I’ve recently been accepted as a junior transfer to UVA, W&M, and GW. UVA is definitley a great school, but I’m a little worried about the overall preppy/fratty/elitist stereotype that it seems the school has. I know UVA has a ton of clubs, but how easy is it to fit in without conforming to this preppy norm and how much does that stereotype dominate the social life at UVA?
Ok, so here’s the deal. The ‘preppy culture’ at UVa is real, but it isn’t everywhere. Personally, I have gotten involved with a lot of things at UVA that are more alternative/counterculture and I feel like I’ve found my people. At a school this big there really is every kind of culture, community, and person represented, and you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for 9 times out of 10. I definitely see the preppy culture around me, and it can get kind of annoying, but I basically avoid it very successfully because it just isn’t for me.
Now, social integration can be difficult for transfer students. I was a transfer student and had a hard time adjusting to UVA socially. But again, with effort and time, I now feel like I belong. I’m also not sure whether social integration is any easier at the other schools you’re looking for; transfer students never seem to have an easy time of it. (But don’t let that be discouraging - it’s just realistic, in my opinion. If you start reaching out to people and getting involved with things right off the bat, it’s much easier to adjust. I didn’t do that myself so that’s why I struggled.)