VA public schools - suggestions on what to do/see when visiting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

VCU: By far the most interesting campus environs in the state. Richmond is wonderful. Go to coffee at Lift on Broad Street. Get dinner at Tarrant's on Broad or Heritage on Main, each about 5-6 short blocks from Cabell library (in opposite directions). Get after dinner ice cream at Charm School, also on Broad, diagonally across from Lift. Stay at (or at least visit) the Jefferson Hotel - incredible property. Wander around the Fan on the principal streets. It is just beautiful; what a really artsy and sophisticated place to spend four years. NYC without the hassle and cost.

You've got to be kidding, PP.

Poorly ranked school in a third rate city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - if your child's profile fits, add on Va Tech. Although my DS ended up not applying, we were really impressed on the tour.

+1
We loved the campus and the town of Blacksburg.

Said no one ever..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thank you ALL! I've consolidated a list for those who may read this in the future. Please feel free to add more suggestions as I am keeping a list and will try to visit as many of these places as possible! Would especially like some more suggestions for UMW.

CNU
*The Lab by Alchemy (coffee)
*park/marine sanctuary - directly beside CNU (turn left instead of going straight at the CNU main entrance -- follow the signs to the Mariners' Museum) is a wonderful It's the Riverside neighborhood and it's a lovely drive (and walk, if the weather is nice) along Lake Maury and the James River.
*Victory Arch (WWII memorial) and the attached park along the water
*Midtown Eats -2 miles from CNU on J Clyde Morris Blvd

W&M
*Historic Williamsburg
*Cheese Shop
*The Trellis
*Aroma coffeehouse (2 votes)
*Fat Canary (fine dining, need reservation)(2 votes)
*Food for Thought (casual)
*Lake Matoaka amphitheater (on campus)
*Pierce’s BBQ Pit

UMW
*Bavarian Chef - German food in the historic downtown area (in the old train station)
*Mercantile

VCU
*Museum of fine arts
*Lift on Broad Street (coffee)
*Tarrant's on Broad
*Heritage on Main
*Charm School (ice cream) on Broad, diagonally across from Lift.
*Jefferson Hotel - incredible property (stay or visit)
*The Fan district - on the principal streets. It is just beautiful; what a really artsy and sophisticated place to spend four years. NYC without the hassle and cost.

For William and Mary, I’d add a visit to the school’s art museum—Muscarelle Museum of Art.

[Anonymous]

UMW: Foode is in a restored bank building, which is really cool. Benny's Pizza has delicious NY style slices if you're looking for a quick bite downtown. Neat artsy shops all around. Kenmore Plantation if your family is into history; it's a few blocks from campus.

W&M: The Cheese Shop line was out the door every time we checked during our weekend visit! I wish we'd been able to go. I don't remember where we ultimately ate; we were just very hungry at that point. Lots of other interesting options. And of course spend time in the colonial area.

CNU: I wish we'd spent more time in the commercial area. The approach we took to the campus didn't give us a real taste of the area. I appreciate the suggestions for NN given in this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - if your child's profile fits, add on Va Tech. Although my DS ended up not applying, we were really impressed on the tour.

+1
We loved the campus and the town of Blacksburg.

Said no one ever..

Be gone, troll. Plenty of people like Blacksburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - if your child's profile fits, add on Va Tech. Although my DS ended up not applying, we were really impressed on the tour.

+1
We loved the campus and the town of Blacksburg.

Said no one ever..

Be gone, troll. Plenty of people like Blacksburg.

Why?

[Anonymous]

One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

All things being equal, a VA applicant should choose UVA or W&M. The all things been no equal part is where individual preferences — reasonable ones only — factor in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

All things being equal, a VA applicant should choose UVA or W&M. The all things been no equal part is where individual preferences — reasonable ones only — factor in.

Others would disagree with you and suggest individual preferences (without your "reasonableness standard") are primary.

In other words, it is all about fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - if your child's profile fits, add on Va Tech. Although my DS ended up not applying, we were really impressed on the tour.

+1
We loved the campus and the town of Blacksburg.

Said no one ever..

Be gone, troll. Plenty of people like Blacksburg.

Why?

Because it's a cute college town. Clearly you've never been there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

All things being equal, a VA applicant should choose UVA or W&M. The all things been no equal part is where individual preferences — reasonable ones only — factor in.

This is hilarious. I'd hate to be your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

All things being equal, a VA applicant should choose UVA or W&M. The all things been no equal part is where individual preferences — reasonable ones only — factor in.

Others would disagree with you and suggest individual preferences (without your "reasonableness standard") are primary.

In other words, it is all about fit.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of your schools—William and Mary—is far superior to the others on your list.

But if a student doesn't like the school and would not want to attend, then the "far superior" ranking given by you doesn't matter at all.

Seriously. It's scary that this even has to be explained to the PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

VCU: By far the most interesting campus environs in the state. Richmond is wonderful. Go to coffee at Lift on Broad Street. Get dinner at Tarrant's on Broad or Heritage on Main, each about 5-6 short blocks from Cabell library (in opposite directions). Get after dinner ice cream at Charm School, also on Broad, diagonally across from Lift. Stay at (or at least visit) the Jefferson Hotel - incredible property. Wander around the Fan on the principal streets. It is just beautiful; what a really artsy and sophisticated place to spend four years. NYC without the hassle and cost.

You've got to be kidding, PP.

Poorly ranked school in a third rate city.

PP, then you haven't been there in years. RVA is beautiful, the Fan is a perfect city-college setting, and VCU is in the global 200 according to ARWU and in the top research 100 according to Carnegie. VCU can't build dorms fast enough, because applications, enrollment, and yield go up every year. The place is spectacular. (And no, I didn't go there; actually Ivy, and VCU is one of the only universities I've seen in years that manifests the excitement that I saw at my undergrad when I got there).