<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 UED program? Is it too "limited" for you (as in, do you wish it was a more liberal arts experience)? Does it prepare you well for an accredited pre-professional grad program? Also, is there room to minor or double major, or is it very tight and demanding?
3. Living "conditions"
How does the WashU campus compare to UVa's? It seems that partying would be much more widespread at UVa (which I would NOT appreciate, as I am NOT a partier). Does anyone think that they are overwhelmed with unwanted social activities, or is there room for the social conservative like me? Also, I've heard that UVa is much more "stuck up" than the average Top 25 (rumor, rumor, don't get mad at me!). 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 Charlottesville? Does anyone think that such a "rural" environment limits your experience? Is it easy to get to DC? How, in your opinion, is Charlottesville better or worse than St. Louis would be? Also, I'm an out of state applicant from the Chicagoland area. Is travel back and forth hard? It is a non-issue for WashU, because it is just a $25 train ride.</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>My brother is an Echols scholar at UVA and he absolutely loves it! He is majoring in Urban and Environmental Design. I think he really enjoys it and has had quite a few opportunities to use his skills at law firms in Philadelphia and Charlottesville. Charlottesville is really accessible. It has a train station and the fare from DC to Charlottesville is not that bad, it also only takes 4 hours. Im really biased in this, but UVA is just a wonderful school, with a lot of opportunities, both in classes and in respect to jobs/your future. Also, I think the weather at UVA is probably much nicer than WashU. My friend is going to go the WashU next year and he is ecstatic! I think you really need to do some research and visit the schools for yourself and see how you feel. Oh! Also with UVA, there is a large percentage of in-state kids, which makes it a little bit harder for OOS kids to make friends at first, but my brother is involved in Crew and different politic programs which helped him make a tight knit group of friends pretty quickly. The kids at UVA and pretty preppy, but they are also kind and intelligent. I really think you should visit UVA if you haven’t the campus is breathtaking and it might help make up your mind. Good luck! And congratulations on both acceptances! Thats awesome!</p>
<p>I have visited WashU and LOVE it, but due to the cost of traveling, my parents only want me to visit UVa if I am seriously considering it, hence why I’m asking for preliminary advice.</p>
<p>And Dean J, I only meant rural in that its overall surroundings were rural and its access to a city wasn’t immediate, haha. Don’t worry, I know Charlottesville isn’t a farm. ;)</p>
<p>I have another question that just came to me in a daydream. How are the classes? Are they more lecture-based or discussion-based? Plus, how accessible are the professors outside of class? I LOVE talking to teachers outside of class, and I don’t think I could survive in college without this possibility.</p>
<p>UVA is definitely a more renowned school on the West Coast, and probably worldwide. Here if you say you go to Washington, people immediately assume you mean UDub.</p>
<p>Just food for thought. If you want school spirit/sports, definitely UVA; my friend was on a varsity team at WUSTL and ended up transferring because the school support was so low for the teams.</p>
<p>But you really should visit and see what works for you. Good luck, and congrats!</p>
<p>Charlottesville is beautiful, along with the rest of the UVA campus. If you haven’t already checked out the architecture online for Virginia, definitely do because its so pretty! There’s lots of tradition on campus. I was down there this past weekend, and walking around, it has a very laid back feel. 75% of people walking around are wearing some sort of Cavalier insignia, so you know that school spirit is really high. Football games are SO fun to go to, everyone is really excited to root for their team without being too rowdy… UVA is very classy, and can be preppy, but its a great environment overall :)</p>
<p>personally, i think the college experience at uva is much more well rounded- good sports, great education, and a great location in a just-big-enough city. but you should definitely visit so you can get a feel for the campus!</p>
<p>I have a friend who chose Wash U over UVA because it is smaller and what he called “more nurturing.” That makes sense to me. UVA is quite large and you really have to fend for yourself to a large extent.</p>
<p>I vote Wash U - it’s an amazing school, incredible academics, beautiful campus, etc… Not to say UVa isn’t/doesn’t have these things, but Wash U has an urban environment, which would make me choose Wash U.</p>
<p>“UVA is definitely a more renowned school on the West Coast, and probably worldwide. Here if you say you go to Washington, people immediately assume you mean UDub.” - vc08</p>
<p>I disagree… I think Washington Univ. is better known worldwide; it’s a silly thing to argue about, but I think academically, Wash U is the better school.</p>
<p>Hey, at least you’ve got two incredible schools to choose between!</p>
<p>Well as someone who has lived on the west coast their whole life, let me just say that I speak the truth. University of Washington is definitely more well-known than Washington U, and UVA is considered most prestigious and academically challenging out of those three.</p>
<p>My son, an Echols Scholar, had the same choice. He choose UVA. All things being equal, you cannot beat UVA. My son had a partial Merit Scholarship at Washington U. Still, for a Virginia resident, Washington U. was too expensive. Because we are relatively close to Charlottesville, we visit frequently and also enjoy some of the things UVA has to offer.
Weather may be a factor. Charlottesville has a relatively milder weather than Sait Louis.</p>
<p>Luked, I posted this on the Wash U site also, but here you go.</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 (sorry Dean J). 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>