Hey, so I am an in-state senior who was just accepted to UVA EA. I’m trying to evaluate all of my options so far (I only applied to 7 schools, so each one has considerable weight with me and I really like all of them).
So I had a couple of questions that I wanted answered without trying too hard to impress me (most of the people I know who go to UVA are extremely enthusiastic about the school and would never risk giving the wrong impression).
Soooo… how about that English major? What’s the department like?
Is a minor in bioethics a real thing? Do you know anyone taking this? Would anyone consider this a legitimate minor? (It’s just that I have never heard of this minor before)
How’s the study abroad programs? Where have you gone? For how long? What was the program like?
If you are one of those 70 or so people who get to stay in the rotunda dorms… what did you do to get there? How’s the dorm?
How good do you think UVA is with personal stuff? I have two immediate relatives with medical issues, so while one seems to be doing better with physical therapy and such, I still have these familial responsibilities. It has interfered a little with me in high school, so I just want to be on the safe side.
Anything else important that I should know when making my choice? Any deal breakers?
The English department is excellent. I'm not a major but I try to take as many classes as I can, because they're fantastic. The teaching quality is strong, the faculty have diverse interests, and there are many opportunities to take smaller classes (which can be hard to come by at UVA). I have many friends majoring in English and they all seem pretty happy with it.
Yes, it's legit. I know of a couple of people minor in bioethics. I have taken bioethics-y courses and they were good.
There are many different study abroad programs - different locations, structures, length, etc, so it's hard to generalize. UVA has a flagship program in Spain which I spent a month at. I liked it but I wish I'd stayed longer. The program itself was good though.
I don't know what you mean by "rotunda dorms." Do you mean the lawn? The Rotunda itself doesn't have dorms, just classrooms and event spaces. There are rooms on the lawn for outstanding students in their final year.
Likely no better or worse than the average college. Not especially accommodating but there are options if you have an emergency.
UVa’s English dept. has had an excellent reputation for many decades. It is nice to hear from Aperture that it is still great.
I assume many of the Lawn rooms still go to top leaders of major organizations, such as the student newspaper, the honor committee, etc. Some people do not want to live on the Lawn because you need to go outside to use the bathroom or shower.
A high percentage of UVa students do a semester abroad.
Hey, thanks for responding! I did mean rooms on the lawn, thank you for clarifying (for some reason I thought they were called rotunda dorms). And, yes, these are probably good questions for “Days On The Lawn,” but those unfortunately only start in March, so I just wanted to ask about this now.
Lawn rooms are awarded through a mixture of a competitive application process and student organizations (for example, the Jefferson Society has a lawn room and awards it to one of their members each year). The application process is open to all students entering their final year and favors students with high academic and leadership achievements. Living on the Lawn is a great honor and enables students to be a part of the heart of University life. However, it is very hard to be selected for a room and there are drawbacks (the amenities, for example, as another poster said). I wouldn’t worry too much about the Lawn rooms if I were you; they are such a small part of the UVA experience and odds are high you won’t live in them. (I don’t mean to be discouraging, just realistic!)
Something else occurred to me. Since UVa is out in the country (well, next to Charlottesville, but it’s mostly the same difference), what is it like on weekends? Do you hang out, go to football games, see a movie, listen to a speech? Can you be social without going to frat parties? What are your experiences with Greek life?
There is plenty of social life on the weekends including sports, movies, concerts and so on. Charlottesville is a lovely town and there is plenty to do if you want to get off campus. It is not a tiny village and there is a vibrant music scene, plenty of fancy dining etc. There are plenty of opportunities for volunteering on and off campus; the town (county?) is very business-friendly, so there are quite a few interesting startups, many collaborating with the university.
There are many hiking trails in the area with beautiful scenery, and numerous local wineries are very popular with students who are over legal drinking age
Charlottesville and Richmond are great cities to be a student in VA, and far superior IMO to Blacksburg, Williamsburg and Fredericksburg. Newport News is attractive because it’s close to the beaches, but of course the schools there are not as desirable.
UVA is not “out in the country.” Charlottesville is a vibrant mid-sized town with plenty to do. Believe me, I know what you’re talking about - I transferred from a school in a rural area - but I think your idea of the Charlottesville geography is off the mark. I agree with everything Twicer said. I have never felt stifled or bored at UVA or in Charlottesville; this area is bustling.
