Few American universities can lay claim to the same degree of historical and architectural significance as the University of Virginia. Located in Charlottesville, the public research university has a storied legacy within American higher education not only for its academic renown, but for serving as a site of many major activists, civil, and educational movements. With roughly 17,600 undergraduates, 8,300 postgraduates, and a $14.2 billion dollar endowment, UVA has cemented its place as a fixture of elite education in the South and as one of the leading public universities in the nation.

Those who have joined the ranks of UVA faculty and staff include literary tycoon William Faulkner, former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond. UVA Wahoos (the affectionate name for alumni) have founded companies such as Reddit and CNET. Additionally, actress and director Tina Fey, former FBI Director Robert Mueller, and a whopping fifteen Governors of Virginia get to call themselves bonafide orange and blue toting Wahoos. 

When applying, incoming first-year students must choose between UVA’s College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Architecture, the School of Engineering, the School of Nursing, and the department of Kinesiology within the School of Education & Human Development. Undergraduates are able to join the McIntire School of Commerce, the Batten School for Leadership & Public Policy, the School of Data Science, or programs in the School of Education & Human Development other than Kinesiology by matriculating to the College of Arts & Sciences and choosing a major during their first or second year. Within the College of Arts & Sciences, UVA students are afforded the opportunity to choose between several different sets of general education curriculums, each with their own unique requirements. 

In the early nineteenth century, then-President Thomas Jefferson conceived of a university without religious affiliation that would provide Virginians with an alternative to the struggling College of William & Mary — Jefferson’s alma mater. The Commonwealth of Virginia chartered the University of Virginia on Charlottesville land formerly owned by President James Monroe in 1819. During its early history, the university’s administration was run by a revolving door of former statesmen, most prominently U.S. Presidents Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.

The Charlottesville campus is referred to as “The Grounds.” A UNESCO World Heritage site, The Grounds are widely considered to be one of the most architecturally significant spaces in the nation. The UVA “Academical Village” houses a famous Rotunda designed by Jefferson and done in the, you guessed it, Jeffersonian style. The design of the campus has inspired buildings and spaces at many other elite universities, including Duke, Columbia, Yale, and Johns Hopkins.

Today, the university is a hotbed of innovative scientific discoveries in the fields of medicine, psychology, and air travel. As a pioneer of an extensive meritocratic scholarship system, UVA draws the best and brightest minds to campus with robust funding opportunities, including the Jefferson Scholarship, which is the most competitive undergraduate merit scholarship in the world. Between a highly ranked Division I Athletics program, a Greek life scene that draws 30% of the student body, a variety of student-run organizations, and a healthy sampling of secret societies, UVA students are never at a loss for fun and stimulating activity. 

In the context of an intense meritocratic admissions process that pulls two-thirds of the student body from within the state of Virginia, UVA has reported record-breaking numbers. 58,937 high school students applied to be members of the Class of 2028, an all-time high for the university. 16.81% were accepted (although this rate is higher for in-state applicants). According to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, ideal UVA applicants are “academically successful,” “capable,” have “purpose,” live lives of “impact” and “service to others,” and “demonstrate a determination to succeed.” At New Ivies, we will work with you to provide you with the best chance of gaining admission to those hallowed Grounds.

What are University of Virginia looking for?

We are looking for students who love to learn, solve problems, and are actively engaged with peers in the classroom. These students might have a breadth of academic interests, or they might be more singularly focused on one area of study in college. Most first year applicants are unsure of their intended major or college course of study when they apply, and that is fine. A student's academic focus is only a factor when it applies to their choice of undergraduate school at UVA. First year applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, and Schools of Architecture, Education (Kinesiology), Engineering, and Nursing are reviewed by separate admission teams. The same is true for transfer students who are also able to apply to the Batten School of Public Policy and Leadership and the School of Commerce as well as our Teaching, Youth and Social Innovation, and Speech Communication Disorders programs in the School of Education.

We welcome first year applications from, and offer admission to, students who have grown and evolved as students and young adults while in high school. Applicants do not have to present a perfect academic transcript with all A's and double-digit AP courses to be competitive to UVA as a first-year student, but we do look for applicants who have the ability to contribute to the academic life of the University.

We do not use an algorithm or formula when making admission decisions and we do not have thresholds for GPA's, test scores, or the number of AP, IB, dual enrollment, or Cambridge courses a student must take to be eligible for admission. Each applicant is unique and is reviewed within the context of their unique backgrounds, experiences, opportunities, and challenges. Applicants are encouraged to share these stories and this context, and how they have been shaped by them, in their applications.

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Additional essay questions of the application.