<p>Well, I've been accepted to WashU and got a likely to UVa, so it's time to start deciding.</p>
<p>Overall questions, in order of importance
1. Academic experience:
One thing that really attracts me to WashU is that everyone seems extremely happy with their academic experience. Lots of personal attention, etc. I don't know much about UVa when it comes to this, so could someone enlighten me? I know a couple who were extremely happy with UVa, but I don't know enough yet to compare them.
2. Academic program
At WashU I will be taking the Urban Studies program, while at UVa I will be taking the Urban and Environmental design. What are your opinions of the WashU Urban Studies program? Has anyone seen someone go from Urban Studies to an Urban Planning masters program? It seems UVa would prepare me better for an accredited pre-professional, but I want to know your opinion on the WashU Urban Studies experience, if applicable.
3. Living "conditions"
How does the WashU campus compare to UVa's? It seems that partying would be more limited at WashU (which I would greatly appreciate, as I am NOT a partier). Does anyone think that living at WashU is much more enjoyable than living at UVa? Also, I've heard that WashU is much more "laid back" than the average Top 25. Is this true?
4. Financial aid
I know I should just wait for my FinAid package, but... Both WashU and UVa cover 100% of shown aid. Has this been the case for anyone?
5. Location
How is St. Louis? Does anyone long for the coasts after a year, or does St. Louis prove to be the perfect learning environment?</p>
<p>Any comments you could possibly add?</p>
<p>I can't think of any more at the moment, but will amend if necessary. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>For #3, I know the dorms at WashU are significantly nicer than those at UVA. Wash U is widely considered to have some of the nicest dorms in the country, but when I went on a tour at UVA, the buildings themselves looked pretty outdated and the tour did not go into a dorm building, presumably because the dorms there are inferior to other top level schools.
I’m not sure about the other specifics, but I definitely think quality of life at Wash U is superior to that of UVA.</p>
<p>They are both beautiful campuses, and obviously St. Louis is more urban than Charlottesville (should be better for your major, lol). UVa not really that close to the water anyway. LHS is right about the dorms. But because Wash U is more urban, and despite the derogatory comments from East and West Coast snobs on here about the midwest and St. Louis, there is more to do off campus and so that actually cuts down on the drinking and drugs compared to a lot of college town schools. This has been shown time after time. Of course you can find it anywhere, I am just talking about overall. Both schools have great learning environments, and that is more up to you anyway. Midwest sensibilities vs. southern manners…hmmmm probably a wash, lol.</p>
<p>I can answer #4 regarding WashU - The school did offer to cover my need (all expenses minus my EFC) and actually offered quite a bit more than that after I explained my financial situation some.</p>
<p>As a someone who is interested in Urban Studies and a former (and future) resident of St. Louis, I think the city is a great venue to specialize in Urban Studies. Its dynamic history and its current issues really make it an exciting place to be if you remain interested in Urban Studies. I have spoken to a current Urban Studies major at WashU and she said that they often take field trips into the city. It is an interdisciplinary program so it gives you a lot of career paths too. One negative, if it is one, might be that it is a fairly new program. While I cannot speak for the actual program at UVA, Charlottesville has a population of ~50,000 so not much of an Urban Environment and the closest urban areas are about 2 hours or more away…</p>
<h1>3</h1>
<p>WashU has the nicest dorms of any college I have visited. UVA’s are not on the same level (and are also not air-conditioned). Frats are present at both schools (probably bigger at UVA). I believe the main social area at UVa was called “The Corner” while Del-Mar is one of the big off-campus social areas at WashU.</p>
