Your experiences at Va. public universities...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are we talking about Oklahoma on a thread about VA publics???

Because OP mentioned needing merit and Oklahoma is an example of an OOS public that offers heavy academic merit

Va Tech, JMU, W&M, UVA, GMU, CNU, ODU, VCU, etc. It's looking like DC will have to stay in-state barring any huge merit packages from OOS publics or privates. Did you or your DC regret staying in-state or did they love it? Why? At places like GMU, JMU, etc. was it easy to get lost in the crowd?

Ok but that could have been one mention, not a derail of the entire thread.

+1
Let's move on from Oklahoma, for crying out loud!
DP

[Anonymous]

Man, come back a few days later and DCUM threads turn to trash.

[Anonymous]

DD is at JMU now and doing well. She doesn't mind seeing familiar faces, and was glad for one HS friend to be an anchor friend to branch out from. She joined a sorority and that helped her meet people.

I will encourage DS to also go in-state for financial reasons. However, what DD has told me about frats is troubling. He will need a way to make friends (not super extroverted), but she says hazing can be quite awful. When we visited for her I did not love CNU or MW. I am not sure he would get into W&M, but I do like the idea of somewhere smaller.

Overall, I'm thrilled to live in a state live VA with so many good public options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is at JMU now and doing well. She doesn't mind seeing familiar faces, and was glad for one HS friend to be an anchor friend to branch out from. She joined a sorority and that helped her meet people.

I will encourage DS to also go in-state for financial reasons. However, what DD has told me about frats is troubling. He will need a way to make friends (not super extroverted), but she says hazing can be quite awful. When we visited for her I did not love CNU or MW. I am not sure he would get into W&M, but I do like the idea of somewhere smaller.

Overall, I'm thrilled to live in a state live VA with so many good public options.

My sons went to JMU. Both are fairly introverted and neither joined a frat. They easily found their "people" through freshman dorms, classes, activities, etc. No need to go Greek to make friends, and only 15% of students join frats/sororities. (As a comparison, 25% are Greek at W&M.)

[Anonymous]

From JMUs page:

JMU boasts a vibrant and dynamic fraternity/sorority community, with over 4,000 students in 31 organizations, totaling 20% of the student population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From JMUs page:

JMU boasts a vibrant and dynamic fraternity/sorority community, with over 4,000 students in 31 organizations, totaling 20% of the student population.

DP. Still, a low number. You definitely don’t have to go Greek to make friends at JMU. My kids didn’t either and had a wonderful four years.

[Anonymous]

3 kids, graduated or about to graduate from 3 different Virginia in-state schools. Here’s what I’ve learned, contrary to common wisdom:
There are partiers at W&M.
There are non-elite kids at UVA.
There are quiet, studious kids at JMU.
And regardless of the school, your kid will sometimes complain about being lonely, being overworked and stressed, quality of the food, ability to get the classes they need, uncaring professors, housing issues, etc.

I think too many people focus on a school’s vibe or someone else’s experience in choosing their college. No school has a homogenous student body. Your kid will have their own unique experience based on their personality, interests, efforts, and luck.

My advice: pick the college that offers the program you want at a price you can afford, then bloom where you’re planted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA, W&M, VT all have around 60-66% in state percentage, JMU, GMU, ODU, UMW, etc. all have 75-100% in state percentage.

Troll, cite your source. I don't think any of these schools have 100% in-state percentage.

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/e19_report.asp

Radford: 91.8%
UMW: 89.7%
VCU: 91.0%
CNU: 94.4%

Would you rather I say 75-95?

DP. Weird that you chose different schools for your response, as opposed to the other three in your previous post.

NP:
JMU: 71%
GMU: 78%
ODU: 90%

But more critically, it’s not clear what magically happens between WM and Tech at 60% and JMU at 71% to somehow make JMU more high school-like.

Cost and popularity (campus, athletics, vibe).

DP. None of that makes one school “high school like” as opposed to the other school. As the PP points out, basically the same number of kids are in-state between VT, WM, UVA, JMU.

Just pointing out WM is significantly smaller than the other three schools. So in terms of “pure numbers” it does not have basically the same number of students as the other 3 and therefore many fewer kids from any individual HS. Each HS send multiples more kids to JMU and VT than WM. That said, WM is a smaller pool of students, so I’d agree you are more likely to see anyone you do know. My own kid went to a large NOVA public and didn’t know any of the other WM kids from her HS. She roomed with someone she met senior year through her EC from different HS. They talked and were on the same page about parties, neatness, noise etc. They were fine, but wanted different things in housing sophomore year and parted ways. But, she did run into a close friend from ES who had tracked to a different MS/HS from a split feeder and they had lost touch. She still meets her for lunch once a month or so as a senior.


