<p>Hi, I've already gotten my opinions from the NYU forums so I need some advocates for UVa to help please. I've just been accepted into NYU CAS as a spring transfer 2010, but I also have deferred admission into UVa for fall 2010. How in the WORLD do I decide? </p>
<p>Some things to consider:
1. I'm primarily studying political science and philosophy, possible minor in law and society.
2. I'm from CA so either way it's expensive, so please disregard the cost when evaluating the better school as that is not a determining factor at the moment.
3. I was born and raised in Orange County and it's beautiful, but I'm bored. I lived in London last semester on a study abroad program and absolutely loved living in the city.
4. I've visited NYC many times and love it, but I've never visited the school. I've never been to UVa, Cville, or Virginia for that matter, so I don't know what to think about living there. However, I've visited UNC-CH a few times, which I love, and I'm told it is similar to UVa.*
5. If I don't go to NYU this spring I have to go back to Cal State Fullerton for the semester while I wait to go to UVa (not the end of the world, but not at all ideal). If I do go to NYU this spring, I have to move across the country, attend orientation, enroll in classes, and avoid having an anxiety attack, all in less than 30 days (again, it can be accomplished, but it isn't the best case scenario).</p>
<p>*Arranging to visit the campuses is not a problem, but the biggest problem is that I'm very, very short on time. I either have to send my enrollment deposit to NYU for this spring within a few weeks or send my fall semester transcripts to UVa to keep my spot for next fall.</p>
<p>Academically, UVA has a strong politics/government department, but I think that philosophy/sociology may be stronger at NYU.</p>
<p>NYU lacks a college/campus feel as they just have buildings scattered all over the place. UVA’s Grounds are expansive and really have that university community feel. The Lawn/Academic Village is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s a pretty cool site to see/work/play and possibly live, especially when it’s lit up for the holidays.</p>
<p>NYU also has the advantage of having a ton of things going at once. You will never be bored. Charlottesville is a nice town with a decent number of things to do, but Charlottesville kind of sits isolated in VA. It’s an hour to Richmond and about 2hrs to Northern VA and DC. On the flip side, however, UVA has great outdoor opportunities if you are interested in biking, hiking or the like. </p>
<p>This is just a little, but hopefully it helps.</p>
<p>If you’ve visited NYC and Chapel Hill, that’s a pretty fair analogy. To me, college is a leafy, green campus with beautiful buildings, loads of school spirit, and students buzzing all over the campus (OK, “grounds”) thoroughly engaged in college life. UVA is the quintessential embodiment of that image, while NYU has none of that.</p>
<p>But perhaps to you, the ideal image is being around Greenwich Village, living the NYC life and squeezing in some classes here and there. It’s not what I’d choose but if it’s yours, you won’t find anything similar in Charlottesville. Once you get in mind your ideal image of college, the decision should be pretty easy.</p>
<p>Thank you both for your input; it’s very helpful. I’m going to NY tomorrow to visit the school and then to VA to see their campus on Thursday. After that, it’s decision time. Thanks again for your help!</p>
<p>As gadad says, UVa will give you the quintessential college experience if that is what you are looking for. UVa just won the NCAA men’s soccer National Championship yesterday. Tons of school spirit and pride. UNC-Chapel Hill was in the Final Four. If you are looking for big city life, though, that is another story(although I think Charlottesville does have alot to offer). Only you can decide. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am an international student and come from a very big city and to be honest I find Charlottesville very small and very boring. </p>
<p>On the other hand though, the university keeps you constantly busy, so you don’t really have much time to leave the campus anyway. I honestly don’t remember the last time I left grounds.</p>
<p>If you are bored here, I have to imagine that you don’t like music, theater, art, food, or being outdoors. This city has a thriving arts scene and fantastic restaurants. </p>
<p>There is more happening that is immediately accessible here than at the universities at which I worked in larger cities. I remember students acting as though switching train lines was like traveling half way across the state in a major city. Here, everything is within reach. What’s more, all public transit here is free to UVa students.</p>
<p>By the way, no college or university has had the same stream of big name musical acts that we have had in the last few years. Off the top of my head, the bands I’ve seen on Grounds in the last four years: The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band (are we up to 6 shows in 2 years?), U2, The Police, The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Phish, The Dead, Justin Timberlake, half a dozen big name country acts…I realize you might not like every band that has played on Grounds, but each of those tours has been highly sought after.</p>
<p>I lived in Midtown for a while. NYU is in a great part of town and the subway makes getting into Brooklyn or Uptown dead simple. You will, never, ever, be starved for entertainment. So many wonderful places to eat, the museums, the events, the concerts.</p>
<p>That said I’d only recommend NYU over UVA if you were interested in Tisch. That’s really the one spot that NYU has a strong institutional advantage.</p>
<p>Do you want a classical college experience or would you prefer to spend your nights out in the city?</p>
<p>UVA wins academically, hands down. I think if you absolutely want to live in a city, then go to NYU. But then again, so many UVA grads end up in NYC for their jobs.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and we have the best combination of academics and athletics. So if you want to see future pros in the collegiate level who are both talented on and off the court/field, then UVA is for you.</p>
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