For any major other than Engineering I'd pick UVA, for Engineering, pick the school that s/he likes best. IMO you get a more focused engineering education at VT and a broader education at UVA. Both will be more than good enough. The SAT scores of the UVA engineering students are significantly higher than the VT students (~100 points or so out of 1600), so it's probably a somewhat smarter peer group if that matters.

Look at the curricula as well - it was explained to me that VT follows the polytechnic model (not as many courses outside the school of engineering?), whereas UVa engineering students may have a more balanced, but less completely-engineering-focused education over the course of four years. Without a doubt, VT is the higher-ranked engineering program, but UVA has a better overall reputation as a university (probably not with engineering folks, though). I know students at both programs now and they are all working hard and getting internship offers that come with strong hints of full-time employment after graduation.

Tech ranks higher in engineering, look it up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have to ask this question, you belong at VA Tech otherwise you'd know better.

This isn't terribly helpful. VT for English would be dumb, VT for history would be dumb, VT for engineering, though, come on! I hate the Hokies like poison, but no, you're being stupid if you think VT is somehow a bad choice for engineering.

Who said VA Tech is a bad choice for engineering? It is only a bad choice if there is a better option, as here. Choosing VA Tech over UVA ( a top 25 school) would be a poor decision. It really is a no brainer.

Anonymous wrote:From what I have heard engineering would be the only reason to go with VATech. UVA is head and shoulders above VATech. If your kid is slightly undecided, then UVA all the way.

Oh come on. UVA is ranked better but they are two totally different schools. It's plausible that someone would choose one over the other for many reasons.

From what I have heard engineering would be the only reason to go with VATech. UVA is head and shoulders above VATech. If your kid is slightly undecided, then UVA all the way.

MIT

Anonymous wrote:If you have to ask this question, you belong at VA Tech otherwise you'd know better.

This isn't terribly helpful. VT for English would be dumb, VT for history would be dumb, VT for engineering, though, come on! I hate the Hokies like poison, but no, you're being stupid if you think VT is somehow a bad choice for engineering.

If you have to ask this question, you belong at VA Tech otherwise you'd know better.

Anonymous wrote:VT alum here, so I'm biased, but Tech is ranked higher than UVA for engineering, and VT alums are highly-sought after in the eng'g industry. Just off the top of my head, a few of my eng'g graduate friends are working for GE, a satellite tech startup in Reston, and Alcoa.

+1 - did not major in engineering but friends who did were heavily recruited by some big name companies (ex. Boeing).

VT alum here, so I'm biased, but Tech is ranked higher than UVA for engineering, and VT alums are highly-sought after in the eng'g industry. Just off the top of my head, a few of my eng'g graduate friends are working for GE, a satellite tech startup in Reston, and Alcoa.

As a UVA grad with a VT engineering grad husband, I say VT without question.

I'm a militant UVa booster (truly loved the place), but, for engineering, I don't think the answer is obvious at all. I would suggest that you focus on the school your DC likes more, since they are very different in culture, student body, etc. Both are, honestly, good choices for engineering.

Given that choice, I'd let the kid go where the kid wants. (While I guess the majority would choose UVA, I don't think it's a "no brainer".)

If you can manage to get in UVA, shouldn't you take the slot?

Thanks!