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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP,

I'm glad you liked it!  My DD just finished her first year there.  It has been a good fit for her.  To answer your question about why it isn't more popular... I have a few ideas.  In fact, they recently sent out a survey to parents, students, and alumnae to ask what the pros and cons were and what the image is, etc.

Here's my take.  
(1) as a small school, it doesn't have the "big-U"-rah-rah sports image/marketing.  They do have teams and the teams do well (soccer, basketball, volleyball, and clubs for rugby and others).  But, if you as a parent went to a big-state-U type of school, you might steer your kid toward that dynamic.
(2)  this is a big one:  I really think the name "MARY..." turns off young men in the 17-18 yr old range.  Honestly, I told them to LEAN INTO marketting themselves as "UMW" and minimize the "Mary" part.  Yes, I'm a feminist, but in marketing, they need to look at who their audience is, and how the audience perceives them.  Most male teens are not going to want to tell their friends they are going to "MARY..."  Guys are going to want to tell their friends they are going to "Christopher Newport" or "Radford" before they want to say they are going to "Mary... U."

I know the alumni would have a fit if they changed the name altogether.  But, I think in the service of staying relevant and solvent, they should seriously consider renaming themselves to "UVA-Fredericksburg" or "Univ. of Central Virginia" or something else.  Even using JUST "UMW" would be a start.

3.  They DO have a computer science degree... and that's CRUCIAL for attracting guys.  They need to AMP UP the connections for that degree (i.e. internships, etc.)

That said, their biology dept. is very strong.  My DD is in that dept. They have so many great international opportunities.  It IS a lot easier to get to know your advisor and professors, and they do have research opportunities.  If you want to apply to medical, dental or law school, or really any grad program later, having professors who actually KNOW you is going to make a huge difference in the quality of the recommendation letters they can write on your behalf.

My DD likes the size of the campus.  She likes the food.  She likes the size of the classes.  The campus is pretty, and it's easy to get involved in clubs/activities.  It is a campus that is accepting of diversity without the typical "toxic masculinity" that you see at "big-state-U."  They students are just good people.

If you are confident enough to do your own thing and not follow the pressure of the crowd that says "you must go to X, Y, or Z college" then you can have a very good experience at UMW.  If you need Greek life or football Saturdays -- then this isn't going to be a good fit.

[/quote]

I find it incredibly offensive that men won't attend a school named after a woman but we have attended schools named after them for centuries. Talk about inequality and not taking half the human race seriously. Where have parents gone wrong that a young man born in the 2000's has not gotten past that mindset? It really stuns me to hear this. [/quote]

There are MANY subtle messages still in the environment every day.  You would be mistaken to think that equality of the sexes was achieved in the 70s.  I am old enough to remember when Janet Reno became the AG.  I hadn't ever thought about it before, but it really had an impact on me to see a WOMAN take that position for the first time.  We SAY "girl power" all the time, but until girls SEE women in power, it doesn't really resonate.

As for boys and the "Mary" name -- I mean, look... we're talking about 17 and 18 yr old guys.  They are entering their peak years of defining and being the most "masculine" that they will be for their whole lives.  I can't expect them to be so evolved.  Sure, some boys are fine with it.  But, if you are in charge of marketing a college to teen boys, you might find out that they do not feel strong and proud about a "Mary" in their college.

Deal with the world as it is, not as you wish it to be!... that's what the marketing people need to do.[/quote]

+1
I'm a UMW alum and was asked in a survey what I would suggest to market the school more effectively.  I responded that they HAVE to show more young men in their marketing material.  Everything I was getting from them, for years, made it look like it was an all-women's college.  I think they have started featuring more men - after all, they have great men's sports, so they need to sell that.  [/quote]

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