<p>FYI, it is just Delmar, which is the name of the road and an area that has been completely revitalized. I know because my great-grandmother used to live right there. Big part of the night scene for Wash U now. Del-Mar is the midAtlantic area of the USA (Delaware-Maryland), lol. It’s not NYC or anything, but it is a really nice resource. On the other side of Wash U is Clayton, which is a highly developed business area, kind of like a mini-downtown. Lots of stores and places to eat there, too, plus an ice skating rink (outdoor) and other things to do. It makes for a nice experience.</p>
<p>I visited uva, but didnt apply because it was the only campus i visited where a student came up to our tour group and told us not to come. (yes he was being serious)</p>
<p>PatrFootball - while that is unfortunate, it is kind of silly, I think, to base your decision on that, no matter how serious he was. Maybe he was flunking out, or had a horrible exam result that day. One anecdotal incident? Seriously, man.</p>
<p>I looked at UVA pretty extensively (my 3rd choice) last year. I don’t know why I was comparing it to Wash U, honestly. Not that Wash U is “better” than UVA, or anything like that. They’re just really different schools. I think I was just being silly during High School and only put schools on my short list who had a good “reputation.” But, who was I to judge a school’s reputation in high school anyway? I digress… </p>
<p>Anyway… they are both fantastic schools in their own right. UVA was a really good school and there was no questioning its quality of education, but its just so inherently different from Wash U. UVA’s campus was really pretty, and it had a nice sense of colonial/southern history. UVA is a big public school with little to do around it. Therefore, it had a big Greek system that felt somewhat cliquey. Some people really like that sort of environment. </p>
<p>Wash U is in a larger city with more to do around it; is big enough yet still has a small tight knit feel; and St Louis is a really good city if you want to do Urban Studies. Wash U’s campus is also REALLY pretty and the dorms and food are unparralleled :)</p>
<p>PS-- in regards to one of your questions about people who get a Masters in Urban Planning. Wash U has a Masters in Urban Design program (MUD). It relies on the strengths of the great Architecture school and the Sam Fox School of Design. Fumihikio Maki (a world famous architect and designer of the art/architecture buildings at WUSTL) founded the MUD program in the 1960s, and it was one of the first MUD programs in the country… if not THE first. Wash U pioneered much of modern thought about Urban Planning and Design, and as such has a first-rate Master’s program in it. For your reference, here is information on the MUD program: <a href=“http://sfac.wustl.edu/content/master-urban-design-mud[/url]”>http://sfac.wustl.edu/content/master-urban-design-mud</a></p>
<p>3) If you want to party, then there’s almost always one to attend. If you don’t, then its very easy to avoid it.
In comparing notes with friends in the Ivies and elsewhere, WashU is definitely one of the most laid back top 25 universities.
And yes, WashU dorms are almost palatial by college standards. However, along with that comes a generally higher room and board. With the newest rooms going for nearly $11k a year.</p>
<p>4) WashU is rather generous with financial aid. If you really want to attend and still cannot afford after the package they offer, I’d suggest talking to the financial aid office because they will occasionally increase the amount they offer.</p>
<p>5) Coming from the south, the Midwest was not so different. St Louis proper is quite urban, but I feel there’s still a lot of problem with “white flight.” The downtown can be pretty deserted at night. WashU has a pretty suburban feel I think, bordering Clayton (richest suburb of St Louis), U City and Forest Park. Public transportation is pretty lacking, but free for all students. I do know a lot of city folks who end up being rather bored by St Louis at times. And to be honest, I will be very happy moving out of the Midwest and to the East coast for graduate school. However, I think that the time I’ve spent here has been comfortable, just not somewhere I could live forever.
