The poster's kids may well have chosen JMU over UVA and William & Mary, but it's also an unusual and probably unwise choice. It's not one that I would have encouraged my kids to make. At a minimum, I'd suggest s/he try UVA first, then transfer. There's nothing wrong with JMU and it has some very good programs, but it's nowhere near as good as UVA and, in fact, the quality of its student body has been stagnant for years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

It's not an odd comment at all. You justified your kids' alleged pick of JMU, turning down UVA and W&M, with the comment that they had "the time of their lives". Why is it odd to suggest they might have had a BETTER time at one of the other schools? And how do you really know how their time was? Much happened in college and grad school that I never told my parents about. And you didn't say they were in top grad schools for their fields, you said they were in "xlnt grad schools". period. So, I say troll or bad educational decision

NP

It is a VERY odd comment and a bizarre way to think. If you’re constantly thinking “well MAYBE I would have had a better time at/doing x, y, z if I had chosen differently” then you’re wasting a whole lot of time of what if’s.

Like my brother used to say “if if’s were fifths we’d all be f*cked up”.

+1
In addition, who actually says to someone, "Well, you'd probably have had a better time at Y" after being told what a fantastic time they had at X. That PP sounds like they have no social skills whatsoever. I'd hate to live my life second guessing myself.

Anonymous wrote:My kid this year chose JMU over UVA after visiting both schools on accepted students days. He couldn't really explain it beyond the fact he just felt more comfortable at JMU.

Exactly. Of course, you won't be believed because "NO ONE would turn down UVA for JMU!" The fact is, quite a few kids do. JMU is a welcoming, happy, fun school, full of smart and well-balanced students. There are many reasons to choose it.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that pp said her kids were accepted to all three and chose JMU. I'd call BS on that also.
I think she said in a vague way they chose JMU over UVa an W&M.

I'm that PP. To be clear - my kids applied to AND were accepted at JMU, VT, W&M, UVA, and CNU. So please, call BS all you'd like. It really doesn't change the fact that they were delighted to choose JMU.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

It's not an odd comment at all. You justified your kids' alleged pick of JMU, turning down UVA and W&M, with the comment that they had "the time of their lives". Why is it odd to suggest they might have had a BETTER time at one of the other schools? And how do you really know how their time was? Much happened in college and grad school that I never told my parents about. And you didn't say they were in top grad schools for their fields, you said they were in "xlnt grad schools". period. So, I say troll or bad educational decision

Wow. Speaking of trolls... you obviously have some sort of peculiar axe to grind and can't stand the thought that someone would decline UVA or W&M for (gasp!) JMU. Perhaps you need to broaden your horizons and step out of your bubble?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

I continue to call BS. If JMU was their first choice school then why did they even apply to UVA or William and Mary? They were obviously shoo-ins
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Lady (or sir) - you are insufferable. Did your kid only apply to their first choice school, or did they apply to several possibilities? Most kids do the latter. Mine were no different. They applied to about five instate schools and a couple of OOS. JMU was their top choice. And no - these days, no school is a "shoo-in." You would know that if you actually had kids who've applied to colleges in the past couple of years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

It's not an odd comment at all. You justified your kids' alleged pick of JMU, turning down UVA and W&M, with the comment that they had "the time of their lives". Why is it odd to suggest they might have had a BETTER time at one of the other schools? And how do you really know how their time was? Much happened in college and grad school that I never told my parents about. And you didn't say they were in top grad schools for their fields, you said they were in "xlnt grad schools". period. So, I say troll or bad educational decision

NP

It is a VERY odd comment and a bizarre way to think. If you’re constantly thinking “well MAYBE I would have had a better time at/doing x, y, z if I had chosen differently” then you’re wasting a whole lot of time of what if’s.

Like my brother used to say “if if’s were fifths we’d all be f*cked up”.

My kid this year chose JMU over UVA after visiting both schools on accepted students days. He couldn't really explain it beyond the fact he just felt more comfortable at JMU.

I don't think that pp said her kids were accepted to all three and chose JMU. I'd call BS on that also.
I think she said in a vague way they chose JMU over UVa an W&M.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

It's not an odd comment at all. You justified your kids' alleged pick of JMU, turning down UVA and W&M, with the comment that they had "the time of their lives". Why is it odd to suggest they might have had a BETTER time at one of the other schools? And how do you really know how their time was? Much happened in college and grad school that I never told my parents about. And you didn't say they were in top grad schools for their fields, you said they were in "xlnt grad schools". period. So, I say troll or bad educational decision

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

I continue to call BS. If JMU was their first choice school then why did they even apply to UVA or William and Mary? They were obviously shoo-ins
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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

I call BS. No way both kids turned down W&M and UVA for JMU.

Could be, a few pages back someone allegedly turned down Grinnell for Lawrence. Maybe it was a merit aid decision?

It wasn't a merit aid decision, it was a preference decision. Why do you people find this so hard to believe? There were several reasons that factored into their decisions, none of which I want to go into as I don't want this to turn into slamming either UVA or W&M, both of which are fine schools. But it came down to my kids' personal preferences and their choices of majors. We were thrilled with their choice. I'd hate to have parents who were constantly second guessing my college choice because it apparently wasn't "prestigious" enough for them. Wow.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

I call BS. No way both kids turned down W&M and UVA for JMU.

I'm that PP, and you can call BS all you want. Oh, and here's something else you can call BS on - they're not alone. I find it funny that you would have your kids turn down their TOP CHOICE school for what? Some kind of perceived prestige? So glad my kids have minds of their own and used them wisely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

Sorry, what? Their top choice was JMU - both of them. Who on earth says, "Well, they might have had a better time at ____" after just being told what a fantastic time was had at their chosen school? How odd. And as I said, they're in top grad schools for their fields. UVA or W&M wouldn't have changed that. So yes, it actually was a very smart decision for them to go to their first choice school. But thanks for your input?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lawrence University - turned down Skidmore and Grinnell for it. She just fell in love.

Choosing Lawrence over Grinnell is like choosing JMU over UVA. Makes no sense.

Well, that's exactly what both my kids did - choose JMU over UVA (and W&M, btw). They both had the time of their lives at JMU, got a great education, and are now in excellent grad schools. This sounds like a 'you' problem.

NP. But they might have had betters times at UVA and would be in better grad schools. That's still not a smart decision no matter how you want to defend it.

I call BS. No way both kids turned down W&M and UVA for JMU.

Could be, a few pages back someone allegedly turned down Grinnell for Lawrence. Maybe it was a merit aid decision?