University of Virginia

This review is only a review of the aesthetics of the campus. I have never attended UVA, but did attend a wedding in the university chapel there and my fiancé and I walked around the campus. Very lovely campus, with a lot of red brick buildings (reminded me a lot of my own alma mater). It has a very lovely, nostalgic feel to it. Lots of old, quaint buildings mixed in with new centers. It’s very easily walkable and is the only US university that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. I’m pretty sure Mr. Jefferson would be proud of his university today.

«The University!»
A UNESCO heritage site (the only university in north america).
Mister Jeffersons University
UVa is as good as it gets!
The quintessential american university. The true all-​american school. I can’t say enough positive things about the university. Expansive collection of libraries and rare books; strong graduate school programs; aesthetically pleasing buildings and top-​notch facilities. My brother and I was very privileged to attend this wonderful school. We both loved every minute.
UVa is a school steeped in tradition and honor. You will hear stories of wallets left on school grounds and you can return to find it at the place you dropped it. The honor code is really big at UVa. Exams can be taken outside and no one will question you.
The professors are attentive and the student body is fantastic. The best and most beautiful university. If you are looking for an all-​around education: academic, sports and culture. Look no further UVa is your school. I met a lot of life long friends during my years at UVa. Most importantly I allowed me to prosper in my future endeavors.
Thank you UVa!

Well, this place used to be great. It used to be Jefferson’s University. But despite all the hypocritical references to Jefferson in the letters from the university president, the administration has completely fallen away from Jeffersonian thinking. The university is now some form of collectivist entity, with compulsory health insurance for students (guided by Aetna of all organizations!), generalization of criminality and punishment to all the fraternities based on false allegations that the president reacted to immorally, intense political correctness that leads to very poor media management, and a top down control mentality that stands in sharp contrast to the individuality that is inherent in Thomas Jefferson’s intent when he created the university. He wanted UVA to teach future Americans how to stay Americans – free and individuals – instead of becoming the serfs of a tyrannical national government. Now, the university is fully involved in assisting the national government to indoctrinate the students into serfdom. Youch.
The faculty care about teaching and the students and their scholarship, and they are extremely high caliber folk. The students are also extremely high caliber. The location is stellar. The reputation of excellent scholarship has been deservedly earned. The administration however has adopted a mentality that approaches a non-​nationalistic non-​militant version of fascism. Gently now – by this I mean the methods of cultural collectivism that enabled people to stop thinking like humans, and instead function as a mob controlled by a narcissistic tyrant. UVA should be at the forefront of the fight against such sort of thinking. Instead the administration has of late been fighting for the wrong team.
The question is, are the students aware that UVA administration is no longer dedicated to the role Jefferson hoped it might serve – to prepare students to protect liberty? Is it okay with the students that the university now promotes centralized control and serves as the local enforcer of the current national government’s collectivizing agenda?
Two stars for the utter failure of the administration to hold to Jeffersonian values while proclaiming his name. Poor old Tom is crying.

