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

[Anonymous]

Any thoughts/comments/recent experiences? How did the Spring admission ventures turn our for people with these two schools in particular? We're interested in both in large part because they're so very different from each other.

Thanks in advance -

[Anonymous]

We visited MWU and were pleasantly surprised at how nice it was-- very friendly people and a beautiful campus. It reminded us of New England.

[Anonymous]

You really just need to visit both. UMW is often listed on the "up and coming" or "public LAC" but my kids wouldn't apply b/c it was just too small and remote. The both like VCU much better b/c of its urban location, size and NCAA-Cinderella basketball team.

[Anonymous]

Mary Wash alum here. My coworker took her daughter on a visit there this spring and they loved it. They really liked the campus and thought the info session, tour, etc were very good. She came back very impressed.

[Anonymous]

DH told DD he'd buy her a car if she goes to UMW. So, she'll be doing the tour soon.

[Anonymous]

I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys. Not sure the fact that it is named after a child bride helps. JMU used to be all-female, too, but it's seen as fully co-ed.

[Anonymous]

I took DS to look at VCU in April. He loved the campus and it's a great fit for him. He's applying early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys. Not sure the fact that it is named after a child bride helps. JMU used to be all-female, too, but it's seen as fully co-ed.

Both schools have similar women:men ratio (more than 60% women). Agree that UMW should have changed it name to something not female, but I think the sell is that JMU is the party hard school and UMW is the public small LAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys. Not sure the fact that it is named after a child bride helps. JMU used to be all-female, too, but it's seen as fully co-ed.

Both schools have similar women:men ratio (more than 60% women). Agree that UMW should have changed it name to something not female, but I think the sell is that JMU is the party hard school and UMW is the public small LAC.

I don't disagree with you about the name, but it's just so sad that our culture still regards female-associated organizations, institutions, etc. as inferior or embarassing. Maybe one day men and, women for that matter, will be able to look beyond gender. I'm not holding my breath though. That being said, a girl from my daughter's private - definitely top 10% of the class of 2010 - attends UMW and loves it. The price and the place is a great fit for her family finances and her educational needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys. Not sure the fact that it is named after a child bride helps. JMU used to be all-female, too, but it's seen as fully co-ed.

Both schools have similar women:men ratio (more than 60% women). Agree that UMW should have changed it name to something not female, but I think the sell is that JMU is the party hard school and UMW is the public small LAC.

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.

[Anonymous]

I went to UMW when it was MWC in the early 2000s. Let me tell you: boys had it GOOD then, and I suspect they do now.
Overall the vibe was a bit more academic, less fratty (no greek life), and small-feeling. You won't get as much name-recognition after you graduate, but you will develop close relationships with professors and a strong sense of community if you want to.

[Anonymous]

I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys.

Sounds like the gender ratio would be a dream for boys interested in dating girls!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys.

Sounds like the gender ratio would be a dream for boys interested in dating girls!

But the party-loving' high ratio girls are at JMU.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think UMW is still a very hard sell for most boys. Not sure the fact that it is named after a child bride helps. JMU used to be all-female, too, but it's seen as fully co-ed.

Both schools have similar women:men ratio (more than 60% women). Agree that UMW should have changed it name to something not female, but I think the sell is that JMU is the party hard school and UMW is the public small LAC.

While I agree with you that the name might contribute to the gender imbalance, I'm not sure I'd want my kid attending with classmates sexist enough to care. Seems as though UMW might be screening out some undesirables.

It's sad that no woman blinks at a name like George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, but apparently Mary is problematic.