<p>man, i hope you are wrong about the > 1400 SAT score... anyone know anyone who got into UVa without a 1400 and good ECs and LORs? also, rockstar GPA...?</p>
<p>what i am wondering about is that if they consider you "in-state" being a legacy, are you numerically in the out- of- state statistics or the in-state stats? and if you are still in the out-of-state stats, how much of the 30% is actually legacies?</p>
<p>ask virginia.edu... i've exchanged a few emails between their admissions department.</p>
<p>I think out-of-state legacies are still counted within the 33% out-of-state ratio. Roughly 10% of each class is composed of legacies.</p>
<p>Yeah legacies are definitely a big factor at UVA, at least compared to its importance at Ivies.</p>
<p>My school has a bad rep with UVA too because our NHS president that went there last year as a freshman got caught for plaigarism and booted out. UVA's really strict on cheating so as a word of advice, don't even think about those essay mills or editor things...</p>
<p>Does it matter that the legacy parent does not contribute?</p>
<p>I don't think it matters if a legacy's parent contributes or not.</p>
<p>sigh...i wish i had a legacy at a good school...my dad went to some crapie state school in some random state.....</p>
<p>Using this recent Harvard finding, here's another angle to look at:</p>
<p>UVa is the most preferred public university in the country (see Table #3) followed by UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill, UCLA, Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, and William & Mary. </p>
<p>I find it interesting that people on College Confidential will say that UVa isn't that well-known outside of the East Coast, but looking at this Harvard report, Virginia is more popular in some Midwestern states than in the East Coast. In Table #6, people from Region 4 (Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska) ranked UVa #17, while people in Region 8 (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah & Wyoming) ranked UVa #18. Even in the West Coast (Region 9), when given a choice people pick UVa over Berkeley, UCLA, USC and Pomona. </p>
<p>Come to think of it, I'm not too surprised. I know that UVa has a high yield (the percentage of people who choose to attend a school out of the total number accepted). Only a handful of schools have yields above 50%. UVa is like 54%.</p>
<p>What is the most fascinating to me is Table #4, where 90% rank UVa higher than Berkeley, and 98% consider UVa better than UNC. Equally interesting is that only 40% think Duke is better than UVa. (I'm surprised by this since publications (i.e. US News) like to place Duke among the Top 10 in the country. I guess this goes to show that US News does not have as strong a hold over what people think are the best schools.)</p>
<p>UVA is just a strange school. One of my friend got in with 3.6 GPA and 1060 SAT, and many with 3.7~3.8 GPA and mid 1200 to 1300 SAT, but these two girls with 4.0 GPA and 1500 SAT got rejected. By the way I'm living in VA.. and everyone who are looking for some good schools around here thinks UVA as safe. So, I guess you just have to apply and then figure it out..</p>
<p>Again, I reiterate the importance of your essays, recommendations, passion and commitment to the activities you're involved in, and the difficulty of the classes you take. UVa looks at the entire applicant, not just your raw scores. People will often say, "oh, you have a 1500, you're in," but at UVa, there are no guarantees.</p>
<p>Globalist, you are one of the only ppl i have seen on a forum with common sense and knowledge.</p>
<p>most of the bickering at my school (most have 1500s) say "omg, you have a score < 1500, you will never get anywhere)... in reality, most of the students are "textbook" and do not venture outside the house much.</p>
<p>UVA = NOT better than UNC</p>
<p>Anyone thinks or claims it is is just plain bogus.</p>
<p>UNC = The first public U. in U.S./ the best value for world class education in the globe.</p>
<p>Well, while I think the subject of which one is "academically superior" to each other is rather trite...both schools are excellent - while one school may have marginally better departments than the other, undergrad degrees don't mean that much, as you can do basicly anything with any undergrad degree. I will comment on a few other things between the schools. </p>
<p>-UVa degree is arguably more "high power" and seen as more prestigious (will get flamed for this probably...)
-UVa is easier to get into OOS, harder to get into instate. (UNC only accepts about 18% of its OOS applicants vs. 30% at UVA. Interestingly enough, if you go over to the UNC forum I made a post about UNC OOS admissions thats fairly detailed.)
-UNC is bigger
-UNC has 83% from NC vs. 67% for UVa. Could be uncomfortable for OOSers. Could be "clicky." (or clickier depending...)
-UVa's campus is nicer. - and the new basketball arena will be sick when it opens next year.
