<p>regardless of major...</p>
<p>UVA… its a better school overall and it has better weather. Also it is more prestigious so you will get more respect post-graduation</p>
<p>^ Nonsense. The two schools are basically equivalent in prestige. If anything Michigan has more prestige at the international level.</p>
<p>I would make the decision first on cost (is either university significantly less?) and then on fit.</p>
<p>Note that the student body at UVA is about half the size of that at UMich. It’s has more of the ambience of a moderately large private university than a huge state U.</p>
<p>Virginia is relatively weak in natural sciences and engineering, especially compared to Michigan. It depends on what you’re majoring in, but they are definitely peers and one is not that much measurably better than the other overall.</p>
<p>“It’s has more of the ambience of a moderately large private university than a huge state U.”</p>
<p>The same thing can be said of Michigan. Because of its wealthy student body, campus layout and resources, Michigan has the feel of a smaller private university.</p>
<p>blademaster, “regardless of major”, I would recommend visiting the two campuses and going with your preferred campus. Michigan and UVa are peer institutions, but they are in located in very different settings.</p>
<p>As a non-partisan observer from Silicon Valley, I can tell you that a lot of valley companies hire numerous folks from U Michigan. Very rarely does one encounter a UVA graduate. Of course the story might be different in the east coast.</p>
<p>Which department at UVA is better than Michigan? Very hard to find one.</p>
<p>On the east coast, Even Penn State and University of Maryland beat UVA on department basis rankings.</p>
<p>“Which department at UVA is better than Michigan? Very hard to find one.”</p>
<p>Technically speaking, Business (both top 5), English (UVa #10, Michigan #13) and US History (only US) are roughly equal. In most other disciplines (Anthrolopology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Non-US History, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Engineering etc…), Michigan is ranked significantly higher than UVa. </p>
<p>But that’s not the way undergraduate institutions should be rated. If it were, Cal would be among the top 3 undergraduate institutions (onlyHarvard and Stanford can compete) and Michigan would among the top 5 or 6. </p>
<p>I do believe that academic quality is a major criteria in determining quality of undergraduate institutions, but other criteria also play a major role. Once you factor those criteria in, I think Michigan and UVa are roughly equal undergraduate institutions, with neither university having a significant edge.</p>
<p>True, but doesn’t UVa provide more aid than UMich</p>
<p>I think size and location–and the student body that results in such a setting–is the most important characteristic in distinguishing the two.</p>
<p>^^ UVA meets 100% of need for in-state and OOS students; Michigan does not. So yes.</p>
<p>UVa students graduate with as much debt as Michigan students, so I am not whether or not UVa truly provides more aid than Michigan. This said, you never mentioned cost. Should one school cost significantly less than the other, you should go for it.</p>
<p>The OP asked which school he/she should attend, “regardless of major.”</p>
<p>It’s very clear the me that Michigan is the better overall academic institution.</p>
<p>“I think size and location–and the student body that results in such a setting–is the most important characteristic in distinguishing the two.”</p>
<p>I agree. Michigan is much larger and more diverse than UVA and Ann Arbor is the quintessential college town.</p>
<p>Both are really good schools and I also think when looking at financial aid packages from each school it may better help you determine your choice.</p>
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<p>As is Charlottesville, at least in the area immediately surrounding the school, is also quite the college town.</p>