Christopher Newport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is the grading at CNU? My DC is concerned about grades but loves the school.

Grades don’t matter in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At the 75th percentile for SAT and GPA, the Virginia public schools look like this, which suggests CNU is solidly in the group behind UVA, W&M, and VT -- GMU, CNU, UMW, JMU, and VCU. All those schools are fairly close in stats.

School 75th SAT 75th GPA
W&M 1520 4.50
UVA 1510 4.52
VT 1400 4.24
GMU 1340 4.00
CNU 1320 4.12
UMW 1320 4.05
JMU 1300 4.06
VCU 1300 4.11
VMI 1260 4.00
UVA-W 1240 4.21
ODU 1220 3.76
RU 1150 3.73
LU 1140 3.86
NSU 1082 3.50
VSU 1040 3.50

Why are you going with the 75th percentiles? I’m guessing because if you went with the 50th and 25th CNU would be lower on the list.

The list is similar with median SAT -- UVA, WM in the 1400s, VT 1320, and then GMU, JMU, CNU, UMW all 1210-1230. VCU slightly lower at 1170.

GMU, JMU, CNU, UMW have a very similar student profile but are very different types of schools. GMU big, suburban, strong for tech, NoVA students tend to think it's too close to home. JMU big, classic college town, stronger programs are business and health. CNU and UMW are both smaller schools. From our visits, UMW seems more LAC-like while CNU seems more pre-professional.

My DS only applied to one of that set -- JMU as a back up to VT. He wanted the big state school vibe ( and is now at VT). DD only plans to apply to UMW as a back up to WM. But, really she has a variety of LACs on her list that she likely prefers over UMW. I think CNU could be good for her too but she didn't like it.

[Anonymous]

I have a child at GMU, majoring in CompSci. He lives on campus and I never see him. His backups were CNU, VCU and UMW (a distant 4th place) and was accepted at all 4 with his decent/above average, but not stellar, stats. The only other one we considered was JMU, but he didn’t like the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At the 75th percentile for SAT and GPA, the Virginia public schools look like this, which suggests CNU is solidly in the group behind UVA, W&M, and VT -- GMU, CNU, UMW, JMU, and VCU. All those schools are fairly close in stats.

School 75th SAT 75th GPA
W&M 1520 4.50
UVA 1510 4.52
VT 1400 4.24
GMU 1340 4.00
CNU 1320 4.12
UMW 1320 4.05
JMU 1300 4.06
VCU 1300 4.11
VMI 1260 4.00
UVA-W 1240 4.21
ODU 1220 3.76
RU 1150 3.73
LU 1140 3.86
NSU 1082 3.50
VSU 1040 3.50

Why are you going with the 75th percentiles? I’m guessing because if you went with the 50th and 25th CNU would be lower on the list.

The list is similar with median SAT -- UVA, WM in the 1400s, VT 1320, and then GMU, JMU, CNU, UMW all 1210-1230. VCU slightly lower at 1170.

GMU, JMU, CNU, UMW have a very similar student profile but are very different types of schools. GMU big, suburban, strong for tech, NoVA students tend to think it's too close to home. JMU big, classic college town, stronger programs are business and health. CNU and UMW are both smaller schools. From our visits, UMW seems more LAC-like while CNU seems more pre-professional.

My DS only applied to one of that set -- JMU as a back up to VT. He wanted the big state school vibe ( and is now at VT). DD only plans to apply to UMW as a back up to WM. But, really she has a variety of LACs on her list that she likely prefers over UMW. I think CNU could be good for her too but she didn't like it.

These schools have fairly similar stats and different appeals for the most part. GMU is for those who have to be or want to be in NoVa with large programs in some tech areas. VCU is the most urban by far and artsy with a health focus. JMU is the more traditional school in a college town experience that is an safety or alternative for UVA and Virginia Tech. CNU and UMW are similar in size (much smaller than the schools above) and may be seen as more attractive campuses by some compared to the schools above. They are perhaps more similar to William and Mary, particularly UMW. Since they have similar stats for the most part, and relatively high acceptance rates, many students are probably picking based on fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's been a few years, but when our oldest was looking at VA schools (we're in state) CNU was a nothing school much closer to the bottom of the pack than the top and not even in the same league as JMU or Mary Washington. It was ODU level at best. I know it's gotten more selective since then, but no I'm not convinced. I'd be embarrassed to send a kid there still.

