Hi Vivian2020! I'm new to this thread...currently freaking out about decisions, but I wanted to comment on your post. I did not apply to UVA for grad school, but I did spend my four years of undergrad there. I absolutely loved LOVED UVA and Charlottesville. I never looked at it as a small city because there were always things to do--cultural events, concerts, sporting events, etc. It is a gorgeous area in the Blue Ridge Mountains perfect for nature/hiking lovers. In terms of distance, its about 2 hours from DC which really isn't that bad if you have a car (I made the drive many times as I'm originally from northern VA). There's also the AMTRAC (train), and I think people still do ride shares. Don't cross UVA off your list if you're worried about Charlottesville because it has much more to offer than what you see on just a google search. Also, UVA is a prestigious school and does attract quite a few big names.