The methodology has always been flawed. Those that boosted the rankings in the past helped create the frenzy and now it’s too late even though in this case, the W&M ranking is inconvenient for your narrative. |
Same. My first kid preferred the W & M vibe. My second kid also got in to UVA, but went to a higher ranked university. |
My kid loves W&M, but honestly is somewhat bothered by the lower ranking. She is deciding between W&M (where she loves everything, but the ranking) v. UVA (where she mainly loves it for the ranking). She understands that the ranking methodology is based on things that don't affect her personally (i.e. Pell grant recipients) - but still seeing the ranking so far away from UVA is bothersome to her. Yet, W&M is one of those rare schools that seems to have maintained its prestige and reputation without the corresponding ranking. I wonder if its small size made it unable to cater to the metrics that are important in the rankings. |
The weird flexes by some of you really makes me wonder how any of you have a life aside from this board. How is this comment relevant to the discussion? Do you really think this is some kind of dunk on UVA? Do you talk like this in real life? |
DD feels pressured to go to UVA (from her friends mainly b/c of the ranking), but she, too, genuinely feels like W&M is a better fit. She wants to like UVA b/c she is "supposed to," but keeps feeling drawn to W&M. We are going to the admitted students event this weekend and will most likely make a decision at the end of the day. |
That's exactly it. And 20% of the US News ranking is based on a peer reputation survey. So college presidents and the like drive that ranking more than any other factor. Obviously, there's a great education to be found at both. Great opportunities for research, jobs, internships, etc. Fit should be more important than what the rankings say. People who look down on W&M are ignorant. |
Agree. I was just trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. She tried to make it look like her kid got merit at Michigan. |
They absolutely talk this way in real life. Thankfully I only know one person like this, and the entire neighborhood avoids her at all costs. The rest of us have regular kids at regular colleges and none of us are stuck on the rankings. The obsession with rankings is so very bizarre. |
Very bizarre. These are the people that drop 1500 a month on a Rover to play the part at the drop off line. Such obtuse behavior. |
You need to separate that thinking. We have been working on it with my son--also received the Monroe scholarship. He has gotten into higher 'ranked' schools--including GU, UVA, BC, some West Coast, etc. and waitlisted at 2 from HPYSM. Cost is a big factor--so he leans toward UVA because in his mind the 'ranking'. I think its hard for these kids that are high stat and measure their success by going to highest ranked schools. This is undergrad I remind him and what he needs to look at is what undergrad is giving him what he needs the most now. My husband and I like the fact that WM is smaller and all courses taught by professors. From the alum we know--grad schools and employers in the DMV love WM students. It is known to be very rigorous in comparison to some of the schools my kid was accepted to. This post-grad job placement is very, very high---upper 90% and their placement in law/grad programs is excellent. I worry at a bigger school they are more a dime a dozen. The referrals from profs and those relationships are key--as well as being able to get courses scheduled, internships--which also great network-DC semester interships, etc. |
Same. Son's friends pressuring him to choose UVA and I keep reminding him college isn't a choice you make because your BF/GF or friends are going to. He will still see them and he will make college friends too. |
This is probably the biggest factor. WM doesn't have as big a graduate school presence, which definitely affects its ranking, perhaps more than any other factor. It's odd, of course, since the undergraduate experience should be the most important consideration at this stage. Your kid will probably be happy enough at UVa if they focus on rank, but if they love W&M and feel at home there, that should guide them. It's hard for even adults to ignore the rank, apparently, but this is a good opportunity for your kid to learn to assess data, to look at the factors that really matter to them, and make a more informed and personal choice than some of the people who comment on here. The student profile and qualifications are virtually identical at the two schools and W&M always ranks very highly for student happiness and satisfaction and for alumni giving (a good clue about how people who went there feel about the place). Good luck to your kid in making the decision. |
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W&M might as well be an all female school at this point. |
That was DD 2 years ago. Just without pressure from friends, more a feeling of general expectations. The admitted student days were very different and after 3 weeks of belly aching, she went with the choice that truly spoke more to her. No regrets on her part. As a shy introvert it took her a year to find her place and friends, but that is her. She is making connections slow and at her pace. She built a great relationship with a professor in who's lab she is working as a soph. She now has a lab job at the city where she is doing study abroad semester (Prof called her connections in that country). |