<p>Would I be right in thinking UVA is more "Greek" and conservative than UMich and UNC?</p>
<p>Alexandre,</p>
<p>When was the last time you were on the campus at either UVA or UNC?</p>
<p>UNC in March of 2007, UVa in November of 2006. Why?</p>
<p>Just a few data points to consider…</p>
<p>STUDENT ENROLLMENT</p>
<p>24,257 U Virginia (15,078 undergrads & 9179 graduate students)
41,042 U Michigan (26,083 undergrads & 14,959 graduate students)
28,136 U North Carolina (17,628 undergrads & 10,508 graduate students) </p>
<p>Comment: U Michigan has 69% and 46% more students than at U Virginia and U North Carolina.</p>
<p>ACCEPTANCE RATE</p>
<p>35% U Virginia (OOS is 27%)
50% U Michigan (OOS is not publicly provided, but estimated at 40-45%)
35% U North Carolina (OOS is not publicly provided, but estimated at 20-25%)</p>
<p>Comment: U Michigan offers Rolling/Early Notification and U North Carolina offers Early Notification. U Virginia offers only RD. </p>
<p>CLASSROOM SIZE (% of classes with <20 students, 20-50 students, >50 students)</p>
<p>49%, 37%, 14% U Virginia
44%, 38%, 18% U Michigan
44%, 44%, 12% U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: Small differences that probably won't affect most students. </p>
<p>RANKED BY USNWR CLASSROOM TEACHING EXCELLENCE</p>
<p>YES U Virginia
NO U Michigan
YES U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: This speaks for itself. </p>
<p>USNWR PA SCORE</p>
<p>4.3 U Virginia
4.4 U Michigan
4.1 U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: Modest differences and not clear how this relates to the undergraduate student experience</p>
<p>TUITION & FEES FOR AN OOS STUDENT</p>
<p>$29,600 U Virginia
$32,401 U Michigan
$22,294 U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: U North Carolina is the clear winner. </p>
<p>% IN FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES</p>
<p>30%, 30% U Virginia
15%, 17% U Michigan
15%, 17% U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: helpingmom (post #21) is correct that U Virginia has the most active and prominent Greek system. </p>
<p>CAMPUS BEAUTY (IMO)</p>
<ol>
<li> U Virginia</li>
<li> U Michigan and U North Carolina (tie)</li>
</ol>
<p>Comment: Many college campuses have copied U Virginia's famous Rotunda and its "Lawn" is perhaps the prettiest and most impressive college setting anywhere in the USA. </p>
<p>FEBRUARY TEMPERATURES (Hi/Low)</p>
<p>49-29 U Virginia
34-19 U Michigan
54-30 U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: Whatever you like depending on personal preference. </p>
<p>Bottom-line Comment: All three schools have much to recommend them and students/graduates of each are passionate in their defense of their school (often to the point of exaggeration). My personal view is that these colleges don’t have the same "feel" and will attract differing student personalities (although I think that the differences between U Virginia and U North Carolina are least). All three schools have many strong graduates who are highly regarded in their home regions and who sometimes are found across the country in some of the most highly sought after postgraduate industries/graduate schools. Good luck.</p>
<p>The University of Michigan also has an 'Early Notification' type of admissions option.</p>
<p>Uva is desperately trying to become what UM already is--a power in the sciences and engineering. If you want English go wherever. If you want biochemistry or engineering go to UM. UNC is in between with no engineering at all.</p>
<p>i think the cultures are very different, uva and unc are more conservative and southern, i'm just judging this from the very large number of uva and unc alums in my area. (northern va) </p>
<p>Michigan is definitely much more liberal, and there are a lot of different personalities at UM. While I don't agree with the AA practices at Michigan in the past, the University's entouraging attitude toward diversity in people and thoughts is great.</p>
<p>Does anyone know why Umich dropped to 26th? Different criteria or something fell?</p>
<p>
[quote]
RANKED BY USNWR CLASSROOM TEACHING EXCELLENCE</p>
<p>YES U Virginia
NO U Michigan
YES U North Carolina</p>
<p>Comment: This speaks for itself.
[/quote]
Hawkette, when was this survey conducted again? Weren't you the one who gripes about the Peer Assessment (conducted in the same manner) and claim a lot can change over the years (13 years to be exact for this survey you so love to hang your hat on)?</p>
<p>
[quote]
USNWR CLASSROOM TEACHING EXCELLENCE
[/quote]
I wonder who were all these people USNWR polled back in 1995 to compile the study. I wonder if there is anyone, short of being omniscience, would claim to know the level of teaching excellence at most of the other departments of his/her own university, much less of all the other research universities.</p>
<p>Its much colder in Ann Arbor, and winter lasts much longer, than in Charlottesville and even more so than in Chapel Hill.</p>
<p>Michigan dropped from a tie for 25th last year to 26th this year primarily because of its drop in peer assessment score (of the top schools which dropped in assessment score, 8 out of 10 lost ground in the overall ranking) and its relative rank in several resources categories.</p>