<p>I agree with jOHN ROSS, there is a civility and refinement to UVA students.
Duke was just so harsh when I went on my student visit there; actually, it wasn’t Duke per se, it was all the students (and parents) who looked competitive/and oh so tense. There was no fun. When I visited Duke, it was my #1 choice, but when I left, I had the biggest headache and it went to the bottom of my personal list of colleges.
Though Duke is in NC, one would not know that to visit it. My home is in the south and some people I know refer to the Duke medical center as “the Medical College of New Jersey”.
Not that there’s anything wrong with NJ. However, Duke is not southern IMO, nor charming in the sort of way that I desired. UVA has a nice mix of people. It’s southern–but also brings in a nice mix of OOS students. It’s preppy, beautiful, smart, fun and is really a national landmark in terms of Virginia history. UVA is academically challenging AND fun. I think this balance, creates a balanced student.
That’s my take on things, and my statements are based on what I was looking for when I applied last year. Of course, everyone is different, and we all seek what we are looking for in higher education.</p>