struggling with decision. Any kind advise is appreciated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not sure if it is true, but I was told that this year all freshman's dorms are going to have ACs. I also feel there is a ton of school spirit there.

Not quite all freshman dorms, more like half or 1000 vs 700. Honestly, I think weather is quite bearable between October and April without an AC, so that only leaves 3-4 month. https://www.wm.edu/offices/residencelife/oncampus/residencehalls/freshman/documents/freshmenhalls.pdf

Though my understand is, all of the upper classmen dorms do have AC

Now if it comes to food, wouldn't UVA be deserted too?? Obviously does not deter many students either. There are other options within a quick 5 min biking distance. Honestly can it be worse than the lunch food at many public HS??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The more serious students go to William & Mary.

Another reason to choose College Park.

[Anonymous]

First big decision of his life. He will want to prove he made a good decision - he will work hard to prove this. This is so much more important than one school vs another.

He's got to own this decision. He agonizes, he self reflects. That's good. That is what you want. It's all on him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is struggling between University of Maryland and William & Mary.

Major = economics
Straight A student in high school
accepted in Scholars at Umd and James Madison scholars at W&M

Worried that there is little school spirit at W&M and there will be little to do other than studying with the high academic rigor often spoke about at W&M.

First impression of UMD was that it was "so big....I'm going to get lost"....but has school spirit. He knows that he will find his way if he went there.

University of Md is our state school but was given some aid to attend W&M.

He needs to make the decision but is struggling. First of many struggles in life, I know. I would love to hear from any parents or students in the same situation. He will make the best of either situation, I"m sure. As his parent, I see him feeling "stuck". Not sure what else we can offer to help him make the decision.

Your kid won't get lost at UMD. While its campus is physically large, it won't matter. He will have classes with same kids over the 4 years.

Not to hijack the thread but can you explain this? Is it just because OP’s kid is in honors? What about kids who aren’t? I went to a school half as big as Maryland and only had the same classmates in a couple of my major classes.

No, not scholars/honors or anything like that (my three kids were in honors for full disclosure). It's just that kids with same majors have to take same classes (different times maybe) over the years. They will see the same kids. Upper classes are not as big either (classroom size). OP's kid may have a couple of classes in large lecture halls but I doubt that many.

I loved Maryland, but the large classes (psych major) were not the best place to meet people. Most of my friends came from things I got involved in outside of class. There are many ways to make a big university feel smaller by finding your niche in clubs, intramurals, honors dorms (I lived in the language house), etc.

[Anonymous]

We live in MD and my son had the same final 2 schools. he is business major. He got significant merit aid from UMD and no aid from William and Mary. We offered him a brand new car to go to UMD and he choose the car and UMD. He loves school and is living his best life. Go Terps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is struggling between University of Maryland and William & Mary.

Major = economics
Straight A student in high school
accepted in Scholars at Umd and James Madison scholars at W&M

Worried that there is little school spirit at W&M and there will be little to do other than studying with the high academic rigor often spoke about at W&M.

First impression of UMD was that it was "so big....I'm going to get lost"....but has school spirit. He knows that he will find his way if he went there.

University of Md is our state school but was given some aid to attend W&M.

He needs to make the decision but is struggling. First of many struggles in life, I know. I would love to hear from any parents or students in the same situation. He will make the best of either situation, I"m sure. As his parent, I see him feeling "stuck". Not sure what else we can offer to help him make the decision.

Your kid won't get lost at UMD. While its campus is physically large, it won't matter. He will have classes with same kids over the 4 years.

Not to hijack the thread but can you explain this? Is it just because OP’s kid is in honors? What about kids who aren’t? I went to a school half as big as Maryland and only had the same classmates in a couple of my major classes.

No, not scholars/honors or anything like that (my three kids were in honors for full disclosure). It's just that kids with same majors have to take same classes (different times maybe) over the years. They will see the same kids. Upper classes are not as big either (classroom size). OP's kid may have a couple of classes in large lecture halls but I doubt that many.

New poster - our DS got UMD Scholars (in state) but waitlisted at W&M. Sounds like yours got money from W&M and yet regular admit to UMD. Strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is struggling between University of Maryland and William & Mary.

Major = economics
Straight A student in high school
accepted in Scholars at Umd and James Madison scholars at W&M

Worried that there is little school spirit at W&M and there will be little to do other than studying with the high academic rigor often spoke about at W&M.

First impression of UMD was that it was "so big....I'm going to get lost"....but has school spirit. He knows that he will find his way if he went there.

University of Md is our state school but was given some aid to attend W&M.

He needs to make the decision but is struggling. First of many struggles in life, I know. I would love to hear from any parents or students in the same situation. He will make the best of either situation, I"m sure. As his parent, I see him feeling "stuck". Not sure what else we can offer to help him make the decision.

I don't actually think this is the case.

W&M is on the Princeton Review's list of most loved colleges.

[Anonymous]

Is it Monroe or Madison scholar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it Monroe or Madison scholar?

