<p>I just finished my first year at University of Miami (FL).</p>
<p>For a number of reasons which I'll soon describe, I decided to transfer. </p>
<p>I got accepted to Boston College and Vassar and waitlisted at Virginia. Yesterday I was accepted off of the Virginia waitlist. I've narrowed it down to Vassar and UVa.</p>
<p>I'm going to tell you why I didn't like Miami, and I just would like to know if I'm in for more of the same if i go to Virginia.</p>
<p>Why I didn't like Miami in no particular order:
1) Constant and VERY expensive party scene (my roommate, for example, spent 700$ one night at a club in South Beach)
2) A lot of people tended to be insincere, superficial, a bit mean
3) I felt like doing well academically and being involved in academically oriented or campus/community oriented activities was not a priority
4) Not much of a community feel, too impersonal
5) Greek life was very in-your-face and, quite frankly, a lot of frat guys were tools and sorority girls were, yeah.... (I know this may be the same at UVa)
6) People either weren't that smart or didn't care about seeming stupid
7) Stuck up people</p>
<p>Right now, I feel like Vassar is a better fit for me. But I'm leaning further and further toward UVa (my dad and grandpa both went there, and I visited and very much enjoyed it there). </p>
<p>I'm very liberal (but I like to think independently about different things), somewhat reserved when meeting new people, and I have no problem drinking...I just don't want that to be my whole life.</p>
<p>At a lot of schools the catchphrase is "there's something for everyone," and while that may be the case, not all schools are a fit for all people. Any thoughts based on what I've posted so far? They let me know yesterday and only gave me until Monday to decide!</p>
<p>By the way, a lot of people love Miami. And I met very many brilliant, wonderful people. I don’t want to give the school or ALL the people there a bad name. It’s just some o the feelings I got and why it isn’t a fit for ME.</p>
<p>Note - the two comments above are from people who haven’t attended UVa yet, and my comments are from someone who graduated many years ago. I’d rather take advice from current and recent students. </p>
<p>It is much easier to find a crowd you fit in with at a university of 16K or so undergrads than a college of Vassar’s size. I’ve never been to Schnectedty, but I imagine Cville is a much more interesting town for students.</p>
<p>Also, consider the weather. Going from Miami to upstate NY may be too much of a change. Cville’s weather is mild during most of the school year.</p>
<p>I’ve lived in NJ my whole life, weather isn’t a concern. VC is in Poughkeepsie btw.</p>
<p>And while they’re may be more people and more chance to find a crowd I fit with, I don’t want to be overwhelmed by thousands of other people I don’t mesh with.</p>
<p>To be honest, I think you will find everything on your list at varying degrees at BOTH schools (with the exception of #5). There are kids with wealth who party hard at UVa, and there are those with money who party hard at Vassar. There are insincere kids at both as well, etc. The more obvious differences are:</p>
<ol>
<li>Weather</li>
<li>Size </li>
<li>Male/Female Ratio </li>
<li>Much more homogenous student body at Vassar (not referring to race)</li>
<li>Sports</li>
<li>National reputation research institute with renowned grad programs – National reputation as liberal arts college</li>
</ol>
<p>Based upon your comments, it seems like you’re leaning toward Vassar. Both are good schools; follow your heart.</p>
<p>Another thing is that people seemed extremely outgoing and very quick at making friends and establishing relationships at Miami. I’m not necessarily like that. </p>
<p>Different/same at UVa/Vassar?</p>
<p>They can’t all have everything I listed, very different schools, no?</p>
<p>I think one of the most important social factors should be the male to female ratio. I’m not sure of your gender/orientation given this post, but the dating scene at Vassar is wildly different from that of UVa, and really that of any other school besides, maybe, Sarah Lawrence. I can only take this information from online sources, as I have never attended Vassar, but it would seem that the lack of available straight men leads to promiscuity and, for lack of a better term, “one night stands.” I just thought that this might be worth saying. Your mindset seems much more liberal artsy though.</p>
<p>Since you are from Jersey you get the weather difference. Poughkeepsie, as you know, as do I is a small town that does not have the same feel as Charlottesville. If you know upstate NY at all I would liken it to Saratoga. In that same vein I would also liken Vassar to the same feel as Skidmore, just a bit nicer aesthetically and better academically. </p>
<p>Next, I currently have two sons at UVa and I would say that the stereotype you describe, as well as what others have alluded to are not the norm. As per Jc40’s post you are going to get those types at both schools. However with that said UVa has more students there that care about community service, academics and being considerate than those that are pretentious. UVa is also not as ‘big’ as you think. Why individuals allude to this is beyond me. Darden and the Law school are not a part of central grounds and hence they do not play into the mix of what most undergraduates notice as far as numbers go. </p>
<p>Basically, Vassar and UVa are on the other end of the spectrum from Miami as far as city feel. Both of these schools have a great academic reputations. You will find your niche at each of these schools. Either way you have two great choices.</p>
<p>Congrats on getting into UVa! I’m also a transfer student entering this fall as a second year. Vassar does seem like a very good match for you, however will be very different from Miami. UVa would also be a good match as well. Everyone that I have met at the school has been extremely friendly and intelligent. One student, who we had never even met before and struck up a conversation on the lawn, even had lunch with me and my family. I asked him about the stereotypes of UVa and he said that most of them are not true, stating that most people are not stuck up and that it is a fairly liberal (more socially) campus (grounds?). I’m liberal as well. From what I have gathered UVa is very service oriented. One such organization being Madison House and Project SERVE (orientation service), both of which are relatively easy to get involved with. Charlottesville will also offer many opportunities to do things besides drink, such as go to shows, watch a comedian, hike/ski in the nearby mountains, athletic events. There really is a lot to do. There are positives and negatives to every college, you just got to ask yourself if the good things outweigh the bad. </p>
<p>And don’t feel as if you should choose UVa just because you got in off the wait list. Go to the school that you feel the most comfortable at. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me. I’m also sort of nervous about making friends lol</p>