University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

The professors all know my name, even in a 100 person class. Students are really serious and focused on their work. Any school night, you'll see a lot of students studying. Students almost always participate in class. Intellectual conversations outside class are somewhat common, I've even heard some political talk at a few parties. The level of competition though is pretty intense. A lot of the super hard classes are graded on a curve, so you really have to stay on top of your game.

The academics at UVA are definitely difficult. One common misperception is that the hardest part about UVA is just getting in and once admitted, the classes are very easy. This is far from true. Professors and teachers assistants expect a lot from students. It is a very competitive learning environment. Grading curves are prevalent in math and science type classes. One of my least favorite qualities about UVA is the continual focus on curves and grading work based on other students' work. On the contrary, UVA is a school very strong in academics and therefore intellectual conversations are even encouraged outside the classrooms. It is nice to be able to learn from my peers and to partake in debates going on in the world. Even Professors usually make time to talk with students after class. I have never had a problem with receiving help from Professors. The "take your teacher out to lunch" program is a great opportunity for all students. Basically, each semester students can take up to three students out to lunch. This includes grabbing a meal on campus or even off campus at some restaurants at the Corner. A student receives $30 to split with the Professor. I took a Professor out to Mellow Mushroom (a popular pizza restaurant chain here) last year and learned a lot about his thoughts in his particular discipline.

The academic programs at UVa are diverse and vast. There are so many different majors to pick from and so many classes to choose from within that major. The professors at UVa are amazing. I cannot say enough good things about the UVa professors. Like any school, there are the few that you want to stay away from but, overall, they are fantastic. I'm an English major concentrating in Women's Literature. It's not an actual declarable "concentration," but there are so many classes about it that I can focus on exactly what I'm interested in. There are so many amazing classes that I've taken at UVa, but my two favorites (I couldn't just pick one) were an Appalachian Literature class and a 19th century literature class concentrating on Charlotte Bronte and Elizabeth Gaskell. Class participation in all small classes is mandatory, but it's really not hard to do because the material is so interesting and the students and professor are so interested in the subject as well that it's very easy to join in. The professors in these smaller classes always make a very conscious effort to learn everyone's names. In the big, 200 people lecture class that is very difficult, but the professors are still very easy to talk to and remember your name if you approach them outside of class. The students are kind of competitive, but in a very good, healthy way. The students challenge each other to do better, but also help each other out in any and all ways possible.

UVA is hard. The professors expect a lot from you, and most of the students expect a lot from themselves. It is a competitive academic environment, which is great, if you are actually trying to prepare yourself for the fabled "real world." I guess the most important thing to realize is that professors are actually people, too. Going to office hours can be a really scary event for many students (I don't think I went to office hours at all my first year), but, once you work up the nerve to have a little chat with Prof. Whatever, you'll realize just how helpful and, well, nice, so many of them are. And, if you are having trouble keeping the conversation going, just ask the Prof. about his/her research. You may spend the whole day in that office:-) As far as what a UVA education will prepare you for--job market, academia, homelessness, etc--it's just like any other school. You can major in underwater basket weaving and have bleak (and blurry) job prospects, but if you major in a field that you are passionate about, you can find a way to get a job doing what you love. It's very important, however, not to fall in the trap of believing that your degree will get you a job. This is NOT TRUE! No matter where you go, you have to make sure to take on some extracurricular job preparation activities. Work in a lab, intern at a local business, work in retail--just do SOMETHING that will set you apart, aside from taking relevant classes.

The academics are incredible. People say that all you do is sit around in 500 person lectures in big state schools, but every professor I've had knows my name. It's true that you have to go out of your way to do that, but I think in a large way that's a good thing. It encourages me to be vocal in the academic community. Outside of class, I think I have a great balance of intellectual and non-intellectual conversations. It's college, you know. I'm majoring in English. I visit each professor multiple times a semester, and I try to build a healthy report with all of them. The academic requirements in English are tough but fair. The department encourages its students to understand literary studies as a multicultural discipline. There's a balance between the "I want a job" route and the "experience of learning" route at UVa. UVa has competitive programs that put out many accountants and big money makers, but also has strong departments that encourage learning for learning's sake.