Monroe scholarship. You can find them all here https://www.wm.edu/admission/financialaid/types/scholarships/

[Anonymous]

W&M may not be a big sports college but there is definitely a lot of school spirit, affectionately known as “Tribe Pride.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it Monroe or Madison scholar?

My apologies! James Monroe Scholar...not Madison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is struggling between University of Maryland and William & Mary.

Major = economics
Straight A student in high school
accepted in Scholars at Umd and James Madison scholars at W&M

Worried that there is little school spirit at W&M and there will be little to do other than studying with the high academic rigor often spoke about at W&M.

First impression of UMD was that it was "so big....I'm going to get lost"....but has school spirit. He knows that he will find his way if he went there.

University of Md is our state school but was given some aid to attend W&M.

He needs to make the decision but is struggling. First of many struggles in life, I know. I would love to hear from any parents or students in the same situation. He will make the best of either situation, I"m sure. As his parent, I see him feeling "stuck". Not sure what else we can offer to help him make the decision.

Your kid won't get lost at UMD. While its campus is physically large, it won't matter. He will have classes with same kids over the 4 years.

Not to hijack the thread but can you explain this? Is it just because OP’s kid is in honors? What about kids who aren’t? I went to a school half as big as Maryland and only had the same classmates in a couple of my major classes.

No, not scholars/honors or anything like that (my three kids were in honors for full disclosure). It's just that kids with same majors have to take same classes (different times maybe) over the years. They will see the same kids. Upper classes are not as big either (classroom size). OP's kid may have a couple of classes in large lecture halls but I doubt that many.

New poster - our DS got UMD Scholars (in state) but waitlisted at W&M. Sounds like yours got money from W&M and yet regular admit to UMD. Strange.

Curious....Why is this "strange"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is struggling between University of Maryland and William & Mary.

Major = economics
Straight A student in high school
accepted in Scholars at Umd and James Madison scholars at W&M

Worried that there is little school spirit at W&M and there will be little to do other than studying with the high academic rigor often spoke about at W&M.

First impression of UMD was that it was "so big....I'm going to get lost"....but has school spirit. He knows that he will find his way if he went there.

University of Md is our state school but was given some aid to attend W&M.

He needs to make the decision but is struggling. First of many struggles in life, I know. I would love to hear from any parents or students in the same situation. He will make the best of either situation, I"m sure. As his parent, I see him feeling "stuck". Not sure what else we can offer to help him make the decision.

Your kid won't get lost at UMD. While its campus is physically large, it won't matter. He will have classes with same kids over the 4 years.

Not to hijack the thread but can you explain this? Is it just because OP’s kid is in honors? What about kids who aren’t? I went to a school half as big as Maryland and only had the same classmates in a couple of my major classes.

No, not scholars/honors or anything like that (my three kids were in honors for full disclosure). It's just that kids with same majors have to take same classes (different times maybe) over the years. They will see the same kids. Upper classes are not as big either (classroom size). OP's kid may have a couple of classes in large lecture halls but I doubt that many.

New poster - our DS got UMD Scholars (in state) but waitlisted at W&M. Sounds like yours got money from W&M and yet regular admit to UMD. Strange.

PP you were responding to. Maybe you got posters mixed up. My 3 kids got UMD Honors. I was just pointing out that even at a large school like UMD, OP's kid will not get lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W&M may not be a big sports college but there is definitely a lot of school spirit, affectionately known as “Tribe Pride.”

Tribe Pride is the marketing terminology the school pushes, but it's not exactly used by the school population.

Moreso than school pride, there is school hate.

Disgruntled students have a very commonly used derogatory name for their own classmates - TWAMP, or Typical William and Mary Person.

It is very weird, because large public universities do have students complaining about the administration, dorms or having trouble registering for classes and what not. But they don't have hate towards their fellow students - moreso just apathy. And they almost always tend to universally love the school itself.

But W&M students seem to hate the student population and the school itself. It's like the disgruntled students were forced to go there due to it being in-state or because it's the highest ranked school they got into. And a very large proportion of the population is disgruntled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:W&M may not be a big sports college but there is definitely a lot of school spirit, affectionately known as “Tribe Pride.”

Tribe Pride is the marketing terminology the school pushes, but it's not exactly used by the school population.

Moreso than school pride, there is school hate.

Disgruntled students have a very commonly used derogatory name for their own classmates - TWAMP, or Typical William and Mary Person.

It is very weird, because large public universities do have students complaining about the administration, dorms or having trouble registering for classes and what not. But they don't have hate towards their fellow students - moreso just apathy. And they almost always tend to universally love the school itself.

But W&M students seem to hate the student population and the school itself. It's like the disgruntled students were forced to go there due to it being in-state or because it's the highest ranked school they got into. And a very large proportion of the population is disgruntled.

TWAMP is a loving self-effacing term not a disgruntled term. You are way misguided. W&M is consistently among the highest donation rate among public schools in the country because alumni love their school enough to donate to it. Surveys consistently show students are happiest with their college. It's comical how off you are about this.