Overview
The first thing that the University does for its first-year students (we call then first years NOT freshmen), is sit everyone down on The Lawn and show them a film about the school’s Jeffersonian tradition and about the honor system. Immediately, students gather a strong sense about the foundation UVA was built on – strong principles, education, friendship, social growth, and honesty. My four years at this institution only went on to further those ideals in my mind and I would gladly endorse UVA to anyone who is looking for those same things – and of course, a great time as well!

My Background
State of Residency: NJ
HS SAT Score: 1340
HS GPA: 4.30
Attended UVA: 1993 – 1997
Degree: BA Biology, Minor in Spanish
UVA GPA: 3.30 (OK, so I slacked off)

Admissions
UVA has a wonderful academic reputation as it ranks consistently in the Top 20 Universities of the US World&News Report’s annual survey. Furthermore, UVA always finds itself on top of the list for public universities, often fighting it out with the University of California at Berkeley.
As with all schools, there are a variety of factors that help with the admissions process, the most important probably being if your parents attended the school and how much money they have donated back (legacy). I’m guessing that MOST of us are not in that category and must go toward the road more traveled.

1) SAT Scores: This is the only standardized way of comparing students, so I’d say that this is rather important.

2) Extracurricular: UVA has many student run organizations, IM sports, and activities. It seems to me that they would deem this important as well. In HS, I was on the varsity basketball team, marching band, tennis team, chess club, NHS, plus a few others (I know, I know… what a geek!).

3) Teacher Recommendations: I’d say that as long as these don’t malign you, they don’t make that much of a difference. A really negative recommendation may hurt you, but otherwise these don’t carry much weight.

4) In state vs. Out of state: This may be the single most contributing factor as to whether you get into UVA or not. If you live in Virginia, your advantages are overwhelming. These are the facts – Virginia accepts 70% of its student body from in the state. Tuition is about 400% more for out of state students (with less available financial aid), and SAT score requirements are about 100 points more lenient for in state applicants. Let me embellish on the last point. Johnny from NJ scores a 1300 on the SAT. Joey from VA scores a 1250. All other factors the same, Joey is accepted, Johnny is not. That’s just the way it is. UVA is required to give preference to in state applicants because it is a state university that receives state funding. Therefore, I’d say SAT ranges will go something along the lines of this:
In State Applicants: 1200-1300
Out of State Applicants: 1370+

The Campus and Nearby
Described by many as the most beautiful college campus in this country, UVA is most definitely breathtaking, especially in the fall and spring when the leaves are changing colors or the cherry blossoms are blooming. The architecture is purely 18th century Jeffersonian as most of the buildings consist of grand, white pillars. UVA is an extension of the gorgeous Monticello - as fountains, statues, and elegant architecture encompass the entire campus. There are a few places of note to visit on campus:

1) The Rotunda - Perhaps this is the defining monument of the UVA campus, the magnificent dome supported by pillars graces the North side of The Lawn. On The Lawn itself, faculty and privileged student accommodations line the sides of the grass. Everyday students sunbathe, study, gather, and play Frisbee on the lush green grass. The Lawn flows all the way down until it is stopped on the South side by Old Cabell Hall – which is where all of the concerts are held in its Grand auditorium.

2) The Amphitheater - Just off and to the West of The Lawn and in front of Garret Hall is the Amphitheater. Although rarely used, this outdoor auditorium was used for many a play production. Nowadays, the club fair and the occasional socials are held there. Dave Matthews Band performed a free concert there my third year.

3) Rugby Road - Drive down Rugby Rd, and one will get a true sense of the lifestyle that UVA students lead. Magnificent fraternity and sorority houses grace the street set back among beautiful oak trees. Even these houses often have a Jeffersonian feel to the build.

4) The Corner - Right off of a campus, The Corner is a popular hang out for the students. This strip of cobblestone lined sidewalk has many bars and bookstores, a Jcrew outlet, tons of restaurants, a CD store, and more.

5) Scott Stadium on a Saturday afternoon in the Autumn - Traditionally, students line up before the game outside in their Sunday best, trying to sneak coke and rum or a forty into the game. By halftime, half of the student section is tipsy. After every score, students join hands and sing the good ole song - which is Auld Lang Syne followed by a the school cheer. Wahoowa!

6) Monticello - About a 15 minute drive away, Jefferson’s home is a beautiful one day getaway for any student. One can take the tour, stroll the gardens, or just relax in the backyard.

7) Skyline Drive - About 30-40 miles away, this beautiful scenic mountainside drive is for the romantic in all of us. But be careful, it’s cold up there – even in the warm months.

UVA’s campus can be reached from one side to the other in about 30 minutes walking(up Alderman Rd, down McCormick Rd), so one doesn’t really need a car – although it’s nice to have one. All of the first years must live in campus housing and most of the stay in the Old or New Dorms.

Note: read my review about choosing a dorm at UVA:
http://www.epinions.com/educ-review-3267-50D4DFD-3982EBCB-prod6

As you get older, you may choose to live on campus or move off campus. There are usually plenty of both available.

Off campus, North Charlottesville on Rt. 29, there are malls, many shopping centers, theatres and bowling alleys… a Wal-Mart is about 10 miles away where students can get all their school things. Downtown Charlottesville has The Mall – again a collection of shops and restaurants in quaint small town setting. Make sure to try ice-skating and The Hardware Store.