Can I write a review about the University of Virginia (UVa) even though I didn’t get a sheepskin from it? Yes I can.
I have two words to justify this: THIN LETTER.
One fine spring day, I went to my mailbox when living in Atlanta and opened it up. It was actually St. Patrick’s Day. I’m not Irish, I’m not usually lucky, and green is not my favorite color. Thus, good fortune would not be in my corner … and it wasn’t. This ivory colored masterpiece of stationery, complete with the school’s emblematic rotunda embossed on it, essentially told me to get lost.
Was I mad? Yes. I wanted UVa to be one of my options for grad school. Did I get over it? Yes. Once a person finishes an academic program and goes to work in a field, he or she can put two curricula side by side, such as from where I ultimately went to school and that of UVa, and the one at UVa turned out to be far more ivory tower and I’m practical and of the «please cut the bullshit» mindset. Most of the time, a rejection letter is meant to be, as the program usually knows their internal culture and knows what is, and is not, a good marriage better than does the applicant.
I’m giving UVa a balanced 3 stars, as in A-​OK, because it is an enigmatic school if there ever was one.
Pros:
— a storied reputation,
— beautiful grounds for which Thomas Jefferson designed the core Academical Village and nearby Monticello,
— a union card for life,
— under 25,000 students … and that includes a medical school, and a comprehensive slate of curricula from science and engineering to artsy-​fartsy, and everything in between, and
— the school most suitable to claim the Public Ivy crown of those that are categorized as such
Cons:
— elitist, and their attempts to appear egalitarian are paper thin,
— courtesy to the offspring of alumni in admissions,
— entitled kids pulling shenanigans exactly like the ones that are sadly making the news at this time,
— some departments are quirky on various levels (while I didn’t apply to these departments, the Darden MBA is taught fully via the case method, copying Harvard’s approach, while I believe in a blended methodology … and the law school puts as much of a premium on the socially mandated softball leagues as it does on academics from what I’ve read from law students «sounding off»), and
— for select practical fields, graduates of Virgina Tech, while not the state flagship university nor a Public Ivy, are thought of more highly by many employers when the rubber meets the road.
One final bit of trivia: you’d be sharing alumni status with Katie Couric, whose «neener neener» delivery got her low ratings for that coveted 7 p.m. news anchor spot, putting her right into Oprah-​land where she belongs, and an intense, ultra-​conservative nut job like Ken Cuccinelli.
Some universities really do have something for everybody. From doing the math, UVa does not, but that doesn’t diminish its prestige, its deserved reputation, and the likelihood that the an intelligent person going in would become an even more intelligent person upon graduating.
Minor coincidence: this is review #776 and the Declaration of Independence was signed in July (07) of 1776. This review just landed in this spot because I had UVM, the preceding review, on the brain.

UVA Class of 2000, Chemical Engineering!
Rocks!

Amazing college!
Was very privileged to be able to attend this sensational public university through the University of Auckland’s 360 Semester Abroad exchange program. Didn’t realise until we arrived how great it was– used to be #1, now currently #2 public school in the entirety of the United States with a great reputation for academic excellence.
In addition, they have such a great social scene with events on aplenty– it was hard because you had to prioritise or be discriminative, as you couldn’t be at two places at the same time. So many fun college-​wide events as well as club events and residential college events!
Amazing school spirit– loved the football games, even though we didn’t have the best team. Basketball was the favourite though– we did well!
Wish I could have stuck around to see the Spring sports like Lacrosse and Baseball! Good teams there!
Such cool college traditions and unique events to UVA.
Am so fortunate to have gone here– even for a semester. Wish I could have extended it to a year. Wish I could have done my whole undergrad here — but I’m happy to have had at least, some (rather than none) time here!
[Reliving my semester abroad at the University of Virginia]

Probably the most gorgeous college campus I’ve ever been on. I was very impressed by the grounds and the town. Told my son (10) he’s going to have to get a scholarship.

Academics = Great
Party Scene = Great
Basketball Team = Great
Baseball Team = Great
Tennis Team = Great
Swimming Team = Great
Lacrosse Team = Great
Football Team = Suck city
Wake me when we fire Mike London.

I recently visited UVA for the second time with my fiancée who is a law school alumnus. This is the first time that we had time to tour the grounds and various buildings. The grounds are meticulously kept as are all the buildings. I would expect this given the hefty price tag on tuition but it is still impressive to see the dedication and effort that goes into keeping the campus so beautiful. My fiancée showed me the room he lived in during his first year, right next to the Poe Room, and several students came over to chat. The students seem happy to be here and the campus is very vibrant with lots to offer students in regard to activities and enrichment. Charlottesville is quaint and charming although I noticed way too many 18 year olds driving around in BMWs and Mercedes lol. I would not be upset if our future children decided to attend UVA. We would just need to start saving now.

Whether you attend UVA or just purely visiting, you have to check out the Rotunda. It is the very essence of UVA. The Rotunda is scheduled for a large scale restoration for the next two years. So hurry!