Specifically on your question about Greek life, yes, you can be social without being involved with a fraternity or sorority. There are lots of other clubs to join and most clubs plan social events for their members. And there are house parties held which aren’t affiliated with fraternities. You’ll also make friends soon enough and can create your own fun with them. I am not involved with Greek life at all and I don’t feel my social life is any worse for the wear.
I’m currently in the engineering school, so I’m going to skip the first question as I have no experience with the English department. Lawn rooms have also already been explained well by other posters.
I know a surprising number of people who are fulfilling a bioethics minor. I can't speak to the opportunities it would afford you that you wouldn't have from your primary major, but I'm taking my second bioethics class now (for the topic, not the minor) and it seems pretty legitimate. I've definitely learned a lot, and what I've learned compliments my core studies well.
I haven't studied abroad myself, but so many of my friends have done it and there are so many listings/poster/info sessions around grounds that I can confidently say that it seems easy to do. There are programs of varying topics, lengths, and locations, so you shouldn't have a problem finding something that fits your preferences.
From what I've seen, UVa is pretty good about accommodating personal/medical issues. I know several people who have had medical emergencies and have had little to no trouble getting the help they need. The only issues that I've heard of were from students who failed to document medical issues and therefore had trouble getting accommodations later in the semester. If you are proactive in making the appropriate people aware of your needs (professors, student health, etc.) you shouldn't have much trouble beyond the usual disadvantages associated with missing class, if applicable.
I’ll also address your comment about UVa’s location. While it’s certainly not New York City, Charlottesville is not a country town. There is an extensive semi-urban area surrounding the university and there are the usual shops/amenities down the highway if you’re willing to drive 10 minutes. There are plenty of places to go if you’re inclined to explore. That being said, there are also so many things happening on grounds that I find myself staying on/near grounds most of the time. Everything you listed is available–sports games, clubs, invited speakers–and there are also many committees on grounds devoted solely to planning activities for students (and filling our inboxes with reminders for them). Greek life is also around if you want it, but most of the fraternity/sorority houses are located in the same area so you can also avoid it pretty easily if that’s not your scene. About a third of students are involved in greek organizations, but I’d say most people just go to the interesting parties and get pancakes during the philanthropy events.
I’m also going to plug UVa’s residential colleges if you’re looking for another social scene. There are three dorm communities that you can apply to that each have their own brand/focus. I’ve lived in one for two years now and it’s probably my favorite thing about UVa!
Keep in mind that first year students do not get to choose their dorm, unless they apply for Brown Residential College, the International Residential College, etc.
@ibseniorsev I live in Brown College! I spent my first year in new dorms and I have to say that I really wish I had been in Brown. Everyone is so friendly and all of our programming is student-run, so it’s a lot of fun. We also have people from all years and majors, so you learn a lot. I feel like I’ve had a lot of opportunities here that I definitely didn’t have as a first year and probably wouldn’t have if I were living somewhere without these connections. If you want to talk about it, feel free to message me! Our application opens up in May, so you have plenty of time to learn about it.
Must agree with the others! UVA is definitely NOT a country town:). I’ve lived here my entire adult life (beginning as a student more than 3 decades ago) and can honestly say it is a fabulous place to live. We have world class musicians who make their home here. Some perform regularly at venues on the Downtown Mall and at UVA. Many cultural events take place here, you will definitely have plenty to do. My kids all attended UVA (even though it is about 10-12 minutes from home) because it is a fantastic school and Charlottesville is a vibrant community. They also have studied abroad and loved those experiences too. If you attend, I am sure you will have a great experience!
I just applied to the new London program, so if I get in (hearing back on Friday!!) then I’ll be in the IRC!!! Is it nice? I read that it’s the biggest dorm… Is that a good or bad thing?
Also, are all of the international kids there? I read that the IRC is composed of 40% intl and 60% domestic kids.
@ibseniorsev I’ve only been in the IRC a few times, but what I saw was very nice. The drawback used to be that not all of the buildings had AC, but that’s changing this summer so you should be all set. It can also be a bit farther from your classes than some first year dorms depending on your major, but then again, some of the other dorms are a fair hike as well. It’s certainly not prohibitive.
The size is what you make of it–most dorms end up emphasizing halls or other small groups in the beginning of the year to help people settle in, but I personally enjoy having a larger network of people to live with.
Not every international student is in the IRC, although you’ll find a lot of them there. UVa also has language houses–which, as the name implies, speak only in their respective languages–that have a lot of international students as well. Plus, some of them will always choose to live in the “typical” first year/upperclass housing. The IRC is probably one of the best places to meet other international kids though since that’s its explicit focus.
