The REAL Virginia

Introduction
If you are interested in attending UVA, the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to visit before drawing any conclusions. Virginia is one of the BEST schools in the country for numerous reasons and the best way to find that out is to experience it for yourself.

One thing I don't like is the labels that are often associated with the school. Charlottesville is not a major city by any means and as a student you will spend most of your time on grounds but that doesn't necessarily mean that you have no other choice but to drink every weekend and go to frat parties. There is so much more to Virginia than greek life and those who make it seem otherwise have a very narrowed perspective of UVA and the world for that matter. Some of my best memories of UVA have nothing to do with drinking or frat parties. And if the prep thing sounds completely unappealing, don't let that discourage you either. There are all kinds of people at Virginia and many of us would never even think of popping our collars!

Campus Life and Social Life
The best part about the social life at UVA is that there is something for everyone. Any given week there are so many activities to participate in that when I was a student I had a hard time choosing just one.

The sports program is incredible because we have a ton of sports teams for men and women, including club and intramural for those who aren't hardcore athletes not to mention world class athletic facilities and gyms. There is so much school pride that it is nearly impossible to go to a sporting event and not have a blast.

Most organizations at Virginia are completely student run and UVA has the largest student run volunteer organization in the country called Madison House. If you're an activist, there's plenty to get involved in and countless ways to express your beliefs. Not to mention we have our own honor system.

Charlottesville plays host to national events like the annual Virginia Film Festival and The Festival of the Book which are bound to draw in celebrity/noteworthy speakers. Charlottesville, having been voted the number one place to live in the country last year, offers awesome outdoor activities like camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains or hiking and swimming at Blue Hole.

One of my favorite things about Virginia is it's traditions. From secret societies to painting Beta Bridge to streaking The Lawn, the school and the culture is soaked in tradition. Just looking at the Rotunda from the Lawn you know you are looking at a historically significant mark of architectural greatness. Academics
I think all departments are excellent. Many of the professors are well known in their respective fields and have countless personal experiences to enrich their lectures.

Don't come to Virginia if you aren't looking to intellectually challenge yourself. You can't be lazy, you will be expected to work. Virginia has a high retention rate and very few students fail out, which means that while Virginia students know how to have fun they also know when to buckle down and study.

Learn to love coffee, all nighters and the library. Of course this is true of any highly ranked school but they often call Virginia the "Public Ivy". And believe me if you work hard, it will all pay off in the end. I can't tell you how many people's faces light up when I tell them I graduated from UVA. Being a Virginia graduate is an honor and a privilege. (See what I mean about the school pride. And please don't mistake pride for pretentiousness.)

Student Body
As it is a state school, 60% of the students are from Virginia so many of them enter with friends and close connections from high school. But as an out of state student, for me it didn't seem to make much of a difference. I found that I was meeting people from not only all over the US but many international students as well. And many of in-state students are looking to branch out of their high school cliques so most people upon entering their first year are open to forging various types of friendships.

I don't think it's fair to stereotype UVA students. It may seem like a preppy school but I am a firm believer that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Since Virginia consists of an intelligent population of young minds you never know what type of individual you might find even behind that popped collar. And that's the truth!

In Closing...
The best 4 years of my life so far were spent at Virginia and I loved every minute of it! If you want to attend a school where you will get an excellent education, make some of the best friends of your life and have fun in ways you never thought possible consider UVA. There's no place like it! :)