The best thing about UVa is the level of scholarship it offers. The academics are quite rigorous and UVa students work hard. There are many smart students at UVa, and it certainly shows. Competition, however, seems hardly present, and is certainly not stifling. Students are interested in academically assisting each other. The professors tend to be extremely intelligent and possess expertise in their fields. They all have Ph.Ds and relevant academic publications. Although there are many large classes and a few are required, it is possible to avoid large classes completely once the basic requirements have been fulfilled. In these smaller classes (10-15 students), the discussions are rich and elucidating, and the professors and students have an opportunity to develop personal relationships. Even so, the larger lecture classes can be equally valuable. Professors ensure a dynamic usage of media--film clips, music, art, etc.--in their lectures to keep the topic fresh and apply it to various other areas. It is common to hear students having intellectual conversations outside of class, but of course it depends on the students. Some students have no interest in academics and are at UVa simply for the degree and to start a career. However, this tends to be the exception. Many students are intellectually engaged. The education at UVa can be shaped specifically by the student. Some choose to apply it towards getting a job, whereas others choose to learn simply for the sake of learning. I study in the English department, and I tend to find many creatively-oriented colleagues in my classes.

The best thing about UVa is the level of scholarship it offers. The academics are quite rigorous and UVa students work hard. There are many smart students at UVa, and it certainly shows. Competition, however, seems hardly present, and is certainly not stifling. Students are interested in academically assisting each other. The professors tend to be extremely intelligent and possess expertise in their fields. They all have Ph.Ds and relevant academic publications. Although there are many large classes and a few are required, it is possible to avoid large classes completely once the basic requirements have been fulfilled. In these smaller classes (10-15 students), the discussions are rich and elucidating, and the professors and students have an opportunity to develop personal relationships. Even so, the larger lecture classes can be equally valuable. Professors ensure a dynamic usage of media--film clips, music, art, etc.--in their lectures to keep the topic fresh and apply it to various other areas. It is common to hear students having intellectual conversations outside of class, but of course it depends on the students. Some students have no interest in academics and are at UVa simply for the degree and to start a career. However, this tends to be the exception. Many students are intellectually engaged. The education at UVa can be shaped specifically by the student. Some choose to apply it towards getting a job, whereas others choose to learn simply for the sake of learning. I study in the English department, and I tend to find many creatively-oriented colleagues in my classes.

If I could sum up academics at UVA in a few words, I would say "you get what you put in." Here, the sky is the limit if you want to work hard and learn a lot. There are so many incredible, talented professors here, and every student can tell you who the top dogs are in his or her major. One of my favorite classes was an English seminar taught by an Oxford-educated man who is also a priest! Not only are the professors amazing within each major, but there is also a lot of academic life outside of class. Constant guest speakers (such as foreign leaders and famous intellectuals from every academic field) and drop-in, one time lectures are available for anyone who wants to take a break from their usual course of study. You can meet incredible scholars here, and many times I have looked at a textbook or bibliography and found my instructor's name among the authors. UVA hires very prominent people in the field, and the awesome community of people and strong academic atmosphere keeps these people here year after year. Some subjects are actively tied to the economy and getting a job, but others share in a tradition of learning simply for the love of knowledge. Students here ultimately love whatever they choose to study, because with such good people and peers, it is hard to ignore how great academic life is at UVA. Also, there is so much balance between life inside and outside of class, that people are genuinely happy, focused, and committed to their studies in a healthy way.

If I could sum up academics at UVA in a few words, I would say "you get what you put in." Here, the sky is the limit if you want to work hard and learn a lot. There are so many incredible, talented professors here, and every student can tell you who the top dogs are in his or her major. One of my favorite classes was an English seminar taught by an Oxford-educated man who is also a priest! Not only are the professors amazing within each major, but there is also a lot of academic life outside of class. Constant guest speakers (such as foreign leaders and famous intellectuals from every academic field) and drop-in, one time lectures are available for anyone who wants to take a break from their usual course of study. You can meet incredible scholars here, and many times I have looked at a textbook or bibliography and found my instructor's name among the authors. UVA hires very prominent people in the field, and the awesome community of people and strong academic atmosphere keeps these people here year after year. Some subjects are actively tied to the economy and getting a job, but others share in a tradition of learning simply for the love of knowledge. Students here ultimately love whatever they choose to study, because with such good people and peers, it is hard to ignore how great academic life is at UVA. Also, there is so much balance between life inside and outside of class, that people are genuinely happy, focused, and committed to their studies in a healthy way.