To me, in VA, there's UVA, W&M, Tech, JMU, VCU and MW -- and nowhere else worth thinking about or being proud about.

UVA, Tech Engineering, W&M.
That's it. Nowhere else.

you're pretty narrow minded for someone who has such aspirations.

+1. Also very out of date. It’s gotten much more competitive to get into all of the VA publics .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of all the tours we went on CNU was by far the nicest campus hands down. My DD reached out to a professor about a very specific question in a major she is interested in and he could not have been more responsive and helpful. Invited her to sit in on a class, which she did, and put her in touch with students to follow up with. I think some folks on here are using seriously outdated data points and memories.

Oh, absolutely. Not to mention, flat-out making things up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

Damn I hate that place too

[Anonymous]

There is a recent report on the SCHEV (State Council for Higher Education website about post college outcomes. It has the results of college graduate survey questions about satisfaction with undergraduate education, value vs. cost experience, career, etc.

https://schev.edu/docs/default-source/reports-and-studies/2021-reports/virginia-educated-survey-2021-full-report-no-appendices.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

FYI, CNU has a marching band.

My DD, currently a junior, would also be competitive for W&M. We toured and she HATED it. Felt it was just as described above and the kids I know who go/went there are all a little “off”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

FYI, CNU has a marching band.

My DD, currently a junior, would also be competitive for W&M. We toured and she HATED it. Felt it was just as described above and the kids I know who go/went there are all a little “off”.

I just looked at the SCHEV outcomes report posted above and W&M does pretty well there: "Graduates showing the greatest appreciation across these measures tended to be from
William & Mary, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Tech and James Madison University."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

FYI, CNU has a marching band.

My DD, currently a junior, would also be competitive for W&M. We toured and she HATED it. Felt it was just as described above and the kids I know who go/went there are all a little “off”.

In VA, I think JMU is probably the best place for marching band.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

FYI, CNU has a marching band.

My DD, currently a junior, would also be competitive for W&M. We toured and she HATED it. Felt it was just as described above and the kids I know who go/went there are all a little “off”.

I just looked at the SCHEV outcomes report posted above and W&M does pretty well there: "Graduates showing the greatest appreciation across these measures tended to be from
William & Mary, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Tech and James Madison University."

I was surprised to see UVA College at Wise so high in all those ratings. I know nothing about it and never hear of kids going there.

That report definitely shows that while JMU is similar to GMU, CNU, UMW, VCU in student profile, it definitely is a cut above the rest of that tier in student satisfaction with the experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could those stats be accurate?

Vcu accepts more than 90% of its applicants. Cnu acceots more than 76%.

Many kids like our own with high stats have no desire to go to UVA or W&M and apply these schools. Also VCU has a med school auto acceptance program which is popular not to mention many high stat kids apply to these as fall backs.

+1. My senior would not even consider W&M. She would have been competitive there, but she's heard too many bad things about it being a pressure cooker full of weird, socially-awkward students, with bad food, and substandard dorms. Also, she wants to do college marching band and hopes to land at a university with a great band program. W&M only has a tiny pep band, so again it was a non-starter.

FYI, CNU has a marching band.

My DD, currently a junior, would also be competitive for W&M. We toured and she HATED it. Felt it was just as described above and the kids I know who go/went there are all a little “off”.

I just looked at the SCHEV outcomes report posted above and W&M does pretty well there: "Graduates showing the greatest appreciation across these measures tended to be from
William & Mary, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Tech and James Madison University."

I was surprised to see UVA College at Wise so high in all those ratings. I know nothing about it and never hear of kids going there.

That report definitely shows that while JMU is similar to GMU, CNU, UMW, VCU in student profile, it definitely is a cut above the rest of that tier in student satisfaction with the experience.

Kids going to UVA-Wise are going to have a different background to kids going to the other schools, which probably contributes to it. They are more likely to be from more rural Southwest Virginia, first generation, etc. They may appreciate what UVA-Wise offers them in outcomes vs. community college, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the tours we went on CNU was by far the nicest campus hands down. My DD reached out to a professor about a very specific question in a major she is interested in and he could not have been more responsive and helpful. Invited her to sit in on a class, which she did, and put her in touch with students to follow up with. I think some folks on here are using seriously outdated data points and memories.

Oh, absolutely. Not to mention, flat-out making things up.

Where else did you tour? CNU does have the most consistent architecture, at least for the new buildings, and they seemed to have the newest buildings overall, but we saw other things we liked at other schools.