UGA vs. UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went to UVa but from Georgia so spent a lot of time in Athens. I like them both but I actually love the smallness of The Corner at UVa - plus was smaller and more walkable. Athens is a little bigger. But CVille has the Downtown Mall area and Main Street has gotten much more lively connecting the University area to downtown. I also like the surroundings around UVa better - Blue Ridge Mountains are much prettier. Better hiking. Athens in general is flatter.

But, music scene is much better in Athens - and back then REM members would randomly be hanging out.

That is so cool!!

[Anonymous]

Wasn’t Dave Matthews Band built in Charlottesville?

[Anonymous]

Definitely Charlottesville. Athens has a very high crime rate and, unlike Chartlottesville, poor food. From wiki: "With a crime rate of 35 per one thousand residents, Athens has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 28."

[Anonymous]

Both are fine, but different. I prefer the larger, more diverse town of Athens, however, it is really a matter of personal preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn’t Dave Matthews Band built in Charlottesville?

I'm the poster who would see REM in Athens. My friends who went there said they were often about but never Michael Stipe. Dave Matthews did get their start in Charlottesville - first gig was opening for a friend's band - when I was there we used to go see Boyd Tinsley play every Tuesday at Macados - the fiddler for the band. I'm not saying Cville didn't have good music too - but Athens and Atlanta by extension definitely had a better local live music band back then. Used to spot Dave Grohl at Murphys in Old Town back in the 2000s as well.

Would agree with the crime poster. Athens is definitely a lower cost of living city. Georgia in general is much cheaper then here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Charlottesville. Athens has a very high crime rate and, unlike Chartlottesville, poor food. From wiki: "With a crime rate of 35 per one thousand residents, Athens has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 28."

My daughter is a third year at UVA and the crime rate in Charlottesville is also really high. It has gotten progressively (double meaning) worse over the last five years.

[Anonymous]

I think Charlottesville as a town is better. However, the university there is going down a dangerous path of woke ass politics which takes the luster off C'ville.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP, the few trolls on this thread doing the usual BS of trying to make UVA look bad is tiresome and they most likely have no affiliation. OP, like other’s have said…both are great but totally different in their own way. C’Ville, like others have said has a smaller immediate off-campus college vibe (the corner is not that big) but they have all the college staples, Bars, cheap noodles/dumplings, pizza etc. As another PP said the Downtown Mall is lively, I call it “The Corner for Grown Ups”. C’Ville has some amazing bakeries and restaurants that are reasonably priced at a level even students can afford (Albermarle Bakery, MarieBette, Cou Cou Rachou, Tavola, Umma’s, The Local) There is a lot going of really interesting things, but you have to know or go looking for it. I’ve spent a lot of time in Athens and love it. Like other’s have said, bigger vibe immediately off-campus and an SEC college feel. The thing that set C’Ville apart for my kid who looked at both and is considering UGA for grad school is the foothill location. They Snowboard, hike, rock climb and now that they’re 21 hit the wineries and breweries that are all over the area on the weekends and catch the local bands. Can’t go wrong with either and they’re both great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn’t Dave Matthews Band built in Charlottesville?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Charlottesville. Athens has a very high crime rate and, unlike Chartlottesville, poor food. From wiki: "With a crime rate of 35 per one thousand residents, Athens has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 28."

? Athens has many great restaurants at many different price points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn’t Dave Matthews Band built in Charlottesville?

I'm the poster who would see REM in Athens. My friends who went there said they were often about but never Michael Stipe. Dave Matthews did get their start in Charlottesville - first gig was opening for a friend's band - when I was there we used to go see Boyd Tinsley play every Tuesday at Macados - the fiddler for the band. I'm not saying Cville didn't have good music too - but Athens and Atlanta by extension definitely had a better local live music band back then. Used to spot Dave Grohl at Murphys in Old Town back in the 2000s as well.

Would agree with the crime poster. Athens is definitely a lower cost of living city. Georgia in general is much cheaper then here.

I'm probably older than your friend, but he was definitely around town in the 80s and some (but less so) in the early 90s. Dave Matthews was still playing fraternity parties when I was in Athens, which was also fun! One of the best parts of my time there was all the great music!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are OOS for both. UGA is more than 30k less a year than UVA OOS.

That's the important thing.

UGA and UVA are more or less peer schools. Many will prefer Athens. Some will prefer Charlottesville. Opportunities will more or less be the same. UVA might do a little better in business. UGA in everything else. But neither school is going to hurt any student in any way. They are both good schools.

But UVA is not worth a $120,000 cost differential. You could put that to grad school. You could put that to a downpayment for a first home. Or you could put that to a nice boat for yourselves.

[Anonymous]

A lot of good music out of Athens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Charlottesville. Athens has a very high crime rate and, unlike Chartlottesville, poor food. From wiki: "With a crime rate of 35 per one thousand residents, Athens has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 28."

My daughter is a third year at UVA and the crime rate in Charlottesville is also really high. It has gotten progressively (double meaning) worse over the last five years.

+1

For STEM, GA is much better than UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are OOS for both. UGA is more than 30k less a year than UVA OOS.

That's the important thing.

UGA and UVA are more or less peer schools. Many will prefer Athens. Some will prefer Charlottesville. Opportunities will more or less be the same. UVA might do a little better in business. UGA in everything else. But neither school is going to hurt any student in any way. They are both good schools.

But UVA is not worth a $120,000 cost differential. You could put that to grad school. You could put that to a downpayment for a first home. Or you could put that to a nice boat for yourselves.

My DD is seriously considering UGA but also loved UVA OOS. I’m happy with the cost difference at UGA.