10 best colleges in VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was an extensive study commissioned by the State Council for Higher Education that asked thousands of recent graduates of state institutions the following questions:

Satisfied with overall undergrad experience? Appreciation for general education now?
Satisfied with long-term career goals progress since undergrad?
Agreeing that undergrad education was worth the cost? Satisfied with how your undergrad prepared you for the workplace?
Agree: “I am satisfied with my life”?

If you average the responses to these questions, the highest favorable responses in order were:

W&M, UVA, VMI, UVA-W, VT, JMU, UMW, LU, RU, ODU, CNU, NSU, VSU, GMU, VCU, RBC

I think this is close to how I would have guessed, with the biggest surprises being UVA-Wise being 4th and GMU and VCU being so near the bottom.

This is only state schools, so schools like W&L and UR were not included.

Link to that study? Because I don't believe that "average" for a minute.

https://www.schev.edu/home/showpublisheddocument/838/637811238245600000

PP 93-96

"When the percentages for the six opinion items were averaged within each institution, the percentage of favorable responses by institution ranged from 56.7 percent to 73.9 percent.
Graduates showing the greatest appreciation across these measures tended to be from the William & Mary, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Tech and James Madison University."

[Anonymous]

"10 Best Schools" ... that just makes me laugh
Just apply to them all. It's not rocket science. Apply to them all and see where they get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"10 Best Schools" ... that just makes me laugh
Just apply to them all. It's not rocket science. Apply to them all and see where they get in.

OK. But that doesn't answer the basic question.

[Anonymous]

UVA, W&M, (W&L)

(Richmond)

Virginia Tech

GMU, JMU, VMI

MWU, CNU, VCU

ODU

Radford, Longwood, UVA-Wise

Norfolk State, Virginia State

Something like that excluding most private schools

[Anonymous]

If I wanted history and a cosy campus, I’d take W & M over VT.
If I wanted strong arts program, I’d take VCU.
If I wanted personalized freshman seminars in a liberal sets environment, I might take UMW.
If I wanted/didn't mind being close to home, value diversity and looking at computer science, I’d take GMU or the new VT innovation campus.
If I want an old boys network and traditional, strong liberal arts I’d look at W&L.
If I want amazing science and engineering research opportunities, natural resources field work opportunities, or hundreds of active outdoors and other clubs, I’d look at VT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I wanted history and a cosy campus, I’d take W & M over VT.
If I wanted strong arts program, I’d take VCU.
If I wanted personalized freshman seminars in a liberal sets environment, I might take UMW.
If I wanted/didn't mind being close to home, value diversity and looking at computer science, I’d take GMU or the new VT innovation campus.
If I want an old boys network and traditional, strong liberal arts I’d look at W&L.
If I want amazing science and engineering research opportunities, natural resources field work opportunities, or hundreds of active outdoors and other clubs, I’d look at VT.

Exactly. “Best” means something different for everyone. It depends on the atmosphere and program you’re looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put W&M and UVA as tied for first place. They are really both top tier schools.

No way.

You are correct. W&M should be ahead.

NO. An applicant needs higher gpa and ACT for UVA

If higher stats make a better school, Northeastern has both UVA and W&M beat. I don't buy that, by the way.

Both UVA and W&M are majority SAT schools. Not ACT. W&M is 10 points higher at the 75th percentile and 40 points lower at the 25th percentile compared to UVA overall (and note that UVA Engineering has higher scores than UVA Arts & Sciences, which is W&M's equivalent from an academic standpoint). This isn't a big difference, and again, I don't think that is what determines the relative quality of the school.



false. My kid got into UVA on a high ACT. Here are the stats for last year's incoming (those are students that actually showed up, not admitted students, for which the stats are higher): 75th percentil 4.52 GPA; 1520 SAT and a 35 ACT. At the median it is still a 34; and even the bottom 25th percentil of students on campus have a 32. https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.ASP..

A fairer assessment might be that UVA is more GPA driven/top 6% of high school class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put W&M and UVA as tied for first place. They are really both top tier schools.

