I’ve recently been admitted into both UVA and UCLA, and I feel like I have a tough decision to make. Money is no option for me, though it is important to note I am in-state for UVA. I plan on studying kinesiology, though that is up for grabs and I want to be prepared for a possible study change in college. I understand that both colleges are comparable academically, but have wildly different cultures. Anyone currently/formerly from either school able to help inform me on the decision and give me insight into the strengths of the school compared to the other?
@skaggerakk . . . there are a decent number of students from Virginia who like/love UCLA, but obviously not a lot who enroll, because of full tuition the University charges which results in UCLA having about a 25% yield from OOS. There are about 20% of UCLA apps who are from OOS or around 23,000.
I was just looking at a social media site that had stories of those who’ve SIRed UCLA for 2020, and there was a woman who was featured from VA (city starting with “R”) who committed. (Don’t tell us where you’re from.) And undoubtedly students in California like/love UVA also, so it flows both ways.
Just note that UCLA doesn’t have Kinesiology. It has Physiology and whole bunch of other life-science majors, probably the same at UVA.
Both schools are completely different of course: eastcoast v. westcoast; quintessential Calfornia v. eastcoast prep; 17,000 undergrads v. 31,000. The physical and life sciences are excellent at UCLA – there’s a professor named Neil Garg who is probably singularly responsible for a lot of UCLA students getting into med school because of the way he teaches the chem series. There’s another chem teacher named Anish Nag who employs some of the same techniques as Dr. Garg. I’m sure that UVA has similar science professors who will impel UVA students to m-school also.
But I’m thinking that’s not your goal. You sound like someone who is probably more into physical therapy. But whatever it is you desire, you don’t have to worry about either university. Both will get you where you want to go. I would offer a tl; dr blurb, but I’m not particularly good at condensing.
Lest I be remiss of course . . . all the best!