Maybe I’m wrong, but I think JMU has higher standards for Northern VA students than rest-of-Virginia students. I have relatives from rural VA who recently attended JMU, but my DS from NOVA with more rigorous courses, higher SAT and GPA was waitlisted. I think JMU really tries to have a student body from the entire state whereas UVA seems to care less about geographic diversity among in-state students. |
JMU is a pretty easy admit from my DC's school. a 3.5 WGPA with any test score is almost a guaranteed admit according to Naviance. I would consider it a safety with a WPGA of 3.5 or higher. |
Actually Virginia is one of the very few states that has public schools with ED. Tech just dropped theirs. |
JMU doesn't appear to be the type of school that cares about yield protection. |
I'm aware - and both would be well-served to institute ED (or bring it back, in VT's case). Kids have no way to show these schools that they are their first choice. ED is the best way to do so. |
DP. Smart, nice students, excellent professors, wide range of majors, beautiful setting, lots of activities for all kinds of interests, good post-grad outcomes. |
What’s your objective criteria that defines “smart” kids. The stats aren’t high and most kids apply TO. |
You realize the vast majority of students at ALL schools (that have TO policies) go test optional these days - right? Not really the gotcha you'd like it to be. |
Being “smart” yourself, I’m sure, you do of course realize students whose stats aren’t as high can still nevertheless be “smart”. In fact, literally everyone you know or will ever meet is smarter than you at some things. |
Would the person that just wants to dump all over jmu in a jmu thread just leave? Yes it’s not Harvard. It’s not UVa or WM either. But it’s still a wonderful school and many kids are happy there and have successful outcomes.
It’s people like you who drive the bs rankings debate ad nauseum and increase the tiger parent behavior and stress in this area. |
+1 JMU is a great school with good job outcomes. My graduate had several offers before graduation and is now happily working in her field. |
Sure...the schools that accept perfectly average kids. The vast majority of colleges are for average kids which is fine. So, that means JMU is filled with average kids. Stating a fact isn't a gotcha...it's just a fact. |
DP. A lot of perfectly average kids at JMU, sure. But as UVA/VT/W&M become increasingly more difficult to get into for even the higher stats kids, plenty of them who want to stay in state choose JMU. They coexist, and it makes the whole vibe of the place a little more relaxed. |
Average kids who area seemingly... quite happy with their choice, which maybe rubs the competitive T-whatever strivers the wrong way? |
At least we agree they are average. It's comical that we have the JMU, UVA, Northeastern, etc. boosters that are always trying to pump up their school to be so much more than it is. |