What is the best way to go from vt to northern virginia?
Did you ever join the VT Carpool Facebook page? You asked about transportation for orientation. There are students that seem to make the trip several times a week for a fee, $15 or $20. Seriously there are no regular buses or trains. You have to go to Roanoke to catch a plane. Trains arrive and depart from Lynchburg but take many hours to go to D.C. This is something you should have explored before choosing the school IMO.
There is a bus service http://www.homeride.com/. My son used it a few times. It’s reliable but a little pricey.