-OOS UVa is more expensive, UNC instate is cheaper.
-UNC has a basketball team that doesn't suck (infact is rather awesome, and I can't wait for them to beat duke this year) They also have a football team that doesn't suck. (not that UVa's team sucks, but every year is a let down and when UNC does well, it's a surprise. They did exceedingly well this year)
-girls at both schools are equally hot. (more plentiful at UNC though, 40/60 ratio at unc vs. 47/53 at uva...;-)</p>
<p>NOW THE REAL QUESTION</p>
<p>which has a better party scene? why I can't speak for UNC personally, I can tell you this - if its party scene is anything like Duke's - PLEASE do not go to UNC, you will die.</p>
<p>other than that, I'd say personal preference. But if you're applying to both OOS you'll need some SERIOUS grades and some SERIOUS luck to get into both. I've said it before, I would bet anything that UNC OOS is in the top 10 for selectivity for the non legacy/athlete candidate.</p>
<ul>
<li>UNC= The first public University chartered in U.S.</li>
<li>UNC is represented by its strength in its liberal arts curr. and they are strongly identified as one of the best.</li>
<li>UNC has more well rounded graduate departments that are excellent as opposed to where in UVA, it's more concentrated.</li>
<li>Chapel Hill is truly a quintessential college town (not because magazines rave about it quoting this but, truly!). I've been to both Charlottesville and Chapel Hill - UVA campus is not as nearly as beautiful as Chapel Hill.</li>
<li>Party scenes? You can't even compare party scenes in Char-Ville to Chapel Hill, esp. in b-ball season (Chapel Hill, hand down, is definitely one of the best place for paryting in U.S. esp. for guys).</li>
<li>Girls? Not just the ratio, but you'll never see every 2 in 3 girls you see on the street are hot as in Chapel Hill anywhere else.</li>
<li>U.S. News assessment (by bunch of admissions personnel and deans...)? UVA = 4.3 UNC 4.2 which is quite debatable since UNC's prestige is quite well recognized (although not with such depth)throughout the country. UVa is regarded high mostly in the east cost.</li>
<li>UNC is comparable research powerhouse to UMICH/UCLA and UWIS-Madison, while UVa can't even hold a candle next to these institutions.</li>
<li>Price and Value? UNC is the best deal with the cost to attend a college of such calibur (hands down, best in the country).</li>
</ul>
<p>1) being the first public university doesn't mean anything...i could very well say that because TJ founded UVA its therefore better. the only people who will argue that UNC is more prestigious than UVA are UNC alums and current students. That doesn't mean UNC is worse or doesn't have some departments that are stronger.</p>
<p>2) uva's liberal arts are just as good as unc's</p>
<p>3) uva's grad schools are all excellent too. I don't know why people think that they would be bad. besides, the only thing that I would venture to say that is common knowledge is that UNC has a great the medical school. Just as you could say the only grad program thats held as common knowledge thats great at UVa is the Law school (maybe the business school.) Also, I'd like to point out that there are NO bad medical schools, however, there are definately good and bad law schools.</p>
<p>4) like i said, i've never partied in chapel hill, but i do doubt it compares to places like UGA (which has the most ridiculous bar scene ever). but regardless, cville doesnt have a bad party scene. Also, UVa's campus is nicer than UNC's. I've been to both too. Although its personal preference, nothing on any college campus compares to the lawn. </p>
<p>5) according to a harvard study which can be found here, <a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=601105%5B/url%5D">http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=601105</a> , UVa is not only preferred over UNC on the east coast, but everywhere in the entire country. I guess that would make UVA either more well known or seen as more presitigous - probably both - especially considering the fact that UNC doesn't even make it onto most of the lists when they break it down into regions. Also, apparantly UVA is regarded most highly in the great planes, not the east coast.</p>
<p>6) yes UVA isn't very research oriented. but as an undergrad you DON'T want that so you're professors pay attention to you, and not their research.</p>
<p>7) yes UVa does cost more.</p>
<p>8) yes the girls at UNC are very pretty. The girls at UVa are also very pretty. And i think its a bit of a stretch to say that UNC has the hottest girls. ASU and UofA anyone?</p>
<p>1) Being the first public u. says alot about Univ. tradition and its strength as an institution. While it operated as a first public U. UNC represented what our nation can afford with federal funding in educating our young elites.</p>
