W&M or full-ride at JMU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

NP. I also have a kid at both schools. This is utterly untrue and I have to wonder if you’re trolling. This has not been their experience *at all* and they are majoring in International Affairs at JMU. Lots of internship opportunities and challenging classes. I can’t begin to think why you would make such broad generalizations about this great school.

OP, I would let your child pick the school s/he likes better, but a full scholarship at JMU would be very hard to turn down. My kid absolutely loves it there.

+100
The "13th grade" trope is always trotted out by people who are determined to disparage a school. JMU is very much a "real college" (to borrow the PP's idiotic phrasing), with all the expected traditions, academics, and student life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

You are coming across kind of snide and pejorative.

Not everyone thinks W&M is the bee's knees -- even kids who thought they LOVED it enough to go there. My friend's kid went there... knew by the end of the first semester that s/he wanted out. Transferred to a #234 ranked school in a place that s/he is MUCH happier, and very successful and sought after for paid employment (after 1st yr at #234).

Rankings aren't everything!

DP but yes, they kind of are in the long run. Having a "happy time" for 4 years is pretty worthless unless it is combined with academic rigor.

DP. There is plenty of rigor at JMU. Where are you getting this idea that you can't have rigor AND enjoy yourself at college?

[Anonymous]

Why is everyone so down on W&M and positive on JMU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

You are coming across kind of snide and pejorative.

Not everyone thinks W&M is the bee's knees -- even kids who thought they LOVED it enough to go there. My friend's kid went there... knew by the end of the first semester that s/he wanted out. Transferred to a #234 ranked school in a place that s/he is MUCH happier, and very successful and sought after for paid employment (after 1st yr at #234).

Rankings aren't everything!

Amen to that. We also know of kids who transferred out of W&M almost right away. It's not for everyone.

New poster. JMU is not for everyone either. I know of kids who wanted to transfer right away, out of JMU. Both you and I are advising OP based entirely on our own anecdotal evidence. OP, you and your student should weigh what field he or she wants to pursue and whether W&M or JMU has the better programs for that subject. Period. That's what matters. Then figure out if your student will be able to pay off $20,000 in student loans ($5k a year over four years if I read you right) relatively quickly, and not carry that burden for decades like people are doing right now.

There are subjects for which one college is better than the other and only your kid knows what he or she wants to pursue, and whether having that subject at JMU or W&M will be the better education, OP. It's not about rankings and ratings and lists, it's about the education the student gets. And JMU may be great or not, W&M may be great or not, but you need to look at the whole educational profile, not just the $$, despite DCUM's "full ride" fixation. I'll get flamed for that here, I know. Don't care.

[Anonymous]

JMU. Go with the no debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so down on W&M and positive on JMU?

This happens on threads occasionally. I think boosters of one college or another get hold of a thread and spend it bashing the Other College, whatever that may be. And now the JMU folks will come to bash me for daring to say that out loud. Shrug. I've got no horse in this race, I just know that every "X college versus Y college" thread ends up like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

You are coming across kind of snide and pejorative.

Not everyone thinks W&M is the bee's knees -- even kids who thought they LOVED it enough to go there. My friend's kid went there... knew by the end of the first semester that s/he wanted out. Transferred to a #234 ranked school in a place that s/he is MUCH happier, and very successful and sought after for paid employment (after 1st yr at #234).

Rankings aren't everything!

Amen to that. We also know of kids who transferred out of W&M almost right away. It's not for everyone.

New poster. JMU is not for everyone either. I know of kids who wanted to transfer right away, out of JMU. Both you and I are advising OP based entirely on our own anecdotal evidence. OP, you and your student should weigh what field he or she wants to pursue and whether W&M or JMU has the better programs for that subject. Period. That's what matters. Then figure out if your student will be able to pay off $20,000 in student loans ($5k a year over four years if I read you right) relatively quickly, and not carry that burden for decades like people are doing right now.

There are subjects for which one college is better than the other and only your kid knows what he or she wants to pursue, and whether having that subject at JMU or W&M will be the better education, OP. It's not about rankings and ratings and lists, it's about the education the student gets. And JMU may be great or not, W&M may be great or not, but you need to look at the whole educational profile, not just the $$, despite DCUM's "full ride" fixation. I'll get flamed for that here, I know. Don't care.

