Anonymous wrote:W&M students appear quirky if compared to big state school places like JMU or UVA, but they seem very mainstream if you visit actual “artsy” schools in the NE like Wellesley or Haverford.

Except they don’t. My kid was deciding between uva and wm last year and we visited both and perceived no difference in the general student body. She chose wm and has absolutely loved it.

Anonymous wrote:I think the arrival of a Lululemom store within walking distance heralded a new era. (Not even kidding.)

That said, at my kid’s non-NOVA public (and I’m a different posted than the non-NOVA poster above), the kids choosing W&M this year are unanimously quirky so far. (No shade— they’re all great kids.)

It's definitely fascinating how different the reputation is at different schools in Virginia - even between two schools in the same county. I almost feel a little bad for the kids who commit under the impression that it lives up to that reputation, if they would have picked a different school otherwise because they wouldn't feel as happy in that environment. My daughter knows a couple kids in her dorm who have expressed disappointment at the school being "more preppy" and "not as nerdy" (their words) than they had expected.

And a trending post yesterday on yikyak - "why did this school stop being the "boring nerd" stereotype as soon as i started going here... I WANTED THE BORING NERD SCHOOL"

Anonymous wrote:Any updates on COA for incoming 2026/2027? WM still list current year costs. tx

The Board of Visitors meets next week to decide. They are asking for public comment. As VA doesn’t well fund our public colleges I highly recommend asking them to seek money from the state or elsewhere. Here’s the link to comment: BOV is asking for public comment on tuition raises. Here’s the link: https://news.wm.edu/announcements/wm-to-host-april-22-public-hearing-on-tuition/?utm_source=fb_news&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BOV-hearing&fbclid=IwZnRzaAQwzV5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe7E3VhtWNhfyM9REs0opwoDJLx7MYL586CAWhoyS--DZ-o7d5BJpwVc8BUdI_aem_UzVB1L7kEXB91IpRmRvo0w

Anonymous wrote:I was at DFAS with my daughter. The majority of kids we saw, including my daughter, are completely mainstream. Saw some quirky but they definitely weren't the majority.

A healthy diverse mix is ideal!

Anonymous wrote:For those with kids there: is the feeling more intense (like a Swarthmore) or more easy-going and supportive (like a Bowdoin)? I know it's bigger than both of these, just wondering an about the atmosphere.

Very supportive for my two. The students are hardworking and do have internal pressure to do well in a lot of cases. But the students in general aren't trying to outdo each other.

Anonymous wrote:Current WM parent and we love the school. Especially in-state it is really offering a great value for a different kind of state school experience.

It’s not that quirky. That’s the rep at my kids’ school also and I don’t quite get it. It is certainly quieter than UVA or Tech or JMU. I think that’s where the problem is - if someone looking for the big state school experience looks at WM it probably doesn’t appeal.

It’s for the kid that might like BC or Wake or Emory or Wash U or Case or Tufts but is looking for another option (or, for in-staters, to pay a lot less or a similar option)

Thanks for this. I have visited W&M with a couple of my kids and think it is a gem. The oldest ended up choosing UVA and second didn't apply. I really hoped my current junior would fall in love with it but someone told him it was very "nerdy-quirky" and now he already has a preconceived notion. He did love a couple of the schools you mention above!

For those with kids there: is the feeling more intense (like a Swarthmore) or more easy-going and supportive (like a Bowdoin)? I know it's bigger than both of these, just wondering a about the atmosphere.

Anonymous wrote:Shhh. Don’t let the admit rate become insane. I personally love that it is pretty self selecting and “those who come belong” rather than the rat race of people just applying to apply. Don’t let the cat out of the bag!

It's going to catch up. I was told big increases in students applying OOS from California, Texas, Florida, and NC this application round.

Shhh. Don’t let the admit rate become insane. I personally love that it is pretty self selecting and “those who come belong” rather than the rat race of people just applying to apply. Don’t let the cat out of the bag!

W&M students appear quirky if compared to big state school places like JMU or UVA, but they seem very mainstream if you visit actual “artsy” schools in the NE like Wellesley or Haverford.

I was at DFAS with my daughter. The majority of kids we saw, including my daughter, are completely mainstream. Saw some quirky but they definitely weren't the majority.

Any updates on COA for incoming 2026/2027? WM still list current year costs. tx

I think the arrival of a Lululemom store within walking distance heralded a new era. (Not even kidding.)

That said, at my kid’s non-NOVA public (and I’m a different posted than the non-NOVA poster above), the kids choosing W&M this year are unanimously quirky so far. (No shade— they’re all great kids.)

Anonymous wrote:I was there in the 80s and remember all types. Only a few who i thought were VERY quirky. Most were smart, mainstream students at that time.

I'm the 2000-2010s poster. I definitely agree with you that it was much more mainstream in the 80s and 90s. Idk what changed in the decades after that, maybe some greater culture shift. I know Greek life shrunk a ton then. But I definitely think the "quirky" type of student doesn't have as much interest in a school like W&M anymore. I'm sure it's a factor of the stuff that was previously not big at W&M in previous years (greek life, sports, pre-professionalism) blowing up

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP I leaned over to my kid at DFAS and said everyone looks really normal and he said “What are you even talking about?!?” So not the kid perception or the reality that everyone is “quirky.” And he had a visceral NO reaction to a SLAC that I perceived to be a very similar student body where he did not apply after visiting. Important to remember schools change!

And that a school’s reputation can be way off or incomplete the whole time. WM has never been majority quirky. But there are some on this board who seem interested in perpetuating that idea.

That could well be true. But it’s the perception around where we live (VA, not Nova) and was my other kid’s perception after several visits just a few years ago. I swore it checked all the boxes and made him do multiple visits over several years. Big nope. But not my other kid’s perception at all. A good reminder things can change quickly and visits are definitely worthwhile. And what’s good for one kid might be completely different for another, which can be hard to remember when fitting visits in.

And a big reminder for some folks on here to get off their soapboxes about some of these hater schools.