Thomas Jefferson's University, founded in 1819 and known for it's Honor Code and standard of excellence, is located in Charlottesville. The central focus of Grounds is the Lawn with the Rotunda at the front. With it's rich history, beautiful colonnades, brick walkways, and tons of events, UVA is central part of the Charlottesville community. Ask any student when you are there and they will rave about their love for the school: how they feel like a part of living history, how they are getting an education that challenges them, how both the academics and social life enable them to grow as people, the large number of activities they are involved in, the high level of community service, their passion for the Wahoos as they wear the blue and orange, there love of the Grounds, and the priceless memories they have formed while being there.
Voted the number two public university in 2009, and formerly number one in years past, UVA has a reputation for offering a world class education for an affordable price. UVA has approximately 21,000 students in a given year, with 13,000 of those being undergraduates. Total cost for undergraduate admission is approximately $20,000 for in-state and $40,000 for out of state students.
FOR VISITORS
Just taking a walk around UVa's Grounds is rewarding for visitors. You can sit on the Rotunda steps and look out over the Lawn, explore the colonnades, check out any of the specifically landscaped gardens behind the Pavilions, take a look into the non-denominational chapel, visit the libraries, look at Edgar Allen Poe's room on the West Range (that still has a raven in it!), and learn more about the history of the school through tours. The University always has a large number of events going on that can be found on the website. These include art shows, political speakers, free lectures, sporting events, concerts at the John Paul Jones Arena, plays, a Capella concerts, traditional events like Lighting of the Lawn before Christmas and Trick or Treating on the Lawn for Halloween, and many more. There is never a lack of anything to do or see here!
ADMISSION
Undergraduate applications are due by January 2 for first year students. UVA accepts the Common Application in combination with the UVA Supplement which includes special essay questions with entertaining themes. Applicants are also required to take the SATs and submit high school transcripts. The school takes into account all aspects of a prospective student's application.
SCHOOLS
The University is made up of thirteen schools: The College of Arts and Sciences which is by far the largest, The School of Architecture affectionately known as the A-School to current students, The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, Basic Medical Sciences, The Batton School of Leadership and Public Policy which is the newest addition, The School of Engineering and Applied Science or the E-School, the Curry School of Education, the McIntire School of Commerce, the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, the School of Nursing, and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
A LANGUAGE ALL ITS OWN
The University of Virginia has its own special terms that have evolved over time since Thomas Jefferson's founding of the school. To Jefferson the school was known as the "academical village" where students could live with and learn from professors on a day to day basis. Today the entirety of UVA's campus is not known by that term, but instead called "Grounds." Students do not refer to themselves as Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors or Seniors but instead 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years. This is according to the legend that Jefferson never wanted his students to be ranked above the other ones, so calling each other by the years of education put all students on a more equal, respectful level with each other.
