University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

UVa is the perfect size. We're not so big that it's hard to see your professor or make friends, but we not so small that there's nothing to do. If you present yourself to your professors, they're happy to get to know you. Most of my professors know me by name. Class participation varies by class. I know during my first-year, a lot of people didn't show up for chemistry, physics, or math because they had already learned the stuff in high school but didn't take the AP exam or didn't score high enough on the exam. Generally, attendence to class is around 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, but that might vary depending whether the professor posts the slides online or will only give notes in class. UVa students can have fun, but we do study quite a bit, too. I would say engineering, science, nursing, and commerce majors all study the hardest, followed by the other majors. Engineers tease the College by calling them the "College of Arts and Crafts" because they usually have less homework than us. I really enjoy my major's department. A lot of the professors there have graduated from some of the top universities in the country, and they're always happy to see you on a personal basis. Engineering majors are usually pretty small, so everyone knows you by first name. Computer engineering is really interesting, but also really challenging, but if you love what you're studying enough, that should be enough to get you through it. I spend a lot of time with professors outside of class. Some professors have gone to lunch with me, I've been apple picking with one once, and I went to another's house for a final exam review. They're always happy to help students learn. Most professors in the engineering school at UVa aren't there just for research, like other universities. UVa's academic requirements, especially in engineering, are very difficult. If you show the effort in class, though, most professors will work with you to help you understand the material presented. In the engineering school, learning is definitely centered around getting a job. Companies notice this, too, because in the fall, almost 200 companies visit us for our three-day career fair, ranging anywhere from Intel to Google to Microsoft to Northrup Grumman to Rolls-Royce. Companies know that UVa graduates are really dynamic and smart, so they're happy to get their hands on a UVa student early on for an internship.

Most professors know my name. We do have big lecture halls for the introductory level courses. I have found that if you make the effort to get to know your professor (attend office hours, review sessions, ask questions after class) then your professor will know your name and who you are. This is a highly competitive school, as most everyone takes their course work very seriously. Since I am in the engineering school, I feel my education is preparing me well for life after graduation. I have no fears about getting a job that suits me; however some in the College do not share this same feeling. Engineering is a very practical and necessary major but I feel at UVA there are several majors in the College that serve little to no purpose. Thus when these people enter their fourth year, they come to the realization that their major qualifies them for almost nothing and struggle to simply find a job that pays the bills and not something they truly enjoy doing.

Most of them COMM-ICE Least: econ202 quite frequently, especially during exam period yes some yes Commerce yes good yes

Many of my professors know me well, because I've taken many small classes (i.e. Drama and Music classes). My favorite class was Theatre Art: Image to Form. It changed my life through abstract fingerpainting and peformance art. My close second favorite class was History of Bangladesh (HISA 100) It really changed my perspective on the world and gave me great knowledge of world politics. I highly recommend that class to all incoming first years. My least favorite class was CHEM 141. DO NOT take this class from professor Metcalf. I think education at UVA is more geared toward learning for its own sake, but the Comm school is probably more geared toward getting a job.

I've had a great experience with academics at UVA. Like most places, there have been classes that I didn't like. But overall, I've really liked my classes and feel that I've learned a lot. I'm a double major in Biomedical Engineering and French so I've taken very different classes, from French Literature to Biomechanics and Differential Equations. I love it all. I love that I can take such diverse classes. Another rumor you'll here about UVA is that the professors and students interact on a level unheard of in many colleges. I've found that to be true. While I've had the large auditorium-style lectures where the professor has no clue who I am, in most of my classes the professor has taken the time to get to know each student. Following the conclusion of my physiology class, Professor Adams invited the entire class to his house for a chili dinner!