No way.

You are correct. W&M should be ahead.

NO. An applicant needs higher gpa and ACT for UVA

If higher stats make a better school, Northeastern has both UVA and W&M beat. I don't buy that, by the way.

Both UVA and W&M are majority SAT schools. Not ACT. W&M is 10 points higher at the 75th percentile and 40 points lower at the 25th percentile compared to UVA overall (and note that UVA Engineering has higher scores than UVA Arts & Sciences, which is W&M's equivalent from an academic standpoint). This isn't a big difference, and again, I don't think that is what determines the relative quality of the school.



false. My kid got into UVA on a high ACT. Here are the stats for last year's incoming (those are students that actually showed up, not admitted students, for which the stats are higher): 75th percentil 4.52 GPA; 1520 SAT and a 35 ACT. At the median it is still a 34; and even the bottom 25th percentil of students on campus have a 32. https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.ASP..

A fairer assessment might be that UVA is more GPA driven/top 6% of high school class.

What is false? That Northeastern has higher stats (at least on the surface) for standardized tests? That UVA and W&M are majority SAT? (You can just look at the data in the CDS and see that one. They have about 2.5X as many students submitting SAT vs. ACT. Both take ACT, of course.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I wanted history and a cosy campus, I’d take W & M over VT.
If I wanted strong arts program, I’d take VCU.
If I wanted personalized freshman seminars in a liberal sets environment, I might take UMW.
If I wanted/didn't mind being close to home, value diversity and looking at computer science, I’d take GMU or the new VT innovation campus.
If I want an old boys network and traditional, strong liberal arts I’d look at W&L.
If I want amazing science and engineering research opportunities, natural resources field work opportunities, or hundreds of active outdoors and other clubs, I’d look at VT.

I've never bought into VT for science. Strong in engineering and computer science, but no science in general. There are better options elsewhere in state.

[Anonymous]

How would you rank the Virginia schools for science, specifically? (Quality of instruction, research opportunities, etc.) How about for premed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The top 3 are no brainers. After that there is lots to argue about.

Is W&L really viewed that favorably?

When I applied to colleges, the top three were the same. W&L was and is quite good. No idea how the other schools’ rankings have evolved.

[Anonymous]

Hampton should be on this list. The real HU!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Stats of VA schools:

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.ASP

Thanks. VMI’s median is better than those of GMU, JMu, VCU, UMW and CNU as expected. It might not be popular in (liberal) Northern Virginia but it’s still not a bad school.

It may be the best state public school in the country for students who believe they will benefit from a more disciplined, military education. Admittedly, this is a niche, but it is significant.

Yes, fewer and fewer young adults want a school that is notably racist and sexist with people yelling at them all the time. It is a "niche" demographic for sure and becoming more "niche" al the time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/21/vmi-enrollment-plunges-diversity-woke/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Stats of VA schools:

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/B10_FreshmenProfile.ASP

Thanks. VMI’s median is better than those of GMU, JMu, VCU, UMW and CNU as expected. It might not be popular in (liberal) Northern Virginia but it’s still not a bad school.

It may be the best state public school in the country for students who believe they will benefit from a more disciplined, military education. Admittedly, this is a niche, but it is significant.

Yes, fewer and fewer young adults want a school that is notably racist and sexist with people yelling at them all the time. It is a "niche" demographic for sure and becoming more "niche" al the time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/21/vmi-enrollment-plunges-diversity-woke/

Reason why freshman admissions has plummeted.

Per the article:

"Some {parents, alumni, faculty} blamed the push to make VMI more welcoming to women and cadets of color."

What?!?

Based on this sentiment, I don't blame anyone who would not want to go to VMI. And the gap can't be solely attributed to blacks and women: they only make up 6% and 14%, respectively.

If even white men don't want to go, VMI has a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would you rank the Virginia schools for science, specifically? (Quality of instruction, research opportunities, etc.) How about for premed?

I'd say William & Mary. Undergraduate research is a huge focus there.