Rank these VA public universities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top 3 schools in the state

UVA
W&M
Tech

The rest are like a consolation prize. Everyone gets a medal

This is the way we’re approaching it. UVA and W&M are tied at the top, with VA Tech third, but great for engineering/agriculture. All the rest are safety schools.

[Anonymous]

I am a scientist, and work with a lot of engineers.

For Engineering:
Hands Dirty: VT > UVA
Management: UVA > VT

Physical Science (Physics, Chem, Geology):
Tech>W &M > UVA

Life Sciences (Bio): UVA > Tech

Ocean Sciences: W & M>UVA> Tech

CS: Tech>GMU>UVA

Undecided techish:

W & M -- offers the most flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a scientist, and work with a lot of engineers.

For Engineering:
Hands Dirty: VT > UVA
Management: UVA > VT

Physical Science (Physics, Chem, Geology):
Tech>W &M > UVA

Life Sciences (Bio): UVA > Tech

Ocean Sciences: W & M>UVA> Tech

CS: Tech>GMU>UVA

Undecided techish:

W & M -- offers the most flexibility.

Disagree with GMU - it's a big up and comer in engineering - all types - reservoir, civil, etc. Also big in computer sciences, as you say, including serious game design. Economics department is also very strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a scientist, and work with a lot of engineers.

For Engineering:
Hands Dirty: VT > UVA
Management: UVA > VT

Physical Science (Physics, Chem, Geology):
Tech>W &M > UVA

Life Sciences (Bio): UVA > Tech

Ocean Sciences: W & M>UVA> Tech

CS: Tech>GMU>UVA

Undecided techish:

W & M -- offers the most flexibility.

Disagree with GMU - it's a big up and comer in engineering - all types - reservoir, civil, etc. Also big in computer sciences, as you say, including serious game design. Economics department is also very strong

So what are you disagreeing with? PP put VT over UVA for engineering. Are you saying that you think GMU is above VT or UVA in engineering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you rank them yourself based on what's important to YOUR KID as opposed to what a bunch of internet strangers think?

In answer to your question, I'm not from here, so I don't know much about the schools except from internet searches. I'm just trying to get a sense of things from people who are more familiar with the VA schools. My kid doesn't know what she wants to major in. She's not a math/science kid, but clearly a humanities/fine arts kid. She'll probably go "undecided" if that's allowed. She gets good grades in challenging courses - but not straight As, and as I understand it, UVA and W&M are very competitive, so those are probably out. Not sure how to rank the rest and trying to eliminate some so we can narrow the field. Trying to decide if a kid like that should bother looking at V-Tech, for instance.

If you are "not from here", why are you focusing on VA colleges?
Also, has your daughter taken standardized tests? This is an important aspect of college admissions and state schools pay close attention to test scores.

[Anonymous]

UVA, WM liberal arts and VT Engineering are the top tier. My kid will do better at a small school, and is looking at liberal arts. So he is applying to WM and has no interest in UVA. They are different schools, so it depends on the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help me rank these schools from most reputable to least. I'm not from VA, so I am still trying to get a feel for this. Here's my guess - tell me if this is about right:

UVA
W&M
CNU
JMU
VTech
GMU
VCU, UMW, ODU, Longwood, Radford (These all seem to me to be around the same level - is that accurate?)

Also, are UVA and VTech schools that you would mostly only consider if you were math/science oriented?

No way should CNU be that high up. In VA, the "Big Four" are UVA, W&M, VT, and JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top 3 schools in the state

UVA
W&M
Tech

The rest are like a consolation prize. Everyone gets a medal

Has JMU slipped? I've seen this posted before which I find surprising because back in the 90's when I graduated HS, JMU was on par with Tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help me rank these schools from most reputable to least. I'm not from VA, so I am still trying to get a feel for this. Here's my guess - tell me if this is about right:

UVA
W&M
CNU
JMU
VTech
GMU
VCU, UMW, ODU, Longwood, Radford (These all seem to me to be around the same level - is that accurate?)

Also, are UVA and VTech schools that you would mostly only consider if you were math/science oriented?

No way should CNU be that high up. In VA, the "Big Four" are UVA, W&M, VT, and JMU.

I agree. I think CNU is on par with ODU and Radford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top 3 schools in the state

UVA
W&M
Tech

The rest are like a consolation prize. Everyone gets a medal

Has JMU slipped? I've seen this posted before which I find surprising because back in the 90's when I graduated HS, JMU was on par with Tech.

And what about Mary Washington? In the late 80’s/early 90’s I would have put it ahead of JMU. I had good grades but didn’t get into William and Mary. I chose Mary Washington for it’s small size and emphasis on undergrad education. If it has declined, I think it’s due to the switch from a college to a university. I know that it’s trendy to be a University but some should remain colleges with a focus on undergrads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA tied w/W&M
JMU tied w/VT
VCU, GMU, CNU are only competitive to get in re: certain programs, and from a NoVa HS.
CNU attracts conservative students and CNU is actively protecting their yield to raise their ranking.
GMU can be a annoyingly unpredictable if coming from a NoVa HS.
UMW
ODU, Longwood, Radford
All schools have good programs for certain students. Depends on what the student wants
Obsessing over ranking these schools, IMO, suggests a negative re: the person asking the question
And re: all schools, it not just about getting in, it's also about getting out

This is so true. DD is at GMU. Lots of her friends and DS's friends (two years later) did not get into GMU. I'm wondering if it is yield protection. But we've been pleased with it. GMU is a great pick for engineering, science, economics and computer science. But admissions does seem to engage in yield protection because I can't understand some of the waitlisted or rejected students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Radford actually has excellent teaching and nursing programs.

Also, Communications and Speech Disorders/Speech Therapy department and degrees.

And an excellent Theatre Arts program.

Radford is always undervalued, under-appreciated and unfairly maligned.


- Radford University graduate, former tour guide and student ambassador.

[Anonymous]

Outside of Virginia, it's UVA, W&M and VTech, with VTech being a slight notch down except for engineering. The rest may be fine schools, but you are kidding yourself if you think they carry much prestige outside of the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help me rank these schools from most reputable to least. I'm not from VA, so I am still trying to get a feel for this. Here's my guess - tell me if this is about right:

UVA
W&M
CNU
JMU
VTech
GMU
VCU, UMW, ODU, Longwood, Radford (These all seem to me to be around the same level - is that accurate?)

Also, are UVA and VTech schools that you would mostly only consider if you were math/science oriented?

Yes for science/math but not engineering. Only Vtech for eng.

VT has a wonderful liberal arts program as well. It's not only engineering, math, and science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a scientist, and work with a lot of engineers.

For Engineering:
Hands Dirty: VT > UVA
Management: UVA > VT

Physical Science (Physics, Chem, Geology):
Tech>W &M > UVA

Life Sciences (Bio): UVA > Tech

Ocean Sciences: W & M>UVA> Tech

CS: Tech>GMU>UVA

Undecided techish:

W & M -- offers the most flexibility.

I've been interviewing CS grads in this area for the last 10 years. UVA grads are significantly better than VT grads and GMU grads. It's not even close.