<p>sV3a…I know that Echols students are from the top segment of the admission pool and often have competing offers and that OOS admits often have very high stats, but I still say that the average UVa student is motivated and talented, and that the general ability level at the college is strong across the board. It is pretty hard to get into UVa, especially (and sometimes unfairly hard) from NOVA, and only the best in most classes in all regions of the state apply…although the same could be said for Wm and Mary. To me this is a selling point for UVa, as opposed to accepting merit offers to schools where there is a large contrast between the merit winners and the mainstream of a college.</p>