Please tell me about the University of Mary Washington

[Anonymous]

Why is it ranked so low? I notice it is not even in the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the US News ranking, yet it seems like a decent school. It seems to match a lot of what my student is looking for, like a smaller size, nice campus, supportive environment, down to earth students. But my student is fairly strong academically (not a top student but a 3.8 GPA in a high rigor program), so would it not be challenging enough for him? We're looking into schools in the #40s-#90s range, chasing merit, but #131? I can't figure out why it is ranked so low, and that's the one thing giving me pause before recommending to my son that we go look at it. It seems otherwise like a great school. We're out of state, and we don't know anyone personally who has gone there. Feedback welcome.

[Anonymous]

All I know is that it used to be the “womens college” when UVA was all male. More women than men on campus. Many education majors.

[Anonymous]

I'm an alum (1990) when it was still Mary Washington College. It was exactly what I wanted/needed at the time - small, beautiful, good academics, no Greek life. I absolutely loved my four years there.

In my impression, since they changed the name to University of..., it isn't quite the same. There were more women than men when I went there, but the difference was much smaller than it is now and I never found it particularly noticeable. I always had a boyfriend, at any rate!

The student body was also far more mainstream in those days than it seems to be now. We looked there for our own kids, but it was just far too "liberal" for their tastes and they weren't interested.

I thought the academics were fantastic (no, not an education major!) and can't say enough about my time there. But things have changed since then, so I can't really speak to the current climate there other than to say our neighbor goes there and loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it ranked so low? I notice it is not even in the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the US News ranking, yet it seems like a decent school.

Perhaps you’re just discovering that there are lots of great liberal arts colleges. Rankings are relative. The 131st most wealthy person in the world has more than “decent” wealth, too!

[Anonymous]

I have a neighbor with a freshman there. Smart kid but a little immature socially - very introverted. They’ve loved that the school is small and very invested in making all the kids feel comfortable and succeed. Seems like school that provides lots of hand holding for both student and parents if you’re looking for that.

[Anonymous]

The kids I know who went there all had learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity, I went and looked at the rankings. There are SO many liberal arts colleges out there that I'm not familiar with, to include several that I hear posters on DCUM championing all the time (Goucher, Roanoke, Cornell College, Bennington, Hampshire, Eckerd, UNC Asheville, Oglethorpe, etc.). Mary Washington is right there with them, and ahead of several. I don't consider this a bad ranking at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it ranked so low? I notice it is not even in the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the US News ranking, yet it seems like a decent school. It seems to match a lot of what my student is looking for, like a smaller size, nice campus, supportive environment, down to earth students. But my student is fairly strong academically (not a top student but a 3.8 GPA in a high rigor program), so would it not be challenging enough for him? We're looking into schools in the #40s-#90s range, chasing merit, but #131? I can't figure out why it is ranked so low, and that's the one thing giving me pause before recommending to my son that we go look at it. It seems otherwise like a great school. We're out of state, and we don't know anyone personally who has gone there. Feedback welcome.

I know several very smart people who went there. It's a gem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it ranked so low? I notice it is not even in the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the US News ranking, yet it seems like a decent school. It seems to match a lot of what my student is looking for, like a smaller size, nice campus, supportive environment, down to earth students. But my student is fairly strong academically (not a top student but a 3.8 GPA in a high rigor program), so would it not be challenging enough for him? We're looking into schools in the #40s-#90s range, chasing merit, but #131? I can't figure out why it is ranked so low, and that's the one thing giving me pause before recommending to my son that we go look at it. It seems otherwise like a great school. We're out of state, and we don't know anyone personally who has gone there. Feedback welcome.

I know several very smart people who went there. It's a gem.

+1
It really is.

[Anonymous]

Virginia has a lot of top rated schools but even lower ranked colleges like UMW are considered very solid. I know several students there now that are having great experiences. The alumni I know are smart, kind, and successful. I think it’s a college that punches above its weight in terms of student outcomes. I bet your kid would let very generous merit!

[Anonymous]

It’s DC’s top choice right now, likes it better than W&M.

[Anonymous]

I had a family member graduate from there about 15 years ago. He was quite unhappy with it because there were many students who went home on the weekends and the campus was somewhat dead. Hopefully it has changed, I have no knowledge of what it is like now.

[Anonymous]

It's.my daughters top choice. She has loved her visits and interactions with people on campus. Wants to go into Education. She has good stats to me, isn't interested in prestige. Has it ranked for herself over JMU and UVA. I think it appeals to her because it seems.outsode the box. She doesn't want go with the prestige or bragging rights crowd but with her own vibe, and found it comfortable and interesting there in our visits.

[Anonymous]

It was my DD's preferred in-state option but ended up at a PA LAC. I would have been happy of she'd chosen UMW. My friend's DD is there now and loves it.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who is very smart who went there from out of state. Went to a highly ranked law school after. My impression is the size of the school and liberal arts vibe is a draw.