What is it about UVA that makes people so gaga

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you visit, the campus is lovely, especially the quad. Although we live in MD and we're hoping DC will go to UMD, the campus just doesn't match UVA's campus.

This is the understatement of the week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to this area. My kids are in ES, but this school seems to come into almost every conversation I have with other parents. It is a state school, just like other state schools, right? I heard that it was only difficult to get into if you are out of state like UNC CH. Please enlighten me. Thanks.

I think you misunderstood. It's incredibly difficult to get into UVa if you live in northern Virginia. There's so much competition here, pretty much only top students get in.

Mainly because TJ HS students who do not get into Ivy colleges go here. So, it is extremely high caliber of students applying there. The standards are very very high.

Similar to UMD, where Poolsville HS magnet, Blair HS magnet and Richard Montgomery HS IB magnet kids go, when they do not get into Ivy colleges.

The reason these kids did not get into Ivy schools is because Ivy colleges only take a handful from any given high school. So, if these kids would not have gone to the magnet high schools, they would have gone to the Ivy colleges. Catch - 22.

But hey - good for UVA and UMD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you visit, the campus is lovely, especially the quad. Although we live in MD and we're hoping DC will go to UMD, the campus just doesn't match UVA's campus.

This is the understatement of the week.

True, but I found it too isolated! So, pros and cons.

[Anonymous]

The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

I've never heard that. You're talking about Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

I've never heard that. You're talking about Harvard.

No, people who went to Harvard don't tell you they went to Harvard, they say they went to school in Boston and then wait for you to ask where.

[Anonymous]

Because being able to go to a top-25 USNWR school for nearly half the price (or more, in some cases) of the rest of the schools in that category is an incredible deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because being able to go to a top-25 USNWR school for nearly half the price (or more, in some cases) of the rest of the schools in that category is an incredible deal.

Yes, pretty much this. Great school, but the lower price tag makes it all the mosre attractive.

[Anonymous]

It is a beautiful campus, it is highly ranked, it is affordable. Everyone can't go to an ivy. I am not sure where the 50 or 40 % comes from. Certainly from the folks we know it seems that only the cream of the crop get selected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you visit, the campus is lovely, especially the quad. Although we live in MD and we're hoping DC will go to UMD, the campus just doesn't match UVA's campus.

This is the understatement of the week.

True, but I found it too isolated! So, pros and cons.

First of all - its the Grounds and second of all it is The Lawn - the crowing jewel. Quad. As if.

Yes, I would be one of those alums. But, I never found it isolated. Given that I've always lived in major cities - having 4 years there was wonderful. Great college town. Lots of outdoor activities too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA is ranked as one of the best public schools in the country (along with UNC and W&M, another VA state school).

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public

I'm not sure where you're getting your info, but it's not very easy to get in, even in-state. Comparing to UNC-CH, it looks like UVA has a somewhat lower admit rate for in-state, and a slightly higher admit rate for out of state.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/does-uva-have-a-quota-for-northern-virginia-admissions/2013/11/25/559685ba-557b-11e3-835d-e7173847c7cc_story.html

http://admissions.unc.edu/apply/class-profile/

This is not right. 2/3rds of the students must be VA residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

Yes! Their certainly is a pervasive arrogance at UVA. Don't ever ask a current student if she's a freshman, either. You'll get a snotty, immediate correction of "first year." So very self important and smug. This haughty attitude applies to parents of UVA students, too. They are quick with the UVA-specific lingo corrections and "name dropping."

I am old enough to remember when UVA students doctored their school's standard car window sticker. Instead of The University of Virginia only "The University" would go onto the window. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

Yes! Their certainly is a pervasive arrogance at UVA. Don't ever ask a current student if she's a freshman, either. You'll get a snotty, immediate correction of "first year." So very self important and smug. This haughty attitude applies to parents of UVA students, too. They are quick with the UVA-specific lingo corrections and "name dropping."

I am old enough to remember when UVA students doctored their school's standard car window sticker. Instead of The University of Virginia only "The University" would go onto the window. Ugh.

Sounds like someone who didn't get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UVA thing amuses me. I'm sure it's a great school but I'm pretty sure there's a rule that alums have to say that they went to UVA within 5 minutes of meeting you. They do NOT keep their candle under a bushel.

Yes! Their certainly is a pervasive arrogance at UVA. Don't ever ask a current student if she's a freshman, either. You'll get a snotty, immediate correction of "first year." So very self important and smug. This haughty attitude applies to parents of UVA students, too. They are quick with the UVA-specific lingo corrections and "name dropping."

I am old enough to remember when UVA students doctored their school's standard car window sticker. Instead of The University of Virginia only "The University" would go onto the window. Ugh.

That's pretty harsh. I think the combination of being a top-ranked school and being a state school perhaps can give rise to a mix of pride and insecurity. So maybe there's a heavy-handed effort by some to push the "public Ivy" stuff, whereas everyone knows that Harvard is an Ivy, or that Maryland is a good state school that doesn't try to pass itself off as Yale.

My own impressions are that the "grounds" are beautiful but that, once you move past that area, U. Va. isn't too different from any other large state university. Most of the dorms and off-campus housing are similar to what you'd find anywhere else, and other college towns have more to offer than Charlottesville.

[Anonymous]

Wow - I didn't realize it had a 40% acceptance rate. Cool.