The Other Virginia Colleges: VCU, ODU, GMU, CNU, UMW . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from VCU in 2010, and was lucky to find a decent job right after graduation, which turned into a great career (Financial Analyst with a Fortune 500 company). I graduated with a 3.53 overall and a 3.73 in my majors (doubled in Finance and Real Estate), that being said, I am still stigmatized because of my VCU degree, particularly by graduates of top tier schools (UVA, W&M, UNC, UoR, etc...), and before landing my current position, potential employers. Maybe 10 years from now my degree might carry more weight (VCU is improving relatively quickly), but if I had to do it over again I would choose a different path. Community colleges offer guaranteed admissions programs to UVA or W&M, given you take the program's courses and maintain a high GPA, a 3.5 in most cases. You'll save money and end up with a degree from a top 40 university, which may open doors that VCU, GMU, JMU, or CNU could not. I know this is an unpopular choice with many high school graduates (I definitely did not want to go to community college), but it is a great alternative. Although, you do miss out on the freshman/sophomore social experience that were some of the best times of my life.

Bypassing the community college route, I would never select CNU over JMU or GMU. CNU was a community college not to long ago, but then a new president built a ton of new buildings and arbitrarily raised the admission requirements. Also, CNU is in Newport News (aka "Bad News"), a filthy suburban "city" where shopping malls are the most popular attractions. At least VCU and GMU offer urban perks and JMU offers beautiful mountains vistas...........................................................................

So, if you are living in NoVa, I'm guessing that you either work for Freddie Mac or Capital One.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, 2:09, you need to spend more time reading, and less time writing.

JMU, GMU and CNU all have become rather selective for NoVa students. VCU is more of a safety school for hipsters.

These schools have become more selective because the NoVa population has grown and boasts some the best public high schools in the state (test scores), most likely due to the highly educated workforce in the area. I bet this has strongly influenced acceptance rates for the area's college and universities and less so for central or southeastern schools due to a larger pool of qualified applicants and the fact that NoVa kids like to stay in NoVa (with good reason). Haven't you noticed how UVA's and W&M's selectivity has sky rocketed over the past 10 years? They cater more to the top private high school students now then the public schools. Many B+ VA high school students have no in-state choices other than GMU and JMU.

Hipsters go to VCU because many of them are artistically inclined and drawn to VCU's excellent art school-which is actually more selective with applicants. And yes, VCU is easier to get into then GMU or JMU (and now CNU apparently), but those less motivated students don't last long. Also, its amazing how much the campus and student body have changed and how much is planned for the future, it really is a dynamic environment. Ten years down the road I see it being as selective as GMU, but a vibe different than a giant NoVa high school, which may appeal to some people. The only thing I worry about is this buzz with VCU's basketball, I was hoping this transformation would occur because of improved academics and not because of sports (sound familiar GMU/VT?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from VCU in 2010, and was lucky to find a decent job right after graduation, which turned into a great career (Financial Analyst with a Fortune 500 company). I graduated with a 3.53 overall and a 3.73 in my majors (doubled in Finance and Real Estate), that being said, I am still stigmatized because of my VCU degree, particularly by graduates of top tier schools (UVA, W&M, UNC, UoR, etc...), and before landing my current position, potential employers. Maybe 10 years from now my degree might carry more weight (VCU is improving relatively quickly), but if I had to do it over again I would choose a different path. Community colleges offer guaranteed admissions programs to UVA or W&M, given you take the program's courses and maintain a high GPA, a 3.5 in most cases. You'll save money and end up with a degree from a top 40 university, which may open doors that VCU, GMU, JMU, or CNU could not. I know this is an unpopular choice with many high school graduates (I definitely did not want to go to community college), but it is a great alternative. Although, you do miss out on the freshman/sophomore social experience that were some of the best times of my life.

Bypassing the community college route, I would never select CNU over JMU or GMU. CNU was a community college not to long ago, but then a new president built a ton of new buildings and arbitrarily raised the admission requirements. Also, CNU is in Newport News (aka "Bad News"), a filthy suburban "city" where shopping malls are the most popular attractions. At least VCU and GMU offer urban perks and JMU offers beautiful mountains vistas...........................................................................

