University of Virginia Reviews

The UVa bus system is pretty good....

The UVa bus system is pretty good. Normally buses to any location on campus come about every 10 minutes at a given bus stop, so if you don't have a car (which first-years aren't allowed to), don't worry too much about not being able to get around grounds. As for the Charlottesville city bus system, things could be better---a lot better. The buses are slow and take forever to get toward the outskirts of town. Luckily, the free trolley system runs really well and gets you to the Downtown Mall in a quick and easy fashion.

There is a reliable bus system...

There is a reliable bus system that runs every day. At night, there is a free door-to-door shuttle you can take. Many people walk everywhere because campus is so pretty and even off-grounds housing is relatively close to classes. There is also a bus to the grocery store, downtown mall, and the actual mall. All are free for University students.

UVa is ranked the No. 1 public...

UVa is ranked the No. 1 public school every year for a reason. Everything's nice and new here, and they continue to build every year. There are three dining halls and many on-grounds eateries, and we have four gyms that are free and open until midnight usually. There are three main libraries, which are usually open until 2 a.m. (one is 24 hours), plus several smaller libraries dedicated to particular subjects. There's also the Student Activities Building (SAB) which can be rented out for special events or parties.

Great! The University...

Great! The University Transportation System (UTS) comes around every 10 minutes and runs until about 3 a.m. on the weekends. At essentially any time that the buses are not running (12 a.m.-6 a.m.), Safe Ride (run by the Charlottesville/UVa police departments) does run. It will drive you for free anywhere on grounds or up to a mile off grounds. To get around the city, Charlottesville has its own bus system that has several stops on grounds. Also, UVa has worked a deal with Yellow Cab to prevent drunk driving/night crimes, so you can just call them for a ride even if you don't have cash on you.

Food is one thing Charlottesville...

Food is one thing Charlottesville will never run out of, and a number of restaurants are within walking distance of the school, located on The Corner. Mellow Mushroom is an absolute must if you visit the school---best pizza south of the Mason-Dixon Line and a fun restaurant to go to. Martha's Café is also tasty and really cute, and Yuan Ho has the best take-out Chinese in town.

There are lots of great facilities...

There are lots of great facilities here. There are lots of basketball and tennis courts, fields for soccer, etc., as well as four or five really nice gyms. The libraries are good; there are tons of places to go, resources to use, etc. Clemons library is open 24-hours, so that helps during finals.

There are people of many different...

There are people of many different races, religions, and economic standing at UVA. However, there is a majority of white kids, and most people seem to be upper-middle class or well-off. I have mostly white friends but have plenty of Asian, black, and Latin American friends, so it's not like we're completely homogeneous.

The restaurants off campus are all...

The restaurants off campus are all pretty good. There are a lot of different options and places that are easy to take out from or have delivered. The restaurants are all within walking distance on the Corner, but it's easier to drive to the ones that are downtown. There are some really expensive and some cheap restaurants there, too. I enjoy Revolutionary Soup and Basil on the Corner. Downtown, I like Bisou and Zocalo.

Charlottesville & The University...

Charlottesville & The University have teamed up for great transportation around grounds and the surrounding city. Also, we've installed GPS at every bus stop to figure out how long until the next bus comes. You can also call a University Transportation Services number and get bus arrival times that way.

The Aquatic and Fitness Center...

The Aquatic and Fitness Center (AFC) is top notch. Very scene-y, though. I don't go to the gym to be seen, so I prefer the lesser quality of Mem Gym. Alderman Library is welcoming, with plenty of different study options. Clemons is depressing but necessary for the occasional all-nighter. Oddly enough, UVA doesn't have a student union, but there is Newcomb Hall.

Charlottesville actually has tons...

Charlottesville actually has tons of awesome restaurants, really anything you could want. The Corner is within walking distance from anywhere on grounds and has plenty of options. The classic spot on the Corner is Virginian, especially at night. Boylan Heights has awesome burgers, but go to White Spot for a cheaper and also delicious burger.

