University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

Linda

The honor code is something unique about UVA. While many schools have honor codes, the honor code at UVA is so essential to the school culture that students enjoy being apart of it. The lingo surrounded with the university is special also. Campus is referred to as grounds, and students are referred to as first, second, third, or fourth years.

Christopher

There is a place for everyone to fit in, no matter what type of personality you have.

Brandon

The University of Virginia is unique in the sense that it is full of traditions and history that creates a bond between the students, faculty, and alumni. Secret societies such as the Imps and the sevens leave their markings around buildings and stairs. Traditions such as "guys in ties and girls in pearls" show UVA's sophisticated standing, and are taken seriously by all. Everywhere I look I am also surrounded by history at Mr. Jefferson's university. Whether it be the prestigious Rotunda or the beautiful lawn, history has been made at UVA since 1819.

Trisha

Wah-hoo-wah, wah-hoo-wah! Uni-v, Virginia! Hoo-rah-ray, hoo-rah-ray, ray, ray--U-Va!

Julie

The nursing BSN program that they offer is the only in our area whose cirriculum allows students to attend class and participate in clinical every semester, versus other programs that spend every other semester in clinic. It is also ranked as #15 in all BSN programs in the United States, and offers advanced degrees and two local hospitals in which to learn.

Evan

I think what set UVA aside from my other choices was the atmosphere. It's a very academic environment, yet, everyone is also extremely laid back and welcoming to anyone who sets foot on grounds. Your education and your enjoyment of college always come first in the eyes of fellow Cavaliers.

Sterling

I'm not sure.

Jennifer

Compared to other schools, the University of Virginia is unique because of the closeness of the students. When I visited the school not a single person did not smile at me when I was walking around or mind if I asked any questions. I felt at home here. The alumna relations with the school is also beyond amazing making it unique from the other schools I applied to.

Amanda

The people who go to the University of Virginia are very balanced. They have a good time, study hard, help the community, take care of themselves as well as others, and are very friendly. The people who go to the University are model human beings.

Nikholas

The students are eager to learn and are very competitive. It's one of the top public schools in the country, so everyone is very intelligent. However, the students know how to enjoy themselves despite the heavy workload.

Erin

I based my final decision off the fact that I thought the campus at UVA was nicer looking.

Ronald

academics, social life, and outdoors, the people that go there, most likely you will meet your best friends for life at UVA :) I did!

Dolores

The honor code is taken seriously and generally upheld by all.

Lauren

UVa is the #1 public school in the country so that definitely attracted me. Also, being a minority I feel like it is more diverse than the other schools I was looking at.

Mary

My school really values this sense of student self-governance. It is found in everything we do, from Student Council to the student-led Honor system, to individual student organizations and the one-on-one relationships between students and professors. It is breathtaking and amazing to see what U.Va. has accomplished based solely on its student efforts. Students, teachers, and administrators all engage each other in this academic community at U.Va.

Julie

The Echols Scholars program, which is a bit like an honors program. However, instead of having students take specific courses, Echols Scholars have no general requirements and are instead encouraged to explore their individual passions in coursework.

Brian

UVA appealed to me because of its rich tradition of honor and integrity. The first thing that we hear about when we start on grounds are the traditions and beliefs that every student embodies. Every person who has ever spent time at UVA understands the importance of the Honor Code and what it says to the world about us as students. Not only is UVA seeped in tradition, but it also embraces change and growth. Expansion and the adoption of more progressive policies have come at an appropriate rate with careful consideration about the history of the school.

Nicholas

Although the first year you are not allowed to have cars on campus, alot of the campus is in walking distance. Its great to get to know a lot of people when you can walk places with them and chat about everything that is going on and experiencing. Life seems to slow down without the cars, and the campus seems so much larger, encompassing everything that you need.

Ithi

The university is an academic village where students are encouraged to study and think individually and in a group setting. Not quite in the Ivy League, the University of Virginia (UVA) is a "Pubic Ivy" that is ranked extremeley high nationally. Undergraduate students greatly benefit from the competitive nature of each of the individual schools (architecture, engineering, arts/science, nursing) while the faculty and staff come from the best in their respective fields. Their teaching and wisdom gives us students inspiration and example to follow.

Anna

I'm interested in a variety of subjects and wanted to enter college with an undecided major. At UVA, students are not required to declare an official major until they begin a third year at the university. Also, in high school I was very active in the music department. At many colleges, students often give up music in order to pursue other academic classes. However, UVA has a relatively new and growing marching band program that I was able to participate in while balancing a full academic curriculum and was even awarded a small scholarship.

Natalie

I don't know.

Jessica

It's a place where well-roundedness is cultivated; there isn't a focus on one area, it's a healthy spread across the board.

Christa

The gorgeous campus combined with the students who study hard and are brilliant but at the same time are spirited members of their community, both within and outside of the University.

Jason

UVA is a good balance of everything. With about 13,000 undergrads, it's a good size between smaller schools and larger schools. Charlottesville is an hour away from Richmond and two hours from Northern Virginia/Washington D.C., so it's not far from larger urban areas. The football and men's basketball teams have had tough seasons, but the ACC competition is still great to take in, and the social scene is great too.