Honestly, in state is what you make of it. You can choose to room with HS bestie and primarily hang with your HS friends in at least some cases. And then yes, it can look like 13th grade. Or, you can purposefully choose someone you don’t know or know very tangentially as a roommate, like DD did, and make an effort to meet new people. All these schools have enough kids from outside NOVA, be that ROVA or OOS, to find new friends. Like so many other things in college, it is what you make of it. Arguing over which schools offer “13th grade” is silly. Reality is if that’s what your kid wants and they won’t go outside there comfort zone, they can probably find 13th grade at most of these schools (depending on the specific kids attending and how many close friends also go). But, if they are willing to push themselves, all these schools are large and/or diverse enough for kids to reinvent themselves and never regularly interact with their HS crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two of my kids go to VT and are having the time of their lives. Interesting professors and classes, organizations related to their majors, chose not to go Greek because there are so many other activities offered, close-knit groups of good friends, internships, study abroad... really, everything they were looking for in a school. Plus, a lovely setting in the mountains.

Are they in a non-stem major by chance? Or in the liberal arts college? Seems like Tech has many STEM students, would love to hear insight of liberal arts majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA, W&M, VT all have around 60-66% in state percentage, JMU, GMU, ODU, UMW, etc. all have 75-100% in state percentage.

Troll, cite your source. I don't think any of these schools have 100% in-state percentage.

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/e19_report.asp

Radford: 91.8%
UMW: 89.7%
VCU: 91.0%
CNU: 94.4%

Would you rather I say 75-95?

DP. Weird that you chose different schools for your response, as opposed to the other three in your previous post.

NP:
JMU: 71%
GMU: 78%
ODU: 90%

But more critically, it’s not clear what magically happens between WM and Tech at 60% and JMU at 71% to somehow make JMU more high school-like.

Cost and popularity (campus, athletics, vibe).

DP. None of that makes one school “high school like” as opposed to the other school. As the PP points out, basically the same number of kids are in-state between VT, WM, UVA, JMU.

Just pointing out WM is significantly smaller than the other three schools. So in terms of “pure numbers” it does not have basically the same number of students as the other 3 and therefore many fewer kids from any individual HS. Each HS send multiples more kids to JMU and VT than WM. That said, WM is a smaller pool of students, so I’d agree you are more likely to see anyone you do know. My own kid went to a large NOVA public and didn’t know any of the other WM kids from her HS. She roomed with someone she met senior year through her EC from different HS. They talked and were on the same page about parties, neatness, noise etc. They were fine, but wanted different things in housing sophomore year and parted ways. But, she did run into a close friend from ES who had tracked to a different MS/HS from a split feeder and they had lost touch. She still meets her for lunch once a month or so as a senior.


Honestly, in state is what you make of it. You can choose to room with HS bestie and primarily hang with your HS friends in at least some cases. And then yes, it can look like 13th grade. Or, you can purposefully choose someone you don’t know or know very tangentially as a roommate, like DD did, and make an effort to meet new people. All these schools have enough kids from outside NOVA, be that ROVA or OOS, to find new friends. Like so many other things in college, it is what you make of it. Arguing over which schools offer “13th grade” is silly. Reality is if that’s what your kid wants and they won’t go outside there comfort zone, they can probably find 13th grade at most of these schools (depending on the specific kids attending and how many close friends also go). But, if they are willing to push themselves, all these schools are large and/or diverse enough for kids to reinvent themselves and never regularly interact with their HS crowd.

Well said!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA, W&M, VT all have around 60-66% in state percentage, JMU, GMU, ODU, UMW, etc. all have 75-100% in state percentage.

Troll, cite your source. I don't think any of these schools have 100% in-state percentage.

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/e19_report.asp

Radford: 91.8%
UMW: 89.7%
VCU: 91.0%
CNU: 94.4%

Would you rather I say 75-95?

DP. Weird that you chose different schools for your response, as opposed to the other three in your previous post.

NP:
JMU: 71%
GMU: 78%
ODU: 90%

But more critically, it’s not clear what magically happens between WM and Tech at 60% and JMU at 71% to somehow make JMU more high school-like.

Cost and popularity (campus, athletics, vibe).

DP. None of that makes one school “high school like” as opposed to the other school. As the PP points out, basically the same number of kids are in-state between VT, WM, UVA, JMU.

Just pointing out WM is significantly smaller than the other three schools. So in terms of “pure numbers” it does not have basically the same number of students as the other 3 and therefore many fewer kids from any individual HS. Each HS send multiples more kids to JMU and VT than WM. That said, WM is a smaller pool of students, so I’d agree you are more likely to see anyone you do know. My own kid went to a large NOVA public and didn’t know any of the other WM kids from her HS. She roomed with someone she met senior year through her EC from different HS. They talked and were on the same page about parties, neatness, noise etc. They were fine, but wanted different things in housing sophomore year and parted ways. But, she did run into a close friend from ES who had tracked to a different MS/HS from a split feeder and they had lost touch. She still meets her for lunch once a month or so as a senior.


