Not one person has asked if this student has visited either campus.

I’d go with W&M based on your description of your son. Doesn’t sound like the social scene would be his speed at Tulane.

William & Mary, for all the reasons stated and based on yiur description of your student. I think he will love it there. Agreed that for us on the east coast, this is a super easy if / or! Try to attend Day For Admitted Students and best to you both!

Anonymous wrote:Your kid sounds like he would thrive at W&M. lots of (impressive) kids like him there.

New Orleans is a very alcohol-centered city.
And there is rampant crime there as well.

Williamsburg is much tamer and safer. But plenty of good restaurants and bars. Gorgeous campus. Easy train ride to DC.

Yea and despite what some people on here like to say, lots of w&m students go out and party and hit bars. You can find a work hard play hard lifestyle if that's what you want, but unlike Tulane it's not a requirement to have a social life

Your kid sounds like he would thrive at W&M. lots of (impressive) kids like him there.

New Orleans is a very alcohol-centered city.
And there is rampant crime there as well.

Williamsburg is much tamer and safer. But plenty of good restaurants and bars. Gorgeous campus. Easy train ride to DC.

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful insights. Our son is fortunate to have this choice between two very good schools, and the clear consensus on W&M’s fit has been incredibly helpful.

He may end up in Econ, maybe finance, or maybe something else entirely. We know he’ll thrive as long as he finds his people and loves the life he’s living.

We’ll be heading to Williamsburg in a few weeks which will hopefully give him the experience he needs to feel excited and make the choice that’s right for him.

Impressed by your public schools, VA!

Best wishes for your son. Yes, VA has excellent publics. We are very fortunate. WM is a gem and Colonial Williamsburg is charming.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in VA and know a lot kids in W&M and one at Tulane. Both are nice admits. W&M around here is considered on par-ish with UVA. However, UVA is a bit snobby and W&M is for the more academically inclined kids. I have questioned if anyone knows W&M outside of VA but I have recently met some highly successful W&M recent grads in investment banking and PE and I think at least one was an econ major. Tulane, I just know is a ton of parties and an old money school. I dont think it has nearly the academic vibe of W&M IMO. Your kid sounds like a classic W&M kid but visit because it's a love/hate situation based on thoes I know.

The only think W&M is on par with UVA in is test scores/student academics. UVA has engineering and tons more programs and opportunities. It's also a lot more of a fun social experience.

Besides being on par with academics and test scores… do you hear yourself? Like Tulane, UVA is a diffecnt atmosphere than WM. Different strokes. Unlike Tulane, UVA isn’t the subject of this thread and isn’t a school OP’s kid is considering. Go start the 97th UVA thread this month. Because when UVA shows up in a thread, constructive discussion stops.

Anyway, OP’s kid sounds very WM. Because I don’t personally have a kid at Tulane, I’ll refrain from saying anything except the kids I personally know who went were private HS, work hard/play hard types. Also bright kids with bright futures. But not in the mold OP is discussing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in VA and know a lot kids in W&M and one at Tulane. Both are nice admits. W&M around here is considered on par-ish with UVA. However, UVA is a bit snobby and W&M is for the more academically inclined kids. I have questioned if anyone knows W&M outside of VA but I have recently met some highly successful W&M recent grads in investment banking and PE and I think at least one was an econ major. Tulane, I just know is a ton of parties and an old money school. I dont think it has nearly the academic vibe of W&M IMO. Your kid sounds like a classic W&M kid but visit because it's a love/hate situation based on thoes I know.

The only think W&M is on par with UVA in is test scores/student academics. UVA has engineering and tons more programs and opportunities. It's also a lot more of a fun social experience.

wrong

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:P&Q 2025 Rankings:

Outcomes
#33 William & Mary
#72 Tulane

Overall
#20 William & Mary
#35 Tulane

Both are solid for business but William & Mary has better outcomes. Tulane's B School has a lower acceptance rate but not as good salaries, employment rates, or internships.

As for overall school rankings, US News has the two schools relatively close in ranking while Forbes has them a bit further apart. For 2025, Forbes has William & Mary at #55 and Tulane at #147.

It seems like William & Mary is the clear choice for fit and opportunity here.

Kid wants ECON not business. Econ dept of Tulane is way ahead of W&M.

Source?

William Mary Econ dept is basically non existent …..they barely publish. a PP showed a list. Comparing apples to nothing.

Publishing is of little importance for undergraduate economics education. It is more important for graduate programs. The two schools have departments with the same number of faculty. W&M produces more students that go on to earn PhDs in economics. Bachelors in economics salaries are similar.

https://www.highereddatastories.com/2024/12/doctoral-recipients-by-undergraduate.html

Paid per post

What does this mean

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:P&Q 2025 Rankings:

Outcomes
#33 William & Mary
#72 Tulane

Overall
#20 William & Mary
#35 Tulane

Both are solid for business but William & Mary has better outcomes. Tulane's B School has a lower acceptance rate but not as good salaries, employment rates, or internships.

As for overall school rankings, US News has the two schools relatively close in ranking while Forbes has them a bit further apart. For 2025, Forbes has William & Mary at #55 and Tulane at #147.

It seems like William & Mary is the clear choice for fit and opportunity here.

Kid wants ECON not business. Econ dept of Tulane is way ahead of W&M.

Source?

William Mary Econ dept is basically non existent …..they barely publish. a PP showed a list. Comparing apples to nothing.

Publishing is of little importance for undergraduate economics education. It is more important for graduate programs. The two schools have departments with the same number of faculty. W&M produces more students that go on to earn PhDs in economics. Bachelors in economics salaries are similar.

https://www.highereddatastories.com/2024/12/doctoral-recipients-by-undergraduate.html

Paid per post

Anonymous wrote:I live in VA and know a lot kids in W&M and one at Tulane. Both are nice admits. W&M around here is considered on par-ish with UVA. However, UVA is a bit snobby and W&M is for the more academically inclined kids. I have questioned if anyone knows W&M outside of VA but I have recently met some highly successful W&M recent grads in investment banking and PE and I think at least one was an econ major. Tulane, I just know is a ton of parties and an old money school. I dont think it has nearly the academic vibe of W&M IMO. Your kid sounds like a classic W&M kid but visit because it's a love/hate situation based on thoes I know.

The only think W&M is on par with UVA in is test scores/student academics. UVA has engineering and tons more programs and opportunities. It's also a lot more of a fun social experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids I know who choose Tulane are the party types from wealthy families with slightly above average stats.

They are the ones who when they come back to the East coast, will be running the firms that are hiring the W&M grads….

Wrong. Both W&M and Tulane grads will be working for extremely physically attractive JMU grads.

I live in VA and know a lot kids in W&M and one at Tulane. Both are nice admits. W&M around here is considered on par-ish with UVA. However, UVA is a bit snobby and W&M is for the more academically inclined kids. I have questioned if anyone knows W&M outside of VA but I have recently met some highly successful W&M recent grads in investment banking and PE and I think at least one was an econ major. Tulane, I just know is a ton of parties and an old money school. I dont think it has nearly the academic vibe of W&M IMO. Your kid sounds like a classic W&M kid but visit because its a love/hate situation based on thoes I know.

Anonymous wrote:The kids I know who choose Tulane are the party types from wealthy families with slightly above average stats.

They are the ones who when they come back to the East coast, will be running the firms that are hiring the W&M grads….

The kids I know who choose Tulane are the party types from wealthy families with slightly above average stats.