W&M or full-ride at JMU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

It won’t. “WM promise” guarantees your freshman year tuition is locked in for 10 semester. Even if tuition rises for the next academic class, your kid keeps paying the same tuition they did freshman year.

[Anonymous]

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

I agree. Sounds like student prefers and it’s not that much more.

[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.

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.

I think you really don't know anything about JMU.

[Anonymous]

That is not that much debt. I would do W&M or f your kid liked it more. I wouldn't take on crazy loans for a private university, but this seems more reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

I agree. Sounds like student prefers and it’s not that much more.

DP. Where are you getting this? No preference was expressed in the OP.

[Anonymous]

Go back and visit both schools and see if one stands out.

[Anonymous]

No loans, full ride. Save your money for grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd go with the free ride to JMU and I say that as a W&M grad. Get a higher GPA with less stress and use the money you save for grad school.

+1

- another W&M grad

[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.

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.

I think you really don't know anything about JMU.

No they make a good point. JMU's Computer Science program does not require Calc 2 and Linear Algebra. Almost no other college does not require these two classes for a CS degree. Linear Algebra is fundamental for machine learning. That's a huge red flag to me.

[Anonymous]

If your kid likes both, I'd go with JMU and I say that as a parent of a W&M student. W&M has incredible upsides (great teaching, pretty campus) but also some serious downsides (overpriced, bad food, crappy dorms, boring town).

That said, if your kid REALLY prefers W&M and you can afford it, let them go. It is the kind of school that kids need to choose because it is tough academically and can be tough socially. But those that are drawn to it seem to really love it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My child decided to accept the scholarship from JMU. Thank you to everyone for your feedback!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

I think you really don't know anything about JMU.

No they make a good point. JMU's Computer Science program does not require Calc 2 and Linear Algebra. Almost no other college does not require these two classes for a CS degree. Linear Algebra is fundamental for machine learning. That's a huge red flag to me.

Which would be something to investigate for a CS major but not at all relevant for a Business/Spanish major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My child decided to accept the scholarship from JMU. Thank you to everyone for your feedback!

Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My child decided to accept the scholarship from JMU. Thank you to everyone for your feedback!

Congrats and whishing your kid all the best!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

I think you really don't know anything about JMU.

No they make a good point. JMU's Computer Science program does not require Calc 2 and Linear Algebra. Almost no other college does not require these two classes for a CS degree. Linear Algebra is fundamental for machine learning. That's a huge red flag to me.

Which would be something to investigate for a CS major but not at all relevant for a Business/Spanish major.

Was more making the point that it seems like some of their programs seem to reduce rigor at the cost of missing essential topics. I don't know enough about the typical business curriculum to make a statement on that.