So, if you are living in NoVa, I'm guessing that you either work for Freddie Mac or Capital One.

No, Richmond, and I prefer not to name the company. Grew up in Hampton Roads, but spent summers in Washington DC. Worked in Washington DC for a year after college. Sometimes its better to have a perspective outside the NoVa eyeglass.

[Anonymous]

What about University of Richmond?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about University of Richmond?

Uh, it's private and >$50,000.

[Anonymous]

Graduated from UMW in 2004, when it was called MWC.

I echo the sentiments of PP's about the incredible academic quality. I had some fantastic seminar-type courses that were memorable, were very focused, and taught by phenomenal professors (shout out to Dr. Campbell). I came from a very small single sex school so it was probably a good choice to ease me into the "real world"...though in retrospect I often feel I would have thrived in a big college (this is personal though, nothing against UMW). I understand the gender distribution remains about the same at about 60/40.

I think it's an excellent value, a wonderful community, and a solid social experience that doesn't have many of the distractions and obnoxious attributes some schools have. "Good" kids who are motivated will like it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:generally speaking, if you think you might end up living and working somewhere else, I'd advise going to a shitty national type state school over a decent regional school. That means I prefer schools like WVU, NC State and Ole Miss over places like VCU, ODU and UMBC. If you apply in San Diego, at least they will have heard of where you went to school.

I actually think JMU falls into this category as well. I don't think it has the national name recognition that UVa, VT and W & M have.

I actually think that's the case for all of them (no national name recognition) except for UVA and W&M. I went to school in the Midwest and really, none of these schools are on anyone's radar screens out there. They would have heard about UVA and, maybe, W&M. They just have their own state schools which they are all consumed about and wrapped up in that these don't really penetrate through that regional parochialism. Which is totally fine, not criticizing them, we are the same way: not like we are all walking around thinking about Valparaiso or Marquette or perfectly fine schools like that. . . .just my two cents. . .

everyone in the midwest has heard of Virginia Tech, don't be an idiot.

I think everyone by now has heard of Virginia Tech...

largest school in the state, top 40 public university, not to mention top 10 football team every year and the recent tragedy.

I went to VT. I think it's a fine school. But I kid you not, this really happened to me. I went on an interview at a big, prestigious law firm in Los Angeles and the partner asked whether VTwas a 4 year university. He was a really nice man, and I really don't think he was being condescending but he seriously thought it was some sort of a 2 year technical school. Needless to say, I did not get an offer. This was about 8 years ago. And this doesn’t apply to just VT. I lived in NYC for about a decade and I would say that VA schools are not as highly esteemed as they are in this state. I was shocked to return to this area from NYC to find UVA compared to ivy league schools because they just aren’t at that level elsewhere. I absolutely believe that it is just as hard to get into UVA as many Ivy schools and that the ed is just as good there as any Ivy, but trust me, it does not compare in name recognition to any of the Ivies, not even a lower tiered Ivy like Cornell. In NY, UVA was seen as pretty much a decent large state university (but not even at the level of Berkeley, Michigan or Chapel Hill). It did not have the same prestige as any Ivy. And I never even came across anyone in NY who had heard of WM. And this was not that many years ago, less than 5 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:generally speaking, if you think you might end up living and working somewhere else, I'd advise going to a shitty national type state school over a decent regional school. That means I prefer schools like WVU, NC State and Ole Miss over places like VCU, ODU and UMBC. If you apply in San Diego, at least they will have heard of where you went to school.

I actually think JMU falls into this category as well. I don't think it has the national name recognition that UVa, VT and W & M have.

I actually think that's the case for all of them (no national name recognition) except for UVA and W&M. I went to school in the Midwest and really, none of these schools are on anyone's radar screens out there. They would have heard about UVA and, maybe, W&M. They just have their own state schools which they are all consumed about and wrapped up in that these don't really penetrate through that regional parochialism. Which is totally fine, not criticizing them, we are the same way: not like we are all walking around thinking about Valparaiso or Marquette or perfectly fine schools like that. . . .just my two cents. . .

everyone in the midwest has heard of Virginia Tech, don't be an idiot.

