VA residents - how do you know if UVA is the right fit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Sometimes schools aren't a great "fit". Work through it. Get your degree and get out. Its only 4 years.

That sounds freaking miserable. Why do this to yourself?

Means to an end.

+1

Much smarter to go to a good school, even if it's not the "top fit" and graduate debt free (or minimal debt) than spend the next 10 years paying back massive debt. That is literally what most kids attending college do---they attend where they can afford, which is often in-state at the best option their state offers and they can gain admission to

But why can’t students look at options that cost about the same as UVA if they really just don’t like UVA?

My friend’s daughter just wanted to get out of VA and applied to state flagships and similar size schools elsewhere and the cost after merit was very similar.

Who said they can't?

The people who think you should just ignore fit and be forced to go somewhere because mommy and daddy deem it your best choice

Saying you should go in-state or find merit does not mean "ignoring fit" (which is way over-hyped anyway.)

[Anonymous]

This thread cracks me up. My DD is a first year there and living her best life. Yes, she is working very hard and also balancing it out with some fun on the weekends. GUESS WHAT? ALL of her friends are doing the exact same thing at many many other universities (other state schools, small privates, Ivys), THIS IS WHAT MANY COLLEGE KIDS DO.

Move on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread cracks me up. My DD is a first year there and living her best life. Yes, she is working very hard and also balancing it out with some fun on the weekends. GUESS WHAT? ALL of her friends are doing the exact same thing at many many other universities (other state schools, small privates, Ivys), THIS IS WHAT MANY COLLEGE KIDS DO.

Move on!

Agree with this 100%. My freshman is also having a wonderful year. She drinks on occasion but so do her friends at all other schools--> Ivies, NSCACS, etc. Especially the Michigan ones--they drink like maniacs there.
It's all good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread cracks me up. My DD is a first year there and living her best life. Yes, she is working very hard and also balancing it out with some fun on the weekends. GUESS WHAT? ALL of her friends are doing the exact same thing at many many other universities (other state schools, small privates, Ivys), THIS IS WHAT MANY COLLEGE KIDS DO.

Move on!

So your kid is drinking underage at UVA? How can you be sure other kids are drinking equal or more?

[Anonymous]

DP. OP you should be so happy! Your kid does not want to go to the über competitive school with the ~12% admit rate he has little chances to get into! So many disappointed kids the last several years. If a kid knows what they want (and what they don’t want) after touring and research, well, doesn’t get better than that! Mission accomplished! Count your blessings!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DCUM college forum has been taken over by our grandmothers. All the talk about drinking is laughable. Kids drink in college. Period. They always have. UVA is no different.

Do they do big time coke at all colleges?

The schools with big social scenes have the same amount of drinking and drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DCUM college forum has been taken over by our grandmothers. All the talk about drinking is laughable. Kids drink in college. Period. They always have. UVA is no different.

Do they do big time coke at all colleges?

The schools with big social scenes have the same amount of drinking and drugs.

Do you have a cite for this claim?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has seen abundant alcohol and weed use at UVA but hasn’t mentioned anything else, like coke. I suspect if you want that you have to go looking for it. But I doubt it’s different at any other school.

+1

It’s not 1985. Coke use among college students is by no means the norm.

[Anonymous]

Your child will do fine as long as they work hard. Uva is a very fun school with great student body. Faculty is very good in working with student s and the university career services really cares about placing students well, and the alumni network is second to none. Apply Ed and hopefully it will work out. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has seen abundant alcohol and weed use at UVA but hasn’t mentioned anything else, like coke. I suspect if you want that you have to go looking for it. But I doubt it’s different at any other school.

+1

It’s not 1985. Coke use among college students is by no means the norm.

Cite?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The Greek life at UVA is problematic. No one wants to admit that, but it is. It'd be a much better atmosphere with WAY less greek life. If your kid can pave their own path against pressure to go Greek, great. But it's very hard for mainstream kids to stay out of and then it sort of sucks you up.

I’ve said this before on similar threads and I’ll say it again. I think UVA works best for kids who definitely want to be in the Greek system and already fit that mold, and also for kids who definitely don’t want any part of it and will confidently seek out alternatives.

The kids who come in less sure of themselves and where they fit in might have the hardest time. The social scene really can be brutal.

This is no different than any other school with both smart kids and a party scene - and there are tons of schools that fit that description.

Wrong. VT has smart kids and a party scene and it’s much more chill and inclusive.

And Duke? And Michigan? And Georgia? Please.

Each of those places is different too. Michigan and Georgia actually offer the best aspects of UVA and VT in one place. They have the prestige of UVA and the spirit of VT. Michigan is cold and UGA isn’t. Duke is private so irrelevant to a state school discussion.

You are an expert on the culture at every college? Please.

+1
I laugh at these sweeping, know-it-all posts.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:UVA insiders know there is a two tier social system. The top tier is the popular, rich kids that come to UVA because it feels like an Ivy. There is a second tier that doesn’t really fit in that are the Nova strivers and kids from rural parts of VA that tend to be nerdier and honestly didn’t know what they were getting into when they enrolled at UVA. It’s sad, but the exclusive two tier system is real. Not all high stat kids should choose UVA if the social fit isn’t right.

It does not feel like an Ivy. wtf?

My Ivy had 6,000 total students. UVA feels like a big state school.

Somebody has a fragile ego lol the point stands regardless. UVA has a two tier system that is very exclusive

Why the need to always compare it to an Ivy? Who has the fragile ego?

But UVA IS an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread cracks me up. My DD is a first year there and living her best life. Yes, she is working very hard and also balancing it out with some fun on the weekends. GUESS WHAT? ALL of her friends are doing the exact same thing at many many other universities (other state schools, small privates, Ivys), THIS IS WHAT MANY COLLEGE KIDS DO.

Move on!

So your kid is drinking underage at UVA? How can you be sure other kids are drinking equal or more?

Alcohol and marijuana are against the law for persons under 21 to use or possess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DCUM college forum has been taken over by our grandmothers. All the talk about drinking is laughable. Kids drink in college. Period. They always have. UVA is no different.

Do they do big time coke at all colleges?

The schools with big social scenes have the same amount of drinking and drugs.

Do you have a cite for this claim?

DP here. What is your source that only UVA students use drugs?

[Anonymous]

Relax. Every college has the same alcohol and drug scenes if that is what you want. Don’t be naive. Even Harvard as well as our precious UVA.