The professors know my name but it all depends on you I would say and what classes you have. You may have a class with just 20 people depending on the class and major and some lectures are 450 people, yet in all my classes I make sure my professors know my name. My favorite class was Business in the Workplace because it had guest speakers who have worked in business telling us their experiences, and as I have learned experience is everything. My least favorite class would be Statistics, maybe it’s just because I don’t get Statistics, but also because it was dense material and the teacher really couldn’t relate to the students as must do at UVA. Students often study a good part of the time, right now I actually studying for finals and people have their coffee and tea mugs and some food from the Corner and have locked themselves in study rooms with groups of friend or by themselves. Class participation is very common on average its about 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes and 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} are not at all, but most of the business classes are participation based. Well my friends in my Hall have intellectual conversations ranging from politics to how colleges can be run, to philosophy principles that we may relate to silly things or things which we find interesting with college life. Students are very competitive, but they are also willing to help you, it’s not like they are just competitive and only care about their well-being so hoard information, if you ask they will help all the time. The most unique class I have taken is Buddhism 2100 we actually went to a local temple and meditated at night it was interesting and really gave us an insight to the Buddhist doctrine and meditation techniques. My major is Pre-commerce (Must apply second year to get into the Commerce School). Yet there are many events to spend time with professors outside of class, such as bring your professor to lunch and professor dinner/receptions, and office hours of course. The schools’ academic requirements are challenging but reasonable of course, I feel the requirements fit perfectly to helping you be prepared for the real world. The education is actually geared to learning and having great Human capital and intellect as Jefferson wanted. Yet as for the Business school it is also based more on learning, but has heavy emphasis on preparing you to either owning your own business or working at a big firm.

The academics at my school are fantastic. McIntire has one of the best undergraduate programs in the world and the classes are small. There is always a lot of discussion that involves the entire class so everyone knows each other and the teachers know everyone. Students study frequently enough, but much of the work involves projects with groups. The students are very competitive, but are not nasty to each other because of it. The professors are frequently available to talk to, though I don't usually visit. It was difficult to get into the business program, but the academic requirements are reasonable considering what I am getting out of it. The education is about learning but also towards getting a job. My school gets almost everyone a job or into grad school.

We have an honor system whereby you will be expelled if you are caught either lying, cheating or stealing. Yet this system puts a lot of trust in students. We can take many exams and evaluations alone and we are trusted to the point that it is our responsibility to not cheat. Academics are challenging but nor to the point where you will be extremely stressed all the time. The classes you take and the amount of credits you take will decide how your academics will be; it is in your hands basically.

The classes are tough, but the teachers are nice. It's easy to fall behind, but if you are organized and do not procrastinate, you will be just fine.

The architecture school is a very challenging education. As a student you are expected to work for long periods of time and your class schedules often entail for longer hours. It is a smaller group of students and we all knew each others name. The teachers also have smaller groups, between 13-14 students per studio and they get to know you quite well. My favorite class was Lessons in Making, one of the core classes where you learn the principles of making things and discover your strengths in drawing or model making. At the end of the semester your critic will invite you to dinner at his or her house, and you get to see what they have done :)

Academics at UVa are fantastic, For the most part, the professors here really care about their students. I wans in a 500 person class one semester and the professor took the time to memorize everyone's name. I saw him memorizing at the beginning of classes. When people asked questions, he called on them by name! Of course, as with any University, there are some teachers who only care about their research, but from what I've heard, UVa has some of the most caring teachers. All professor's are required to have office hours and most of the time, students actually go to them. My economics professor provided free food to people who came to his office hours! I don't spend a lot of time with professors outside of class, but I know the University encourages that sort of thing and that a lot of professors welcome it. They have a program here called take your professor to lunch, but I've never used it. Of course, sometimes your professor takes the meal to you. For my Iranian Lit class tomorrow, my professor is treating us to dinner while we have class (a really nice dinner too). And one of my seminar professors catered Afghan food for us while we all sat around and discussed our research papers. These classes are/ were very small. Though the Middle Eastern Politics professor gets everyone in his (150 person) class baklava on the last day of class. Class participation is common in some classes and not in others. In upper level seminars, participation is required and most students participate to the best of their ability. In other classes (esp. the big ones), participation is less common though people still ask questions during class quite often. Outside of class, I would say that intellectual conversations are semi-common in everyday interaction. Of course, there are clubs where intellectual conversation is all you're going to get. If you want stimulating conversation, you can find it. Students here are competitive to a degree. Everyone wants to do well, but other students are willing to help their peers. I'm in the humanities, so we aren't really curved and therefore don't have to fight it out like I've heard kids in the sciences have to do, so I don't know about their experiences. But everyone in my classes are generally willing to share notes and collaborate on study guides to the test. It's common to have someone e-mail out to the list serve before a big test and ask if other students want to put together a study guide of all the readings. Learning here is learning for its own sake. At least for me (I'm a Foreign Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies major). I think that people in the Comm school probably think a little more about life after college than we poly sci people do. But in every major, the requirements are quite rigorous and the general requirements are nothing to sneeze at either. Whether you're an engineer or an English major, you will work while you're here if you want to get good grades. But classes here are fun too. Students can even make their own classes! One of the kids in my Arabic class set up a course on demography for next semester. Most of the classes here are fun in my opinion. I've had a few boring classes, but I've been entertained for the most part and I always learn a lot.

