with higher education in this country.</p>
<p>Students from all over the world are applying for spots in the classes at these schools.</p>
<p><<<I have to imagine that the people who aren’t aware of the strength of schools like UVa and Berkeley just aren’t familiar with higher education in this country.</p>
<p>Students from all over the world are applying for spots in the classes at these schools>></p>
<p>Absolutely, and, more importantly, grad school and saavy employers know.</p>