Not strict at all. The strictest...

Not strict at all. The strictest you'll find is in dorms. Most people who aren't 21 and want one have a fake ID. Frats and the police force have a mutual deal, and no frat will ever get in trouble for parties.

It is diverse for sure, but I...

It is diverse for sure, but I sense some self-segregation. The mixing does occur, but athletes do athlete things. Sororities and frats do Greek things, and even among them, different frats and sororities do different things. Organizations like Sustained Dialogue, Alternative Spring Break, etc., tend to bring together very different people from different backgrounds. It is awesome. There is definitely a niche for everyone, even if you like to branch out.

If you live in dorms, be careful...

If you live in dorms, be careful about using drugs. RAs are generally fairly lenient about alcohol use, unless you bring it into the dorm. Otherwise, campus police shouldn't bother you too much.

Inside the dorms, people...

Inside the dorms, people committing illegal activities such as underage drinking need to be discrete, but it happens every week and people rarely get caught. In the actual city of Charlottesville, the police force is very lenient about alcohol. They are stricter about drugs, but underage drinking goes on everywhere in C-ville. Some bars on any given weekend night have 75 percent or more underage people using fake IDs.

Charlottesville has great dining;...

Charlottesville has great dining; the area just by grounds called the Corner has a lot of really good (and fairly cheap) lunch spots, and the downtown area just a trolley ride away has more upscale places. Downtown is a lot better when it's nice out, though, since the main street is a pedestrian-only walkway, and all the restaurants serve customers on seating on the huge sidewalk. The biggest UVa staples are Little John's, a deli; Christian's Pizza, or, alternatively, Mellow Muchroom; and everyone's favorite, Bodo's, the cheapest and most delicious bagels outside of New York. And the coffee ain't bad either!

I’ve always felt really safe here....

I’ve always felt really safe here. I think most other students do, too. A lot of being safe is just using common sense.

During my time at UVA, I had a...

During my time at UVA, I had a handful of the best, as well as some of the most disinterested teachers I’ve ever had. In my experience as a biology and psychology double major, I found that the greatest challenge was the way the courses were structured, and more specifically, the class size of most of the courses. For courses within my majors, it was not until my fourth and final year that I had a class where the professor was close enough to me that I did not need my glasses to make out his/her face. I suppose that, in short, I found most of my college experience rather impersonal. In order to overcome the large class sizes and truly get to know a professor, one has to expend a good deal of energy going to extra office hours, and staying after class. As a result of this dynamic, some of my more influential teacher-student relationships at UVA were with TAs.

UVA has its share of ethnic...

UVA has its share of ethnic diversity; however, blending to achieve a functional diversity seems more of a challenge. The African American students have been accused of self-segregation, which I found during my time at UVA to be a huge social force. Of course, there is likely self-segregation on the parts of the white students from Northern Virginia, as well.

I don’t think there any clubs, but...

I don’t think there any clubs, but the best bars are Coupe’s and the Virginian. The Biltmore is all right, too.

There are a bunch of bars on the...

There are a bunch of bars on the Corner that students go to, and there are more downtown.

The bars are numerous. There are...

The bars are numerous. There are only a few clubs; however, there is no need for them because we have a lot of fraternities and sororities that dispense both booze and opportunities to dance.

There are quite a few bars on the...

There are quite a few bars on the Corner, but you will need a fake ID (unless you know the bartender) to get into them. There is the Biltmore, Jabberwocky, and a few more. With all the frats here, though, clubs and bars are unnecessary.

Greek life is a big part of...

Greek life is a big part of Virginia social life; however, I’m not Greek, and one doesn’t have to become Greek in order to have a good time. Make sure that if you want to go Greek that it is for you, because Greek life isn’t for everybody.

That first day of spring when all...

That first day of spring when all the girls jump into skimpy summer clothing for the first time and start sunbathing on the Lawn and the Quad is a great day. There are a bunch of attractive people at UVA.