Moreover, St Louis is definitely more urban than Charlottesville.</p>
<p>xiv21 - Agree with everything you say, except one minor fact as an FYI. Kind of silly I suppose, but…Clayton is a very nice area, and it has a lot of typical suburban things to do as I noted above. but take a look at Ladue, Frontenac, Town & Country if you want to talk about the richest suburbs of St. Louis. The gorgeous thing about the Wash U area is that you have Forest Park, of course, as noted by many. BTW, if things haven’t changed, the zoo and the art museum in the park are free and are actually very good. Then you have the Central West End and Wydown area bordering Wash U also, and that is old money, beautiful homes bordering the park or close to the park. Then you have Clayton on another border of Wash U, as also noted. Bottom line, a really, really nice area with plenty to do, but no doubt it isn’t NYC, Boston, Chicago, SF, LA, etc. BTW, a main highway, US-40 (renamed I-64 some years ago, I think it still goes by both) is close and it takes you in minutes to 2 great malls, the Galleria on Brentwood (very close) and Plaza Frontenac another 10 minutes out west. The latter has (had?) the upscale stores like Saks, Nieman-Marcus, etc. Just info for those of you that need that kind of thing.</p>
<p>@fallenchemist: Sorry, probably should have said, Clayton was one of the richest suburbs I guess my point was that Clayton is a very nice part of town.</p>
<p>And just a side note, the stretch of 64/40 near WashU (from Kingshighway to 170) is closed for more or less the rest of the year for improvement.</p>
<p>xiv21 - I didn’t know it was closed all the way to I-170, but no matter, first semester the freshmen will be too busy getting involved in everything on campus anyway, lol. Just kidding, the nice thing is that from Wash U to the Galleria by regular roads is easy, and from there you would pick up I-64 to go further west, since that should be where the construction ends.</p>
<p>You are right, Clayton is a pretty upscale area also. There really isn’t anything negative to say about the Wash U area, unless you are looking more for the NYC type experience, or better weather. I have always said there are lots of nice things about the midwest, but the weather isn’t one of them.</p>
<p>I have one son at each school, so I can probably help you here. PM me if you would like to talk to my sons and get more info. </p>
<p>As to your questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Both seem like excellent learning environments. Wash U has a bit more consistency in having kids that are academically focused, but there are no slackers at UVA. Don’t underestimate the power of The Lawn and The Rotunda to inspire you either! The sense of academic responsibility and focus come through. Clearly UVA is a larger, so there may be more diversity in terms of academic programs, but as you seem to have settled on one, I doubt that matters.</p></li>
<li><p>I know nothing about that program at either place. Sorry.</p></li>
<li><p>UVA has old and new dorms. The new ones are a little nicer, but a bit removed from the heart of campus. The old dorms are “old school” dorms. Not fancy and truly old, but very well kept and are in a great location. Wash U dorms are not really any bigger, but are mostly new and very nice. The lobbies and common areas are wood paneled with flat screens and so forth. Nothing like that at the old dorms at UVA. In the end, though, a dorm room is a dorm room. To me, not really a factor that should rank very highly. In both cases, the dorm seems to have good social interaction. Wash U is more diverse ethnically, but UVA is much more diverse than people assume. It is hard to imagine anyone feeling uncomfortable at either school. And I do think that Wash U manages to maintain some of the traditional college feel while still attracting an academically elite group. </p></li>
<li><p>I hate to say it, but the aid office is much more responsive and flexible at Wash U than UVA. I think for low income students, both do a great job. The middle income folks, however, will probably come out ahead at Wash U. If you have some kind of unusual situaiton, you have a better chance of meeting with a human at Wash U and getting a response. You have time to get answers from both before deciding.</p></li>
<li><p>I love both places for different reasons. If you like “the coasts,” meaning NY and CA, then neither will make you happy. UVA is landlocked, but in one of the most beautiful places in the US. The downtown area is one of the best college towns in America, and The Corner near campus gives you a lot of close options. St. Louis is a bigger city, so you have more access to big city things, but not nightlife. For that, you stay closer to campus at The Loop or even in Clayton if you can afford nicer restaurants. For recreation, no school anywhere can really beat Forest Park. It is larger than Central Park with lakes, ponds, golf courses, museums (free), trails, etc. Fantastic place.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You can’t go wrong. Visit both and go with your gut.</p>
<p>I have been accepted by wustl in MUD and Uva in MUP, and I really want be a member of wustl. However, I wonder whether I can find a nice job in the city of St. Louis, especially in this time of economic crisis… Is there someone who can gives me some advice? Thank you~</p>
</p>
I guess my point was that Clayton is a very nice part of town.</p>