Thoughts on Mary Washington College?

[Anonymous]

How many bright private school kids take the a NVCC route to UVA? Right, they just go there directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NOVA deal is often a black hole. Students rarely get into any university that they wouldn't have gotten into anyway -right out of high school. Saving money is an advantage. It's not like it is on the radio commercials -few make the jump to a 4 yr school. No room.

Admission is guaranteed. .

Admission is guaranteed if you get certain grades in certain courses. A student who couldn't pull off A's in high school is surely not guaranteed to pull them off in college.

You need a 3.7. You think a 3.7 from NOVA is tough for a bright private school kid?

I think the bright, hard working, high performing private school kid will have a broader range of choices than NVCC and MW.

I think the bright, underachieving, private school kid, or the bright, learning disabled private school kid with limited choices is at risk of not getting that 3.7.

[Anonymous]

In 20 years that degree still says Mary Washington and your child has to explain what Mary Washington is - hope those extra two years in Fredricksburg were worth it.

This board is ridiculous. Where you go to college kind of matters...for getting your foot in the door, for having the right peer group, for connections...but it definitely rarely matters 20+ years after you are out of college. I look around me and I see people who went to all different colleges and are successful. I think the most critical time for college name recognition is the first 5 years after you graduate...anyone who is still hung up about colleges 20 years after college is a tool. It's like putting your SAT scores on your resume a decade after you graduated from college...stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In 20 years that degree still says Mary Washington and your child has to explain what Mary Washington is - hope those extra two years in Fredricksburg were worth it.

This board is ridiculous. Where you go to college kind of matters...for getting your foot in the door, for having the right peer group, for connections...but it definitely rarely matters 20+ years after you are out of college. I look around me and I see people who went to all different colleges and are successful. I think the most critical time for college name recognition is the first 5 years after you graduate...anyone who is still hung up about colleges 20 years after college is a tool. It's like putting your SAT scores on your resume a decade after you graduated from college...stupid.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

What a ridiculous comment. I turned UVA down because it wasn't a school where I felt comfortable. Never regretted that decision for a second, and went on to Columbia Law from Mary Washington. And by the way, UVA is ranked #23 for National Universities, not #5. Purely wishful thinking on your part.

And absolutely nothing has changed in the world since you went to law school 20+ years ago . . . jeesh

Umm, yeah... PP here and I graduated from Mary Washington in 2004, Columbia in 2007. Wondering why you assume it was 20+ yrs. ago. Also still wondering where you got the "UVA is a top 5 National university" BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

Someone is seriously overstating the value of an undergraduate from UVa vice other Va schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

What a ridiculous comment. I turned UVA down because it wasn't a school where I felt comfortable. Never regretted that decision for a second, and went on to Columbia Law from Mary Washington. And by the way, UVA is ranked #23 for National Universities, not #5. Purely wishful thinking on your part.

And absolutely nothing has changed in the world since you went to law school 20+ years ago . . . jeesh

Umm, yeah... PP here and I graduated from Mary Washington in 2004, Columbia in 2007. Wondering why you assume it was 20+ yrs. ago. Also still wondering where you got the "UVA is a top 5 National university" BS.

Nice oe degree, but did you bother to read the correction to the Top 5 typo immediately following the post. Moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would someone living in Virginia choose mary wash over a UVA? UVA is very accessible under the NoVa guaranteed admission program - "As a NOVA student, you are offered Guaranteed Admissions to a variety of four-year colleges and universities when you meet the requirements of the written Agreement between NOVA and that college. Be sure to read the Agreements carefully. These Agreements guarantee admission to a college or university but most do not guarantee admission to a specific program." Schools include UVa, William & Mary, Georgetown, George Washington, Virginia Tech, and more, both in-state and out-of-state. You have to be a Virginia resident, and attend a Virginia community college, and achieve high grades in the core subjects that most 1st and 2nd year students take anyway. This deal cannot be beat.

It's important to me that my child have the opportunity to spend 4 years in one place (or 3 plus study abroad) and to start living in a dorm at 18. If MW offers that, and the other choice is two years at NCCC before starting at UVA as a Jr., then I think that's a grat option.

In 20 years that degree still says Mary Washington and your child has to explain what Mary Washington is - hope those extra two years in Fredricksburg were worth it.

