I’m coming from a community college, and I’m hoping to get into a school where their students can get the best college experience. I’m hoping to be in a place where there’s a big party scene, many academic and athletic clubs, and where majority of the students live on campus (I really hate commuter schools). I’m also looking for a school where there’s people that are serious with academics. One of my main goals is to not spend all day doing homework in my dorm. I want to be where there’s things to do in school. I also would like to see students have strong pride in their schools.
I’m also a guy who loves to dress sharp nearly every day. I carefully consider how I dress in public. Ralph Laruen, Vineyard Vines, and Southern Tide are the go. Some say that I dress very preppy. My fear is that someone will pick on me for dressing differently from what people normally dresses today. (This actually happened couple of times before.)
I’m applying to UVa for the Fall of 2017 as a transfer student, and this is my top choice. I fell in love with the school. I felt that UVa provides everything if I were to study there. I saw that many students are well dressed when I made a visit to the campus. I see many of them everywhere I go. I also made a research that their academics are rigorous, and they offer a lot of good Biology electives since I’m hoping to earn a B.S in Biology. I heard that this school has a social life. Many students actually participate extracurricular activities.
However, I feel uncertain that I have a chance of getting in since it is competitive to apply there. In case that I don’t get in, I made an alternative choice to Virginia Tech. I thought Tech is another excellent choice since it is similar to UVa.
My concern is, am I able to find students at Virginia Tech that drees similar to those at UVa? Would a typical Tech student make fun of me for wearing a shirt with bow tie and chino pant in a classroom? I’m really hoping to find these types of students in my community since I like to be around them.
I come from a preppy environment and I’m very used to it. Other people have described me as such too…
Both schools are fairly big with large populations. However, I think you’re placing too much weight on how people dress. It’s great to surround yourself with people who have similar interests, but part of life is meeting new people. Anyhow, you’re going to find people of all different types at both schools.
I’ve seen plenty of posts over the years from new students wondering if UVa is too preppy for them. This is the first post I’ve seen that asks whether UVa is preppy enough for someone.
In any case, UVa is full of students from across the country and tens of nations. It is much different than it was 35 years ago, when I never met an international student and only met one student from west of Tennessee. The private southern high schools have less of a presence than in the past.
Tech is a fine school - markedly better reputation academically, frankly, than it had when I went to The University back in the coal-fired days - but if the question is relative preppiness or acceptability thereof…that’s not really even a question. UVa is in The Book, dear - and if you have to ask which one, I can’t help you. In my Old Person’s Humble Opinion, I’d say if you’re looking for the impact of prep fashion you’re better off comparing with Bill and Mare, or Carolina, both also excellent schools, both also tough to get into. What about a bit farther afield - like maybe Emory or Clemson or South Carolina? Certainly Vandy, last time I checked. Also anything in DC other than maybe Howard, and that includes UMD. If you want out of the South, believe it or not Miami of Ohio is pretty prep, and not nearly as hard to get into. But overall I’d say quality of the social life in general is more important - people who are chill won’t care what you wear.
I enjoyed your “coal-fired” comment. UVa in the early 1980s was powered by an elderly nasty central coal plant. The smoke stack was probably not far from the air intakes for the hospital.
You care far too much about the things that simply do not matter. At the end of the day, your character is not defined by the labels you wear, but if you believe that to be the case, then perhaps it is–and not in a good way.