Anyone else surprised by a lack of interest in William & Mary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we were shopping for colleges we visited W&M and were very underwhelmed by the opportunities being offered. Their big promotion was that a student could get involved with Williamsburg doing tourist related stuff. UVA’s emphasis was on internships available in DC which is still 2 hours away.

A lot of students these days want proximity to internships and experiences that are nearby. UVA had a feeling of history to it. W&M felt detached from the modern world.

But UVA students do those during the summer or take a term off to do them. However, there is a great train service that runs back and forth to D.C. should you need it for D.C. connects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we were shopping for colleges we visited W&M and were very underwhelmed by the opportunities being offered. Their big promotion was that a student could get involved with Williamsburg doing tourist related stuff. UVA’s emphasis was on internships available in DC which is still 2 hours away.

A lot of students these days want proximity to internships and experiences that are nearby. UVA had a feeling of history to it. W&M felt detached from the modern world.

But UVA students do those during the summer or take a term off to do them. However, there is a great train service that runs back and forth to D.C. should you need it for D.C. connects.

what great train service?

[Anonymous]

W and M costs a LOT more than the other in state options. Might as well go to any number of private schools giving some aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W&M seems to have so much going for it--well regarded academically, smaller, historic, located in quaint town, and cost-effective if in-state VA. But my in-state DC (with stats to get in) has no interest, and none of their friends do either. They consider it high pressure, low fun. They have heard that it's cutthroat among students. They find the campus old and dated.

DC is applying to Wake Forest, Davidson, and W&L, among a few others. It seems to me that W&M should be right in that mix.

Does W&M have a branding problem? Or is there some truth to the perceptions? I'm pretty much going to insist that DC apply there, to have an in-state LAC option.

I am going to echo what several other posters have said. My DS HAS NOT found his classmates to be cutthroat. If anything, he thinks they are very encouraging, as are the professors. He gets together with different classmates for study groups. He says the professors are all very approachable and more than willing to help students.

My DS did not initially want to go to W&M because of the nerdy reputation, but he was looking for a smaller school and he felt UVA was too much of a frat scene. Ironically, he's joined a fraternity at W&M. Yes, there is underage drinking but it sounds like it is fairly tame (at least compared to the stories I hear from other parents.)

His one complaint is the lack of a really competitive football and basketball team. They have a relatively new athletic director and I think her focus is to elevate the money making sports. Both teams have brand new coaches this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heard grading is hard from several folks. We are looking at it for DS only because not many comparable options. Good academics and cost is right but honestly not a top choice. DS wants to go to grad school so grading makes a difference. Also, if you want to transfer out, hard to do with lower grades.

Average GPA at William & Mary was 3.33 in 2014. At UVA it was 3.32 in 2013. No difference for those. Ivy League and top privates tend to have the highest average GPAs, but you have to be admitted.

http://www.gradeinflation.com/Virginia.html
http://www.gradeinflation.com/Williamandmary.html

[Anonymous]

This was 20 years ago but I had zero interest in it either even though I had the stats for it. I did not want to go to school
In colonial Williamsburg!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W&M seems to have so much going for it--well regarded academically, smaller, historic, located in quaint town, and cost-effective if in-state VA. But my in-state DC (with stats to get in) has no interest, and none of their friends do either. They consider it high pressure, low fun. They have heard that it's cutthroat among students. They find the campus old and dated.

DC is applying to Wake Forest, Davidson, and W&L, among a few others. It seems to me that W&M should be right in that mix.

Does W&M have a branding problem? Or is there some truth to the perceptions? I'm pretty much going to insist that DC apply there, to have an in-state LAC option.

Princeton review rates William and Mary 6th for "happiest students", 6th for "students love their colleges", 12th for "best quality of life", 9th for "best career services", and #6 for "best schools for internships". Princeton review is based on surveys.

[Anonymous]

Our oldest (sophomore) has already ruled out W&M and UVA. She's an honors student, and could be on track for both. She thinks W&M is a pressure cooker and UVA is too snobby. She's going with Virginia Tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we were shopping for colleges we visited W&M and were very underwhelmed by the opportunities being offered. Their big promotion was that a student could get involved with Williamsburg doing tourist related stuff. UVA’s emphasis was on internships available in DC which is still 2 hours away.

A lot of students these days want proximity to internships and experiences that are nearby. UVA had a feeling of history to it. W&M felt detached from the modern world.

But UVA students do those during the summer or take a term off to do them. However, there is a great train service that runs back and forth to D.C. should you need it for D.C. connects.

what great train service?

There is Amtrak from both Charlottesville and Williamsburg to DC. Not sure either is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest (sophomore) has already ruled out W&M and UVA. She's an honors student, and could be on track for both. She thinks W&M is a pressure cooker and UVA is too snobby. She's going with Virginia Tech.

I think she should try to look past stereotypes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had three kids (all girls) apply to William & Mary at my insistence. None went. Two ended up at UVA, and the other went to a SLAC that offered lots of merit aid.

My oldest joked: "What do they do there on weekends? Make candles?"

I'm now seeing that only 1/3 of admitted in state applicants end up choosing William & Mary, whereas at UVA well over half end up going. Clearly UVA is the more popular choice.

UVA is much larger. In one sense it has to be the more popular choice. They have nearly 3X as many spots to fill.

[Anonymous]

My kids cites lack of diversity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we were shopping for colleges we visited W&M and were very underwhelmed by the opportunities being offered. Their big promotion was that a student could get involved with Williamsburg doing tourist related stuff. UVA’s emphasis was on internships available in DC which is still 2 hours away.

A lot of students these days want proximity to internships and experiences that are nearby. UVA had a feeling of history to it. W&M felt detached from the modern world.

But UVA students do those during the summer or take a term off to do them. However, there is a great train service that runs back and forth to D.C. should you need it for D.C. connects.

what great train service?

Amtrak. It runs twice in the morning from Charlottesville to D.C. and once every afternoon. Less on weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest (sophomore) has already ruled out W&M and UVA. She's an honors student, and could be on track for both. She thinks W&M is a pressure cooker and UVA is too snobby. She's going with Virginia Tech.

I think she should try to look past stereotypes.

+1. Agreed. Colleges are much more than their stereotypes. VT has its own unfavorable stereotypes. She's allowed to go where she wants, though!

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know why the tuition at W&M is so much higher than other state schools?