Taylor

UVa is an amazing university, but it?s not the school that sells itself?it?s the students. UVa students can do everything all at once, from Greek life to intramural and club sports, community service, and so on, while maintaining a high level of academic achievement. You will see students jogging early morning, hitting up the library at night, cheering on our football team on Saturdays, partying on weekends, and then walking dogs at the animal shelter during the few free hours they can find. No college could ever have a more outgoing, caring, and well rounded student body.

John

Perfect balance of social life and academics, very active student body, and very ambitious and involved students

Sarah

The historical setting of the grounds makes it a really interesting places to attend classes, and all of the classes offered are interesting. The social setting is very energetic without taking away from the academic environment.

Tomi

The architecture. It's beautiful. The Rotunda for example if gorgeous. Even the hospital is fun to walk through. I will give it to the school, they put lots of thought into the architecture and it paid off.

Terry

It's emphasis on education compared to some of the other schools I was looing at.

Julene

It's a great value for the education and people are very balanced between doing well academically and having a social life. Even though people are very academically focused, the environment and overall feeling on campus is very relaxed.

Marissa

beautiful grounds incredibly fun town "Downtown Mall"

Aziza

Thomas Jefferson fanaticism

Shaundra

Has strong alumni network. The school is considered a public ivy institution. Students who live in-state pay little for the education. There is an Access UVA financial aid plan to reduce student loan debt. The campus is beautiful. The school is engaging and has national recognition.

Reese

My first year at the University was difficult for me. Learning to adjust to a new environments academically and socially proved to be very stressful and overwhelming. One night as I was stressing over a chemistry test, I took a walk with one of my hallmates down the lawn. The rotunda was all lit up because it was after Lighting of the Lawn and the lawn was really quiet. I am not eloquent enough to describe the scene, but needless to say it was beautiful. Just standing on the lawn, and reflecting on how I got to UVA and my 1st semester so far, I realized that I was part of a legacy, a part of history. The lawn is almost 200 years old, people such as Thomas Jefferson, Edgar Allen Poe, and Tiki Barber have walked upon the same area that I was standing on.

Kristin

My school has an amazing undergraduate, graduate and medical school and I hope to attend all three of them. All of their courses require the student to do their best, if they don't then they won't do well here. This is what attracted me. I didn't want an easy school. After visiting many schools, UVA won my heart because of the college community and the local community of Charlottesville. They seem to be one in the same here because both extend themselves to the other. Coming from a very small town, UVA is just perfect for me.

Seung

not a whole lot

Joseph

Strong academic and athletic focus

Leah

I am truly impressed by the way University of Virginia students truly take charge of their own educations. The focus on Student Leadership and Self-Governance here is extreme and long-standing, and it gives all students the chance to become personally involved in the way the University works. Every student can create the kind of University he wants to attend and take full advantage of the opportunities offered by clubs, classes, professors, sports, and, perhaps most importantly, other students. Also, our honor code (student developed) is quite unique, and a point of pride for the University's students.

Charles

Nothing

Lynsey

The cohesiveness of the campus and traditions here

Danny

I love it here. Come visit, walk around - you'll see what I'm talking about. It really is the ride of your life.

Jake

Good luck. UVA is great.

Bobby

NEVER GIVE DIRECTIONS TO THE LIBRARY.

Rachel

After transferring from somewhere where I was not happy at all I spent 2 of the best years of my life at UVA. I felt appreciated and a part of a group and I could study what I wanted to study with some of the best scholars in the country. It is easy to ignore the stereotypes about UVA and the fuss about Greek life or partying if you're not into that or those opportunities are available for those who are interested, so I feel like UVA has something to offer to everyone.

Tina

Frats are all good & fun, but girls beware. It's not uncommon to get your drink spiked. The guys don't really like you all that much. They just want to sleep with you (of course that's not true for all guys, but don't be stupid and naive ladies. Just because you sleep with a guy doesn't mean he's going to like you. He may even like you less). And naturally, a guy will tell his entire frat that he fucked you, and won't leave out the details. If you can't handle that, don't do it. And guys, girls will use you for sex too! (I doubt you'd really care though, hehe).

Reese

this survey is too long. don't want to fill out everything

Kelly

uva is the shit. seriously. its so hard to describe to people, but once you visit, you just know. for me, it was how beautiful Grounds (campus) is, the great academic quality and broad academic spectrum. but really, once i visited, met some people, i knew. coming to UVA has been BY FAR the best decision i've made in my life. i wouldn't change it for the world.

Vanessa

Visit the school. You have to see it to fall in love with it. Don't come here because of the prestige or because your best friend is or some uncle went here a long time ago. Come because you want to.

Sara

You pretty much covered everything!

Lawrence

Streaking the lawn is a big tradition. You run down the lawn from the rotunda steps, kiss the statue of Homer, run back to the rotunda (its over a third of a mile, so train naked on the treadmills at the gym before you try the real thing) and say good night (or morning...afternoon maybe?) to the statue of Thomas Jefferson through the keyhole. The cops might stop you and tell you about how its a felony, but they'll just make you stand there naked for a minute while they lecture you in front of everyone.