UVA Engineering vs VT

[Anonymous]

DC is interested in engineering and loves UVA. Do they have a good program or should DC look more into VT?

[Anonymous]

Both solid programs. I’d check for the destinations of engineering grads from both. Grad school (Medical/Eng)? Job in industry? Unemployed?

Also, which engineering discipline? VT has a weed out year, not sure about UVA.

[Anonymous]

UVa is solid. I got my degree there because I didn't want to go to a full on tech school filled with just techies. Yes...I was a snob However, I loved UVa as a school and the education was solid. E-School is tough. I did a concentration in the McIntyre School of Commerce there as well - MIS. Good combo. Still use those skills 25+ years later.

[Anonymous]

It depends on what you mean by "interested in engineering".

If DC is solidly planning to get an engineering degree no matter what their GPA in HS or college turns out to be, think VT.

If DC is interested in engineering but is liable to change their major if engineering seems "hard" or they "love" engineering economics, think UVa.

The engineering programs are similar. Yeah, there will be some on here who insist VT is "better" but a degree with slightly less rigorous Eng classes and slightly more rigorous distribution classes is really a wash.

Thanks ABET accreditation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both solid programs. I’d check for the destinations of engineering grads from both. Grad school (Medical/Eng)? Job in industry? Unemployed?

Also, which engineering discipline? VT has a weed out year, not sure about UVA.

Thank you! DC is only a sophomore, but is interested in Biomedical or Chemical right now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both solid programs. I’d check for the destinations of engineering grads from both. Grad school (Medical/Eng)? Job in industry? Unemployed?

Also, which engineering discipline? VT has a weed out year, not sure about UVA.

Thank you! DC is only a sophomore, but is interested in Biomedical or Chemical right now

PP here - right now, VT does not have an undergraduate biomedical degree, only a minor. UVA has a very strong BME program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both solid programs. I’d check for the destinations of engineering grads from both. Grad school (Medical/Eng)? Job in industry? Unemployed?

Also, which engineering discipline? VT has a weed out year, not sure about UVA.

Thank you! DC is only a sophomore, but is interested in Biomedical or Chemical right now

My daughter wants to be a BME. AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics C. Applying to UVA. Won't apply to VT because they don't have BME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both solid programs. I’d check for the destinations of engineering grads from both. Grad school (Medical/Eng)? Job in industry? Unemployed?

Also, which engineering discipline? VT has a weed out year, not sure about UVA.

Thank you! DC is only a sophomore, but is interested in Biomedical or Chemical right now

My daughter wants to be a BME. AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics C. Applying to UVA. Won't apply to VT because they don't have BME.

Way back when when I was applying (I didn't end up doing an engineering degree, though) I was advised by a couple of UVA grads with engineering degrees not to apply there (one was my physics teacher) because VT was much more complete and comprehensive, particularly if you wanted to be a practicing engineer. While VT is certainly still more comprehensive in covering engineering fields (it is a much larger school) and does much more engineering research than UVA, I think UVA has solidified its program and has some strengths like Biomedical. If you look at the placement information available from careers sites, UVA grads do quite well in placements and salary (my son might be interested in engineering). So if UVA covers your intended field, I think it is a much better choice than it used to be.

Regarding VT, I would say that engineering is the major contributor in its overall reputation. There is more reputational balance by major at UVA. VT is now ranked 13th in undergraduate engineering by USNews, just behind Purdue, UT Austin and Princeton. That is a real achievement as those schools are real powerhouses in engineering.

[Anonymous]

Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

What does required GPA for access mean?

At UVA, you don't apply for the engineering major anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

What does required GPA for access mean?

At UVA, you don't apply for the engineering major anymore.

Some schools have a GPA requirement for certain majors. Some schools have the direct admit to the engineering school and then majors chosen later. BME can have be as high as 3.5 freshman year which is pretty restrictive given that engineering classes don't give all that many As.

UW Madison works this way. The "direct admit" is really just to the preengineering freshman classes. To stay, there's a GPA requirement. If you don't meet it, pick another major or say hello to Liberal Arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

What does required GPA for access mean?

At UVA, you don't apply for the engineering major anymore.

That’s not entirely true. At UVA, you apply to the engineering school at admissions. You don’t apply for the specific major until later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

What does required GPA for access mean?

At UVA, you don't apply for the engineering major anymore.

That’s not entirely true. At UVA, you apply to the engineering school at admissions. You don’t apply for the specific major until later.

So OP, my advice to you is to start poking around the web information for current engineering students. That is where you will find the information on major requirements and if there are GPA requirements. You won't find it under admissions. We went through this two years ago and that is how our family learned what we needed about the different programs. UVA wasnt on her list. VT does more weeding out than some of the other choices nationwide and wasnt on her list either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is VCU better than UVa for BME?

I think you need to also look at weeding out measures and required GPAs for access. If the GPA for access to BME isn't realistic for your kid, then VCU. If the internships only go to the truly best students and you don't think your kid is one, then VCU.

VCU is weaker for all classes outside the major.

What does required GPA for access mean?

At UVA, you don't apply for the engineering major anymore.

That’s not entirely true. At UVA, you apply to the engineering school at admissions. You don’t apply for the specific major until later.

You don't apply for your engineering major at UVA anymore.