I just recently applied and I am so excited for the opportunity to hopefully attend UVA next fall! Unfortunately, I will not get the chance to visit the school before my decision because I am an OOS student but I still want to know all about the university. I was just wondering if any of ya’ll could share your experiences visiting or attending UVA and what the best and worst things are about Virginia.
Thanks guys!
P.S. If the famous Dean J is around I would like to know what it is like working at UVA as well!
See if you can attend one of the “Days on the Lawn” for accepted students. They are much more useful than a regular admissions tour. For students accepted in the spring, they are scheduled on several days in April. There are some earlier days for students accepted in early decision. Plan ahead with your parents to see if you can make a trip work at that time. However, the first couple Saturdays typically fill up fast.
I applied EA in October and was very interested in UVA, but it wasn’t at the top of my list because i didn’t know much about it. However, i visited this weekend and absolutely fell in love with the school. I am also OOS. I would definitely recommend trying to visit because visiting really changed up my perspective on the school. I don’t know if it is just me, but the feeling of being on campus was indescribable. After visiting, UVA is definitely now #1 on my list of potential schools.
I second the suggestion to visit. I think that’s what swayed my daughter. When we visited, it seemed like everyone - students, staff, faculty, even the dining hall workers - just seemed really happy about being there. Many seemed downright thrilled. I didn’t catch that vibe at any other school we visited - not that people weren’t happy elsewhere, but everyone at UVA seemed really happy to be there. So I’d think the best thing is the people there.
And yes, the grounds are beautiful, the history is special, the climate is temperate, ACC sports, the Rotunda, Academical Village, Mr. Jefferson, blah blah blah - it’s an all around great place to be, aside from the people. And they have a very strong culture of students graduating on time, unlike my own alma mater.
There aren’t really any truly bad things about it in my view. OOS tuition surcharge can be pretty expensive (but still is less than many private schools, and their financial aid is really good for a public school). It’s not located in the heart of a major city, which is important to some people (but Cville isn’t exactly in the wilderness, either).
You are doing yourself a disservice if you do not visit and tour.
You asked about the best and worst things. I’m a parent/alum, but I’ll try to pass on some things I heard from my son and other students:.
Best - most of the profs, most of the academic programs, the intellectual quality of fellow students (you can learn as much fellow students as from your profs), the geographic diversity of students (including several hundred international students), the cosmopolitanism of Cville for a small city, the proximity to Shenanadoah National Park and other beautiful areas, the ability to reach DC without too much effort, the social life and amount of activities available, and the fact that UVa does not place a maximum on the number of AP credits that you can use.
Worst - the sizes of the some of the first year classes, the difficulty of getting some of the classes you want as a first and sometimes second year, the limited amount of on-grounds housing after first year, and the elitist spoiled sheltered bragging attitude of a certain segment of the student body. The academic advising has been recognized as being weak in many cases for first and second year students, but the U. is putting a big emphasis on improving it this year.
.
Thanks for all the comments! I thought about taking a visit this fall but with my busy schedule it will be hard to get down there. I am definitely going to try to move some things around so I can go for the weekend!
