What’s wrong with William & Mary?

[Anonymous]

The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

Williamsburg is not a small, rural town. There’s plenty to do—parties, rec sports, etc. Haters gonna hate. Enjoy George Mason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

Yes - although Williamsburg has a tourist component to it as well.

You either want to live in a small town or you don't. And with a year or term studying abroad (most kids) we're really talking about ~30 months of one's life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that it doesn’t really have a bright future as a public school. In a time of increased popularity for many Virginia public universities, William & Mary seems to be caught in a downward spiral. Its application numbers are stagnant, its female-male ratio is ridiculous, its acceptance rate has increased to almost 40 percent, its yield rate is terrible, it’s poorly positioned in terms of tech growth, it’s very expensive, and it’s now looking to increase (?) enrollment because it needs the bucks. Discouraging my kid from applying. Is it time for the school to consider becoming a private college or to affiliate with Tech or something?

UNC and Emory have the same gender balance.

For 2018 entering class, UVA was 57% female, VCU 64%, JMU 59%, Longwood 69%, CNU 56%, MWU 66%, Radford 59%, ODU 53%. Only male majority were VT at 55% male and VMI at 83% male. GMU was 50/50. UNC-CH was 59% female. National is close to 58 percent.

VCU is 64%? That’s insane!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

Williamsburg is not a small, rural town. There’s plenty to do—parties, rec sports, etc. Haters gonna hate. Enjoy George Mason.

I would think there would be more to do in Williamsburg than many other college towns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

Williamsburg is not a small, rural town. There’s plenty to do—parties, rec sports, etc. Haters gonna hate. Enjoy George Mason.

I would think there would be more to do in Williamsburg than many other college towns.

+1

Someone who thinks that Williamsburg is a small and rural town is clueless. Furthermore, to the east you have a metro area of 1.7 million people anchored by Norfolk, and to the west you have a metro area of 1.2 million people anchored by Richmond.

Admittedly, this is one of the weirder threads on DCUM. Misinformation about W&M and Williamsburg abounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

Isn't that the case with most SLACs in small rural towns?

Williamsburg is not a small, rural town. There’s plenty to do—parties, rec sports, etc. Haters gonna hate. Enjoy George Mason.

I would think there would be more to do in Williamsburg than many other college towns.

+1

Someone who thinks that Williamsburg is a small and rural town is clueless. Furthermore, to the east you have a metro area of 1.7 million people anchored by Norfolk, and to the west you have a metro area of 1.2 million people anchored by Richmond.

Admittedly, this is one of the weirder threads on DCUM. Misinformation about W&M and Williamsburg abounds.

I don’t see any actual misinformation other than the rural location assertion. The numbers are what they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that it doesn’t really have a bright future as a public school. In a time of increased popularity for many Virginia public universities, William & Mary seems to be caught in a downward spiral. Its application numbers are stagnant, its female-male ratio is ridiculous, its acceptance rate has increased to almost 40 percent, its yield rate is terrible, it’s poorly positioned in terms of tech growth, it’s very expensive, and it’s now looking to increase (?) enrollment because it needs the bucks. Discouraging my kid from applying. Is it time for the school to consider becoming a private college or to affiliate with Tech or something?

UNC and Emory have the same gender balance.

For 2018 entering class, UVA was 57% female, VCU 64%, JMU 59%, Longwood 69%, CNU 56%, MWU 66%, Radford 59%, ODU 53%. Only male majority were VT at 55% male and VMI at 83% male. GMU was 50/50. UNC-CH was 59% female. National is close to 58 percent.

VCU is 64%? That’s insane!

Not really. Colleges are now 60% female on average— or more. VCU is known for fine arts and health sciences. Women are more than half of men school admits and much higher than that at the nursing and other lower level health sciences. They also dominate fine arts. Just like no one should be shocked VT has more me. Supply and demand.

[Anonymous]

Come on folks. Williamsburg is a medium sizes town. Most SLACs are in actual rural America— Kenyon, Wooster, Oberlin, etc. When the town has the college and one manufacturing plant, and a decaying downtown with empty storefronts, 3 restaurants, and a movie theater with 2 films you are in rural America. I grew up in rural America near a SLAC. Williamsburg may be boring and not DC and whatever else. But if you think it’s rural, you need to see more of this country.

Macalester stands out among SLACs for actually being urban. Besides that, they just aren’t. .

[Anonymous]

W&M parent here: I thought the same about the tourist town. But the students don’t go there much. Also the James River is there and has sailing there is a beach etc. There’s plenty to do. DC lives it. It is still an academic school so no it’s not a party school.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I’m an outlier, but I absolutely loved Williamsburg as a student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:W&M parent here: I thought the same about the tourist town. But the students don’t go there much. Also the James River is there and has sailing there is a beach etc. There’s plenty to do. DC lives it. It is still an academic school so no it’s not a party school.

I don’t understand this post. The bars/delis are in the town and so is Merchant’s Square.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The college itself seems great but I wonder about living in Colonial Williamsburg for four years There just isn’t much to do

You live in Williamsburg, not Colonial Williamsburg (other than 4 or so students who live in a restored building). Colonial Williamsburg itself is beautiful and great for runs, walks, etc. There is a nice retail and restaurant area on the campus side of Colonial Williamsburg. A number are too expensive for students, but there are lower cost options there. There are other areas of Williamsburg. There are three long-established bar/restaurants directly across the street from campus and there is New Town Williamsburg and another shopping area nearby with shops, movie theaters, restaurants. The beach and Richmond are both an hour away. There are many bike and hike trails. The area is lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m an outlier, but I absolutely loved Williamsburg as a student.

I did as well.