Anonymous wrote:Even at the same cost, I'd choose UVA over Northwestern or Cornell in a heartbeat for a well balanced college experience.

This is a weird comment. Why wouldn't you get a well-balanced college experience at Northwestern or Cornell?

Anonymous wrote:I remember this in my FCPS high school (graduated mid-2000s). UVA may as well have been Harvard. I get it, though; like someone else mentioned out of state was not even on radar for most of us.

My friends/classmates who did go to UVA out of peer and parent pressure had a mixed bag of experiences. It's certainly not the place for everyone. But I went to VT so I'm a bit biased in that regard.

Believe it or not this is VERY common across the country and not just in states like California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Texas with top public universities. For middle class kids who plan to stay in their state the top public school is often the clear best choice.

I remember this in my FCPS high school (graduated mid-2000s). UVA may as well have been Harvard. I get it, though; like someone else mentioned out of state was not even on radar for most of us.

My friends/classmates who did go to UVA out of peer and parent pressure had a mixed bag of experiences. It's certainly not the place for everyone. But I went to VT so I'm a bit biased in that regard.

I'm guessing that the fact that UVA is the top public university east of Los Angeles might have something to do with the "obsession." Just a thought.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rationalization -- either due to lack of savings or their kids are just above average, not brilliant enough for Ivys Duke Chicago.

You clearly don't know how difficult it is for students to get into UVA nowadays, especially from NOVA. Average GPA is 4.23 and Average ACT is 31. 94% of the incoming class are in the top 10% of their high school classes. http://www.prepscholar.com/act/s/colleges/UVA-ACT-scores-GPA

I see this every year at the best high schools in Fairfax County (which are all the highest ranked in the state) and they rarely get more than 10% of their class accepted to U.Va.

OP can't imagine why everyone doesn't go to Northwestern or Cornell? I'm assuming OP is a private school parent where UVA is the lowest ranked school anyone attends?

My kids go to a public HS that typically ranks in the top 5 in the state. About 12 to 15% of the class applies to and gets in to UVA. About 10% of the class may go to a school that's "better" than UVA. Everyone else goes to a school that is considered to be not as good as UVA. It's actually a reach school for some pretty good students who are on track to be successful adults. My kids can't get in to UVA, Northwestern or Cornell and I've decided to let them live under my roof anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's wrong with that? I think it is better than giving your kid false hope of being able to get into a school you/she/he can't afford, or being burdened with loans that will take years to pay off.

I'm genuinely curious -- not sure why some of think this was a hostile or snarky question. I couldn't care less if someone doesn't care where my kids go to college -- it is the way it is said by UVA fanatics, as if UVA is THE END ALL BE ALL, dismissive of out of state colleges. We just always encouraged our kids to broaden their horizons and shoot for the top, so it's interesting that families build up this hype around UVA -- that is their bar, that is the geography their kids funnel to.

How dense can you possibly be? It's the $$$$$$$$$ idiot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really is all about the cost. I know lots of people in NOVA absolutely OBSESSED with UVA but I guarantee you, if all colleges cost the same, they would not be.

But they don't, so no, you can't guarantee it.

So the driver of the obsession is college cost? From age 0-17 parents are in essence brainwashing their kids to want to go to the best college they can afford?

Do you have an extra 400k per kid lying around? Lots of people don't. This cannot possibly be news to you. Half of people nearing retirement don't have that much money.

Probably because it is a good school and much cheaper by comparison.

A lot of people can't afford to pay full freight or even 3/4 at schools like Northwestern and Cornell. Come on, you know that OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rationalization -- either due to lack of savings or their kids are just above average, not brilliant enough for Ivys Duke Chicago.

You clearly don't know how difficult it is for students to get into UVA nowadays, especially from NOVA. Average GPA is 4.23 and Average ACT is 31. 94% of the incoming class are in the top 10% of their high school classes. http://www.prepscholar.com/act/s/colleges/UVA-ACT-scores-GPA

And most of the kids who aren't in the top 10% are in the top half at TJ.

LOL! That's true. Our high school got only two kids into UVA. TJ sends something like 86 every year!

Even at the same cost, I'd choose UVA over Northwestern or Cornell in a heartbeat for a well balanced college experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rationalization -- either due to lack of savings or their kids are just above average, not brilliant enough for Ivys Duke Chicago.

You clearly don't know how difficult it is for students to get into UVA nowadays, especially from NOVA. Average GPA is 4.23 and Average ACT is 31. 94% of the incoming class are in the top 10% of their high school classes. http://www.prepscholar.com/act/s/colleges/UVA-ACT-scores-GPA

And most of the kids who aren't in the top 10% are in the top half at TJ.

Anonymous wrote:It's rationalization -- either due to lack of savings or their kids are just above average, not brilliant enough for Ivys Duke Chicago.

You clearly don't know how difficult it is for students to get into UVA nowadays, especially from NOVA. Average GPA is 4.23 and Average ACT is 31. 94% of the incoming class are in the top 10% of their high school classes. http://www.prepscholar.com/act/s/colleges/UVA-ACT-scores-GPA

It's rationalization -- either due to lack of savings or their kids are just above average, not brilliant enough for Ivys Duke Chicago.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is anything to brag about so I get your point OP. The only state schools I would get excited about are Berkeley and UCLA. Otherwise, no big deal

UVA is ranked no. three after those two for best public university by USN&WR. https://news.virginia.edu/content/us-news-lists-uva-among-top-three-public-universities-27th-straight-year