How to pick between UVA and W&M

[Anonymous]

he should attend both accepted students days and try to speak to a prof in the physics dept if that and grad school admissions is the most important.

My kids knew they may change majors, so we did not focus n this as much (and they have).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a physics major, he should go to the school that will give him the most and best opportunities for undergrad research in his area(s) of interest. He should read professor bios to find out about their research. He should also consider reaching out to those who interest him the most about potential research opportunities.

--STEM PhD

Thank you. I think that research interests/bios, UVA might win. But my guess is that in actual research opportunities once in college, it wouldn't? As a rule, do you think big university or LAC for undergrad?

[Anonymous]

Similar with my kid, OP. But he’s not majoring in STEM.

We are going to admitted students days at all schools and Monroe scholar day.

I think WM would be a better fit for what he wants out of school and the relationships with professors, etc- but he liked UVA on a tour last spring. We also are doing Georgetown admit days and he’s trying to get us to go to Pomona’s but if we do that I’m afraid it will be where he ends up.

Cost is a big factor for us for the privates - no aid.

[Anonymous]

A poll of professors around the country unanimously said they would send their kids to a SLAC. They would not send to large publics. WM is essentially a slac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A poll of professors around the country unanimously said they would send their kids to a SLAC. They would not send to large publics. WM is essentially a slac.

Link to poll?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A poll of professors around the country unanimously said they would send their kids to a SLAC. They would not send to large publics. WM is essentially a slac.

Link to poll?

Here is a study

https://users.nber.org/~confer/2003/HIEDS03/getz.pdf

[Anonymous]

The children of professors are far more likely to attend liberal arts colleges than other parents. Children of university faculty are about twice as likely to select liberal arts college than children of parents earning more than $100,000 a year.


Why are college professors steering their children to liberal arts colleges, which educate roughly 3% of the nation's college students?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-professors-send-their-children-to-college/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The children of professors are far more likely to attend liberal arts colleges than other parents. Children of university faculty are about twice as likely to select liberal arts college than children of parents earning more than $100,000 a year.


Why are college professors steering their children to liberal arts colleges, which educate roughly 3% of the nation's college students?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-professors-send-their-children-to-college/

These insiders understand that liberal arts college focus exclusively on educating undergraduates and offer a boutique education with small classes and personal attention from professors.

In contrast, the main focus for professors at private and public research universities is conducting their own research and training graduate students. Educating undergrads is a lower priority. In fact, at universities graduates students often teach many undergraduate classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The children of professors are far more likely to attend liberal arts colleges than other parents. Children of university faculty are about twice as likely to select liberal arts college than children of parents earning more than $100,000 a year.


Why are college professors steering their children to liberal arts colleges, which educate roughly 3% of the nation's college students?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-professors-send-their-children-to-college/

These insiders understand that liberal arts college focus exclusively on educating undergraduates and offer a boutique education with small classes and personal attention from professors.

In contrast, the main focus for professors at private and public research universities is conducting their own research and training graduate students. Educating undergrads is a lower priority. In fact, at universities graduates students often teach many undergraduate classes.

Not sure if the same person is posting all the responses but thanks! I am pro-SLAC but DC (not OP) doesn't want a small school. Looking at medium schools that are more undergraduate-focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The children of professors are far more likely to attend liberal arts colleges than other parents. Children of university faculty are about twice as likely to select liberal arts college than children of parents earning more than $100,000 a year.


Why are college professors steering their children to liberal arts colleges, which educate roughly 3% of the nation's college students?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-professors-send-their-children-to-college/

These insiders understand that liberal arts college focus exclusively on educating undergraduates and offer a boutique education with small classes and personal attention from professors.

In contrast, the main focus for professors at private and public research universities is conducting their own research and training graduate students. Educating undergrads is a lower priority. In fact, at universities graduates students often teach many undergraduate classes.

Thanks, PPs. Helpful.

[Anonymous]

Quite honestly, between those two, I would choose the school with the best overall fit. To me, fit is much more than just the social aspects. It also includes course offerings and curriculum/course sequence for intended major (both usually available online), accessibility of faculty, any required distribution courses, size of school, housing options, “culture” [hard to define], and more.

There are not a huge number of jobs for someone only with a BS in Physics, so a student ought to plan either to do an MS or PhD in Physics or maybe a conversion Masters into some kind of Engineering or maybe take some undergraduate Econ/Finance courses on the side if intending to be a Quant. My sense is that W&M and UVa CLAS would serve a DC equally well in preparing for graduate school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: … DC (not OP) doesn't want a small school. Looking at medium schools that are more undergraduate-focused.

UVa admissions is a lottery these days, even for very good students. That said, UVa is smaller than many other public universities in VA and also is smaller than many OOS public flagship universities. Not sure if it ranks as medium sized or small in PP’s mind, but just something to keep in mind. W&M is smaller than UVa CLAS, but also very good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA is 38th in physics programs according to rankings; WM isn’t listed.

Are you sure you're not looking at graduate programs? WM doesn't have a graduate program in physics (nor in most subjects) since it's primarily an undergraduate focused institution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The children of professors are far more likely to attend liberal arts colleges than other parents. Children of university faculty are about twice as likely to select liberal arts college than children of parents earning more than $100,000 a year.


Why are college professors steering their children to liberal arts colleges, which educate roughly 3% of the nation's college students?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-professors-send-their-children-to-college/

These insiders understand that liberal arts college focus exclusively on educating undergraduates and offer a boutique education with small classes and personal attention from professors.

In contrast, the main focus for professors at private and public research universities is conducting their own research and training graduate students. Educating undergrads is a lower priority. In fact, at universities graduates students often teach many undergraduate classes.

Not sure if the same person is posting all the responses but thanks! I am pro-SLAC but DC (not OP) doesn't want a small school. Looking at medium schools that are more undergraduate-focused.

That is W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a physics major, he should go to the school that will give him the most and best opportunities for undergrad research in his area(s) of interest. He should read professor bios to find out about their research. He should also consider reaching out to those who interest him the most about potential research opportunities.

--STEM PhD

Thank you. I think that research interests/bios, UVA might win. But my guess is that in actual research opportunities once in college, it wouldn't? As a rule, do you think big university or LAC for undergrad?

Personally, I don't think there is a rule. He should talk to the physics faculty at both schools and understand the dynamic. Some departments specialize in one or two areas of physics, neither of which may be something that interest your son. Some only have "undergrad" research, which is really just nonsense and not real research experience. Some departments are full of dinosaurs who are past prime and who aren't actively doing research. Some have lots of faculty who don't want to mentor undergrads.

You want to find a school with engaged physics faculty who do research in topics that interest him and who are open to mentoring undergrads. Go to open houses and talk to faculty. Talk to grad students. Talk to current undergrads. Ask about grad placement and opportunities for real research experience. Don't go off of rules of thumb.