Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 11:22     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Way more jobs in VA than Michigan


I guess my kid, UM alum who’s working DC, stole a job from a UVA grad! 😂



But seriously, why is logic sooo lacking in the college thread?!

Yours is pretzel logic. Assuming you are in the D.C. Region, your kid already had the advantage of parents living here. Totally different than uprooting from MI.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 21:21     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Having visited both campuses, hated Charlottesville and wasn't impressed by the campus either. Ann Arbor was amazing and the campus has some stunning architecture. Cute chunky squirrels too lol.


Michigan squirrels>>>> Virginia squirrels

They are SO cute.


I would think squirrels are not critical to a college decision. However, when I visited UIUC's quad, a plaque specifically stated that one of the long ago university presidents actually imported squirrels to decorate the main lawn/quad area to make sure it had that authentic campus vibe.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 21:20     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UVA is local so getting to and from the school will be easy. To me, this is a HUGE factor. In state tuition— also HUGE factor. Why would you spend more than you need to? He could use the money after he graduates for grad school, a new car, rent— why throw money away which is what you will be doing if he goes to Michigan.


People waste money for the sake of prestige all the time.


There are growth and independence opportunities from going away to college- it is a once in a lifetime experience (grad school is different). Not sure that is worth the cost factor for all families but it I don't think it is fair to write it off as a waste of money or just about prestige.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 15:54     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:UVA is local so getting to and from the school will be easy. To me, this is a HUGE factor. In state tuition— also HUGE factor. Why would you spend more than you need to? He could use the money after he graduates for grad school, a new car, rent— why throw money away which is what you will be doing if he goes to Michigan.


People waste money for the sake of prestige all the time.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 15:52     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
UVA is local so getting to and from the school will be easy. To me, this is a HUGE factor. In state tuition— also HUGE factor. Why would you spend more than you need to? He could use the money after he graduates for grad school, a new car, rent— why throw money away which is what you will be doing if he goes to Michigan.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 15:37     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Having visited both campuses, hated Charlottesville and wasn't impressed by the campus either. Ann Arbor was amazing and the campus has some stunning architecture. Cute chunky squirrels too lol.


Michigan squirrels>>>> Virginia squirrels

They are SO cute.


I used to live in Ann Arbor and it's the only place I lived that you regularly saw four types of squirrels (the red ones, Fox Squirrels (brown fuzzy stomachs), Grey (what we have here), and black squirrels (which are technically just Grey squirrels with a darker coat gene but I've only seen them in the midwest).


Black squirrels are all over NW DC. FYI
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 12:02     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
College campus squirrels are known to be well fed and pretty tame.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrels_on_college_campuses

https://www.instagram.com/thesquirrelsofuva/

https://www.instagram.com/michigan.squirrels/

Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 11:58     Subject: Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:I would choose UVA over Michigan. Better weather, cuter and more beautiful, and he will be making friends and employment connections in a part of the country you live in. I also feel UVA is more prestigious but others might disagree


There are tons of UM grads in the DC area. And far more in other parts of the country in the event the DC wants to leave the DMV. They are probably viewed as equals in this area, and UM has the edge outside of the DMV.
Anonymous
Post 03/10/2026 11:52     Subject: Re:Child struggling to decide UVA vs UMich
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This OP’s kid is not choosing where to attend law school, btw!


True, but political science majors often do go to law school, and each top law school takes a greater percentage of its undergraduates, ergo, you do increase your chances to go to Michigan Law if you went to Michigan Undergrad, etc., Michigan Law is ranked 8. UVA Law is ranked 4. My class at Harvard Law was 30% Harvard Undergrads (some time ago).


Does UVA actually give preference to its own students? Or is UVA over-represented among the applicants to UVA Law School?


Very likely the latter.