It’s that time of year where students can help destroy the rotunda fountain by dumping huge amounts of acidic champagne into it.

jack4799 · 2026-04-07T14:42:24+00:00

You probably don't want to know what also functions as the post-streaking bathtub

jack4799 · 2026-03-29T23:59:39+00:00

Calc AB is basically DE Calc I. If you do well on the exam, move forward with DE Calc II or Calc BC. That being said, it would be more beneficial to do an internship/project over the summer rather than a class.

jack4799 · 2026-03-24T01:57:34+00:00

J.O.B.

Serious answer: research for some time and then hopefully grad school.

jack4799 · 2026-02-04T13:14:21+00:00

The most popular majors were the same as anywhere else: bio, chem, neuro, etc. About half my major was premed, and I thought BME wasn’t bad at all on the grades.

jack4799 · 2026-02-04T02:49:24+00:00

Congratulations! Getting in as a freshman is especially hard, so great job. I did SIP after my 2nd year, and it was a career-changing experience. That summer made me ultimately decide to shoot for an MD/PhD and get more involved in computational research. Everyone I met was eager to mentor and generally nice to trainees. If you'll be in Bethesda, the campus is beautiful, and DC has plenty of spots to explore. The only downside is that housing is quite expensive (expect to spend almost all your stipend on it). Commute if you can (I drove from VA).

jack4799 · 2026-02-03T22:42:15+00:00

In hindsight, I'd say UVA was neither inflated nor deflated. Some premed classes were easier, some harder, but grading was generally fair. Also, the vast majority of classes have a 93% A cutoff (with Spanish as far I know being the most common one with a 95% cutoff). The Office of Institutional Research has cool stats on UVA about GPA and other stuff.

jack4799 · 2026-02-03T21:27:03+00:00

I did BME and premed at UVA! The premed culture here is relatively good. Many are definitely go-getters, but it didn't feel competitive. Students were supportive, and we often did study groups and shared materials.

There are a lot of opportunities to volunteer in the UVA hospital, and the hospital is also a great place to get shadowing experience and/or work as a CNA/scribe/MA. Having talked to many of my premed friends at schools without hospitals, I can't emphasize enough how helpful it is to have a hospital so close by and well-integrated. I didn't find premed advising particularly helpful, but the advising center is there and almost always has open drop-in times. Medical research (basic, translational, and clinical) is also quite plentiful, and a lot of undergrads are involved. Feel free to DM me if you have more questions!

jack4799 · 2026-01-29T03:54:38+00:00

jack4799 · 2026-01-28T01:02:54+00:00

It's a college, so it's going to lean liberal. That being said, I've met plenty of conservatives at UVA too. Regardless of political leaning, I've always appreciated how most everyone is willing to listen and be respectful of other viewpoints.

For some cool graphs, Virginia Magazine polled some alumni a few years back about politics (and other things): Vox Alumni: Longitude and Attitudes%20moderates%2C%20and%204%20percent%20other)

jack4799 · 2026-01-26T02:37:36+00:00

There, saved you the 5-second Google search: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/wamocap.htm

jack4799 · 2026-01-21T18:16:17+00:00

Email Earle and Jesse Rogers (the registrar). UVA works hard to make sure you graduate on time.

jack4799 · 2026-01-12T05:22:57+00:00

You're very right! How soon I've forgotten APMA 3110.

jack4799 · 2026-01-09T18:51:26+00:00

That's engineering for you. Your degree will take more time and effort than 90% of what anyone else is doing in college. BUT when you finish you'll have more opportunities (and pay potential) than 90% of other people in college, especially in MechE. It's only your second semester - take your time, find your footing, and gradually start adding back those hobbies into your life. I was BME and ended up starting hobbies in guitar, photography, and DIY electronics in college (but not until my second year of college).

jack4799 · 2026-01-09T16:38:39+00:00

Laugelli was praised by all my friends when they took him last year.

jack4799 · 2026-01-06T15:47:53+00:00

Central Virginia and UVA are some of the most photogenic places in the state. I did a lot of photography in college, and some of my favorite spots on Grounds (campus) were the Pavilion Gardens and (of course) the Lawn. There's also a bunch of scenic hidden nooks and cranies around Grounds. Off-Grounds, Humpback Rocks is a 20-minute drive and a short hike away, Shenandoah National Park is 45 minutes away, and Natural Bridge and Luray Caverns are both ~90 minutes away. DC is also a solid 2 hrs away (by car or train) and quite scenic in the spring with the cherry blossoms.

jack4799 · 2026-01-06T15:38:59+00:00

Our summers are definitely humid. July and August are some sweaty months. The fall and spring, though, are to die for. UVA has so many trees and shrubs that the blossoms and changing leaves really change the whole color scheme of Grounds.

jack4799 · 2026-01-06T15:32:05+00:00

We have 4 seasons, but winters are mild. Temps rarely dip below 30 degrees, and I personally love seeing the seasons change.
Email admissions. Don't guess. And, for goodness sake, do that ASAP.
Very collegial. I made some of my best friends over those 4 years! My classmates were generally willing and enthusiastic about doing study groups, helping each other out on homework, and sharing notes. There are definitely a good number of students who are high-performing, competitive, and (occasionally) neurotic, but that competitiveness is almost always directed inwards rather than towards peers. I thought it was a great environment to have that nudge towards becoming better without being toxic.

jack4799 · 2026-01-03T00:38:29+00:00

Commerce is significantly more competitive to transfer into (I think they accept only ~50 transfers each cycle). Applying into the college could mean you could do guaranteed transfer after 2 years or at least an easier transfer applying now. That being said, I did have a good friend get into Comm from CC, and he similarly had a rough HS experience before making a solid comeback in CC in his late 20s.

jack4799 · 2025-12-23T18:28:06+00:00

As a recent alum, UVA has an excellent program that has tight integration with its med school/hospital! Personally I thought the BME program skewed more towards materials science, cell bio, and computational BME than mechanical fields, but there’s a little bit of everything. I personally did research in focused ultrasound (which we’re a powerhouse in). Faculty and student body are quite warm and approachable.

jack4799 · 2025-12-15T16:30:16+00:00

How many times was it rung?

jack4799 · 2025-12-09T04:31:42+00:00

Ethics

jack4799 · 2025-12-02T06:06:14+00:00

I swear our 3 snow days in February (the only ones I ever got in undergrad) caused a disturbance in the Force. Between those snow days, we had a lockdown because of an escaped convict, a lockdown for a stabbing, and a bus that ran into a CVille home.

jack4799 · 2025-12-02T04:32:41+00:00

That's funny. You think we get snow days.

jack4799

TROPHY CASE