I think everyone by now has heard of Virginia Tech...

largest school in the state, top 40 public university, not to mention top 10 football team every year and the recent tragedy.

I went to VT. I think it's a fine school. But I kid you not, this really happened to me. I went on an interview at a big, prestigious law firm in Los Angeles and the partner asked whether VTwas a 4 year university. He was a really nice man, and I really don't think he was being condescending but he seriously thought it was some sort of a 2 year technical school. Needless to say, I did not get an offer. This was about 8 years ago. And this doesn’t apply to just VT. I lived in NYC for about a decade and I would say that VA schools are not as highly esteemed as they are in this state. I was shocked to return to this area from NYC to find UVA compared to ivy league schools because they just aren’t at that level elsewhere. I absolutely believe that it is just as hard to get into UVA as many Ivy schools and that the ed is just as good there as any Ivy, but trust me, it does not compare in name recognition to any of the Ivies, not even a lower tiered Ivy like Cornell. In NY, UVA was seen as pretty much a decent large state university (but not even at the level of Berkeley, Michigan or Chapel Hill). It did not have the same prestige as any Ivy. And I never even came across anyone in NY who had heard of WM. And this was not that many years ago, less than 5 years ago.

My goodness do you comb with as broad a brush as you compare New Yorkers? I have no skin in the game, but UVA is not on par with UVM or UNC, both are basically open admin to state residents, more so with UNC. UVA is on par with Duke and Stanford, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

I when I was looking at colleges 30 years ago, no too far from New York City, both UVA and William and Mary were well known as top schools. Va Tech, on the other hand, was completely unknown.

[Anonymous]

I have no skin in the game, but UVA is not on par with UVM or UNC, both are basically open admin to state residents, more so with UNC. UVA is on par with Duke and Stanford, IMHO.

UVA is on par with Standford?!!! Hahahahaha! That is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I when I was looking at colleges 30 years ago, no too far from New York City, both UVA and William and Mary were well known as top schools. Va Tech, on the other hand, was completely unknown.

30 years ago? 30 years ago, even people in VA barely knew about VA Tech as something other than some military school, GM was a commuter school on par w/ NOVA, and UVA was for B average students. Admissions to these school have all gotten crazy, in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have no skin in the game, but UVA is not on par with UVM or UNC, both are basically open admin to state residents, more so with UNC. UVA is on par with Duke and Stanford, IMHO.

UVA is on par with Standford?!!! Hahahahaha! That is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.

I'm a UVA grad and I find that statement ludicrous as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I when I was looking at colleges 30 years ago, no too far from New York City, both UVA and William and Mary were well known as top schools. Va Tech, on the other hand, was completely unknown.

Only dumb shits haven't heard of the second oldest university to be formed in the US:

1) Harvard-1636
2) William & Mary 1693

[Anonymous]

I have no skin in the game, but UVA is not on par with UVM or UNC, both are basically open admin to state residents, more so with UNC. UVA is on par with Duke and Stanford, IMHO.

UNC is open admission to state residents? I don't think so. My brother in law is from NC and went to Chapel Hill, and he has loads of friends & siblings who went to NC State or UNC at Greensboro b/c they couldn't get into UNC. And your comment about UVA being on par with Stanford...not sure if you're ever going to live that one down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have no skin in the game, but UVA is not on par with UVM or UNC, both are basically open admin to state residents, more so with UNC. UVA is on par with Duke and Stanford, IMHO.

UNC is open admission to state residents? I don't think so. My brother in law is from NC and went to Chapel Hill, and he has loads of friends & siblings who went to NC State or UNC at Greensboro b/c they couldn't get into UNC. And your comment about UVA being on par with Stanford...not sure if you're ever going to live that one down.

No, UNC is not open admission to NC residents. According to my cousin who lives there, a lot of kids end up at the other UNC branches because Chapel Hill is competitive even for the in-state students. It is hard to get into out of state because of NC's limits on out of state students.