<p>The difference is simple: UVa is ranked among the top 25 universities in the country; UNC is not. UVA is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world; UNC is not. Ask yourself if you want to go to a university…or 13th grade.</p>
<p>UNC is 13th grade? Hurr.</p>
<p>Sigh, another Dukie being ignorant -.-</p>
<p>13th grade? Thats what W&M students say about UVirginia (smile). UNC and UVa are very very similar. Both are great schools/ It really is about preference. Good luck.</p>
<p>The other thing to consider for the OP is that UVA is going to be much, much cheaper than UNC since it is in state.</p>
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<p>Only to the uninitiated. These schools actually have very different personalities. Of course, you’d never convince anyone from W&M of that.</p>
<p>Yes, UNC and UVA have their differences. For one, UNC is better.</p>
<p>^^^Yeah, yeah we get it saejinbilly, you’re a hopless homer… “go heels.” Okay now, there you go.</p>
<p>I don’t hate UVA though. It’s a good school.</p>
<p>How are UVA and UNC so different?</p>
<p>Hellooo. How are they so different flavadad?</p>
<p>I’m in Virginia and I think most Virginia kids think UNC and UVA are extremely different. Both are considered great schools. But quite a few kids who would get in to UVA would never apply there, but would to UNC. It’s a personal choice. Everything is a competition at UVA. It has an elite private school feel to it, whereas UNC is more laid back and friendly. Nightlife at UVA many times consists of standing in line at parties or frats where people walk up and down the lines deciding who to let in. Everything is a competition. It’s more self-selective for Virginians. At our IB High School, you know the super competitive kids that will go there. </p>
<p>Most “regular” kids who are smart would kill to be able to go to UNC but it’s so hard to get in to out of state. Only about one kid from our school gets in every year. UNC is a fun school and the town is very cute. Sports are fun. UVA gets the pearls and bowties…etc. </p>
<p>But, it’s a big honor to go to UVA. For those that want to go to UVA and don’t get in, James Madison is their second choice. Our guidance counselor said James Madison is harder to get in this year than William and Mary this year. (talking in state) Almost nobody from our school wants to go to W&M - absolute no fun (UVA is sports oriented, athletic, parties) W&M is uber serious. Great for the quiet, serious student. Very cut throat academics and they give you so much work that you have little time to do anything else. Not great night life. Only know one kids in my entire area that went there last year and he’s transferring out. </p>
<p>Again - all great schools, but geared towards very different personalities. Just depends on what you want.</p>
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<p>You went to Dook-enough said. That automatically disqualifies you from any football conversation.</p>
<p>Just another pathetic Dookie bitter because he paid $40k a year to go to a school that is the second best in its own state.</p>
<p>To the OP-</p>
<p>I would say both schools are pretty unique. UNC has an interesting history in that it was the first public university to open its doors in this country, and I believe that UNC is located in an area that offers better opportunities for jobs/internships during and after your time here. UNC’s sports are better, but UVa has a great social scene too. Personally, I love Carolina, but can see how it would be tough choosing between us and UVa. You can’t really go wrong with either of these schools though.</p>
<p>I believe something less than 12% of UVA’s funding comes from public sources. It really is much more akin to a private institution and mostly remains public out of respect for Thomas Jefferson’s intentions than necessity. However, it is in no way nearly as “public” as UNC. The latter accounts in large part why the student bodies are so different from one another. In state, UVA is much more selective than UNC and it also brings in twice as many students a from out of state than does UNC which gives it more diversity from that standpoint. The students attending UVA from in state are much more similarly qualified with their out of state counterparts than is true of UNC. </p>
<p>UNC is a great academic institution, but is much more universally identified with athletics as a cultural cornerstone than UVA. Take athletics away from UNC and it would be a very different place, culturally speaking. Take athletics from UVA and it would be a downer, but it’s identity would pretty much remain the same. UVA is so beholden to the ideals of its founder that it truly permeates every facet of university life and its traditions. Such is not the case at UNC having sports as its primary cultural theme and social driver. Having lived in both areas, I would say UNC, aside from being half the size, has more in common with the University of FL, culturally speaking, than UVA. </p>
<p>I know some folks at W&M have a certain disdain for UVA by comparison to their own institution – I see that as somewhat natural, all things considered --but the reality is that if W&M was of similar size and scale as UVA, or vice versa, they would look much more like one another than either institution would ever look or “feel” like UNC.</p>
<p>UVirginia is much more of a peer of UNorth Carolina than W&M. Similar W&M peers would be Davidson or Wake Forest or Duke. UVirginia and W&M are apples and oranges.</p>
<p>Many of UVa’s “traditions” are goofy pseudo-elitist claptrap lifted from better schools. UNC has superior faculty and resources in addition to superior sports. The instate admissions are not that different with an edge to UVa which is also smaller.</p>
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<p>In terms of classification and certain other ways institutions may be categorized, true. Philosphically, culturally, and as related to execution of its mission, false. </p>
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<p>Not very substantive, barrons. That comment only tells me you’re not a fan of the school. I’m guessing they’ll get over it. </p>
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<p>Both have excellent faculties. UNC does have more faculty since it is a larger school. Proving they are “superior” on average is a task I’ll leave to you. Good luck with that one. </p>
<p>UVA is indeed more selective, not because it is smaller, but because VA presents a better qualified pool of students through its public education system. In its Report Card on American Education, the American Legislative Exchange Council which studies various components of each state’s elementary and secondary schools, ranks VA 11th in education while NC ranks 30th.</p>
<p>I’m of the opinion that UVA’s graduate schools are damn good, its law school offering a superior learning and living experience, its business school being quite respectable too, but I wouldn’t recommend UVA undergrad, unless we were talking about the Honors Program for OOSers or full-tuition for in-state-ers.</p>
<p>^^why wouldnt u recommend UVa undergrad sans those two options??</p>
<p>State schools have to cater to the leftover top students after a majority of them have fled to top private institutions. Geographic diversity brings a different perspective to campus, and it is limited at such institutions, even at UVA.</p>
<p>If a Virginia resident had to choose between an OOS top university and UVA–family and student contributions held equal–the OOS university would be a better choice because attending school in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people is a personally enriching experience.</p>
<p>OOSers competitive for admission to UVA might have arguably superior state schools and private universities to consider, so the Honors Program would be a necessary lure.</p>