Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:27     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Visit both schools - ideally officially (admitted students days) and socially (your child going to visit friends). They are very different "vibes" to put it mildly. Academically it sounds like your child will excel no matter where they go. It's a question of which culture is a better fit.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:20     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here: Really appreciate everyone's thoughts. It's not the type of thing you can easily talk about with friends without it being weird. I knew it would be a mixed bag here with plenty to think about. From this chain, I at least feel validated that it IS a tough choice, but also that it's NOT crazy to go with JMU as long as DC is going in with their eyes open to the various tradeoffs.


This obviously is not a major consideration but I think it is fair to think about the peers they may meet too for networking, friendships, and long term partners. I would think UVA would be better for that.


Agree with this - I actually think this is very much worth considering
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:14     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Send kid to UVA. Not worth cheaping out over 15k per year. Unless you think your kid won’t be able to hang with the big dogs
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:10     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
UVA is not that much better than JMU. Take JMU offer.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:10     Subject: Re:Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:You’d be crazy not to take the huge merit offer.


Disagree. She says full tuition only. That's worth only $13,762 at JMU. UVA is ranked 4th, and JMU is ranked 151st among public national universities.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 11:05     Subject: Re:Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
We talk about 17 years old thinking valuing the now vs. the future, but I see parents doing the same thing going cheap on their kids’ education.

Don’t know UVA well enough to weigh in on its prestige, but if it’s a decision about a HYP vs. unknown college, the prestige matters and so does the alumni network.

I hear people say all the time that the school you attend only matters for your first job. Just not true. My HYP degrees have opened many doors and opportunities over the past three decades, long after graduation, from jobs to club memberships and the ability to connect with incredible people.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:53     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, I went to Michigan State when I was also admitted to the University of Michigan. I was instate. I never regretted it. I had good, mature reasons - but they were my reasons, not my parent's reasons -- and it had nothing to do with money.

I actually don't think you can make this about money as this is too weighty a decision, and you have admitted you could afford either. Step back and truly make this your student's decision based on where they will thrive. Have the decision come from them completely. If they choose JMU, there will be plenty of time later to equalize the money-spent between the two siblings. That can be a future consideration.

Your student needs to completely own this decision. If it's entirely their decision, they will work hard to prove to themselves and you that they made the best decision. That is what you want above all else. It truly needs to be their decision, and in your family's case/financial case, not about money.


I’m not the OP, but thank you for this. My kid has a similar dilemma and I want to print this out and mail it the meddlesome grandparents who are insinuating that my she’ll ruin her life if she chooses the lower ranked school.


+1 long ago I chose the lower-ranked school. My parents didn't weigh in at all (except to kick things off the list that were too expensive). Years later, my mom told me my dad was so stressed out about the decision, which came down to two options. He really didn't think I'd do well at the huge competitive flagship and thought the regional university that was more focused on undergrads was a much better fit (it was also his favorite place to hire new grads). I'm glad I didn't have to also weigh his worries in my decision. I picked the regional U for my own reasons, it ended up being a great fit and I got exactly the job I wanted on graduation.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:50     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:Congrats!
Talk to some professors at JMU in the department of choice. In reality most are just as strong as profs at UVA. No debt is incredible! College is what you make of it.

(It’s UVA, not Harvard).
(I have a kid at UVA. It’s a good school but it’s not all that).


If it’s teaching/nursing, no one cares - do JMU. In any other case, UVA.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:49     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
The money is awesome but what does the kid want? They are very different schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:42     Subject: Re:Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
You’d be crazy not to take the huge merit offer.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:42     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UVA does not have national recognition- just fyi.


The 50,000 out-of-state applicants to UVA might beg to differ.


South Carolina says hi with 70,000
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:42     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:OP, I went to Michigan State when I was also admitted to the University of Michigan. I was instate. I never regretted it. I had good, mature reasons - but they were my reasons, not my parent's reasons -- and it had nothing to do with money.

I actually don't think you can make this about money as this is too weighty a decision, and you have admitted you could afford either. Step back and truly make this your student's decision based on where they will thrive. Have the decision come from them completely. If they choose JMU, there will be plenty of time later to equalize the money-spent between the two siblings. That can be a future consideration.

Your student needs to completely own this decision. If it's entirely their decision, they will work hard to prove to themselves and you that they made the best decision. That is what you want above all else. It truly needs to be their decision, and in your family's case/financial case, not about money.


I’m not the OP, but thank you for this. My kid has a similar dilemma and I want to print this out and mail it the meddlesome grandparents who are insinuating that my she’ll ruin her life if she chooses the lower ranked school.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:41     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here: Really appreciate everyone's thoughts. It's not the type of thing you can easily talk about with friends without it being weird. I knew it would be a mixed bag here with plenty to think about. From this chain, I at least feel validated that it IS a tough choice, but also that it's NOT crazy to go with JMU as long as DC is going in with their eyes open to the various tradeoffs.


This obviously is not a major consideration but I think it is fair to think about the peers they may meet too for networking, friendships, and long term partners. I would think UVA would be better for that.


DP. UVA alum and in don’t like this assumption the UVA peers are automatically better. My friends who went to JMU had a wonderful experience, found great jobs, are still close with their college friends, and are partnered up. I cannot the same about all of those things about my time at UVA.

My own senior is deciding between UVA and a safety with an even higher admit rate than JMU. People can be so weird about assuming what is the obvious choice. Fit matters and there are good people everywhere.


This all day. Everyone I know who went to JMU loves it fiercely. You are asking if your kid should have a wonderful undergraduate experience for a bargain and the answer is yes, as long as it is a good fit for your student. Don't fall for The prestige trap
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:36     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
OP, I went to Michigan State when I was also admitted to the University of Michigan. I was instate. I never regretted it. I had good, mature reasons - but they were my reasons, not my parent's reasons -- and it had nothing to do with money.

I actually don't think you can make this about money as this is too weighty a decision, and you have admitted you could afford either. Step back and truly make this your student's decision based on where they will thrive. Have the decision come from them completely. If they choose JMU, there will be plenty of time later to equalize the money-spent between the two siblings. That can be a future consideration.

Your student needs to completely own this decision. If it's entirely their decision, they will work hard to prove to themselves and you that they made the best decision. That is what you want above all else. It truly needs to be their decision, and in your family's case/financial case, not about money.
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2026 10:31     Subject: Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?
OP, is it full-ride to JMU, or tuition+fees covered and you pay housing+dining?