FAQ Regarding the Year in Wise

ADMISSION FAQs

What are the next steps I should take to attend UVA Wise?
Now that you have shown an interest in UVA Wise, our Office of Admissions will be in touch typically beginning in March with additional program information. As with other new students, you will participate in a summer orientation session where you will have the opportunity to see our beautiful campus, meet with faculty, register for classes, and meet your fellow classmates.

How many students take advantage of this option?
Each year, more than 100 students request additional information from UVA Wise about the Year in Wise program. Every year more than 25 students join us through this initiative.

Is my transfer to UVA truly guaranteed if I participate in this program?
As long as you meet all of the requirements set by the University of Virginia, your place in the transfer class is waiting for you. This includes completing 30 credits at UVA Wise and maintaining a 3.0 GPA.

Do Advanced Placement (AP) credits count towards the 30-transferrable credit threshold for transfer to the main UVA campus?
As requirement of this program, students must earn 30 credits from UVA Wise. We do not count any AP or dual-enrollment credits as part of the 30 hours. The good news is that your AP and dual-enrollment credits will be reviewed by UVA at the time of transfer. In addition to those credits, all 30 hours you earn at UVA Wise, will transfer as well.

While your AP credits do not count toward transfer to UVA, UVA Wise does accept these credits to count toward your required hours to graduate from UVA Wise, should you decide to stay at Wise.

Am I eligible for financial assistance at UVA Wise if needed?
Yes. If you qualify for Federal Financial Aid, please add UVA Wise to your FAFSA (003747) and we will package you accordingly. A few Year in Wise students have also qualified for some of our institutional scholarships (based on availability). Once we receive your application materials from UVA, the Office of Admissions will automatically match you with any remaining scholarships.

Will any UVA Wise scholarship I am awarded follow me to UVA?
Unfortunately, no. All institutional grants and scholarships are applied to full-time degree seeking students at UVA Wise. If you qualify for Federal Financial Aid, UVA will package you accordingly upon transfer.

What if I fall in love with UVA Wise and want to stay after the first year?
Not to worry—it happens all the time. If you decide to pursue your degree at UVA Wise, we will make sure that you have everything you need to continue with us. We will apply any AP or dual-enrollment credits to your degree program and work with you to select a major. All Financial Aid and any renewable scholarships will remain.

CAMPUS LIFE FAQs

Is there adequate on-campus housing for Year in Wise students?
Yes. As an incoming freshman you will have the option to choose one of our first-year Residence Halls. 

Can I get involved in student clubs and organizations?
Absolutely. In fact, our Year in Wise students participate in student government, Honor Court, research, intramurals, athletics, organizations, volunteering, tutoring, and mentoring.

Can I participate in athletics?
Can you play at the NCAA Division II level? While many roster spots will be taken by scholarship athletes, there may be an opportunity to tryout on a case-by-case basis. Contact the coach in your sport of interest to learn more.

ACADEMICS FAQs

Will I be challenged academically?
Most definitely. Undergraduate research, project-based learning, internships, field experiences in nursing and education, and other forms of hands-on learning are central to our academic programs. Our faculty work with students on social justice projects, help students launch entrepreneurial endeavors, and participate in business pitch competitions. Every year, students who work side-by-side with faculty members have their work published in peer-reviewed journals and present at national conferences.

Our campus and region are ideal for hands-on experience. UVA Wise boasts a Neurocognitive Sciences Laboratory, a Clinical Nursing Resource Center, and a unique wetlands habitat right on campus that provides a living laboratory for water monitoring, species identification, research into local environmental issues, and land reclamation. Our unique location also offers access to everything from national forests to international corporations—from the Virginia technology corridor to Civil War battlegrounds—and you can expand your horizons by learning as you explore it.

What are the required classes for the program?  
Each student in the program has the opportunity to learn more about Appalachia and its rich history and culture. Taking Introduction to Appalachian Studies (3 credits) and an upper level Appalachia class (3 credits), in addition to the standard Freshman Seminar (1 credit), will allow you to have a unique understanding and experience of our gorgeous region and distinctive culture. Although offerings rotate, students may work with their advisor to choose from course offerings that meet this requirement. Outside of these seven credit hours, the student is free to choose other classes, although we advise students toward fulfilling their core courses.

Wise is not a University. Is its size an advantage?
Being part of a smaller student body allows you to get to know your fellow classmates as well as your professors. The smaller class sizes allow you to ask questions and be heard. Your ideas and thoughts are part of the instructional process here at UVA Wise.

Additionally, when we sought feedback from students currently enrolled in the Year in Wise program, they pointed out that they enjoyed the ease of navigating our campus.

UVA WISE & TOWN OF WISE FAQs

Where is UVA Wise located?
UVA Wise is located in the town of Wise, in the county of, you guessed it, Wise. We are in the southwest corner of the state in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, just minutes from Kentucky and the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee.

What is there to do in SWVA?
Plenty. In fact, too much for just one academic year. You could hike 175 miles of the Appalachian Trail, bike the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail, or explore 73 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The SWVA region is home to nine state parks, two major rivers, a national forest, a national historic park, and some of the best sightseeing in Virginia. UVA Wise’s Student Recreation Office even creates affordable programming, including transportation, for you to explore these natural assets.

Southwest Virginia is the “birthplace of country music” and that heritage is honored on The Crooked Road Music Trail. The 333-mile driving route focuses on Appalachian music at 9 major venues, 150 affiliated venues, and 27 wayside exhibits. Wise is located just an hour from Bristol, Va., where the Birthplace of Country Music hosts an annual and renowned Rhythm and Roots Festival. And, those experts bring a smaller version of the music festival to UVA Wise’s campus every August. Local artisans, a local arts programming series, a nationally renowned theater, and unique museums are all worth a visit when you are touring Southwest Virginia.