Which is the better VA university: VA Tech or JMU?

[Anonymous]

If you want to go west people on the other side of the country have actually heard of Virginia Tech. JMU, not so much.

[Anonymous]

What is the murder rate at VA Tech?

So many people murdered every year at Tech. So sad.

VA Tech seems to attract a lot of mentally unstable people.

[Anonymous]

VA Tech

[Anonymous]

It depends on the personality of the student and what they want to major in.

Tech is a large school and you need to be able to advocate for yourself and not need many special services--tech has those services, but you will need to get yourself there and help yourself.

JMU seems to be better at the Art and Social Sciences, Va Tech--the sciences and specialty areas (Agriculture anyone?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to go west people on the other side of the country have actually heard of Virginia Tech. JMU, not so much.

You have some evidence to support this? Not doubting, just wondering whether you made it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the murder rate at VA Tech?

So many people murdered every year at Tech. So sad.

VA Tech seems to attract a lot of mentally unstable people.

This is uncalled for and complete nonsense.

-JMU Alum '97

[Anonymous]

JMU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. JMU isn't ranked at all on the USNWR list of National Universities (or SLACs). VT is in the 60s last I saw.

2. Ignoring point #1, you know it's easier to "take a bigger jump in the rankings" when you have much more room to jump, right? Saying that JMU is "up and coming" or whatever says nothing to take away from VT. Tech is ranked high and harder to get into for anyone in the DCUM range.

3. Squabble on.

OK I'll bite into this discussion because I actually have kids at both. Warning, I worked for USN&WR back in the 1980s as a data analyst so this perspective might be a little boring

1. Colleges and Universities are grouped in the USN Rankings based on number of Doctoral degrees granted (or more accurately, Carnegie Basic Classification). For example - GMU, VT, VCU and ODU all share similar Basic Classification for larger number of Doctoral Degrees and are ranked together as "National U"s...on the other hand JMU, Villanova, Providence College, Mary Washington, etc. all share similar Basic Classification for smaller number of Doctoral Degrees and are ranked together as "Regional U"s. In its (admittedly tougher) category, Virginia Tech is in the 70's. In its (admittedly easier) category, JMU ranks #5.

2. In point of fact, JMU and VT have both dipped in their respective rankings. Back in the 1980s when Wake Forest U (was always #1), Furman (often switched with JMU for #3) and the University of Richmond (always #2) were ranked as Southern "Regional U"s by US News, JMU was a consistent #3 or 4. VT on the other hand used to rank favorably with schools like UMCP in the "National U"s, but no longer.
3. I love squabbling but they are both fine schools. Over the years the schools have traded off in terms of SAT average of entering class. Currently VT's is about 50 points higher because James Madison has expanded their Entering Class Size from something like 1,000-1,500 in the 1980s to 4,000-4,300 today (and its acceptance rate is much higher than in the 1980s).

Another point of caution for you VT/JMU squabblers. I was looking at JMU's Institutional Research site. They awarded so many doctorates over the past few years that they will have their basic classification changed (just as UR, WFU and others have a decade ago). However, when it changes, it is likely to be grouped by USN in the "National Liberal Arts" Category (like UR) rather than "National U"s. So this debate will likely not be settled...

For the record, my opinion is that VT is better for STEM, JMU for Business and LA for what it is worth.

Hope this helps.

This may be the best post on DCUM...

Great post and highly consistent with what I remember in the 90s. While I ended up going to Wake Forest, I remember JMU as being a well thought of school. It was much smaller then.

+1

[Anonymous]

Va Tech by far. Much harder to get into, especially the engineering and architecture programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Va Tech by far. Much harder to get into, especially the engineering and architecture programs.

wo

Those are the only two programs at Tech that are harder to get into. Otherwise, Tech and JMU are on par with one another. Though I agree with a PP that for the student interested in humanities/liberal arts, JMU is probably a better choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to go west people on the other side of the country have actually heard of Virginia Tech. JMU, not so much.

You have some evidence to support this? Not doubting, just wondering whether you made it up.

I'm from out west and am only familiar with JMU because I met someone who had gone there and wore a JMU hat all the time.