UVA Darden Class of 2014 Admitted Students Thread

Thanks AB for the detailed answer.
It's great to have some who knows ins and outs of the area
I will surely look into those places/areas you suggested.
With the baby on the way, there are just so many things to consider...

Is there any area I should avoid? I know I don't want to be in some areas in Boston for security/safety reasons. Such areas in C-ville?

You probably wouldn't want to live anywhere south of the Downtown Mall area, not necessarily for safety reasons but mostly because that's pretty far from Darden (probably a 20 minute drive & you WILL hit traffic making your way around or through the main part of UVA's campus). The 'bad' neighborhoods in Cville, to the extent that there are any, are in the projects near Jordan Park/5th street. It's all relative, I don't think anywhere in Cville is as bad as say parts of Mattapan for instance. You won't find too many rental properties of interest in that zone anyway. Stick to North Grounds/Barracks/Preston & Rugby or the 29N corridor for the most part. Could look at Pantops, but it's quite far from Darden.

Great thread.

Btw, any hints on how and where to supply your house with furniture, plates, etc?

Best

Great thread.

Btw, any hints on how and where to supply your house with furniture, plates, etc?

Best

Any comments on the Ivy Garden area? Heard a lot of 1Y students live there

AB,

Thanks for starting this thread. Is anyone going to Darden Days? I booked my ticket today (going down Thursday night) and am looking forward to meeting everyone. The more I learn about the UVA the more it seems I am excited about the prospect of going there, so hopefully this seals it for me.

Anyone take a look at the case yet for Darden Days? I glanced at it last night. It made me really want ice cream.

Advice for International Admitted Students

Congratulations admitted students! It was great to see many of you during Darden Days! During the weekend, we held a special gathering for international students to answer questions you are facing right now. I wanted to share the topics with all of you who couldn’t make it:

Pre-Enrollment Modules & Pre-Matriculation Courses: All admitted students are required to complete pre-enrollment modules. The amount of time it takes to complete each module varies. As international students, it’s important to get those over and done with so you’ll have time for other arrangements. Don’t put this off until the last minute. Last year the modules and exams took me roughly two weeks to complete (working in the evenings and on the weekends). If you don’t have a background in accounting or Excel, Darden’s pre-matriculation courses (held prior to orientation) are also recommended but not mandatory. I came from a non-traditional background (an architect who previously ran a non-profit) so had no idea about accounting. I found those pre-matriculation courses to be valuable.

When should I come to C’ville? Settling in takes time. If you’re taking pre-matriculation courses and/or the Personal Career Assessment Program (PCAP), don’t get here a day before those. If you aren’t taking those courses, don’t come a day before international student orientation. Get here a week prior to those, at least. During that week you’ll be able to settle in and meet your future classmates, as many of them will already be here. It’s a great opportunity to have fun and mingle before the year begins! Plus this time could be used for arrangements such as taking care of health insurance (deciding between UVA’s health insurance plan or an external one that meets UVA’s requirements), setting up a bank account, buying a cell phone, obtaining a U.S. driving license, etc. Once school begins, it’ll be very hard to take care of all of those.

How long does it take to issue a visa? This varies between countries. In order to apply for a visa, you need to send Darden the appropriate documents. Darden will send you back your I-20 form which is needed for the embassy. If you apply for a loan, Darden will be able to issue your I-20 only once the loan is approved. Don’t wait for the last minute — if you know the I-20 is on its way, make an appointment at the embassy for the same week! This process might take a week to several months — sometimes the embassy will run a background check. Be prepared for any scenario and take care of it as soon as you can (i.e. don’t get the visa a couple of hours before the flight like what happened to me last year! Well, at least I didn’t miss my flight).

Dental: Try to get your dental work done prior to coming to the U.S. if your home country offers less expensive services.

Do I need a car in Charlottesville? You don’t have to have a car. It’s definitely more convenient but not everyone has a car. If you decide to buy one, don’t bother to waste time on taking papers about your history as a driver from your insurance company — the U.S. insurance companies will disregard that as they are looking for your experience on U.S. roads only.

Driver’s License: Your international driving license is good for 6 months only, so it’s recommended to obtain a U.S. driving license before the year begins. In the U.S. it’s a 3-4 hour deal at the DMV — you’ll take a written exam and then an actual driving test right away. Make sure you learn the Virginia rules carefully. Visit the Virginia DMV website for more information.

Money: Get travelers checks and cash for when you first arrive — make sure you come with enough money for the beginning.

Computers: The Darden laptop bundle is recommended. It saves you time and money as you get full service throughout the year. If your computer breaks (“how did I manage to damage my computer screen right before an exam??”), you’ll get a loaner laptop immediately. During exam time this is priceless.

Housing and Settling In: As an international student, you’ll have to set up your apartment from scratch — don’t go to the most expensive stores. Do your research ahead of time as to where the best places are to buy things for the home. I ended up buying stuff, only to discover two weeks later where I can get the same stuff at a better price. Regarding housing, don’t run to the nearest option to Darden without looking right or left! There are many possibilities in Charlottesville (some of them are very close to Darden as well). The nearest might not represent the best value for your money.

Recruiting/Resume Review: You’ll get an e-mail from the CDC (Career Development Center) offering to adjust your resume to U.S. standards. Definitely use their assistance prior to coming!