Anonymous wrote:Top reason - JMU kids couldn't get into UVA and too proud for GMU. Once you graduate from JMU - no one has heard of it outside of Virginia. Its like saying Cal State - some small town.

GMU should be ranked higher in VA.

While I agree that GMU should be ranked higher, you are so off-base with your first statements that I really can't take you seriously. JMU has alumni chapters all over the country. Neither of my kids had any interest whatsoever in UVA - one went to JMU and the other VT. But do continue boosting UVA in a thread that doesn't even mention it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football and a hard drinking culture.

I have some relatives who recently graduated from JMU and I agree with this. JMU has a party school for jocks vibe that GMU doesn’t have. It all depends on what your kid is looking for. JMU has a beautiful campus in a beautiful area, but there is a good ‘ol’ boy/girl vibe.

DP. No, there really isn't. It's a traditional college experience, not sure what you're trying to make it out as.

To have fun while learning in a non urban environment.

Anonymous wrote:Mason isn't a real college.

Too easy? Insufficient education? Elaborate and substantiate.

Mason isn't a real college.

Not every student is a STEM student or looking for an internship in DC.

My DC applied to both of these schools (the only ones in VA that made sense for his major) and chose JMU because it was his second choice out of all the schools he applied for based on his previous experience working with a professor there. He turned down a $50k scholarship at UMD (his 3rd choice) because he thought the studio at JMU was better (arts major). GMU was his absolute safety. He got a good education in his field at a great price and is in grad school at a private university.

I'm not a JMU cheerleader, but their ranking is moving in the right direction and pretty good considering they were not eligible for USNWR national rankings just a few years ago.

Anonymous wrote:Top reason - JMU kids couldn't get into UVA and too proud for GMU. Once you graduate from JMU - no one has heard of it outside of Virginia. Its like saying Cal State - some small town.

GMU should be ranked higher in VA.

Must every single college thread have a response saying the kids couldn’t get into UVA? It gets so old. Not every kid wants to go to UVA whether they could get in or not. Whether the kids applying to JMU or GMU could get into UVA is totally irrelevant in the context of OP’s original post.

Totally different environment = totally different college experience. JMU looks like what most kids dream of when they think about going to college. GMU is not.

And lots of DMV kids want to get out of here, and JMU is getting out of here, and GMU is not -- especially if you grew up in NoVA.

It's like kids living in Columbus, Ohio. Most don't want to go to Ohio State and end up at places like Miami University, Ohio University, Bowling Green, Kent State etc. Even though Ohio State is now more highly ranked than many of those.

Anonymous wrote:I’m considering Virginia state schools for my child and looking at GMU closely. GMU is ranked 105th nationally by US News, while JMU is ranked 124th. GMU also seems easier to get into and excels in STEM programs. With all these points in GMU's favor, I'm curious why anyone might still go for JMU. Does JMU offer something unique that I’m overlooking? Would love to get some thoughts from anyone familiar with these schools as of recently. I know GMU was a commuter backup school a decade or more ago but it seems things have changed.

Who looks at rankings when making these comparisons?

To answer your question, JMU offers a more traditional college experience including a larger on-campus cohort experience (i.e. living on campus, in a college town), for one thing.

But rankings? Especially comparing 124 to 105? Like, who cares?

Top reason - JMU kids couldn't get into UVA and too proud for GMU. Once you graduate from JMU - no one has heard of it outside of Virginia. Its like saying Cal State - some small town.

GMU should be ranked higher in VA.

I think over 75% of freshmen at GMU live on campus. After that, a lot of upperclassmen move into off-campus apartments with friends but that’s no different than a lot of other universities.

I am interested, too.

My guess is that the "college experience" is superior at JMU? I know that GMU has changed somewhat but aren't only 20% of students in dorms? Are the rest commuters or is a huge portion in off-campus housing?

Anonymous wrote:Football and a hard drinking culture.

I have some relatives who recently graduated from JMU and I agree with this. JMU has a party school for jocks vibe that GMU doesn’t have. It all depends on what your kid is looking for. JMU has a beautiful campus in a beautiful area, but there is a good ‘ol’ boy/girl vibe.

Anonymous wrote:Football and a hard drinking culture.

My son goes to JMU and does neither of these activities.