University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

The common stereotype to our school is that we are a bunch of Frat and sorority kids who dress overly well and sometimes ridiculously. This statement is somewhat true, and a good explanation of this is shown through our traditions for football games. There are two themes to our games, the most notable of this is called "guys in ties girls in pearls". In this case guys wear a dress shirt and ties to the games and girls wear sundresses and pearls. This plays into the stereotype I previously mentioned. But the majority of students who go to games wear the standard orange and blue colors of our school through t-shirts and hats and other regular clothes. As an engineer, most of my friends are not in fraternities and they wear regular brand clothes that would be worn anywhere.

People often think of UVa as a very preppy school where a lot of rich, North Face-wearing, private school kids attend, but really there is much more diversity than the stereotype suggests. While the stereotype is true to a great degree, especially when considering the IFC frat culture here which is mostly made up of moderately wealthy white kids, there are many social options and different groups who do not want to merely fade into becoming another "stereotypical" UVa student.

A lot of people think the students at the University of Virginia are all preppy, Greek (frat/srat members), and wealthy. Although a lot of students do fit this stereotype, there is a great deal of diversity as well. Through the diversity of majors offered and the opportunities to join different clubs and activities, it quickly becomes clear that this stereotype is simply that: a stereotype.

I went to high school in Charlottesville and the stereotype for UVA Students at our high school was that they were all stuck-up rich preps. When I agreed to go to UVA, this stereotype was the one thing that made me hesitant to accept because it did not fit my personality or interests. At first I did meet several people who fit the stereotype. However, there were also plenty of people who did not fit the stereotype. The wonderful thing about UVA is that there is such a diverse population that although there may be people who fit this stereotype, there are just as many who do not. It is very easy to find friends who fit your personality and interests.

UVA students have a bad reputation for being unnecessarily pretentious and/or materialistic. I can tell you that while you will find that here, it is by no means indicative of our student population as a whole. Some of the most down to earth, sweetest people I've met in my life, I've met here. It's a school that prides itself very much on honor, appearance, and reputation. But all that means when push comes to shove is that we pride ourselves on Honor Code, and withholding a positive image. Yes, that will mean that some kids tend to be more into name brands than others, but as a whole this University fosters a very positive, nurturing environment, and I'd say that almost anyone can find their niche here and fit in, no matter who you are or where you come from.

As a student at the University of Virginia, you will be constantly reminded of the rich diversity of whole University community. Therefore, one can just about find any of the common stereotypical college groups. To begin, the usual stereotype that is associated with UVa is that the students are mainly rich, stuck up, preppy snobs. Granted, that group of people is here but they are really few and far between. Additionally, the Greek life is rather large at UVa. Approximately 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the undergraduate students participate in either a sorority or fraternity on grounds. As goes with that, there are the prototypical "frat bros" and "frat stars," but there are also a lot of nice kids and great friends to be found in the greek organizations. There are also a lot of different educational and really specific groups and organizations set up at UVa. There are a lot of different honor societies and educational groups to get involved in, which can get slightly geeky. Finally, there can also be a jock scene but that is mainly if one is an athlete at the University. Overall, as stated earlier, one can find just about any stereotype at UVa (both good and bad).

I've heard of the stereotypes that it's a prep like school but I honestly don't believe it's that way. There are just so many students here at the University with a diverse range of groups.

The stereotype of students at my school is that they are preppy, pretentious, rich, over involved, and heavily involved in Greek life. The phrase work hard play hard also sums up the UVA stereotype well. While I can say that there are certainly some people here who do adhere to that stereotype, I would say that those who fully embody the stereotype are limited to around 1 in every 10 students. That being said, the work hard play hard mentality is quite prevalent here, and most students do work very hard at their academics and their various extracurricular activities. Most students also have some form of "playing hard" that they also enjoy, whether it be party, sports, or otherwise socially related.

The stereotypical UVa student is most likely a privileged (wealthy), white male from NOVA (Northern Virginia), wearing a button down, pair of khakis, and Sperrys. In addition, it has the reputation of being very preppy, as illustrated by the motto "guys in ties, girls in pearls" for home football games. Finally, it may be viewed as a party school. Although there are examples of students that fit this stereotype, I would say by no means are these the only types of students at UVa. There are PLENTY of very, very serious students and I honestly don't think that the party scene is any bigger than other public, state universities. Despite the somewhat preppy/pretentious outward appearance, the student body is very polite and friendly to other students, visiting families, and prospective students.

The stereotypical UVa student is most likely a privileged (wealthy), white male from NOVA (Northern Virginia), wearing a button down, pair of khakis, and Sperrys. In addition, it has the reputation of being very preppy, as seen by the motto "guys in ties, girls in pearls" for home football games. Finally, it may be viewed as a party school. Although there are examples of students that fit this stereotype, I would say by no means are these the only types of students at UVa. There are PLENTY of very, very serious students and I honestly don't think that the party scene is any bigger than any other public, state universities. Despite the somewhat preppy/pretentious outward appearance, the student body is so polite and friendly to other students, as well as visiting families and prospective students.