Honestly, in state is what you make of it. You can choose to room with HS bestie and primarily hang with your HS friends in at least some cases. And then yes, it can look like 13th grade. Or, you can purposefully choose someone you don’t know or know very tangentially as a roommate, like DD did, and make an effort to meet new people. All these schools have enough kids from outside NOVA, be that ROVA or OOS, to find new friends. Like so many other things in college, it is what you make of it. Arguing over which schools offer “13th grade” is silly. Reality is if that’s what your kid wants and they won’t go outside there comfort zone, they can probably find 13th grade at most of these schools (depending on the specific kids attending and how many close friends also go). But, if they are willing to push themselves, all these schools are large and/or diverse enough for kids to reinvent themselves and never regularly interact with their HS crowd.

Well said!

+1, excellent post. But what is ROVA? I’m sure I’ll feel dumb but I haven’t seen that before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA, W&M, VT all have around 60-66% in state percentage, JMU, GMU, ODU, UMW, etc. all have 75-100% in state percentage.

Troll, cite your source. I don't think any of these schools have 100% in-state percentage.

https://research.schev.edu/enrollment/e19_report.asp

Radford: 91.8%
UMW: 89.7%
VCU: 91.0%
CNU: 94.4%

Would you rather I say 75-95?

DP. Weird that you chose different schools for your response, as opposed to the other three in your previous post.

NP:
JMU: 71%
GMU: 78%
ODU: 90%

But more critically, it’s not clear what magically happens between WM and Tech at 60% and JMU at 71% to somehow make JMU more high school-like.

Cost and popularity (campus, athletics, vibe).

DP. None of that makes one school “high school like” as opposed to the other school. As the PP points out, basically the same number of kids are in-state between VT, WM, UVA, JMU.

Just pointing out WM is significantly smaller than the other three schools. So in terms of “pure numbers” it does not have basically the same number of students as the other 3 and therefore many fewer kids from any individual HS. Each HS send multiples more kids to JMU and VT than WM. That said, WM is a smaller pool of students, so I’d agree you are more likely to see anyone you do know. My own kid went to a large NOVA public and didn’t know any of the other WM kids from her HS. She roomed with someone she met senior year through her EC from different HS. They talked and were on the same page about parties, neatness, noise etc. They were fine, but wanted different things in housing sophomore year and parted ways. But, she did run into a close friend from ES who had tracked to a different MS/HS from a split feeder and they had lost touch. She still meets her for lunch once a month or so as a senior.


Honestly, in state is what you make of it. You can choose to room with HS bestie and primarily hang with your HS friends in at least some cases. And then yes, it can look like 13th grade. Or, you can purposefully choose someone you don’t know or know very tangentially as a roommate, like DD did, and make an effort to meet new people. All these schools have enough kids from outside NOVA, be that ROVA or OOS, to find new friends. Like so many other things in college, it is what you make of it. Arguing over which schools offer “13th grade” is silly. Reality is if that’s what your kid wants and they won’t go outside there comfort zone, they can probably find 13th grade at most of these schools (depending on the specific kids attending and how many close friends also go). But, if they are willing to push themselves, all these schools are large and/or diverse enough for kids to reinvent themselves and never regularly interact with their HS crowd.

Well said!

+1, excellent post. But what is ROVA? I’m sure I’ll feel dumb but I haven’t seen that before.

NOVA= Northern VA
ROVa= Rest of VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, graduated or about to graduate from 3 different Virginia in-state schools. Here’s what I’ve learned, contrary to common wisdom:
There are partiers at W&M.
There are non-elite kids at UVA.
There are quiet, studious kids at JMU.
And regardless of the school, your kid will sometimes complain about being lonely, being overworked and stressed, quality of the food, ability to get the classes they need, uncaring professors, housing issues, etc.

I think too many people focus on a school’s vibe or someone else’s experience in choosing their college. No school has a homogenous student body. Your kid will have their own unique experience based on their personality, interests, efforts, and luck.

My advice: pick the college that offers the program you want at a price you can afford, then bloom where you’re planted.

This is great and usually there are enough programs at all that they have room to change their majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two of my kids go to VT and are having the time of their lives. Interesting professors and classes, organizations related to their majors, chose not to go Greek because there are so many other activities offered, close-knit groups of good friends, internships, study abroad... really, everything they were looking for in a school. Plus, a lovely setting in the mountains.

Are they in a non-stem major by chance? Or in the liberal arts college? Seems like Tech has many STEM students, would love to hear insight of liberal arts majors.

PP here. Yes, both are in liberal arts majors / non-stem. The humanities are excellent at VT! Highly recommend. I've been astounded by the breadth of opportunities offered.

[Anonymous]

I came from out of state to go to UVa. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice for VA kid to go there. It has an ivy vibe (it's snobby and elitist).