I’m a current high school junior in VA and for a long time I was looking at UVA out of my own personal interest but also my dad’s. My dad went to VT but had no interest in engineering at all. He knows nothing. I am much different then him and would like to major in ECE. I’ve always been a pretty good student, but since transferring to a much harder private school I’ve slipped some A’s to B+'s. Anyway, my dad has it stuck in his head that I need to get into UVA to be successful and that if I get into VT engineering school than I should definitely take that opportunity. However, if I don’t get into VT engineering school, then I CAN NOT go to the regular school. He proceeds to then trash the whole school. Of course, he would really want to see me go to UVA AND get into their engineering school. So my question is, why are people on here saying to go to VT for engineering if the person asking wasn’t ever implying the “engineering school” and just meant regular VT admission. I’m pretty aware that VT regular admission is not too selective and not very competitive.
If your dad is a VT graduate, I am surprised that he would “trash the whole school.” Most Virginia Tech people seem to be pretty positive about their school. UVa and Virginia Tech both have good engineering programs. If you get admitted , you can decide at that point, Both are competitive for admission into engineering.
I believe he got a bachelors there. Maybe not. Maybe it was only 2 years. I do know he left at one point to go to VCU for a degree. He does completely trash the school though. Says it looks like “a prison” and that it’s a horrible school and I’d be better off going to JMU or VCU. Personally, I think VT suits me perfect. Wonderful location in the mountains (just like UVA but even more in the mountains) and it’s got a heavy emphasis on engineering. It also has been making much news in the recent years and even last month with one of my favorite hobbies, amateur radio. UVA also suits me in a lot of ways and Charlottesville is great. I’ve heard some people on here say UVA engineering is harder to get into than VT, but I’d have to disagree based on what I’ve heard. But really the question here is, if I get admitted for regular admission into both, do I choose VT because I know I want to go into engineering (and because I’ll maybe be making a good decision going there despite not being in the engineering program?) or do I choose UVA because it’s a much higher ranked school and an undergraduate degree looks better at UVA.
You don’t really have to make this difficult choice until you are accepted to both. You can tour both schools’ engineering departments and talk to students and faculty on a college tour. I know VA Tech had special tours for prospective engineering students. We live in VA too. The truth is you can’t make a bad decision by going to either school. The price difference between the two is negligible. My son loves the idea of going to school in the mountains. I hate the mountains. I hope your dad is mature enough to realize it’s really your decision. BTW if you have many B’s you need some safeties.
Yep. My dad loves the mountains as well, but just believes UVA’s prestige trumps all. Also, once again, the question I have really refers to the regular admission of both schools and how they compare to someone who wants to go into engineering despite not getting into the engineering school.
As far as my grades, freshman year was pretty excellent for me but then I transferred to a much more difficult private school sophomore so I did slip with some B’s and even a C+ in chemistry. Then this year I’ve made a recovery and have pulled all A-'s, A’s, and a few B+'s. All 3 years I’ve had a loaded schedule, no study halls. Mostly honors classes. But only 1 AP so far in addition to self-studied AP CS. I do have lots of extracurriculars under my belt as well as community service. And all of that will be continuing to be built upon.
“believes UVa’s prestige trumps all.” Your dad needs to get a grip. With B’s and C’s, UVa is a reach for you anywat. So is Virginia Tech engineering at this point. As Osprey says, you need to add some other schools in as well- VCU and GMU have engineering for instance.
If I understand your question, you want to know if it’s worth going to VT, if you’re not able to get directly admitted to the college of engineering (COE), but still want to transfer into the COE at a later date.
First, review the requirements for a non-engineering major to transfer into the COE.
You have to take the core engineering classes, and keep a 3.2 GPA to “qualify” to apply. However, Admission to a degree-granting engineering major is not guaranteed.
If you choose VT, if you don’t get admitted to the COE (and still want to major in engineering), you will have to transfer to another school.
This is really a personal choice. Many would prefer the guarantee of being directly admitted to the COE, and staying at one college for all 4 or 5 years. Others are much more willing to take the risk of not getting into the COE and are willing to transfer if needed.
If you’re interest in one of the popular engineering majors at VT, and since transfer admission is based on space, I would recommend not attending VT as a non-engineer/transfer, but to go ahead and attend another University where your chances of getting into your major is much greater. However, you may be willing to take that risk (I’m not, when I consider all of the other options that are available). This is a personal choice.