I think there’s value in having classmates who are high caliber, academically curious and driven. W&M would provide that more intellectual environment compared to JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

You are coming across kind of snide and pejorative.

Not everyone thinks W&M is the bee's knees -- even kids who thought they LOVED it enough to go there. My friend's kid went there... knew by the end of the first semester that s/he wanted out. Transferred to a #234 ranked school in a place that s/he is MUCH happier, and very successful and sought after for paid employment (after 1st yr at #234).

Rankings aren't everything!

Amen to that. We also know of kids who transferred out of W&M almost right away. It's not for everyone.

New poster. JMU is not for everyone either. I know of kids who wanted to transfer right away, out of JMU. Both you and I are advising OP based entirely on our own anecdotal evidence. OP, you and your student should weigh what field he or she wants to pursue and whether W&M or JMU has the better programs for that subject. Period. That's what matters. Then figure out if your student will be able to pay off $20,000 in student loans ($5k a year over four years if I read you right) relatively quickly, and not carry that burden for decades like people are doing right now.

There are subjects for which one college is better than the other and only your kid knows what he or she wants to pursue, and whether having that subject at JMU or W&M will be the better education, OP. It's not about rankings and ratings and lists, it's about the education the student gets. And JMU may be great or not, W&M may be great or not, but you need to look at the whole educational profile, not just the $$, despite DCUM's "full ride" fixation. I'll get flamed for that here, I know. Don't care.

I think there’s value in having classmates who are high caliber, academically curious and driven. W&M would provide that more intellectual environment compared to JMU.

DP. You have got to be kidding. JMU's students are also high caliber, academically curious, and driven. Are you the twit who called JMU "13th grade"? Regardless, it's obvious you have an agenda here. The PP is correct that the kid should go to the school s/he prefers, but your comment(s) are certainly making W&M look less and less appealing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so down on W&M and positive on JMU?

This happens on threads occasionally. I think boosters of one college or another get hold of a thread and spend it bashing the Other College, whatever that may be. And now the JMU folks will come to bash me for daring to say that out loud. Shrug. I've got no horse in this race, I just know that every "X college versus Y college" thread ends up like this.

I'm not going to bash you - you are correct. However, no one is bashing W&M. Quite the opposite, in fact. No doubt the usual troll(s).
DP

[Anonymous]

If only 10k difference per year, definitely W&M

[Anonymous]

Sounds like OP's kid will be treated as "special" at JMU, and run-of-the-mill at W&M.

That's something OP's kid should think about.

Personally...as someone who had to pay off $70k of loans for professional school...I think loan-free= FREEDOM.

Has your kid gone to accented student day at each?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had a kid at each of these schools, and there is no comparison in the level of education they receive. JMU is like 13th grade, while WM is a real college.

If your DC's career goal is to be a nurse or computer programmer or teacher, then go to JMU. But otherwise WM.

NP. I also have a kid at both schools. This is utterly untrue and I have to wonder if you’re trolling. This has not been their experience *at all* and they are majoring in International Affairs at JMU. Lots of internship opportunities and challenging classes. I can’t begin to think why you would make such broad generalizations about this great school.

OP, I would let your child pick the school s/he likes better, but a full scholarship at JMU would be very hard to turn down. My kid absolutely loves it there.

+100
The "13th grade" trope is always trotted out by people who are determined to disparage a school. JMU is very much a "real college" (to borrow the PP's idiotic phrasing), with all the expected traditions, academics, and student life.

I think this very much depends on Major.

[Anonymous]

I would think that the size of the school would be a factor in the decision and what they want to major in. If JMU has an excellent program in those studies of interest then I would go to visiting day at JMU and see what they feel afterward.

[Anonymous]

The cultures at the two schools are VERY different.

While I’d have a hard time turning down a full ride anywhere, I think a kid would have a pretty strong preference for one or the other, and I’d be loath to override that.

When all’s said and done, though, I think a graduate of either will end up just fine, as much as DCUM would hate to admit it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JMU. Go with the no debt.

+1

Because tuition and R&B will increase at both schools, but JMU it will still be free. At W&M, who knows what the FA packages will be in future years. So the $13K you need this year could be $20K by senior year.