What is it about UVA that makes people so gaga

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a good state school just like UMD - nothing more, nothing less. People always talk about rankings but most people don't even know what criteria are used for rankings.

WTH? There are a million things MD does better than VA but please no sane person could say UVA is "just like" UMD. Let's see. They're both in state schools. They each have decent sports programs some years. Yep, that's it.

What is UVA actually good at? I mean than some silly rankings, can you identify anything UVA is REALLY good at? Engineering? no. Other STEM fields? no...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a good state school just like UMD - nothing more, nothing less. People always talk about rankings but most people don't even know what criteria are used for rankings.

WTH? There are a million things MD does better than VA but please no sane person could say UVA is "just like" UMD. Let's see. They're both in state schools. They each have decent sports programs some years. Yep, that's it.

What is UVA actually good at? I mean than some silly rankings, can you identify anything UVA is REALLY good at? Engineering? no. Other STEM
fields? no...

Its good at its in-state "tuition".....

[Anonymous]

The whole Board of Visitor debacle in 2012 was triggered by an internal review of UVA that concluded that it was largely coasting on its reputation. President Sullivan wrote, "In a number of critical areas we are reputed to be better than we actually are.” An example of the problem is the creation of a yoga institute - the Contemplative Sciences Center - that is the pet project of the wife of a hedge fund billionaire on the Board. The legislature has grossly underfunded UVa for decades making it one of the least economically diverse schools in the country. And the dominance of Greek life makes it more like Ole Miss and Bama than Berkeley.

[Anonymous]

I had never heard of UVA until I moved to NOVA. In terms of academic reputation, I don't think it's in the same league of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Berkeley, Georgia Tech, CMU, JHU ... It's a good school but it is nothing special.

[Anonymous]

I can only hope the kids of the haters don't apply to UVA. Better chances for my kids. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only hope the kids of the haters don't apply to UVA. Better chances for my kids. Thanks.

We are OOS and can't imagine paying OOS cost to attend UVA. I don't hate UVA BTW.

[Anonymous]

Op - Northern Virginia parents are in the inevitable position of believing they can't afford anything besides in-state, having an highly ranked in-state choice but, in reality, few are admitted.

It's sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole Board of Visitor debacle in 2012 was triggered by an internal review of UVA that concluded that it was largely coasting on its reputation. President Sullivan wrote, "In a number of critical areas we are reputed to be better than we actually are.” An example of the problem is the creation of a yoga institute - the Contemplative Sciences Center - that is the pet project of the wife of a hedge fund billionaire on the Board. The legislature has grossly underfunded UVa for decades making it one of the least economically diverse schools in the country. And the dominance of Greek life makes it more like Ole Miss and Bama than Berkeley.

The Greek life brings the school down.

[Anonymous]

Greek life is lowbrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Wrong. Do you think it is comperable to say, the University of South Carolina or the University of Alabama?

It's comparable to Michigan, California-Berkeley, UCLA, Wisconsin-Madison, University of Texas, William and Mary. It's a really good state school, but it's still just a state school.

You say "just a state school" - what does that mean? Does the fact that it is public somehow lessen its status? I guess I'm just not sure what you mean by "it's a good school but it's a state school."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lets be honest here. half the class at TJ will go there. why. Asians like the cheaper in-state tuition.

Being offensive is so low brow. If you knew anything, you'd know that any one school cannot be over- represented. Since the kids who choose to apply self select, you really are getting the cream de la cream applying much less being accepted. What woos an admissions person is the world's million dollar question. Many amazing students get in and many amazing students don't. The draw of this particular school has to be it's reputation in the work force.

the draw of the place is the in-state tuition for kids from Northern Virginia who are among the smartest in the country and want to stagy close to home.

Do you really think NOVA kids are some of the smartest in the country? Do you not think that there are smart kids all over the country and world? I don't get this kind of thinking - and I live in NOVA and love my neighborhood kids, some who go to FFX County local schools, some who go to TJ, but they aren't superior to the smart kids I knew in Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco or any other place I've lived.

[Anonymous]

Aren't uva and william and nary equally competitive? Why is the attention focused on uva?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Besides rankings can somebody give a more organic view to why UVA is great?

So far, the only answer I have is "it has a great campus", which is nice. It has "good sports" sometimes.

Can anybody give me anything else positive about UVA? Any alum that can give a positive experience they had at UVA?

[Anonymous]

The campus reminds me of a plantation. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The campus reminds me of a plantation. No thanks.

Historic preservation works! Of course, you have to remember the whole "plantation" deal worked pretty well for some folks.