+1 why is it so hard for some to acknowledge the value of a brand name education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would someone living in Virginia choose mary wash over a UVA? UVA is very accessible under the NoVa guaranteed admission program - "As a NOVA student, you are offered Guaranteed Admissions to a variety of four-year colleges and universities when you meet the requirements of the written Agreement between NOVA and that college. Be sure to read the Agreements carefully. These Agreements guarantee admission to a college or university but most do not guarantee admission to a specific program." Schools include UVa, William & Mary, Georgetown, George Washington, Virginia Tech, and more, both in-state and out-of-state. You have to be a Virginia resident, and attend a Virginia community college, and achieve high grades in the core subjects that most 1st and 2nd year students take anyway. This deal cannot be beat.

It's important to me that my child have the opportunity to spend 4 years in one place (or 3 plus study abroad) and to start living in a dorm at 18. If MW offers that, and the other choice is two years at NCCC before starting at UVA as a Jr., then I think that's a grat option.

In 20 years that degree still says Mary Washington and your child has to explain what Mary Washington is - hope those extra two years in Fredricksburg were worth it.

+1 why is it so hard for some to acknowledge the value of a brand name education?

And why is it so hard for others to acknowledge the waste of four years at an institution where the student isn't even happy or thriving, regardless of this false premium put on a "brand name education"? Totally agree with the PP who said that the only people concerned about where one went to college 20 yrs. later are tools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

Someone is seriously overstating the value of an undergraduate from UVa vice other Va schools...

+1 Clearly a deluded UVA grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TOP 25

Not the UVA poster but s/he immediately corrected the #5 ranking to #25. Come on, this is the college forum. Give people a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

What a ridiculous comment. I turned UVA down because it wasn't a school where I felt comfortable. Never regretted that decision for a second, and went on to Columbia Law from Mary Washington. And by the way, UVA is ranked #23 for National Universities, not #5. Purely wishful thinking on your part.

And absolutely nothing has changed in the world since you went to law school 20+ years ago . . . jeesh

Umm, yeah... PP here and I graduated from Mary Washington in 2004, Columbia in 2007. Wondering why you assume it was 20+ yrs. ago. Also still wondering where you got the "UVA is a top 5 National university" BS.

Now I'm really wondering why a 2004 college grad (presumably early 30's) is interested in the DC mommies thread on colleges? Doesn't seem possible for you to have children college age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In 20 years that degree still says Mary Washington and your child has to explain what Mary Washington is - hope those extra two years in Fredricksburg were worth it.

This board is ridiculous. Where you go to college kind of matters...for getting your foot in the door, for having the right peer group, for connections...but it definitely rarely matters 20+ years after you are out of college. I look around me and I see people who went to all different colleges and are successful. I think the most critical time for college name recognition is the first 5 years after you graduate...anyone who is still hung up about colleges 20 years after college is a tool. It's like putting your SAT scores on your resume a decade after you graduated from college...stupid.

yes, but you'll will concur that these 5 years are really important, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA is a top 5 NATIONAL university, MW is a decent regional university - no comparison. College is a HUGE investment and as society becomes more "winner take at all" you are selling yourself short if you settle for a far lesser school.

What a ridiculous comment. I turned UVA down because it wasn't a school where I felt comfortable. Never regretted that decision for a second, and went on to Columbia Law from Mary Washington. And by the way, UVA is ranked #23 for National Universities, not #5. Purely wishful thinking on your part.

And absolutely nothing has changed in the world since you went to law school 20+ years ago . . . jeesh

Umm, yeah... PP here and I graduated from Mary Washington in 2004, Columbia in 2007. Wondering why you assume it was 20+ yrs. ago. Also still wondering where you got the "UVA is a top 5 National university" BS.

Now I'm really wondering why a 2004 college grad (presumably early 30's) is interested in the DC mommies thread on colleges? Doesn't seem possible for you to have children college age.

No, my children are definitely not even close to college age. I follow the college thread on DCUM because it's interesting and sometimes I'm able to offer advice or suggestions to parents who do have kids of college or near-college age.

[Anonymous]

yes, but you'll will concur that these 5 years are really important, no?

Maybe, maybe not. Different people bloom at different times, and it also depends on where you go to grad school. For some it may be the lucky break in their career; for others it may matter less. It's hard to say.