As a North Carolina resident, the two so-called “Public Ivies” have always been enticing options for college selection. My main question to those who would know is: what are the main differences? Both schools seem fairly similar to me, with similar atmospheres (Chapel Hill vs Charlottesville), similar academics, and similar prestigious reputations. The main differences between the two are the substantial difference in cost, with UNC being much cheaper due to being in-state, and likelihood of acceptance, again due to my state residency.
But hey, what do I know?
Which of the schools would you choose were you in my situation and why?
Out of state tuition for public universities is generally not a good value. UNC and UVa are well regarded and highly rated publics. So in your case UNC.
You stand a better chance at UNC since 75% of the class must come from NC. UVA must only accept 30% from out of state.
As a Virginian I’m a big fan of UVA. I’m very impressed when a kid I know gets into UNC. I can’t honestly claim one is better than the other and it also depends on what major you will study. I doubt that UVA will be worth the extra money.
Do the financial aid calculator for both schools. You will quickly come to the conclusion that UNC is the best value for you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t apply to UVA if you want. Don’t forget to apply to some safeties! Even NC State is pretty selective.
We live in NC and my D looked at both schools. She thought they were very similar as well and applied to UNC and not UVA. UVA is very honest that they give very little merit aid for OOS applicants. The sticker price cost difference is $35k per year.
I actually got into both! I ended up choosing a different school but I was leaning towards UVa over UNC. I think if you’re in state though, UNC is the better value. I was OOS though so I was really just evaluating the two based off the general atmosphere when I visited. They are both fairly similar in many ways.