The Other Virginia Colleges: VCU, ODU, GMU, CNU, UMW . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:URM Female with high stats wants to go to GMU for CS. Everyone, including her teachers, discourages her. They tell her she is better suited for UVA and VT (we have to stay in-state) but she has no desire due to their low diversity. Not everyone looking at GMU is a poor student. People select schools for several reasons. Her stats put her in the top percent of admitted students but she really liked GMU. She doesn't view the quiet weekend feel as a drawback. She loves the program, internship opportunities and diversity.

How about VCU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:URM Female with high stats wants to go to GMU for CS. Everyone, including her teachers, discourages her. They tell her she is better suited for UVA and VT (we have to stay in-state) but she has no desire due to their low diversity. Not everyone looking at GMU is a poor student. People select schools for several reasons. Her stats put her in the top percent of admitted students but she really liked GMU. She doesn't view the quiet weekend feel as a drawback. She loves the program, internship opportunities and diversity.

How about VCU?

Not the above poster but I would think GMU would be stronger in CS than VCU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:URM Female with high stats wants to go to GMU for CS. Everyone, including her teachers, discourages her. They tell her she is better suited for UVA and VT (we have to stay in-state) but she has no desire due to their low diversity. Not everyone looking at GMU is a poor student. People select schools for several reasons. Her stats put her in the top percent of admitted students but she really liked GMU. She doesn't view the quiet weekend feel as a drawback. She loves the program, internship opportunities and diversity.

I don't believe you, sorry. No teacher is going to "discourage" a student from going to GMU.

+1. Not unless they are very old. GMU has become a powerhouse R1 tease arch university’s in the commonwealth and the most diverse. Besides, it has become impossible to get. Into UVA or W&M unless hooked.

[Anonymous]

I live in Richmond, and VCU has long been known as a good art school. The university itself has pretty much taken over that area of downtown and really improved it. I wouldn’t really want to send my kid there because it’s 20 minutes from where we both grew up, but if you’re looking for an urban school and want to stay in VA, VCU will give you that.

My husband went to Tech for part of college, and I used to visit. I’m sure it must have changed somewhat, but at the time it was really in the middle of nowhere and was very reliant on Greek life and sports for a social scene. We both hated it there. My husband transferred—to VCU actually. He’s pretty successful now, so in the end it probably doesn’t matter that much where you go to college. There’s also always grad school. We have a prepaid plan and 529 plan. Financially, it would be best if our kid did in state for either undergraduate or graduate. But I admit a lot of VA schools don’t seem very exciting. Even W&M, yes…is a good school…is in Williamsburg. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Many schools rely on Greek life and sports for social scene-not just a VA schools problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VT is my personal favorite. Best combination of academics and college experience, but obviously better if your child leans more towards the math and sciences.

That aside, my two cents:

VCU - decent school. good marketing program. urban campus in a fun part of Richmond. basketball program has been really good, so maybe people outside of Virginia have heard of it, but still not going to look good on your resume if you end up outside of Virginia.

ODU - exact same thing as above, but replace a "fun part of Richmond" with "near a shitty part of Norfolk".

GMU - much better academics than VCU or ODC, but lame commuter school with no college experience.

CNU - never heard of it.

UMW - surprisingly good school, but nobody knows that so what good does it do? i.e., I was interviewing a MW kid and everyone assumed he was an idiot because of his undergrad choice.

VCU is one of the best Art schools in the US.

[Anonymous]

Imagine being dumb enough to pay $80k for four years of art school, lmao.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine being dumb enough to pay $80k for four years of art school, lmao.

ANY school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine being dumb enough to pay $80k for four years of art school, lmao.

Compared to cost of RISD, Pratt, SCAD, etc., $80K sounds like a bargain. Don’t worry, kids who choose these programs generally have a vast safety net in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine being dumb enough to pay $80k for four years of art school, lmao.

Compared to cost of RISD, Pratt, SCAD, etc., $80K sounds like a bargain. Don’t worry, kids who choose these programs generally have a vast safety net in place.

Art majors are quite employable--anyone notice how much of our daily experience is visual? Visual arts and design is a HUGE industry and yet people are still picturing artists as a cartoon in their head where people are holding paint palettes and wearing berets. Even those who major in more traditional fine arts often pivot to design or teaching depending on their preference.

[Anonymous]

I chose UMW because I wanted to be taught by full professors, not TA’s. Many locals dismiss it due to its location in Fredericksburg (ie. too close to Mom & Dad) but it’s a great school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I chose UMW because I wanted to be taught by full professors, not TA’s. Many locals dismiss it due to its location in Fredericksburg (ie. too close to Mom & Dad) but it’s a great school.

My DD is heading there next week. We were very impressed with it despite my expectations that I would be underwhelmed (having only attended large state-Univs). People put too much emphasis on rah-rah-football-big-U culture when they think about sending their kids to college. There is something to be said for professors actually knowing who you are!

[Anonymous]

do any schools only cost $80k? I mean tuition plus room and board, not being a commuter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I chose UMW because I wanted to be taught by full professors, not TA’s. Many locals dismiss it due to its location in Fredericksburg (ie. too close to Mom & Dad) but it’s a great school.

My DD is heading there next week. We were very impressed with it despite my expectations that I would be underwhelmed (having only attended large state-Univs). People put too much emphasis on rah-rah-football-big-U culture when they think about sending their kids to college. There is something to be said for professors actually knowing who you are!

My school had big sports plus a smaller environment...but it now costs $80k/year and my kids have no shot in hell of getting in

I honestly would happily send my teen to UMW, CNU or Longwood. They don't have the programs she is looking for, though. My little one is still in ES, so maybe she will be interested? We'll see

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VT is my personal favorite. Best combination of academics and college experience, but obviously better if your child leans more towards the math and sciences.

That aside, my two cents:

VCU - decent school. good marketing program. urban campus in a fun part of Richmond. basketball program has been really good, so maybe people outside of Virginia have heard of it, but still not going to look good on your resume if you end up outside of Virginia.

ODU - exact same thing as above, but replace a "fun part of Richmond" with "near a shitty part of Norfolk".

GMU - much better academics than VCU or ODC, but lame commuter school with no college experience.[i]

CNU - never heard of it.

UMW - surprisingly good school, but nobody knows that so what good does it do? i.e., I was interviewing a MW kid and everyone assumed he was an idiot because of his undergrad choice.

VCU is one of the best Art schools in the US.

You must be ancient . Carnegie designated GMU as a Tier 1 Research Institution snd Residential college decades ago. All freshmen must live on campus. You aren’t even aware of the five campuses or the. Cybersecurity major are you? Hottest major in the US. Also there’s Mason Korea. Computer Science, game design and engineering are also bog. GMU is also the most diverse institution of higher learning in Virginia so you sound pretty racist