How can you really rate an entire university, not an easy task with all that this school and campus encompasses. But it’s not hard when you consider all the the University of Virginia offers to give it a 5 and who dare give it less.
This is the second time I have been on the campus and this last visit made me feel even more secure in saying this school is something special. The faculty and students already know these hallowed grounds that Thomas Jefferson built make it a unique part of not only UVA, but American history. Visitors will learn no matter where your previous school alliances may fall, this is extraordinary idea of an academical village has grown into something much more. Jefferson himself would be proud of what he founded and how this place of higher learning has transformed into something much more than even he could have dreamed.
It all starts with the first campus building, the Rotunda. In front of the Rotunda is the Great Lawn. A tour of the area, or an internet search would by far provide more details than I will in this review. It was Jefferson’s idea from the beginning to build this wonderful school where students and teachers alike study, eat and sleep in a academical village. The Great Lawn features dorms for students on the bottom, a great privilege to be selected by your peers. Faculty would live on top. The tradition of the students continues on the Great Lawn, but few of the faculty if any are now housed above.
To this day UVA has traditions that it upholds and embraces. From streaking through the Great Lawn to asking any professor out to lunch and being reimbursed by the university up to $ 50. But possibly it’s tradition that they cherish the most is their honor. This honor code is what sets them apart and it extends to every facet of campus life. An example may be a professor letting you take a a make up exam in your dorm room. Other traditions are Greek life and secret societies which are both plentiful around the school.
Not everyone can have the choice to even attend the house that Thomas Jefferson built. It takes for the most part straight A’s, high entry test scores and extracurricular academics/​sports. If you have this going for you I am sure many schools would be interested in opening their arms and welcoming you. However, if you are in state UVA offers a tremendous value for around $ 19ka year.
Don’t take my word for it, if you are reading this review your already planning a visit, or on campus most likely. I think you will fall in love with The University of Virginia and Charlottesville.

Unilocal’s «5 star» system may be a simple way of organizing things, but sometimes it’s not quite specific enough. If Unilocal were instead a ranking of all of the places in the world, UVA would be #1.
There are ways to learn about why UVA is the best place to go to college than Unilocal reviews, but here are some notes:
— UVA, founded by Thomas Jefferson, is the only university in the nation to be designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Grounds (yes, we call it that, not campus) are beautiful. Hang out on the lawn, and/​or take a UGS historical tour (and admissions tour). There is a TON of cool history here, and the architecture is awesome
— Playboy ranks UVA as the #1 party school in the nation. So, there’s that.
— Virginia’s athletics program is consistently among the nation’s elite — as measured by the Director’s Cup, UVA is consistently in the top 20 and finished as high as 3^rd a few years back. Scott Stadium and John Paul Jones Arena are awesome facilities… as are the teams and venues for the non-​revenue sports (lacrosse, baseball, soccer, tennis, etc.) Look out for Tony Bennett’s basketball team this winter…
— Oh, the academics are good too.
— If you are visiting, some food suggestions. On the Corner (near the Rotunda), can’t go wrong with Bodo’s Bagels for breakfast, Littlejohn’s (deli) for lunch, and Boylan Height (burgers/​bar) for dinner, all UVA institutions. Virginian and Biltmore have decent food and are probably the two most popular bars. Christian’s Pizza and/​or a Gusburger from White Spot (cheeseburger with an egg on it) are necessary late-​night options. There are a ton of nicer places to eat downtown, (a 25 minute walk or 5 minute drive).
Wahoowa.

This is simply a campus review… not a University review.
Such a beautiful campus. Based on the campus tour alone… I would consider sending my daughter here when the time comes.
— Love how they have Edgar Allen Poe’s room set up.
— The Athletic facilities are top notch… especially the basketball arena!
— The Lawn is truly a site… I could see students having picnics and throwing a football around.
— Loved how old the dorm rooms are that are attached to the lawn. Though if I was a student I don’t think I’d appreciate the history of them ;)
Overall, this is one of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever visited. Good job UVA. Shout out to you.

