<p>Since we're talking football, according to this article:</p>
<p>"Cavs had a banner. Only Oklahoma and Florida State had more players selected than Virginia, which, for the first time, saw seven of its players taken in the NFL Draft."</p>
<p>Here's an interesting report on the types of student leaders UVa produces.</p>
<p>Thank you, Globalist, for the article reference. It certainly makes it obvious that Virginia's program is legitimate. We are so Pac-10 crazed out here on the west coast, that we (I) have never focused too much on the east coast conferences. And thanks to everyone else for the continued enlightenment on both UVA and UNC.
I do not want to make it sound like D is choosing her school based on the athletic program...! However, the feeling of school spirit and of belonging to a community is one of her top priorities. She has grown up in a home with parents and older siblings who consider their time in college as one of the best times of life, and all have stayed very connected with all aspects of their alma mater. She wants to fall in love with her experience these next four years, and has seen how support thru sports can enhance that feeling. UNC's spirit was palpable while we were on campus and something we hoped did not lack at UVA.
Obviously, it doesn't.<br>
She continues to be torn between the two schools. I am so surprised how tough this decision has become. To make it just a little more complicated, she is set to visit one last school here on the west coast this weekend---our alma mater. I almost wish she weren't going, but she insists. (Big sis still lives there). I better check to see exactly when final notification needs to be postmarked/received. Unfortunately, I can feel this one going down to the wire. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Again, your daughter should go with her gut feeling. UVa and UNC are both great schools w/ a lot of school spirit, and she can't go wrong with either university. As a Cavalier or Tarheel, she'll have a great education either way.</p>
<p>Good luck. Go ACC!!!</p>
<p>First, I realize that this is a UVA thread but....</p>
<p>UVA and UNC academically are a draw at best. The quality of education she will receive at either will be so close that it would be difficult to quantify. The intangibles and the rest of the experience are what I believe, make the difference.</p>
<p>One thing that COtarheel did not mention is that he turned down several Ivies (Harvard and Yale I believe) to attend UNC. My son also turned down early acceptance to Yale (his dream school) to attend UNC on a scholarship. He, like Cotarheel, has no regrets, loves absolutely EVERYTHING about UNC and Chapel Hill has found all his classes to be quite good and his honors classes to be exceptional. The notion of UVA being a more academic environment doesn't hold with things his friends at UVA have told him. As to in state students being of higher quality at UVA; his friends who are also out of staters have not felt that to be the case and believe that the 30% out of state ratio actually serves to highlight the difference between in and out of state students at UVA. </p>
<p>Coming in with 40 hours of AP credit has allowed him to fulfill most of his core requirements and he is taking upper division classes this semester (second semester, first year). His biggest class was an elective he CHOSE to take that is on the list of "10 things you must do before leaving Chapel Hill" . Most of his classes have been between 15 and 30.</p>
<p>Interestingly, his calculus class was capped at 45 and taught by a full professor that spoke English as compared to his best friend's class (at Penn) that had 300 and was taught by a grad student (Ph.D candidate) who was difficult at best to comprehend.</p>
<p>The OP touched on something, but didn't come right out and say it. This however, was really what set UNC apart for us when we did Explore Carolina last year. We had never seen so many happy students...people with smiles on their faces everywhere on campus and obviously having a good time. You can call it being more laid back or perhaps it's just that they are having a terrific, well rounded undergraduate experience. I have not met anyone yet that wouldn't do it again, given the choice of UNC or somewhere else</p>
<p>My son has three friends at UVA and the big difference that they have seen (and mentioned to him) between the two schools is that Franklin St and Chapel Hill are more vibrant with more to offer than Charlottesville and that there is far more to do at UNC that is not dependent on the Greek scene and/or alcohol.</p>
<p>As I have said on other posts here and to our friends who have asked how he like UNC and if he or we have any regrets about turning down Yale; Seeing how happy he is (in his words "I have never been happier in my life") has made it very easy to get over the fact that I can't put a Yale sticker in the back window of my car.</p>