Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the science programs really that bad at JMU?

I hesitate to say “bad”, but JMU definitely is very weak in real science degrees like Physics or Chem. The same science degree from ODU or GMU or VCU would be much much stronger, and obviously both UVa and VT have very credible science degrees. Going. to JMU for that degree will adversely impact one’s options at college graduation. Harder to get into a good grad science program from JMU and also harder to get a job. JMU would be OK if one’s career goal were o spend one’s life being a high school science teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

[/b]Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT. [b]

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

If your kid can't get into UVA, VT, or W&M,
I'd be a crabby parent too. Is your kid a slacker?

Reading that thread about how an FCPS kid with a 4.3/1500 has no chance at UVA, VT, or W&M, it really does not seem like Virginia kids have good options. Be a genius, go out of state, or go to Mason? Those are rough options for a hardworking smart kid looking for a traditional 4-year college experience. In most of the country, a 4.3/1500 kid can walk into their state flagship.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

The biggest limitation with VA schools is the lack of solid STEM schools. At UMDCP for example CS is the most popular major. It is a top 15 program and there is nothing comparable in VA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. Literally. I mean, it isn't California but it is flat out ridiculous to say Virginia does not have good in-state options.

Honestly, the only people who are unhappy about Virginia's in-state options are the few percent who are on the margins of getting into UVA. My kids aren't going to be applying to UVA, but they'll have at least a half dozen other schools to choose from in Virginia. All at a very reasonable cost, too.

PP...yep that's us!

I feel you. The Virginia legislature should follow the lead of other states, and limit OOS at UVA to 10% of the student body, and fund an increase in enrollment by at least 50%.

In other words ruin it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blah. My kids have the stats for UVA, WM, VA Tech.

I would much rather have them attend any of those than UMD. I really hate College Park.

But Blacksburg, VA - a shining star!

We visited. Blacksburg seemed nice. Like a typical college town. College Park seems much more dumpy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

GMU is ranked higher tham JMU. So weird you would think it's the next best option.

My kid visited JMU, GMU, and VT. JMU is her favorite. She loved the welcoming spirit of the place. She wants to major in a hard science (not engineering, not pre-med). Are the science programs really that bad at JMU?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blah. My kids have the stats for UVA, WM, VA Tech.

I would much rather have them attend any of those than UMD. I really hate College Park.

But Blacksburg, VA - a shining star!

Anonymous wrote:Are the science programs really that bad at JMU?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. Literally. I mean, it isn't California but it is flat out ridiculous to say Virginia does not have good in-state options.

Honestly, the only people who are unhappy about Virginia's in-state options are the few percent who are on the margins of getting into UVA. My kids aren't going to be applying to UVA, but they'll have at least a half dozen other schools to choose from in Virginia. All at a very reasonable cost, too.

PP...yep that's us!

I feel you. The Virginia legislature should follow the lead of other states, and limit OOS at UVA to 10% of the student body, and fund an increase in enrollment by at least 50%.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

The biggest limitation with VA schools is the lack of solid STEM schools. At UMDCP for example CS is the most popular major. It is a top 15 program and there is nothing comparable in VA.

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

GMU is ranked higher tham JMU. So weird you would think it's the next best option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland parents often complain about the lack of instate public options other than UMCP.

Guess what, Virginia is not that much better in my opinion.

Yes, Virginia has UVa, W&M and VT.

But Virginia is more populous than Maryland and W&M undergraduate enrollment is tiny. In addition, more Maryland parents are willing to send their kids to private colleges like many other parents in Northern states.

VT limits the number of in-state admission to get more OOS kids. So what if your kids don’t get in UVa, VT or W&M? That’s the big issue for many parents.

JMU is considered as the next best option. And I do think it’s a fine school and its business program is a solid choice. But what if your kids want to major in engineering or hard scinece? JMU doesn’t even have a proper engineering school (college of integrated science and engineering is not a real engineering school in my opinion).

GMU offers decent engineering and CS programs but not everyone in Northern Virginia wants to go to a school in Fairfax.

Too many good and ambitious Virginia kids don’t get in UVa, W&M, and VT. I think this is why there have been increased interest in some of OOS public school (pitt, IU, UDel, UConn, Tenn, Alabama, etc. ) among Virginia parents.

GMU is ranked higher tham JMU. So weird you would think it's the next best option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blah. My kids have the stats for UVA, WM, VA Tech.

I would much rather have them attend any of those than UMD. I really hate College Park.

But Blacksburg, VA - a shining star!