Vibe at VT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Overall vibe is serious if not a bit uptight. Career focused but not much thinking outside the box. Pockets of alternatives and radicals but mostly conformists.

This. Plus military vibe. If you come from FCPS or the Norfolk area, you've experienced this already. If you don't mind more of it, ramped-up, this school's for you.

Lots of the military guys are bisexual or closeted gay guys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My observations as an immigrant is that Americans are too positive. Any time you ask them about anything, they will say it’s great. Everything is always great.

That’s why it’s so hard to trust DCUM parents’ feedback.

A Russian will give an analysis of pros and cons. There will always be cons.

Lol, actually this forum is the place to find the "NO"s or the "that's not great" compared to IRL smiley rosy people's feedbacks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Overall vibe is serious if not a bit uptight. Career focused but not much thinking outside the box. Pockets of alternatives and radicals but mostly conformists.

This. Plus military vibe. If you come from FCPS or the Norfolk area, you've experienced this already. If you don't mind more of it, ramped-up, this school's for you.

examples?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Overall vibe is serious if not a bit uptight. Career focused but not much thinking outside the box. Pockets of alternatives and radicals but mostly conformists.

It's clear you've never been to VT. Nice try, though.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:If you have first hand experience or heard directly from your kid/someone you know: how much of a role do the Cadets play in the vibe on campus? Are they always in uniform? They do take classes as the other students.

Many schools have ROTC cadets on campus. VT simply has more of them, considered a "Corps." That said, there are only about 1,000 of them in a school of about 30k, so it's a small presence. They take classes along with everyone else and are generally in uniform. My daughter dated a cadet for a semester.

Even with *just* 1000 out of 30k, you see more of them around than at other schools

And? Does this bother you somehow? They're a part of the campus community.

Yeah. There’s even ROTC at USC, HArvard and UVA! And many other places. Shocking! It’s the only way some students would ever be able to afford college.

but presence at VT is bigger than anywhere else we saw. ROTC at other schools are not in uniform all the time. i know cuz i dated one. only was in uniform when they did their rotc drills which i think was once a week as i recall.

Yep. Not saying good or bad just that that's what it was.
-DP

same, not saying it's good or bad but it was very noticeable

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I keep hearing that VT kids are really happy and love the place.

Just curious to know what parents think and what might be the drive for this very positive experience

Tia!

VT is a great student body.

The drive is intelligent student body coming in, staff fabulous and overall ease of getting to games.
For example some colleges like NC State have to get on a bus or drive to a football game pain in the neck.

My daughter went to Tech, and she loved it. I will sa,y though, as a parent, a lot of the off-campus housing at Blacksburg is far away and requires a car or bus to get to campus. To me, that would be more important than getting to football games. (but I can understand the consideration of both) I also didn't love that Tech (with some exceptions) only had on-campus housing for freshmen, causing kids to scramble by October of their freshman year to obtain housing for the following year. Each school has its own pluses and minuses.

My Hokie hasn’t found the off campus housing to be an issue at all. There’s a bus that picks everyone up if they’re in a neighborhood that isn’t close enough to walk. It’s very much like most larger universities in that respect.

I found that very unappealing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep hearing that VT kids are really happy and love the place.

Just curious to know what parents think and what might be the drive for this very positive experience

Tia!

VT is a great student body.

The drive is intelligent student body coming in, staff fabulous and overall ease of getting to games.
For example some colleges like NC State have to get on a bus or drive to a football game pain in the neck.

My daughter went to Tech, and she loved it. I will sa,y though, as a parent, a lot of the off-campus housing at Blacksburg is far away and requires a car or bus to get to campus. To me, that would be more important than getting to football games. (but I can understand the consideration of both) I also didn't love that Tech (with some exceptions) only had on-campus housing for freshmen, causing kids to scramble by October of their freshman year to obtain housing for the following year. Each school has its own pluses and minuses.

totally agree. my kid liked the food alot and i had to keep reminding him that he would be cooking for himself after first year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep hearing that VT kids are really happy and love the place.

