Is UVA generally harder to get into than Rutgers?

Yes. UVA is broadly more difficult to gain admission to than Rutgers, especially for applicants from outside Virginia. UVA’s applicant pool is highly selective, and its public mission gives Virginia residents a meaningful admissions advantage; out-of-state applicants face particularly intense competition.

Rutgers is also selective, but competitiveness varies substantially by campus and program. Rutgers–New Brunswick and in-demand pathways such as business, engineering, computer science, and nursing can be quite competitive, while other Rutgers campuses and majors may have more accessible admission standards. Rutgers also gives New Jersey residents an in-state context, though its overall admissions profile is less restrictive than UVA’s.

For a New Jersey applicant, Rutgers may offer a more practical admissions and cost proposition. Neither school is automatic for a qualified student, but UVA should be treated as the more admissions-competitive option in most comparisons.