Why wouldn't every resident of VA apply ED to UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because my kid chose an Ivy. Wanted a smaller school; more resources.

+1 my kid didn’t want to stay in VA and the in-state schools were back ups.

+1

[Anonymous]

UVA was our DDs first choice. I think applying ED gave her an edge, as her SAT score was a bit lower than the average admit. In-state tuition is no bargain, but for the quality and prestige, it is well worth it.

She knew we could not afford fancy privates, so EDing to UVA was the smart choice for her.

She will live in her sorority house this year, so her room and board will be much cheaper than last year.

Also, that two hour drive drive from NOVA is super convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious why everyone thinks that UVA is so inexpensive for in state? Just dropped my first year engineering major off yesterday and our COA for this year is $50K+

Compared to flagship public schools in neighboring states, this is way higher.

Although I love VA schools in general and I'm thrilled to have my kid at UVA, I think the COA for in-state students overall is very disappointing as compared to public universities in other states.

Although I guess compared to many comparable privates and OOS publics, it is less expensive.

Engineering is uniquely expensive the first year at UVA. Arts and Sciences is $40k, by comparison.

Still more expensive than many in-state publics to be sure, though not entirely unprecedented. And less than half the COA of many privates.

My kid is a second year at UVA. Parents tend to round up COA for Arts & Sciences at 40k. Our COA is more in line with 34-36k including the more expensive dorms (Balz Dobie and Gaston).

It’s just the stated COA on UVA’s website ($40,468).

https://sfs.virginia.edu/financial-aid-new-applicants/financial-aid-basics/estimated-undergraduate-cost-attendance-2025-2026

It will of course always vary across student, based on living situation and indirect expenses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh I hope my kid doesn't go to UVA. I want him to experience life beyond Virginia. College is the perfect time to go beyond your comfort zone.

+1. Arlington Public Schools sent around 100 kids the year my daughter graduated. She didn't want to see those folks on a regular basis and feel like she was back in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh I hope my kid doesn't go to UVA. I want him to experience life beyond Virginia. College is the perfect time to go beyond your comfort zone.

+1. Arlington Public Schools sent around 100 kids the year my daughter graduated. She didn't want to see those folks on a regular basis and feel like she was back in high school.

Oh the horror! You know, she doesn't have to talk to anyone she doesn't want to.

[Anonymous]

And of those 100, how many did she actually know? And of 17,000 students the chances of seeing anyone on a regular basis is small unless you want to. It's ok to not want to go to UVA, but that's a very weak reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's such a prestigious school and a great, affordable education IF you can get in in-state. Why wouldn't every VA res shoot their shot ED unless they're hell bent on spending more money?

There is too much shooting on or around campus. It’s not safe anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious why everyone thinks that UVA is so inexpensive for in state? Just dropped my first year engineering major off yesterday and our COA for this year is $50K+

Compared to flagship public schools in neighboring states, this is way higher.

Although I love VA schools in general and am thrilled to have my child at UVA, I think the COA for in-state students is overall very disappointing compared to public universities in other states.

Although I guess compared to many comparable privates and OOS publics, it is less expensive.

Because many of the other private schools cost around $90,000 per year all-in. Same with some of the top-rated universities out-of-state. Many of the top SLACs and other top universities don't provide significant financial support to donut-hole families . UVA, William & Mary, VA Tech, and other VA schools are almost half as much. A lot of kids apply, thinking they will get merit because they are top students at their schools, but these schools are full of top students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And of those 100, how many did she actually know? And of 17,000 students the chances of seeing anyone on a regular basis is small unless you want to. It's ok to not want to go to UVA, but that's a very weak reason.

Yea, this. Are you saying she went to,
say, Yorktown and decided not to go to UVA because she might run into another student there who went to, say, Wakefield? She couldn’t pick a Wakefield kid out of a line up.

Such a stupid response.

[Anonymous]

Because not everyone in VA is a striver or the crazy lady that wants UVA to accept everyone instate that wants to attend.

[Anonymous]

So I've been looking at roughly similarly ranked larger private colleges in the broad geographic area where UVA is located -- Georgetown, GW, Wake, Duke, etc -- and the sticker price for every one of them is more than double that of UVA (90k versus 40k). Why on earth would anyone pay that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's silly to suggest that every student in VA is an idiot for not applying to UVA ED. There are some students who have a legit shot at a higher ranked school and it makes more sense strategically to apply there ED. For others, there's no chance of getting in ED and throwing an ED application at UVA is wasting an ED application at a more realistic school.

But if you're at the sweet spot it probably does make sense to do it. UVA gets so much flack on this board and it makes no sense. The only explanation that I can give, and I hate to say it, is jealousy. We live in a competitive area. DCUM is an extremely competitive website. Parents frequenting the college forum on this website are even more competitive. Many live or die for their kids to get into a "name" college.

UVA is certainly a "name" college. It's certainly a hard admit. And once you're in, and in state, it's a bargain price. Combined, this makes it a very desirable school on DCUM. And that leads to jealousy.

Hoo boy. There's something I don't think you're "getting" and that is what many posters have already said. Their kids aren't at all interested in UVA in the first place. Perhaps they've visited and were turned off (us). A lot of our kids much prefer VT or WM to UVA - that's a concept that apparently really triggers UVA parents. You might even call it, jealousy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's such a prestigious school and a great, affordable education IF you can get in in-state. Why wouldn't every VA res shoot their shot ED unless they're hell bent on spending more money?

You lost me there.

[Anonymous]

Some people have claimed that there is a "snobby" atmosphere at UVA. That's not due to more affluent peers. It's simply due to the attitude of many students (and their parents). I've never quite understood where that attitude comes from, as the student body is largely the same as one would find at any state school. It's not a rarefied private. However, the students and parents seem to have this idea that it is. That's the part that turned us off. My kids wanted to go to a school with kids who didn't have a chip on their shoulder and who were (by and large) down to earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's such a prestigious school and a great, affordable education IF you can get in in-state. Why wouldn't every VA res shoot their shot ED unless they're hell bent on spending more money?

Because they don't want to go to UVa?
Neither of my kids had any interest in it.