Thoughts on Mary Washington College?

[Anonymous]

Talking about obtaining a certain gpa. Just because a student does very well doesn't mean they will get an A. All that matters in the established grade distribution and where they are on the bell curve. Our kids high school allowed only 3% A's. It was very controlled. Yes, sometimes it was a few students more or a few students less, but that 3% was quite consistent, year after year. If a greater number of students did well then the criteria for an A was raised.

Again, I'm not a fan of CC "guaranteed admission?!" agreements.

[Anonymous]

^ misspoke ~ the 3% was the number awarded All A's. An A in any one course was awarded to the top 10% in that course.

[Anonymous]

So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

[Anonymous]

I rode by this University by the way of a detour from 95 and I will have to tell my DD about it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I rode by this University by the way of a detour from 95 and I will have to tell my DD about it!

Ah, I used to live in Fredericksburg and how well I remember the days when 95 was shut down and traffic backed up for miles on Route 1. That stretch of 95 can be horrible. Hope you survived ok, pp!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

Anyone you truly believes that MW offers a superior educational experience to some 'brand name" school should choose Mary Washington - it's easier to get into and less expensive.

I personally think the rankings (especially USNWS) are pretty indicative of the relative quality of the educational experience, but if you are convinced you know better go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

Anyone you truly believes that MW offers a superior educational experience to some 'brand name" school should choose Mary Washington - it's easier to get into and less expensive.

I personally think the rankings (especially USNWS) are pretty indicative of the relative quality of the educational experience, but if you are convinced you know better go for it.

So glad people like you do not go to Mary Washington. Stick to your "name brand" schools since you obviously place way too much weight on rankings and prestige. Mary Washington is full of students who place far more emphasis on the things that really matter: quality of life, access to professors, and excellent academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

Anyone you truly believes that MW offers a superior educational experience to some 'brand name" school should choose Mary Washington - it's easier to get into and less expensive.

I personally think the rankings (especially USNWS) are pretty indicative of the relative quality of the educational experience, but if you are convinced you know better go for it.

So glad people like you do not go to Mary Washington. Stick to your "name brand" schools since you obviously place way too much weight on rankings and prestige. Mary Washington is full of students who place far more emphasis on the things that really matter: quality of life, access to professors, and excellent academics.

And of course we all know that "name brand" schools simply do not offer the quality of life of Fredericksburg, VA nor access to professors and excellent academics of MW.

I wonder if pp has ever been to another school.

[Anonymous]

What is the atmosphere like at MW for a transfer student from NoVa who is first in her immigrant family to go to college? Do they have good transfer supports? She is extremely bright and motivated but does not have to same kind of support at home that other kids might.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

Anyone you truly believes that MW offers a superior educational experience to some 'brand name" school should choose Mary Washington - it's easier to get into and less expensive.

I personally think the rankings (especially USNWS) are pretty indicative of the relative quality of the educational experience, but if you are convinced you know better go for it.

So glad people like you do not go to Mary Washington. Stick to your "name brand" schools since you obviously place way too much weight on rankings and prestige. Mary Washington is full of students who place far more emphasis on the things that really matter: quality of life, access to professors, and excellent academics.

And of course we all know that "name brand" schools simply do not offer the quality of life of Fredericksburg, VA nor access to professors and excellent academics of MW.

I wonder if pp has ever been to another school.

Not sure which PP you're referring to, but I transferred to Mary Washington from Penn State; a name-brand school if ever there was one, and a place I was so happy to get out of. I then went onto another name-brand school for grad; Georgetown. Perhaps you've heard of it? Still never had a better experience than the years I spent at Mary Washington. Sorry if that somehow rankles you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, you may be willing go lay for a "name brand" school where your kid might have sn inferior educational experience due to large class sizes, teaching by TAs and nkt profs rather than a quality experience at a lesser kniwn school like MW?

Anyone you truly believes that MW offers a superior educational experience to some 'brand name" school should choose Mary Washington - it's easier to get into and less expensive.

I personally think the rankings (especially USNWS) are pretty indicative of the relative quality of the educational experience, but if you are convinced you know better go for it.

So glad people like you do not go to Mary Washington. Stick to your "name brand" schools since you obviously place way too much weight on rankings and prestige. Mary Washington is full of students who place far more emphasis on the things that really matter: quality of life, access to professors, and excellent academics.

And of course we all know that "name brand" schools simply do not offer the quality of life of Fredericksburg, VA nor access to professors and excellent academics of MW.

I wonder if pp has ever been to another school.

Not sure which PP you're referring to, but I transferred to Mary Washington from Penn State; a name-brand school if ever there was one, and a place I was so happy to get out of. I then went onto another name-brand school for grad; Georgetown. Perhaps you've heard of it? Still never had a better experience than the years I spent at Mary Washington. Sorry if that somehow rankles you.

Late to this party. What are you people really arguing about? I don't think anyone could argue that UMW is especially hard to get into, compared to a lot of other schools, but isn't what really matters what happens after people arrive on campus? Many smaller schools really love their students in a way you won't find at larger, big name schools.

[Anonymous]

I have a rising 11th grader and would love to take a visit. Is the school diverse enough where my AA daughter would be comfortable? TIA

[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.

I am over 40 now so have been in the professional world for a while. 1yr, 5yr, 10yrs, 20yrs + out - the Ivy's and very big name schools (meaning schools with names people from coast to coast instantly recognize) are still impressive. All other schools are lumped together and it's just enough that you got a degree.

[Anonymous]

College name matters very little once you go to grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College name matters very little once you go to grad school.

Yup, but where you can get into grad school depends in part on where you went to college, so if you didn't go to a top 50 or 100 college, you can go to a low-rank grad school, rask up $300,000 in loans, and still keep your job at Au Bon Pain.