Anonymous wrote:I was always surprised by NJ and PA kids who attended Tech and JMU.

Lots from all over the east coast at JMU. VT draws from all over the country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BTW, I'm the poster above.

Generally speaking, I don't really think either Tech OR JMU is worth paying OOS tuition for, unless there's some academic program you're interested in. But based on the criteria you're describing, then, yeah, maybe pp IS right that you're more likely to find what you're looking for in the SEC or even the Big 10 if you're willing to waste money going OOS. Surely your state has a flagship?

SEC flagships offer generous merit and academic Common Market guarantees in-state tuition. They are cheaper and offer better football. Plenty of kids in at JMU and VT choose the SEC or even the Big 10; Auburn is not competing with Radford for students.

But the problem is then you have to go to school in those places and you learn WHY they have to offer that merit aid. The southern hick culture permeates even those towns, moreso than the hick culture surrounding Blacksburg and Harrisonburg. And, let's be honest, no one wants to live in the South. Nasty.

DP. I have kids at both JMU and VT and it is you who sounds nasty. Lots of people love living in the south.

Anonymous wrote:BTW, I'm the poster above.

Generally speaking, I don't really think either Tech OR JMU is worth paying OOS tuition for, unless there's some academic program you're interested in. But based on the criteria you're describing, then, yeah, maybe pp IS right that you're more likely to find what you're looking for in the SEC or even the Big 10 if you're willing to waste money going OOS. Surely your state has a flagship?

There are lots of students from OOS at both JMU and VT. Plenty of families are happy to pay OOS tuition to send their kids there.

Anonymous wrote:SEC colleges would be better for what you’re describing. VA kids know this and are going out of state.

Ignore this troll.

I almost went to JMU from OOS (DE) 30 years ago. Wound up at Wake Forest, but I still think JMU is a nice school. Costs were MUCH more reasonable then, though.

I just DON'T like Tech. I prefer the architecture and surroundings of JMU.

Yes, bigger football at Tech, but JMU certainly has spirit, too.

I came into town for our game against UMD one year at Wake and wound up in downtown DC club with a HS friend who was at GW and a couple of our mututal friends who drove in from JMU. We had a really fun night!

Anonymous wrote:There is some exaggerating on the airport issue.

Regional airports:
Tech is 45 minutes to ROA airport but you are going to connect to Charlotte, Atlanta or Chicago pretty much anywhere you fly. JMU is one hour to a similar sized airport in Charlottesville with similar connections.

International Airports
JMU is 2 hours to Dulles
VT is 3 hours to Charlotte Airport or 4 hours to Dulles.

That 4-hour drive to Dulles from Tech can be double that on a holiday weekend. It is a factor but I wouldn't call it a deal breaker but I think it is good to go in knowing that.

Blacksburg has thousands of cows. Harrisonburg has millions of chickens.

If pigs are your preferred livestock you need to go to ODU and drive out to Smithfield.

JMU hands down.

Blacksburg is very sleepy. Not much there. FYI

There is some exaggerating on the airport issue.

Regional airports:
Tech is 45 minutes to ROA airport but you are going to connect to Charlotte, Atlanta or Chicago pretty much anywhere you fly. JMU is one hour to a similar sized airport in Charlottesville with similar connections.

International Airports
JMU is 2 hours to Dulles
VT is 3 hours to Charlotte Airport or 4 hours to Dulles.

I can count on one hand the number of people I've heard of unhappy with their experience at either.

+1. Our friends loved their time at VT and JMU. Thanksgiving is a short break, but I'm looking forward to hearing from DC's friends who are current students. OP, they're worth a visit, but don't go during the holiday/summer breaks. We made the mistake of touring during the summer. JMU was a ghost town (must have been between programming) and VT was hosting a lot of summer programs for HS students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BTW, I'm the poster above.

Generally speaking, I don't really think either Tech OR JMU is worth paying OOS tuition for, unless there's some academic program you're interested in. But based on the criteria you're describing, then, yeah, maybe pp IS right that you're more likely to find what you're looking for in the SEC or even the Big 10 if you're willing to waste money going OOS. Surely your state has a flagship?

SEC flagships offer generous merit and academic Common Market guarantees in-state tuition. They are cheaper and offer better football. Plenty of kids in at JMU and VT choose the SEC or even the Big 10; Auburn is not competing with Radford for students.

But the problem is then you have to go to school in those places and you learn WHY they have to offer that merit aid. The southern hick culture permeates even those towns, moreso than the hick culture surrounding Blacksburg and Harrisonburg. And, let's be honest, no one wants to live in the South. Nasty.

Sorry you didn't get into UF, UGA, or UTK.

Didn't apply. Zero interest. Ugh.

I can count on one hand the number of people I've heard of unhappy with their experience at either.

Tech is the big leagues while JMU is well...not...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was always surprised by NJ and PA kids who attended Tech and JMU.

PA parent here. So, Penn State (main campus) is a harder admit than both Tech and JMU. And Pitt is even harder. Temple is Temple. Sort of a rough area. So, not exactly similar to JMU and Tech. The rest of the state schools aren't very good and aren't well known and don't have D1 sports.

And Rutgers is just Rutgers…not appealing for lots of NJ kids.