<p>Hey all of you. Hope all is well with you. Anyways, I am trying to decide between going to UVA and UIUC. My intended major is Mathematics but that might change anyways - to, for example, psychology. I am really considering almost every aspect of college life and academics when it comes to choosing the right school for me. So i'll begin by stating the pros and cons of being at either schools:</p>
<p>UVA -
Pros: 1) Smaller community - 14 000
2) Gorgeous and beautiful campus
3) Nice weather
4) Academically competitive
5) I think I will get an "all-rounded" education</p>
<p>Cons: 1) Echols people turn me off and I want to get the best of everything they have to offer - such as seminars - and apparently Echols scholars get priority registration, upperclass seminars, etc. --> not the main reason why I don't like UVA
2) There is no one department in the school that really stands out. Generally, they say that they offer "one of the best education exprience" - and I don't know how true that is.
3) Redneck, racist people from what i've heard</p>
<p>UIUC -
Pros: 1) A great school - especially its engineering programme.
2) I can't think of anymore.... lol</p>
<p>Cons: 1) Bad buildings, etc. Old. Community "not thriving".
2) Only well-known for engineering - and nothing else. </p>
<p>So, on the basis of my views and your opinions, what is better for me? I know more about UVA because I've done a lot of research on it. Math and Psychology departments are ranked higher in UIUC than in UVA (based on reserach quality). I would appreciate your comments!</p>
<p>I like UVa too but I don't believe you will find C'ville much more lively than Chambana. It's really pretty small and the Corners area will get old really quickly. Many of the buildings are as old and in need of repair as any at UIUC. The old portion of campus is special but the rest is average state university and spread all over the town. Weather is a little milder but there is winter and lots of rainy days. I'd give it a small edge over UI but I would not pay out of state tuition for the privilege unless you planned to major in business and work in NYC.</p>
<p>Isn't it weird how Charlottesville has been ranked, a few times, as the best place to live in the US? I'm just afraid that Charlottesville is just a small ghetto town, and that there's a lot of rednecks there - i don't know how true this is. One friend told me that I "should not act asian" - he thinks that I should try to look to be blending in with the rest - because rednecks will insult me or something. His comments were kind of stupid, considering I mix around with everyone, but it gave me the creeps. </p>
<p>Anyways, I'm more concerned about the education quality that both institution offer.</p>
<p>"sn't it weird how Charlottesville has been ranked, a few times, as the best place to live in the US? I'm just afraid that Charlottesville is just a small ghetto town, and that there's a lot of rednecks there - i don't know how true this is. One friend told me that I "should not act asian" - he thinks that I should try to look to be blending in with the rest - because rednecks will insult me or something. His comments were kind of stupid, considering I mix around with everyone, but it gave me the creeps."</p>
<p>There is a lot if misinformation there. C'ville is a diverse andn vibrant community in ways that go far beyond the immediate university environment.</p>
<p>I don't think there are too many anti-asian rednecks around C'ville. Most issues have been old black vs white as the town still has a failry large poor black section and some related crimes on students.</p>
<p>The #1 ranking is true enough but it is just a result of some statistics which may not be all that predictive. It is a lot more scenic than southern Illinois for sure. The mountains are nearby and the city itself is hilly which is nice.</p>
<p>If you plan to work in NYC, UVA has lots of NY firms recruiting there every year.</p>
<p>That's so cool, thanks for the info guys. Is Charlottesville the only 'safe' place from rednecks in virginia? because I heard that the southern part of virginia is horrible.</p>
<p>C'ville is in a very scenic adn affluent part of central Virginia; as you may know, much of northern Virginia is suburban or exurban--part of DC metro area. Southwestern Virginia is less built up and very beautiful. Stereotypes of states and regions are no more likely to be accurate than stereotypes of ethnic groups. </p>
<p>I hope you were able to get your work done and not have to stay up too late. </p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about fitting in in Virginia. People aren't weird about Asians there. Plus, Charlottesville is a pretty cultured place. It hosts both the Virginia Film Festival and the Virginia Festival of the Book. Also, Albemarle County which surrounds C-ville is pretty well-off (therefore less likely to have rednecks). A lot of wealthy people (including billionaire John Kluge, writer John Grisham, singer Dave Matthews, and actress Sissy Spacek) live near UVa.</p>
<p>Tenniscraze, just so that you know, I award a ***** (you will not want to leave when you graduate) rating to just 5 college towns. Ann Arbor, Austin, Boulder, Madison...and yes, you guessed it, Charlottesville.</p>
<p>C'ville is hardly redneck. It actually has a huge new-age presence and a load of yuppies with shiny SUV's. It's only when you start getting towards the neighboring counties that you run into the pickup trucks and Billy's Fruit Stand.</p>
<p>I don't think you'll find the population racist, but they are quite preppy and undiverse... It's probably the clubbiest state school you'll find. The undergraduate experience would be superior to UIUC in terms of overall education if you can just stand the preppy-ness. And UVA engineering is actually quite impressive, just not very well-known, and more theoretical than other schools.</p>
<p>C'ville is definitely not redneck. There is so much to do besides "The Corner" The Downtown Mall has tons of eclectic shops, many great restaurants & bars, an ice rink, a movie theater, & a live stage theater. If you're outdoorsy there's hiking in the surrounding mountains & skiing within 1/2 hour. And The University itself provides all kinds of things to do.</p>
<p>I think the fact that so many readers/posters are enthusiastic about UVa and C'ville while there seems to be little interest in or familiarity with Champaign-Urbana may be telling you something.</p>
<p>UIUC is a pretty good school especially if you're in-state and you want to major in a subject that UIUC is strong in. Psychology, physics, engineering, and business are some disciplines that are especially good here. In general, UIUC is probably considered a little better than UVA when it comes to the biological, physical, and quantitative sciences. On the other hand, UVA probably provides a better education for the social sciences and humanities. </p>
<p>Urbana-Champaign (U-C) itself is certainly not a dead town. There are plenty of things to do in U-C (malls, movie theaters, festivals, restaurants, university activities). But once you get outside of U-C, there isn't much. I've never been to Charlottesvile, but I would guess that the town is a little more developed and wealthier compared to U-C. </p>
<p>One thing I've heard is that lower classmen at UVA who aren't Echols Scholars can have trouble getting the classes they want and even need. Based on the fact that you were accepted to UVA, I would assume that you were chosen as a James Scholar at UIUC, which means that you would never have to worry about not getting the classes you want come registration time as long as you were to remain a James Scholar here.</p>
<p>UIUC is a great bargain if you're in-state. If you do well here, you'll certainly have plenty of opportunities upon graduation. However, if money isn't really an issue and working on the east coast is an ultimate goal, then it would serve you well to choose UVA.</p>
<p>As a Virginian, I take offense that you continue to worry about "rednecks" and stereotype the state as backwards. I have no idea where you're from but it is unfair to judge a state in which you have very little experience. There are some racists in Virginia as there are racists anywhere, but I don't ever know of a case of racism against asians in VA, so there is no base to this concern...I'm sorry if I've come off as rude but I am tired of my state constantly being slandered in this manner.</p>