In addition to considering starting in University Studies at Virginia Tech (if you are not admitted to engineering), you could also potentially start at a community college in Virginia (they have clear articulation agreements with the 4 year colleges). Hopefully, your father will be supportive if you do decide you want to go to Virginia Tech. That is tough that he is being so negative. Good luck.
Great. Then continue your upward trend and do everything you can to finish out your junior year well and start off your senior year well , with a rigorous schedule, to include AP’s like AP Physics . Think about taking SAT’s again (or ACT) if you think you can improve there. That will help you with any chance for UVa or Virginia Tech engineering. You said that if you do not get into Virginia Tech’s engineering school, “I CANNOT go to the regular school.” How would you get around that if that is what should happen?
Yep, I’ll definitely be taking AP Physics next year. Unfortunately I ended up taking physics 1 again this year (despite getting an A- freshman year) because I couldn’t take AP Physics this year without calculus (I’m in precalc) so they thought I’d prepare myself better by doing it again. Also, I’ll be taking my first SAT this March. Did pretty well on PSAT and with tutoring I should get my score up another 100 point at least.
If I didn’t get into VT engineering school, but I did get into UVA regular (or engineering) then I’d definitely go to UVA. But, if I didn’t get into UVA, then I guess I’d like to go to VT… depending on the other schools I like that are good in my intended major (likely to be outside state since VT/UVA are only ones I like). Then, I could apply to the graduate school later on and hopefully get in. Though I think @Gator88NE was saying that VT engineering might be too hard to try getting into so I should spend my undergrad at a school with a graduate dept where it would be a little easier to get into for my major, so that I can feel most comfortable. I think?
To clarify, I was talking about being a non-engineering undergraduate major attempting to switch to an engineering major in the COE.
Don’t worry about Grad school, you don’t have to attend a school as an undergraduate to get into that university’s grad program.
Apply to both UVA and VT. Also apply to a few other schools as safeties, incase you don’t get into VT/UVA or don’t get into VT’s COE. Then you’ll have a few choices to choose from, keep your options open.
“I definitely will not be going to a community college. Not with the education I’ve received and the money that’s been spent for the last 12 years.”
what is that supposed to mean…?
UVA Engineering is definitely harder to get into than VT Engineering. And a UVA degree would open more doors for you in the future than a VT one.
VT is definitely known for its engineering and a little bit for its architecture; it’s non STEM programs are a bit weak but it is a good school in Virginia overall.
If you are admitted to UVA but not in the engineering division or your major, check on the rules to change into the engineering division and its majors: http://www.seas.virginia.edu/undergrad/transfer_guidelines.php
Looks like minimum 2.5/2.0 technical/overall GPA to apply, but the process is competitive so that actual admission thresholds may be higher.
Check on this for other schools where you may be admitted to the school but not in the major.
At UVa, a student applies initially to a particular school (College of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Nursing, etc.). If the OP applies to engineering and is denied, he is not admitted to UVa, period, as a first year student. He is denied. At Virginia Tech, you also apply to engineering if that is your interest. But if you are denied for engineering, you could still possibly be placed into University Studies instead (with a clear path outlined for those that still want to try to transfer into engineering). At both schools, if you are accepted into engineering, you start in general engineering and then move on to a particular department within engineering after you have completed initial requirements.
At UVA or VT, for students in the engineering division, are there any engineering departments where declaring the major requires a GPA higher than 2.0 or grades higher than C in the prerequisite courses, or which has a competitive secondary admission process to the major?
Yes but I would have to look up the specifics and I’m too busy celebrating the Steelers victory right now, But, it’s something along the lines of , if you have a 3.0 , you will be guaranteed your first choice,
Virginia Tech has a gorgeous campus. The buildings look like castles (and forts) not like a prison. They are mostly built of Hokie Stone. The town is entirely student oriented and very progressive. When your dad went to VT it was not nearly as prestigious as UVa was or as prestigious as it now is. Your dad probably wants you to attend a prestigious school. IN the past people were derogatory about VT compared to UVa. That has changed but he may not know it.
The OP says his dad may not have graduated from Virginia Tech (may have only spent a couple of years there ) so who knows what the story is. Virginia Tech has a loyal and strong alumni base, even among those who graduated decades earlier.
“UVa’s architecture is boring in comparison to VT.” I love both Virginia Tech’s campus (the new engineering building fits in very well with the existing buildings with Hokie stone) and UVa’s grounds (which are actually a World Heritage site).
