Your experiences at Va. public universities...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

+1
What a joke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, graduated or about to graduate from 3 different Virginia in-state schools. Here’s what I’ve learned, contrary to common wisdom:
There are partiers at W&M.
There are non-elite kids at UVA.
There are quiet, studious kids at JMU.
And regardless of the school, your kid will sometimes complain about being lonely, being overworked and stressed, quality of the food, ability to get the classes they need, uncaring professors, housing issues, etc.

I think too many people focus on a school’s vibe or someone else’s experience in choosing their college. No school has a homogenous student body. Your kid will have their own unique experience based on their personality, interests, efforts, and luck.

My advice: pick the college that offers the program you want at a price you can afford, then bloom where you’re planted.

💯
Kids at two of these schools. One transferred from another.
The hardest part is figuring, for them, is what they want to study.
And where they want to land. For our youngest who is still in high school, it it big school spirit.
Exposed to that at the older kids schools.
But also wants an excellent chemistry department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA. And it does have a more uppity vibe than other state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is at JMU now and doing well. She doesn't mind seeing familiar faces, and was glad for one HS friend to be an anchor friend to branch out from. She joined a sorority and that helped her meet people.

I will encourage DS to also go in-state for financial reasons. However, what DD has told me about frats is troubling. He will need a way to make friends (not super extroverted), but she says hazing can be quite awful. When we visited for her I did not love CNU or MW. I am not sure he would get into W&M, but I do like the idea of somewhere smaller.

Overall, I'm thrilled to live in a state live VA with so many good public options.

Our kid is as offered $$$ at Miami University (Ohio) that would have made it about the same price as in state Virginia.

We have a friend who was offered $$$ at University of South Carolina that made it comparable to Va Tech.

I heard U of Alabama offers lots in merit.

Don’t assume instate is the only/best option financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two of my kids go to VT and are having the time of their lives. Interesting professors and classes, organizations related to their majors, chose not to go Greek because there are so many other activities offered, close-knit groups of good friends, internships, study abroad... really, everything they were looking for in a school. Plus, a lovely setting in the mountains.

Are they in a non-stem major by chance? Or in the liberal arts college? Seems like Tech has many STEM students, would love to hear insight of liberal arts majors.

PP here. Yes, both are in liberal arts majors / non-stem. The humanities are excellent at VT! Highly recommend. I've been astounded by the breadth of opportunities offered.

+100
Another liberal arts VT parent. Excellent programs, instruction, and opportunities.
DP

[Anonymous]

Many of my DD’s high school friends that went OOS are now having to deal with issues traveling back and forth. The parents complain they have to buy airline tix way ahead of time without knowing when the last final will be, and cannot spend more time at home.

There is also the issie of storing belongings over summer break. If the university options in VA were terrible, we would encourage our kids to go out of state, but we have great options, for all academic levels. Why spend more money on tuition (assuming no merit aid) and also have to deal with the hassles?

Maybe I am just lazy and cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

Give it a break. There are smart ass kids at community college. Most of UVA’s transfer students are from NOVA CC anyway. Get your pretentious head out of your ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is at JMU now and doing well. She doesn't mind seeing familiar faces, and was glad for one HS friend to be an anchor friend to branch out from. She joined a sorority and that helped her meet people.

I will encourage DS to also go in-state for financial reasons. However, what DD has told me about frats is troubling. He will need a way to make friends (not super extroverted), but she says hazing can be quite awful. When we visited for her I did not love CNU or MW. I am not sure he would get into W&M, but I do like the idea of somewhere smaller.

Overall, I'm thrilled to live in a state live VA with so many good public options.

Our kid is as offered $$$ at Miami University (Ohio) that would have made it about the same price as in state Virginia.

We have a friend who was offered $$$ at University of South Carolina that made it comparable to Va Tech.

I heard U of Alabama offers lots in merit.

Don’t assume instate is the only/best option financially.

GO REDHAWKS!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

Are you talking about financially or college experience/academics?
I read the sacrifice comment as UVA not being anything to be ashamed of having to attend instead of some other upper tier (such as ivy league) school. Nothing to do with community college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of my DD’s high school friends that went OOS are now having to deal with issues traveling back and forth. The parents complain they have to buy airline tix way ahead of time without knowing when the last final will be, and cannot spend more time at home.

There is also the issie of storing belongings over summer break. If the university options in VA were terrible, we would encourage our kids to go out of state, but we have great options, for all academic levels. Why spend more money on tuition (assuming no merit aid) and also have to deal with the hassles?

Maybe I am just lazy and cheap.

No, I completely agree. If VA had poor in-state options, of course we'd be looking elsewhere. But the opposite is true. Our schools are excellent. My kids stayed in state and are receiving excellent educations, studying abroad, interning, etc. If they'd like to go to grad school or work in a different state, the world is their oyster. But staying in-state for undergrad was absolutely the right decision for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

I realize this is a troll but about 450 CC kids transfer to UVA each year. Amounts to 5-6% of the undergraduate student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

I realize this is a troll but about 450 CC kids transfer to UVA each year. Amounts to 5-6% of the undergraduate student body.

Wow. Thousands of them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).

There is no "ivy vibe" at UVA.

I agree it is hardly a sacrifice for any student to attend UVA.

Not even the ones who had to attend community college first?

I realize this is a troll but about 450 CC kids transfer to UVA each year. Amounts to 5-6% of the undergraduate student body.

And why does that matter? Similar numbers at Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, etc.