Just curious to know what parents think and what might be the drive for this very positive experience

Tia!

VT is a great student body.

The drive is intelligent student body coming in, staff fabulous and overall ease of getting to games.
For example some colleges like NC State have to get on a bus or drive to a football game pain in the neck.

My daughter went to Tech, and she loved it. I will sa,y though, as a parent, a lot of the off-campus housing at Blacksburg is far away and requires a car or bus to get to campus. To me, that would be more important than getting to football games. (but I can understand the consideration of both) I also didn't love that Tech (with some exceptions) only had on-campus housing for freshmen, causing kids to scramble by October of their freshman year to obtain housing for the following year. Each school has its own pluses and minuses.

totally agree. my kid liked the food alot and i had to keep reminding him that he would be cooking for himself after first year

They're on campus all day at classes. My off-campus living DC still eats the majority of meals on campus. Thankfully, they have a wide variety of delicious options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Overall vibe is serious if not a bit uptight. Career focused but not much thinking outside the box. Pockets of alternatives and radicals but mostly conformists.

This. Plus military vibe. If you come from FCPS or the Norfolk area, you've experienced this already. If you don't mind more of it, ramped-up, this school's for you.

Ah, the weird poster who always makes this claim is back. There isn’t a “military vibe” at VT anymore than other schools with ROTC. You just sound silly. There are all kinds of students there, something for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Overall vibe is serious if not a bit uptight. Career focused but not much thinking outside the box. Pockets of alternatives and radicals but mostly conformists.

This. Plus military vibe. If you come from FCPS or the Norfolk area, you've experienced this already. If you don't mind more of it, ramped-up, this school's for you.

Lots of the military guys are bisexual or closeted gay guys.

No, no they’re not. What is your issue?

[Anonymous]

How is VT for an introvert? DD is in there for engineering, and the idea of a big campus appeals to her, but we’re worried about her falling through the cracks. We’re going to leave it up to her, but I’d love to hear about experiences of kids who aren’t the outgoing, advocate for yourself type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is VT for an introvert? DD is in there for engineering, and the idea of a big campus appeals to her, but we’re worried about her falling through the cracks. We’re going to leave it up to her, but I’d love to hear about experiences of kids who aren’t the outgoing, advocate for yourself type.

We have found that it made all the difference for our own introverted child. She made friends freshman year with roommate and hallmates, and continued finding "her people" through clubs and intramurals. Not at all interested in Greek life, along with the majority of students there. DC *became* more outgoing and advocating for herself - we could tell a difference after only the first semester. It's amazing how much confidence she has now whereas prior to college she was relatively shy and reserved. She's now even dating a guy who is also somewhat introverted and they have a great group of friends. I think she'll always be an introvert (like me!) but her world has opened up so much from going to VT.

[Anonymous]

How about the students in the college of engineering? Is the vibe also chill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is VT for an introvert? DD is in there for engineering, and the idea of a big campus appeals to her, but we’re worried about her falling through the cracks. We’re going to leave it up to her, but I’d love to hear about experiences of kids who aren’t the outgoing, advocate for yourself type.

We have found that it made all the difference for our own introverted child. She made friends freshman year with roommate and hallmates, and continued finding "her people" through clubs and intramurals. Not at all interested in Greek life, along with the majority of students there. DC *became* more outgoing and advocating for herself - we could tell a difference after only the first semester. It's amazing how much confidence she has now whereas prior to college she was relatively shy and reserved. She's now even dating a guy who is also somewhat introverted and they have a great group of friends. I think she'll always be an introvert (like me!) but her world has opened up so much from going to VT.

Thanks for the response!

[Anonymous]

Virginia Tech if for serious career focused students who lean toward conformity. It has a historical and long standing connection to military minded students who do not want the academy experience. Think ROTC types. Texas AM is a similar school.

The engineering vibe is def not "chill". The overall campus vibe is not either. Like most stem focused schools the vibe is work hard, then work some more.