Stuck up preppy rich kids who are full of themselves and think they are better than everyone. I heard this stereotype many times before I went to UVA. In all honesty I find the people that fit this stereotype to be a small minority at UVA. Most students at UVA are really friendly and normal people.

The stereotype of students at my school is that most kids belong to rich white families. It is stereotypical to think that most kids are at UVA to party and become popular frat stars. To some extent this stereotype is accurate as many crazy incidents happen due to partying and drinking. However, even though there is a good social life many kids are also very focused on their studies when they need to. A good balance is achievable.

The overall stereotype of UVA kids is mostly rich preppy white kids from Northern Virginia. A lot of them are seen as bright and intelligent, but stuck-up trust fund kids. The stereotype is also that there is little diversity. I would say that while the average UVA student is definitely richer than the average American, they are usually not super rich. In fact, a lot of these kids actually came to UVA because they couldn't afford a more expensive private school. They do tend to dress preppy, but there's nothing wrong with that. As for being stuck-up, most kids are actually really down to earth and very approachable.

With UVa being 30 percent Greek there is a strong focus on the relationship between those involved, and those who chose other social outlets. With these choices come the obvious stereotypes that one student parties more while another in say, the fencing club may not. What I have seen over my past year and a half at the University seems to go against this idea of immense social divisions. Through being required to live on grounds first year, and the delayed rush process students learn to become active in groups and organizations outside of Greek life and thus establish bonds and friendships throughout the University. While there will always be stereotypical groups of druggies and nerds its seems that people fall where they feel they belong without the fear of being stuck with a certain group for the rest of their college days.

UVA is commonly stereotyped as a school for rich and preppy kids. These stereotypes are true, however, just like any stereotype, there are exceptions. There is definitely a lot of money at this school. Of course, there are also students here who are on scholarships and have to pay for their own education. These people, in my opinion seem to be in the minority but they do exist. UVA is undoubtedly a preppy school. Students dress up for football games; just as the common saying goes, "guys in ties, girls in pearls." Although these stereotypes are true, there is diversity at this school as well. At a school where lacrosse athletes are admired and "upper tier" sorority girls are emulated, there is also room for those students who are not interested in going Greek but instead want to make their own unique life here at UVA.

The stereotypes about the students at UVa is that they are kind of stuck-up, rich, and snobby. However, when most people think of UVa students, they also think of people who are very intelligent and dedicated to their studies. The first stereotype is not true. Everyone that I have met through my experiences at UVa have been great! They are very interested in getting to know their fellow students and they'll do anything to help each other out. The intelligent stereotype is true. Everyone at UVa is very dedicated to their studies, and this level of intelligence makes for very fun, interesting conversations.

At UVA, probably the biggest stereotype involves our penchant for wearing Sperry's. Apparently, they have themed UVA parties at William & Mary--Sperry's required! I have fallen victim to peer pressure, and own two pairs myself. Though I do not sail (and, in fact, have never sailed), I find Sperry's to be especially comfortable, and not too overwhelmingly preppy.

The stereotype of the typical UVa student is preppy-- collared shirt, khakis, sundresses, and upper-middle class. Going along with that description, he or she is highly Greek oriented, and probably majoring in economics or commerce. While many students do fit that bill, UVa is certainly diverse enough to offer a wider variety of people, especially since its former president, John Casteen, made huge strides towards opening up the university to students from more rural southwest Virginia, Jefferson's original intent. There is also a large international contingent and many different educational paths.

Many people associate a preppy, elitist, spoiled, and conservative student body with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Like many stereotypes, this one holds some truth. Most UVa students come from the privileged suburbs of Washington D.C. and seem to have an endless flow of money from their parents. This sort of privilege translates as naivete and immaturity. Additionally, the UVa student body is primarily homogenous: many students dress similarly or listen to the same music or do the same things on the weekend. These interests and preferences all tend to be preppy, elitist, or conservative. However, many UVa students absolutely do not fit this mold. UVa is a large enough school that one can find any type of student. Perhaps if you are less conventional a bit more work will go into "finding your niche," but if you are willing to seek creative, interesting, and even bizarre people, you will surely find them. Most importantly, many people at UVa are smart, open-minded, and have a broad array of interests. Though you may find many frat boys and sorority girls who only listen to popular music, talk about celebrities, and are only interested in getting drunk on the weekends, you are also bound to find an array of creative artistic types, political and social activists, and die-hard scholars. So, to a large extent, the stereotypes are accurate, but there are many exceptions.

Many people associate a preppy, elitist, spoiled, and conservative student body with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Like many stereotypes, this one holds some truth. Most UVa students come from the privileged suburbs of Washington D.C. and seem to have an endless flow of money from their parents. This sort of privilege translates as naivete and immaturity. Additionally, the UVa student body is primarily homogenous: many students dress similarly or listen to the same music or do the same things on the weekend. These interests and preferences all tend to be preppy, elitist, or conservative. However, many UVa students absolutely do not fit this mold. UVa is a large enough school that one can find any type of student. Perhaps if you are less conventional a bit more work will go into "finding your niche," but if you are willing to seek creative, interesting, and even bizarre people, you will surely find them. Most importantly, many people at UVa are smart, open-minded, and have a broad array of interests. So, to a large extent, the stereotypes are accurate, but there are many exceptions.