Anyone else surprised by a lack of interest in William & Mary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the parents remember when it was a pressure cooker and had an extremely high suicide rate.

This is a rumor which has had no basis in fact when use actual data and rates. From an article in the local paper (Virginia Gazette) when William & Mary opened its new student health and wellness center a year ago:

Tracy Cross, a psychology professor at the university, has studied suicidal behavior among gifted students for almost 25 years. He said that while it may be easy to connect high stress and suicide, research shows the two are not directly related. Stress may cause unhealthy habits, but it doesn’t lead people to end their lives. Cross said William and Mary is sometimes labeled as a “suicide school,” but their numbers are no different from the national average.

Well most parents graduated 30 years or more ago. It seemed like every week someone from w&m killed themselves. I would never encourage anyone to go there.

[Anonymous]

They find the campus old and dated.

HA HA. That's a good one.

[Anonymous]

My DD stayed at W&M for a summer program this past summer - stayed in the dorms. Totally understand "old" factor...but there's "old" and then there's "dirty" and "run down". DD found the dorm bathrooms and showers disgusting. Furniture in the dorms were also very run down and even had a piece of the desk broken. With what they charge for Tuition/R&B I would have expected at least "clean".

The week long program included a campus tour and meeting with admissions. You would think that they would have wanted to impress the prospective students.

My daughter came away noting "W&M just went down a notch on my list". Her BFF thought the school was too nerdy.

That being said - DD is still applying to W&M (which is her reach school). I don't think she'll feel too bad if she doesn't get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They find the campus old and dated.

And haunted.

[Anonymous]

W&M is one of the top desired schools at my kid's FCPS high school--basically it's UVA and W&M. I'm glad to hear this isn't the case everywhere so it may be easier for DC to get in. It seems like most of the high achieving kids are either doing WM ED and UVA EA or UVA ED and WM EDII.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the parents remember when it was a pressure cooker and had an extremely high suicide rate.

This is a rumor which has had no basis in fact when use actual data and rates. From an article in the local paper (Virginia Gazette) when William & Mary opened its new student health and wellness center a year ago:

Tracy Cross, a psychology professor at the university, has studied suicidal behavior among gifted students for almost 25 years. He said that while it may be easy to connect high stress and suicide, research shows the two are not directly related. Stress may cause unhealthy habits, but it doesn’t lead people to end their lives. Cross said William and Mary is sometimes labeled as a “suicide school,” but their numbers are no different from the national average.

Well most parents graduated 30 years or more ago. It seemed like every week someone from w&m killed themselves. I would never encourage anyone to go there.

Every week? There were no suicides at W&M during the four years I was there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
They find the campus old and dated.





And haunted.

For a true horror show try Georgetown

[Anonymous]

They find the campus old and dated.


HA HA. That's a good one.

Yes they say that some of the facilities date back to the '90's. The 1690's.

[Anonymous]

William & Mary definitely seems to have a branding problem, at least at certain high schools. Really not sure all the reasons why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the parents remember when it was a pressure cooker and had an extremely high suicide rate.

This is a rumor which has had no basis in fact when use actual data and rates. From an article in the local paper (Virginia Gazette) when William & Mary opened its new student health and wellness center a year ago:

Tracy Cross, a psychology professor at the university, has studied suicidal behavior among gifted students for almost 25 years. He said that while it may be easy to connect high stress and suicide, research shows the two are not directly related. Stress may cause unhealthy habits, but it doesn’t lead people to end their lives. Cross said William and Mary is sometimes labeled as a “suicide school,” but their numbers are no different from the national average.

Well most parents graduated 30 years or more ago. It seemed like every week someone from w&m killed themselves. I would never encourage anyone to go there.

DP: But what it "seemed like" is not held up by the numbers--now or back then. Suicide on college campuses is a real concern but no more at W&M than elsewhere. So you're deciding not to encourage someone based on a faulty perception.

[Anonymous]

I went there but not sure I’d encourage my kids to go. The location just sucks, honestly. Williamsburg is a town of retirees first and foremost. I have the rest of my life to argue with reactionary boomer wasps at ANC meetings, why would I want to get a head start on that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the parents remember when it was a pressure cooker and had an extremely high suicide rate.

This is a rumor which has had no basis in fact when use actual data and rates. From an article in the local paper (Virginia Gazette) when William & Mary opened its new student health and wellness center a year ago:

Tracy Cross, a psychology professor at the university, has studied suicidal behavior among gifted students for almost 25 years. He said that while it may be easy to connect high stress and suicide, research shows the two are not directly related. Stress may cause unhealthy habits, but it doesn’t lead people to end their lives. Cross said William and Mary is sometimes labeled as a “suicide school,” but their numbers are no different from the national average.

Well most parents graduated 30 years or more ago. It seemed like every week someone from w&m killed themselves. I would never encourage anyone to go there.

DP: But what it "seemed like" is not held up by the numbers--now or back then. Suicide on college campuses is a real concern but no more at W&M than elsewhere. So you're deciding not to encourage someone based on a faulty perception.

Or perhaps just intentionally spreading falsehoods. . .

[Anonymous]

Anyone do a side-by-side comparison between William & Mary and University of Richmond? As a parent, I like both schools.

[Anonymous]

I live University of Richmond ^^great law school too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live University of Richmond ^^great law school too!

Um, no. Good, maybe. Great, no.