<p>2) UVA's liberal arts curriculum used to be as good. UNC's liberal arts curriculum expanded in breadth and depth to say the least. Sociology/ Poli-Sci/ History/ English in UNC are consistent top 10 and I dare say UVa's programs rarely comes close (find any source - NRC/ US News or even words of your faculty w/in that department and it will clarify)</p>
<p>3) Kenan Flagner (undergrad. B) > McIntire
KFB MBA = Darden
UVA Law (top 10) > UNC (top 20)
UNC Med (Top 20) > UVA Med (Top 30)
In terms of professional degree programs, they are pretty even. And don't you claim that there are no inferior med programs, that's like saying there are no EE programs that are bad just because you think these subject curriculums are more difficult in you own notion (MD > JD? you imply a ludicrous claim... even New York Law NOT NYU Law, in some years, boasts 90%+ BAR passing rate in the city).</p>
<p>4) Exactly! You've never partied in Chapel Hill. Let's leave it at that. What would you know what it's like to party there if you haven't? I've partied in both places and UNLV (My buddy went there to study hotel management at a graduate level). Chapel Hill parrs UNLV in terms of vibe and student participation in party scenes (it's just amazing). C-ville? night life there..., I can't even explain what it is: Definitely not a mercer or prince in SOJO of NYU, definitely not Chapel Hill, but it was definitely somewhat boring. Oh by the way, athens is definitely not a place where that can match up to party scene at CH. </p>
<p>Moreover, you will rarely encounter people that campus in C-ville is nicer than Chapel Hill whether you are talking to people from New England area or south. Chapel Hill didn't just happen to adopt a nickname of "southern part of heaven". UVA campus does not come close (it might be that you haven't seen the full campus at UNC since it is definitely BIGGER as you'd claim also)</p>
<p>5) I'm sorry my claim goes against the study conducted at the great "Harvard" on this one. I am not surprised that somebody is mentioning Harvard while discussing two of the most premiere public universities. Then I'll mention UC Berkely, where in its boalt(their law school) admissions matrix gives UNC a built-in marging point for applicants of 88pts for an applicant's w/ 3.0 GPA and gives UVA a 81 (Berkeley gives itself 83 based on school's academic difficulty and prestige). University of Chicago did publish an article that most applied graduate programs for Poli-SCI and History for their Undergrad students include UNC in top 5 where as UVA is not even on the chart. Oh by the way, UNC not being the biggest institution amongt top public schools, has the most national merit scholars amonst those publics. Harvard may conduct a study of its own but I know of multiple schools (G-Town, Brown, WUSL) plus big name firms (McKinsey, J.P. Morgan, Lehman brothers) that recognizes UNC over UVA for grad. school admissions and employment.</p>
<p>6) UVA attempts to put research in their top priority with their persistent endowment but never achieves at a level which UNC and UCLA does. UVA's faculty members are even more focused in attempts to improve their graduate level research therefore steering away from individual focus on students (they are getting more aggressive about their research as years pass). UNC has been through this problem and it's making adjustments on its weakness. UVA refuses to recognize their own problem and concerns themselves with the issue them being a good school with less research power (even with superior endowment). This is the reason why, if you ask any faculty member in UVA if the institution is somewhat superior to UNC, they'd ever refuse to say "yes" (I had put this one to test while I visited UNC when I was a college prospect years ago).</p>
<p>7) Yes, UVa does.</p>
<p>8) Girls with brains! my friend. Girls with brains... and blonde hairs.
(I know this argumet can be quite controversial)</p>
<p>that's the most blatant UNC trolling i've ever seen. wow.</p>
<p>I agree with cavalier302... I wonder if scotthl has any purpose as a UNC student or alumni other than to attempt to convery UNC as a superior school to UVa (which its not, contrary to his/her zealous investigations).</p>
<p>I think both are excellent schools, and when it comes down to marginal details as sources for debate, it's rather pointless to bicker. </p>
<p>In addition, while those in defense of UVa have said that UNC is an excellent school, scotthl has conceded only that UVa's law school is in the top 10 and UNC's is in the top 20. Can you not accept the possibility that UVa actually may be a better school in some areas?</p>
<p>My school has 5 or 6 people going to UVA a year, typically (With 50-60 in a senior class). These arent even top notch students... I think for them its all in the school you go to, reputation and such. Kind of sucks for other kids</p>