Is JMU on the rise?

[Anonymous]

Their are people on this Board that for whatever reason feel threatened that JMU is a good school

[Anonymous]

Those of you responding to the obvious troll - please don't. Just report them. They always show up to derail these threads and if you'd report them instead of responding, that wouldn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is Greek life atJMU?

Greek life is there for those who are interested, but it definitely doesn't dominate. It's only about 15% of the student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you responding to the obvious troll - please don't. Just report them. They always show up to derail these threads and if you'd report them instead of responding, that wouldn't happen.

+1 Let’s all start reporting the troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read that JMU’s number of applications have doubled in the past four years (44k in 2025 versus 22k in 2021) and 50% were from OOS. That’s unreal to me. When did the school become so popular and why is the acceptance rate still high if so many more kids are applying? Is the yield decreasing at the same time? Is this only due to joining the Common App or something else? What’s the reputation among high school kids now? I’ve got a sophomore from MCPS who’s interested.

Common app ~3 years ago
Athletic success and more exposure with move to Sun Belt conference
Schools "above it" are more difficult to gain acceptance. Rolls down hill.

It’s this…though JMU was a much harder acceptance 30 years ago. Used to be like a 33% acceptance rate and then they significantly grew the number of students.

30 years ago you had to fill out a paper application by hand, so kids were only applying to the 2-3 schools they really wanted to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read that JMU’s number of applications have doubled in the past four years (44k in 2025 versus 22k in 2021) and 50% were from OOS. That’s unreal to me. When did the school become so popular and why is the acceptance rate still high if so many more kids are applying? Is the yield decreasing at the same time? Is this only due to joining the Common App or something else? What’s the reputation among high school kids now? I’ve got a sophomore from MCPS who’s interested.

Common app ~3 years ago
Athletic success and more exposure with move to Sun Belt conference
Schools "above it" are more difficult to gain acceptance. Rolls down hill.

It’s this…though JMU was a much harder acceptance 30 years ago. Used to be like a 33% acceptance rate and then they significantly grew the number of students.

30 years ago you had to fill out a paper application by hand, so kids were only applying to the 2-3 schools they really wanted to attend.

JMU was smaller 30 years ago. It was not a MUCH HARDER admit

[Anonymous]

It's always been on par with VT with one school slightly edging out the other on any given year. They both also have different strengths

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's always been on par with VT with one school slightly edging out the other on any given year. They both also have different strengths

This is laughable. VT clears JMU by a mile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read that JMU’s number of applications have doubled in the past four years (44k in 2025 versus 22k in 2021) and 50% were from OOS. That’s unreal to me. When did the school become so popular and why is the acceptance rate still high if so many more kids are applying? Is the yield decreasing at the same time? Is this only due to joining the Common App or something else? What’s the reputation among high school kids now? I’ve got a sophomore from MCPS who’s interested.

Common app ~3 years ago
Athletic success and more exposure with move to Sun Belt conference
Schools "above it" are more difficult to gain acceptance. Rolls down hill.

It’s this…though JMU was a much harder acceptance 30 years ago. Used to be like a 33% acceptance rate and then they significantly grew the number of students.

30 years ago you had to fill out a paper application by hand, so kids were only applying to the 2-3 schools they really wanted to attend.

JMU was smaller 30 years ago. It was not a MUCH HARDER admit

Acceptance rate was 33% vs. today 60%+. Sounds like it was a harder admit.

[Anonymous]

Any thoughts on when regular decision will be announced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read that JMU’s number of applications have doubled in the past four years (44k in 2025 versus 22k in 2021) and 50% were from OOS. That’s unreal to me. When did the school become so popular and why is the acceptance rate still high if so many more kids are applying? Is the yield decreasing at the same time? Is this only due to joining the Common App or something else? What’s the reputation among high school kids now? I’ve got a sophomore from MCPS who’s interested.

Common app ~3 years ago
Athletic success and more exposure with move to Sun Belt conference
Schools "above it" are more difficult to gain acceptance. Rolls down hill.

It’s this…though JMU was a much harder acceptance 30 years ago. Used to be like a 33% acceptance rate and then they significantly grew the number of students.

30 years ago you had to fill out a paper application by hand, so kids were only applying to the 2-3 schools they really wanted to attend.

DP. JMU was the only safety I applied to 30 years ago (out of 4 schools total).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JMU is not at the bottom. We are OOS and it’s a nice school. My kid has not decided yet but we visited and like it. Campus, academics, dorms, dining. It is a nice school. Why are people slamming?

You have to know northern Virginia to understand. Lots of overly-educated, very wealthy entitled parents focused on status and the prestige of the schools their kids attend. They believe UVA is Yale-caliber and very prestigious, most likely because it's the best they/their kids can do. UVA is a great school. But so are VT and JMU and countless others. Slamming JMU makes the VT and UVA grads feel superior and better about themselves.

[Anonymous]

I’m a proud JMU alum who has earned a six figure salary since age 30. I attended Choices with my DS last Saturday and we were both extremely impressed. So much has changed and things have only gotten better. JMU really is a happy place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a proud JMU alum who has earned a six figure salary since age 30. I attended Choices with my DS last Saturday and we were both extremely impressed. So much has changed and things have only gotten better. JMU really is a happy place.

Would you mind sharing what you majored in at JMU and how you got to where you are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a proud JMU alum who has earned a six figure salary since age 30. I attended Choices with my DS last Saturday and we were both extremely impressed. So much has changed and things have only gotten better. JMU really is a happy place.

I’m the poster for whom JMU was my only safety 30 years ago (I went to a much higher ranked school), and I just want to say I have yet to crack six figures! JMU is a great school with lots of happy, successful graduates and my own kid is considering it.