Where to eat
I can tell you where NOT to go for sure. UVA does fit the notion of the stereotype that all colleges have horrible dining halls. My first year, I found that I could not stomach the food after ½ semester and started searching elsewhere for my nourishment. If you must go, I rank the dining halls in this order:
1) Bryant (athletes eat here)
2) Runk (people who live far far away eat here)
3) Newcomb (upper classmen)
4) O’Hill (more affectionately known as O’Hell – first years eat here – figures…)

Otherwise, choose the wiser, albeit more expensive alternative and try the following places:

1) College Inn - authentic Greek and Italian dining, affordable, student crowd, located on The Corner

2) Little John’s - packed, deli-style subs and sandwiches – try the Nuclear Sub!, located on The Corner

3) St. Maarten’s Café - every Tuesday night is wing night! How spicy can you go? Try the death wings… better yet – 7 flames of hell, and order a glass of milk.

Social and Extracurricular
About 1/3 of all students are in the Greek system, but that’s not to say there aren’t other things to do around campus. While UVA is preppy (A&F, American Eagle, Jcrew) for the most part, you will find all kinds of people and organizations. One can write for the Cavalier Daily (sniff sniff long live the University Journal), play intra-mural sports, hang out on the Lawn, get involved in student body government, join a fraternity or fellowship or ethnic organization, take ballroom or bartending lessons, or catch a football game. One can also go clubbing, frequent bars, chill with friends – you name it… there truly is something for everyone.

Note: UVA is a big school in a small town – so those looking for the glitzy city life – try NYU or Georgetown.

Another Note:: Make an effort to meet people. The friends you obtain here will last you for the rest of your life - and these four years will be your opportunity.

Athletics
Dicky V and the ACC, baby!! It doesn’t get any better than the Atlantic Coast Conference which is where UVA is in Division I. In addition to a national powerhouse basketball and football team every year, UVA also has dominating lacrosse and soccer teams (I think they won like 5 championships in a row in the early 90s). U-Hall and Scott Stadium are where the teams play and UVA students are very supportive of their teams. I was on the court in 1993 when we beat then #1 UNC in basketball during a regular season game. Mayhem!

As far as the students go, UVA has a full selection of IM sports and students can also leisurely work out and play ball at 3 separate gyms. I rank these in order of technological advancement and basketball courts:
1) North Grounds
2) Slaughter
3) Memorial

Oh yeah, almost forgot.. classes and education and stuff
UVA is a liberal arts university but their undergraduate program has all fields of study, science and arts inclusive. There are also separate undergraduate schools for business, engineering, architecture, and nursing. I won’t get into the graduate programs as this review if for undergraduate purposes only. Particular strong among the undergraduate programs are Government, English, History, and Business.

The teachers are excellent; the classes are smaller (20-30) for the advanced level courses and tend to be larger for introductory level classes (300+). Popular courses in the past have included Government 101 with Professor Sabado and Psychology 101 with Professor Bice. I believe students need 120 credits to graduate with differing requirements within each department.

There are numerous libraries and computer labs around and TA’s and faculty are always ready to assist. The resources available at UVA are truly extraordinary and while the process of enrichment certainly requires work on the part of the student as well, UVA is well suited to be conducive to the intellectual – and there certainly are a lot of those here. UVA students play hard and work hard.

Some great places to study:

1) Gilmer Hall – popular first years hang out to study
2) Law School – sit in the judge’s chair in the mock court room and study!
3) Darden Business School – beautiful leather chairs and gold plated lamps, quiet
4) First Floor, Clemons Library – quiet zone… shhhhhh!!
5) Ruffner Hall – education school, very quiet at night.

Note about grade inflation: I have found that many teachers at UVA are very difficult but at the end of the semester will grade on a curve. While grade inflation at UVA is not nearly as bad it is at some … ahem… Ivy League schools (please don’t flame me Ivy League grads!), it does exist to an extent.

The Honor System
You see, cheating is not tolerated at UVA and unlike other schools, there is no warning. There is a student trial and if guilty, the penalty is expulsion. I personally have two acquaintances that have been asked to leave school. The upside, if there is any, is that UVA makes every effort to find another school for you to attend and will not list your reasons for leaving on your transcript.

The Mascot
Officially, the UVA mascot is a Cavalier, but those who have gone there know better. We are the wahoos – fish that can drink twice their weight. Tells you something about the party atmosphere, huh?

Some bad things…
1) Student tend to hang out with their own ethnicity. Sometimes I felt like the school was a bit segregated.
2) Greek life has a big emphasis – sometimes too big.
3) It’s impossible to get into a men’s basketball game (especially against Duke or UNC) if you don’t get there at least 8 hours beforehand.
4) Those Old Dorm extra long beds are impossible to find sheets for... even at Wal-mart!


And finally... what I learned at UVA (besides Biology and Spanish)

1) That I Have Honor - No, really... this engraining of the Honor System actually works.

2) That the Old Dorms need air conditioning - Ok, so I had to move in the during the hottest summer in a decade. I would've killed for air conditioning that summer of 1993.

3) That the Guitar is a Beautiful Instrument - God Bless my first year roommate from Nashville. At first I wanted to beat him over the head with it, but by the end of the year I was constantly asking him to play it.

4) That the Freshman Fifteen is not a Myth - Watch that dining hall food - it'll catch up to ya real fast.

5) That Parking Ilegally will cost you $80 - They will tow your dumb a** in a second. I'm not kidding. I've been a victim 4 times. And they take your car to like the next town.

6) That Seven Flames of Hell is a spicy wing! - St. Maarten's Cafe Tuesday night - need I say more?

7) That in Four years, I really didn't learn all that much... - That's ok - I had a great time :)

Recommended: Yes