UT or UVA?

I'm from Texas and 2 of the top colleges on my list are UT and UVA. I would prefer to go to UVA because I know that it is the better institution and it is a much smaller school than UT. However, UT seems like the more attractive choice because I live in Texas, the quality of education is comparable to that of UVA (I'm guessing) and it's cheaper. My only turn-offs are the 50,000 undergraduates and the partying. Can you give me your take on these schools and which decision is more in my favor? I'll give you a quick rundown of my resume even though I've asked questions like this before:


GPA - 3.765


SAT - expected 1800-2000


E.C.'s - StuCo (student body secretary), Catholic teen retreat (Director), Newspaper (Editor), Student recruiting team, Key Club, Debate (2 yrs.), Catholic Youth Group, High School Retreat Team, Intern for federal judge


Personal - Black, 1st generation





If you've answered my questions before and you are irritated, please don't harass me with your answer.

UT or UVA?
I'm a graduate of Texas A%26amp;M, and though I love pounding the Longhorns in any sport, I also respect the school and have many friends who have graduated from there. (btw, the two schools have similar educational rankings, and they are QUITE different when it comes to culture/partying, etc -- yes they party too - but it's more of a education first, fun, second kind of atmosphere, and the frat scene is not nearly as dominant -- if you are turned off by what you see at UT, you might really like A%26amp;M since they're quite different -- but enough of the not-so-subtle plug for A%26amp;M..) I should also mention that my roomie is a UVA grad, and I have a lot of respect for that institution as well.





I would recommend you make your decision based on 3 factors:


1. Where you plan to live after graduation -- are you thinking TX, or are you thinking you might be more mobile and work in some different parts of the country? Don't worry, you don't need to decide now, just think about what's "most likely" -- like if you had to place a bet on it -- what side would you bet? If your bet is the TX area, then I recommend UT(much better networking/job market/school name recognition after you graduate). If you really want to be mobile, then I think UVA gets a slight edge.





2. How much debt do you plan to take on during college? If it's not a lot(due to scholarships, parents paying, etc), then this factor is neutral. If the difference in debt is like 40-50% or more, I'd recommend UT. While I think UVA is a moderately better school, I dunno if it's 40-50% better.





3. What do you plan on majoring in? For instance, I noticed that you are an intern for a fed judge. If you plan to go the law route, you might be better off attending the "moderately better" institution (that's not UT), and then returning to UT for law school, as it is a highly respected law school. Trying to get into UT law when you're a UT undergrad might be difficult. I don't really know the best strategy on that, so do some research. For most other majors, the schools are probably comparable.





As for the 50K students and "partying atmosphere", here is my take: Due to the fact that there are so many students, you are SURE to find several other "birds of a feather" who think like you do wrt your values (whether they be studying, partying, etc), and you have FULL control over who you choose as friends -- so that's really up to you. It appears you're fairly social with all your EC's, so I highly recommend dabbling (as a member *only* the first year -- grades in year 1 are EXTREMELY important to your overall education at the school) in several EC's as you should be able to find some good friends. However, if you really don't like the "frat daddy" atmosphere, I strongly suggest you at least do a visit to Texas A%26amp;M. I also strongly recommend you visit any school you're considering for a day or two at least -- try to talk to some students, they're usually pretty darn honest.
Reply:No prob, glad I could help. Report It

Reply:You'll get into U.T. with no problem. I don't know about UVA, but U.T. is a very good school. I'm also from Texas (originally from Waco), and I wish I'd gone to U.T., but I allowed myself to be talked out of it (long story). Just get an apartment off-campus to avoid the partying, and you'll be fine.
Reply:If I were you, I would to to UT. You can get in state tuition and if you ever get home sick or need anything you wont be that far away. About the partying... I think you will have enough self control not to go to them(judging by you info and your previous questions)...


p.s. dont worry about people getting irritated with your questions. its good to ask questions...