Starting the Senior Year Trip-Scheduling - VCU? Mary Wash?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Completely disagree. The fact that UMW is an older, well-established ex-women's college makes it seem comparatively more serious academically. JMU, by comparison, seems like a typical rural noplace State U, except for the interstate highway running right through the middle of campus.

Not really. Neither is that well known outside Virginia, but JMU is increasingly on the radar screen in other Mid-Atlantic states. UMW is viewed as a public Sweet Briar, with a few boys thrown in.

And never underestimate the power of an upset football victory over VT or a Final 4/Elite 8 NCAA appearance (see surges in applications for JMU, GMU and VCU). Something UMW will never experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Completely disagree. The fact that UMW is an older, well-established ex-women's college makes it seem comparatively more serious academically. JMU, by comparison, seems like a typical rural noplace State U, except for the interstate highway running right through the middle of campus.

Not really. Neither is that well known outside Virginia, but JMU is increasingly on the radar screen in other Mid-Atlantic states. UMW is viewed as a public Sweet Briar, with a few boys thrown in.

I don't know who you think views UMW that way, but I've never, ever heard it compared to Sweet Briar. Totally different. (UMW alum; work in higher ed; very familiar with the landscape of VA colleges & universities)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Completely disagree. The fact that UMW is an older, well-established ex-women's college makes it seem comparatively more serious academically. JMU, by comparison, seems like a typical rural noplace State U, except for the interstate highway running right through the middle of campus.

Not really. Neither is that well known outside Virginia, but JMU is increasingly on the radar screen in other Mid-Atlantic states. UMW is viewed as a public Sweet Briar, with a few boys thrown in.

I don't know who you think views UMW that way, but I've never, ever heard it compared to Sweet Briar. Totally different. (UMW alum; work in higher ed; very familiar with the landscape of VA colleges & universities)

Not the pp you're responding to, but I often see UMW listed as a public most like a SLAC but without identifying any SLAC in particular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Completely disagree. The fact that UMW is an older, well-established ex-women's college makes it seem comparatively more serious academically. JMU, by comparison, seems like a typical rural noplace State U, except for the interstate highway running right through the middle of campus.

Not really. Neither is that well known outside Virginia, but JMU is increasingly on the radar screen in other Mid-Atlantic states. UMW is viewed as a public Sweet Briar, with a few boys thrown in.

I don't know who you think views UMW that way, but I've never, ever heard it compared to Sweet Briar. Totally different. (UMW alum; work in higher ed; very familiar with the landscape of VA colleges & universities)

Now you have. HS students in this area consider it a genteel, Southern school primarily for girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Completely disagree. The fact that UMW is an older, well-established ex-women's college makes it seem comparatively more serious academically. JMU, by comparison, seems like a typical rural noplace State U, except for the interstate highway running right through the middle of campus.

Not really. Neither is that well known outside Virginia, but JMU is increasingly on the radar screen in other Mid-Atlantic states. UMW is viewed as a public Sweet Briar, with a few boys thrown in.

I don't know who you think views UMW that way, but I've never, ever heard it compared to Sweet Briar. Totally different. (UMW alum; work in higher ed; very familiar with the landscape of VA colleges & universities)

Now you have. HS students in this area consider it a genteel, Southern school primarily for girls.

Sorry, but that's not accurate at all. I taught at MWU (and have taught at or attended many local U's, including UVa). It is best characterized the way a previous poster did - small, warm, friendly, with students developing close relationships with professors. It's also well-known for a down-to-earth student body where the kids are just plain nice. That description is spot on and has actually appeared in college rating books. UVa is genteel and elite (or elitist, depending on who you ask). MWU kids are generally not wealthy, and many work considerable hours to pay or help pay their tuition and expenses. Thus, there is no sense of that kind of snobbiness and exclusivity that you get at UVa or other "genteel" places. MWU could win an award for nicest students and best sense of community in Va.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sorry, but that's not accurate at all. I taught at MWU (and have taught at or attended many local U's, including UVa). It is best characterized the way a previous poster did - small, warm, friendly, with students developing close relationships with professors. It's also well-known for a down-to-earth student body where the kids are just plain nice. That description is spot on and has actually appeared in college rating books. UVa is genteel and elite (or elitist, depending on who you ask). MWU kids are generally not wealthy, and many work considerable hours to pay or help pay their tuition and expenses. Thus, there is no sense of that kind of snobbiness and exclusivity that you get at UVa or other "genteel" places. MWU could win an award for nicest students and best sense of community in Va.

That's really sweet. You should work in PR. But it doesn't change how the school is perceived by students in the DC area, who view it as sleepy and Southern, a public Sweet Briar or Randolph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Sorry, but that's not accurate at all. I taught at MWU (and have taught at or attended many local U's, including UVa). It is best characterized the way a previous poster did - small, warm, friendly, with students developing close relationships with professors. It's also well-known for a down-to-earth student body where the kids are just plain nice. That description is spot on and has actually appeared in college rating books. UVa is genteel and elite (or elitist, depending on who you ask). MWU kids are generally not wealthy, and many work considerable hours to pay or help pay their tuition and expenses. Thus, there is no sense of that kind of snobbiness and exclusivity that you get at UVa or other "genteel" places. MWU could win an award for nicest students and best sense of community in Va.

That's really sweet. You should work in PR. But it doesn't change how the school is perceived by students in the DC area, who view it as sleepy and Southern, a public Sweet Briar or Randolph.

LOL. Well, their perceptions are wrong. (not the PP, btw, with the future in PR) Seriously. They should try going and spending some time there. It's only 45 minutes away!

[Anonymous]

Facts are irrelevant where perceptions are concerned. UMW is really being touted as the "up and coming" and the public SLAC. Of the 3 most qualified seniors I've known in the last 3 years, one went to Yale, one to Princeton and the third to UMW. The Yale and UMW girls are very happy with their choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's really sweet. You should work in PR. But it doesn't change how the school is perceived by students in the DC area, who view it as sleepy and Southern, a public Sweet Briar or Randolph.

LOL. Well, their perceptions are wrong. (not the PP, btw, with the future in PR) Seriously. They should try going and spending some time there. It's only 45 minutes away!

I'm not sure the perceptions are wrong. The school is in a mid-size town that feels Southern. It gets quite hot. The architecture is largely the Georgian style so common in the South. The student body is almost 2/3 female. When we took a tour, the student guides were both female, and they talked non-stop about the strength of the writing programs, with nary a reference to any other programs or majors. Our DS had no interest in applying after visiting there and, in talking to other parents, we heard similar stories. The acceptance rate remains quite high, around 75-80%, indicating that a lot of students who apply to other schools in the state do not apply to UMW. About 8 students from his graduating class did decide to attend UMW, all but one of whom were girls. They were a group of solid, and very nice, students, which could also be said of those going to small private LACs in the South. They may end up having a great experience, but I still don't think people really think of the school as innovative or "up and coming" (vs. traditional).