The classes at UVA range from 300 people to less than 20. I have generally have had very good experience with all the classes I have taken at UVA although a couple have been annoying with poor professors. I have been very fortunate in that I have had a couple good relationships with Psychology faculty (which is normally really hard to do because most of the Psychology classes are 300 people classes), and they are extremely intelligent, nice, and caring guys who are happy to talk to me about interesting studies or to help me with my Honors Thesis. My favorite classes have all been Psychology classes and they are really funny, interesting, and entertaining. I feel that everyone that goes to UVA should take at least 1 course in Psychology, and it should be Social Psychology which blew my mind. The courses here are pretty challenging because most of the students here are very intelligent and very competitive. Class participation is common for smaller classes. The academic requirements are pretty straightforward. It is probably better to have some credits before entering college from AP or IB classes. The education at this school is evenly distributed between learning for its own sake and geared for professional careers in business, law, etc.

UVa is not an easy school to get into, and it is academically rigorous. Students do spend a considerable time in the library (of which there are 16 to choose from around grounds), but the academic environment is not cutthroat and the professors are wonderful, always available to students outside of class. It is a very intellectual environment, but as I said, it is not about out-smarting each other by any means; students are generally interested in their classes and we are encouraged to take classes we know we will enjoy as well as those which will broaden our knowledge and viewpoints.

My classes are amazing. Most of my professors know my name and are always available for help. I always walk by one of my professors everyday and she says hi to me. In one of my lecture classes of 300, child psychology, my professor even made the effort to learn my and other peoples' names. This child psychology teacher is probably the best teacher I have and I plan on taking another course with him next semester. The professors truly get into what they teach and it's really cool because so many of them are published and have done their own research which they can expand upon in class. I'm in the nursing school so the nursing school in particular isn't competitive and I don't believe that the other schools are either. It is very easy to get a study group together and study with friends. Nursing is absolutely amazing. Our assistant dean is the best ever. She's super fun and knows close to all students because there are only 67 of us the first year. She knew who I was during orientation. In regards to academic requirements, I feel that the academic requirements are as much as it takes to get in. I believe that college is a new chapter in your life, so it will be hard no matter where you go, but it all depends on the rigor of the schedule you choose.

I won't sugar coat academics at UVA. Yes, they are hard there. You have to remember that people who apply here graduated near the top of their class in high school, and were highly involved in sports, music and clubs, so there is that drive common to all students here for excellence. But because of the high standards and expectations set by the school and professors, the type of discussions and material taught are at a higher level in order to stimulate your mind, even cause controversy. The notion of perpetual learning is a fundamental to Thomas Jefferson. The reason he founded UVA was because he believed that there was always room for improvement intellectually. There is a diverse selection of classes offered here at the University ranging from material science engineering to intellectual property to history of jazz music (all classes I have taken/plan to take here before graduation). And if you cannot find a class you want to take, make your own. The University allows students to create their own courses, with a faculty advisor's support.

I love my professors. Most get to know you, not just your name but also your personal interests and goals, as long as you make the effort to reach out and meet them. My favorite class was an English seminar my first semester. The teacher was enthusiastic, encouraging, and so personally invested in the material AND the students reading it, that I unquestionably declared my major, and her as my mentor. As I do with many of my professors we still keep in touch and get together for lunch/coffee periodically. Studying varies between students. A few are geniuses who don't need to study and still ace all their classes. However, for the majority the work is hard, but everyone is talented, so you get out what you put in. I would say it's split: half the students study very hard and do very well, and the other half don't study as much, and do okay. Either way, every student cares a lot about his/her work, and it is always a very studious atmosphere.