On the way from Cabell to Newcomb, the reason for the University's preppy reputation becomes clear. Walking from class to class, although a variety of t-shirts and sweatpants are intermixed in the crowd of pastel Polo shirts with flipped-up collars, pearls, dresses, khakis, skirts and designer-name brands, the scene is more typical of a fashion magazine than the Grounds of the top-ranked public university.
University students and people across the nation are well aware of this label. Such a generalization may give the University an unapproachable feel and negative appeal to some prospective students or even current students.
"I've heard the 'pearls and a Polo' label and yeah, I see kids in Polo all the time, but you're going to have those groups at any college you go to," first-year College student Josh Moran said.
Having grown up in Front Royal, Va., Moran has heard the stereotypes and labels since he was young.
"Back home we talk about U.Va., and it's very well known across the state that U.Va. is the preppy, 'rich-kid' school, but it's just a stereotype," Moran said. "It stuck and became kind of like tradition and was fed off of the rivalries across state with other schools like [Virginia] Tech."
But Moran said he feels the stereotypes aren't grounded in reality.
"When people don't try to see what's really here, when they've already decided what they want to believe about U.Va., that's how that image continues," Moran said. "It wouldn't take long for someone to change their mind if they came and spent some time around Grounds."
Moran was determined to attend the University despite what he'd heard.
"I chose to ignore the stereotypes. I came here to learn and because it's the best school," he said.
There are in-state students, however, who chose to attend other schools in Virginia because of the stereotype U.Va. holds.
Abe Halterman, a recent graduate of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. is one example. Born and raised just 40 miles from U.Va., with a father who attended Virginia Tech, Halterman chose to continue his academic pursuit away from "Mr. Jefferson's University" and instead at the college Jefferson actually attended.
"The sole reason I didn't apply to U.Va. is because of that image," Halterman said. "And I know that you can't apply this to all people there, but I'd stamp out a vast majority."
With an edge of sarcasm and wit, Halterman gave his reasoning for not applying to and attending the University.
"Why I didn't go to U.Va.? My dad never bought me a Jeep and I have actually done a summer's worth of manual labor. I am really from rural Virginia; a city boy with a cowboy hat doesn't make you a cool redneck," Halterman said. "I don't even care if you are still living on the 'Grounds' as a 'fourth year,' U.Va. may actually be the greatest school in the nation, but everyone doesn't need to be told that."
Although in-state students may be more familiar with the stereotype than out-of-state students, the University's preppy image has gained popularity in other parts of the country.
"My first impression after visiting was, 'I don't even own a Polo shirt,'" said first-year College student Lindsay Osco, who is from just outside of Houston. "I thought, 'I'm going to be an outcast here.'"
Osco said her initial feeling quickly changed given the chance to meet and get to know people.
"Once I met a lot of people that I would've thought were snobby because they fit that stereotype, I realized there were some really nice people," Osco said. "The appearance, how they dress and look, is what creates that image. I came to U.Va. because it's a great school, and the people have proved to be really nice."
According to the 2003 edition of "The Unofficial, Unbiased Insider's Guide to the 320 Most Interesting Colleges," "If there is a 'typical guy' at U.Va., he wears khaki pants, a polo shirt and baseball hat and is in a fraternity. The girl counterpart wears similar preppy attire and is in a sorority."
The book also stated: "However, these are the stereotypes and there are many people that do not fit into this mold."
Although many students are very aware of this image, still others had never heard of any strong labels of the University. It was other qualities about the University that enticed them to apply and enroll.
"I really hadn't heard too many stereotypes about students at U.Va.," third-year College student Kat Shea said. "What really drew me here was the amount of student involvement
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