Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a public university in VA, founded in 1872 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 30,020, and the graduate enrollment is 7,004. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a moderately selective school, receiving 31,974 applications and accepting 70.0% of applicants. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University employs 2,040 full-time instructional staff (89% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 14:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
62
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Virginia Tech will apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer an additional supplementary essay question(s).
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Action Application
December 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 15th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Academic GPA- Very Important
- Application Essay- Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record- Very Important
- Standardized Test Scores- Very Important
- Extracurricular Activities- Considered
Average Acceptance Rate
70.00%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
100.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Virginia Tech has been in existence for 149 years. The university has matured into a public Land-Grant research university with classification as an R1 Doctoral University for its very high research activities. The school also stands out from its counterparts as the first university to have a student population of mixed race.
Virginia Tech now boasts a main campus, five extended campuses, and various international campuses. The main campus (College Town) is its central campus, and it houses most of the school’s academic, administrative, athletic, recreational, and research centers. The campus is located in a classic college town, Blacksburg, Virginia, bordered by Prices Fork Road, Plantation Drive, Main Street, and the U.S 460 Bypass. These borders are at the Northwest, West, East, and South of the school. The campus spans 2,600 acres and is home to many historic buildings in styles that incorporate a building material known as Hokie stone.
Virginia Tech is home to 9 colleges and schools with seven of the colleges offering 116 bachelor’s degrees as well as its graduate school offering 160 master’s and doctoral degrees. It also has a school clinic (Carilion Clinic) that is managed through the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. Its Honorary college is highly selective. In a 2021 review, the school ranks 74th and 247th amongst Best universities nationally and globally, 147th for best-valued schools, and 34th for most innovative schools.
Housing
- 35% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
- Freshmen required to live on campus
The Virginia Tech Housing System provides students with over 28 residence halls on all its campuses in Virginia, with the main campus containing most of the residence halls. The system has two honorary residence halls and uses one for its Honorary undergraduates, honorary graduates, and professional students. Most of the students prefer to live on campus for the availability of some amenities. Undergraduates (sophomores and older) and graduate students are also permitted to live off-campus.
Life as a Student
Virginia Tech is a school that prioritizes its students’ well-being and ensures that all its students are safe both on and off-campus. The school is home to over 700 student organizations, including some strong research clubs. It is also home to the Hokies’ athletic team, who compete in the NCAA Division 1 as the Atlantic Coast Conference members.
TOP MAJORS
Finance
Mechanical Engineering
Management Sciences and Information Systems
Information Science
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
Human Development
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Student security patrol
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Legal Advice
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Cross-Country Running
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Ultimate Frisbee
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Baseball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
Riflery
Rugby
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
Riflery
Rugby
Intramural
Intramural
Basketball
Bowling
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Bowling
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Table Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Virginia Tech automatically considers applicants for certain institutional scholarships with the completion and submission of the FAFSA and general scholarship application.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition (Resident, On-Campus) - $12,092, (Out-Of-State, On-Campus) - $31,722
- Fees (Resident) - $2,494, (Out-Of-State) - $3,116
- Room - $6,812
- Board - $5,868
- Books and Supplies - $1,100
- Personal - $2,250
- Transportation (Resident, On-Campus) - $1,588, (Out-of-State, On Campus) - $1,820
- Loan Fees - $70
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance (Resident, On-Campus) - $32,274, (Out-Of-State, On-Campus) - $52,758
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP / AFFILIATES
HISTORY
Virginia Tech first began as an initiative from the Virginia General Assembly as they sought to establish a school in Virginia to educate its citizens with little funding. In 1872, however, the Assembly took advantage of the Morrill Land-Grant College Act to acquire a small boys Methodist school in Montgomery County—a school that Preston and Olin Institute, an institute within Virginia, initially owned. This opportunity added to another 250 acres acquired that year from the isolated farms, one of which contained a farmhouse and several farm buildings. The institute was established as a land-grant military institute named Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and was state-supported.
On 1st October 1872, the school admitted its first student, Addison Caldwell, a student who hiked a distance of 25 miles to enroll. This act became a tradition among students and was performed by the first-year cadets to remember Caldwell’s efforts. The school later built a statue in honor of their very first student. During the World Wars, the school established an ROTC and some of its students served in the armies while the campus served as barracks. After the end of the war, though, the school began a reorganization movement that oversaw establishing a graduate department, adopting a quarter education system, and growing a traditional four-year undergraduate program. This development forced a name change in 1896 to the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. It was finally changed again in 1944 to Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
The school became co-educational in 1921 when it admitted its first class of female students. Also, in 1953, when racial segregation was still in practice, the school admitted African-American students, making it one of the first state institutes to do so. These acts elevated the school’s status from a small institute to a larger one, and the Virginia legislature was prompted to bestow the school with university status. In 1970, the school’s name was changed to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and in the 1990s, the state legislature authorized the official use of Virginia Tech as the school’s official name. The school now boasts the main campus and other campuses. It is home to several historic building facilities for undergraduates, graduates, and professional programs.