We capped our day in Charlottesville with a tour of the Rotunda led by a University student. The building is wonderful in itself, but it really helped in this case to have someone give history on it, satisfying both the potentially incoming students as well as the Mr. Guidebooks of the crowd (ahem).
You’ll hear stories about Jefferson’s exacting amateur architectural details, his portraits on display which range from the majestic to the quizzical, and the buildings of the Lawn in both his conception all layout as well as how they function in the modern day. All of these and much more!
Perhaps the greatest insight I picked up was that the Rotunda was the centerpiece of the grounds, and tellingly it was a library. This stood apart from basically every other university up to that time, which focused on a church.
Photos of the Rotunda don’t do it much justice in my mind, so I doubt I’ll post any of my awful ones. But that just makes it more breathtaking (I’m serious) when you walk into the top floor.
Don’t leave town with just Monticello — you don’t get the full picture until you’ve wandered around here. And did I mention it’s free? Though you’ll want to leave a donation at the gathering area, which is on the hour most days of the year (check the website). The tour is a little over 30 minutes.

Wahoo wa!
As an proud alumna from this great institution, I really believe that this is the best school ever. Great student life, breathtaking campus, and yummy food all around!

Gorgeous campus. Apparently sundresses and boots are popular here amongst the women. Seems like a quaint fashion that is behind the curve from other Southern universities. And the young men wear a lot of quasi-​cas-​formal-​wear ala J. Crew. When I was a student, we wore our PJs to class!

There were tons of UV ‘locations’ to check in-​to, but this one came up when I was searching around for things nearby, so I figured, why not?
Hubs and I headed down to C’ville this weekend, actually on a mission to go to Monticello (and then probably eat dinner in C’ville) but the traffic was intense right around the exits here, and we never made it to Monticello. However, it was just fine indeed because we were able to spend more time walking around the campus and enjoying the autumn color there, anyway =)
My uncle is alumni here, and I can see why he has so much school spirit — it’s a nice campus that sprawls out, but has a cohesive image and appearance that I really enjoyed. It’s a bit hilly, but nothing like my alma mater, so the calves were just fine as we traversed past brick archways and walked by the shops and restaurants around ‘the corner’ and such.

Ah, the University of Virginia. The Grounds. The Rotunda. Monroe Hill college. Peters Portal!!!
So much rich tradition, and so much verve.
«Ten thousand voices sing thy acclaim,
Ten thousand hearts beat high at thy name!
All unafraid and girded with good.
Mother of men, a queen thou hast stood.
Children of thine, a true brotherhood.
Virginia hail all hail, Virginia hail all hail!
The good ol’ song of Wahoowa
We’ll sing it o’er and o’er!
It cheers our hearts and warms our blood
to hear them shout and roar
We come from old Virginia
Where all is bright and gay
Let’s all join hands and give a yell
For dear old UVA!

UVA!!! I can’t believe I’m saying it, but sometimes I miss this place hehe! Amazing classes, great professors (F Tejedo, Nafpaktitis, S. Seidel, J. Schmidt, are among my personal favs), and an absolutely beautiful campus! I still remember late nights at Alderman (McGregor room is great!), hanging out at Alderman Café, and even my little period of studying in the stacks lol. The stacks at Alderman are amazing, by the way, and I highly recommend random browsing :)
Cons:
what Kirsten said. There is abounding cliquishness that, unfortunately, more often than not, is determined by racial differences or even socio-​economic status, from what I hear about those who’ve tried to do the sorority thing.
I say find your niche, get involved in groups that share your interests and even join some you know nothing about to meet some new people. Overall, it’s a great place to grow and become a contributing citizen.
Warning: Don’t allow yourself to be overly consumed by work… it’s unhealthy and the consequences are, contrary to popular belief, long– lasting.
** Do your best, don’t fight for an A or a better grade than your peers, just do A+ work by your own standards and things will go wonderfully!**

Really? We are reviewing colleges now? I guess I’ll put in my 2 cents. I loved my time at UVA and would change little or nothing about it. In fact, i transfered there and wish I had done so sooner.
No matter who you are, what you are interested in or how much of a weirdo you might or might not be, you will find a niche here.
Even if you are just in Charlottesville for a visit, a stroll through the Grounds (not «campus») is a must. This place is beautiful. The lawn especially is fantastic. Walk along the colonnades and think about the lucky 4^th years (again, not seniors) that live there and have to run to the bathrooms in their robes when it’s freezing cold and snowing outside. If you get the chance, take a guided tour from a U-​guide and you will hear some fun stories about the history of the University.