My family had a surprisingly strong negative reaction to our CNU tour. Agree with many of the things posted already—sterile hotel lobby feel, stepford wives vibe, no visible diversity, kids on lawn seemed like extras placed there. Only college tour that we’ve been on that I observed rude behavior from the students towards the tour. Kids mocked out loud how the tour participants were holding the doors and we saw students pointing and laughing at the tour as we walked through the quad area. It’s the only college that we’ve visited that my kid said “I cannot see myself here, I will never go here.”

But, my friend’s daughter goes there and loves it. Clearly many kids are happy there.

My DS chose CNU over JMU. He was looking for a smaller school and he was no fan of the football culture. I really wanted him to go to JMU and brought him to campus multiple times (including admitted student day) but he just didn't like it.

He will be graduating from CNU in May. If it matters, he has accepted a job offer that he will start in June.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Only on DCUM can a campus be criticized for being nice looking.

For me, the odd feeling at CNU comes from the fact that everything was either built or extensively renovated at the same time, so there’s an almost jarring uniformity that you don’t see on other campuses that were built up over centuries. It’s like someone really got into the college campus aesthetic and added a few too many cupolas and archways so that it feels like a theme park version of a campus.

Plus that it’s plopped down in Newport News, which is not exactly known for its uniform opulence. It’s just feels weird there.

+1 my DD had a negative reaction to the CNU campus too. Overly pristine and manicured with no soul (in her opinion). She much preferred the UMW campus.

We also visited the UMW campus and she liked it, but ultimately did not apply there.

I have heard multiple people use the word creepy about the campus, but I have not been. In the pictures another PP shared, it looks similar to what I have seen in some buildings at UVA. I guess the difference being that that happened organically and not planned to look like an old southern campus.

NP here. I'll get some hate for this but we liked UMW's campus better than UVA. Thought it was prettier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only on DCUM can a campus be criticized for being nice looking.

For me, the odd feeling at CNU comes from the fact that everything was either built or extensively renovated at the same time, so there’s an almost jarring uniformity that you don’t see on other campuses that were built up over centuries. It’s like someone really got into the college campus aesthetic and added a few too many cupolas and archways so that it feels like a theme park version of a campus.

Plus that it’s plopped down in Newport News, which is not exactly known for its uniform opulence. It’s just feels weird there.

+1 my DD had a negative reaction to the CNU campus too. Overly pristine and manicured with no soul (in her opinion). She much preferred the UMW campus.

We also visited the UMW campus and she liked it, but ultimately did not apply there.

I have heard multiple people use the word creepy about the campus, but I have not been. In the pictures another PP shared, it looks similar to what I have seen in some buildings at UVA. I guess the difference being that that happened organically and not planned to look like an old southern campus.

When we toured CNU, there was a group of guys playing touch football on the lawn. They felt like movie extras on a set.
JMU has a better academic reputation (but is still not well-known outside of the DMV) and offers the atmosphere and amenities of a big school. But my kids have had several friends graduate from CNU and they all were happy with their experience. One got into med school, several are teachers, one is a financial analyst with a local firm. So, anecdotally decent outcomes.

Anonymous wrote:As a parent I can attest that JMU takes very good care of their students. Check out Dean of Students Tim Miller’s regular posts on Instagram. Honestly JMU students are great kids — it’s getting increasingly difficult to gain admission there; the overall stats are rising fast.

Dr. Miller is Vice President for Student Affairs, not a dean.

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Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that went to CMU is conservative and give off vibes similar to Liberty University.

Yeah my CNU ultra liberal, LBGTQ, non white, agnostic child disagrees with this statement.

OP here. We absolutely did not get this impression during our tour at all. Everyone seemed open and welcoming; in fact, I believe that our admissions person was gay. He was super nice and very well spoken and representated the university very well.

This means nothing. Every single tour guide at every college in this nation is gay if male. Also probably gay if female.

Anonymous wrote:How dominant is Greek life at CNU? DD got the impression at our tour that it was big because all the tour guides, 8 of them on a big tour day, were in fraternity/sororities.

Can’t speak to CNU, but I suspect that has more to do with the type of kid who’s drawn to being a tour guide than the predominance of Greek life.

(I wasn’t Greek, but was a tour guide. School was only about 12% Greek, but LOTS of them were guides. Think extroverts tend towards both.)

How dominant is Greek life at CNU? DD got the impression at our tour that it was big because all the tour guides, 8 of them on a big tour day, were in fraternity/sororities.

Both great options but I think most kids would be drawn to one or the other given the difference in size.

Anonymous wrote:If she got into JMU, I personally would go there. It’s a well-respected school with something for everyone and students absolutely love it. CNU seems nice too but I don’t know much about it.

Same reaction as you, PP, but fwiw our HS principal’s DC goes there and he said as a parent he genuinely feels that CNU is one of Virginia’s best kept secrets and that his DC is thriving there. Loves the campus and community.

CNU is pretty in a Stepford Wives kind of way. A bit too pristine. Not a college town vibe.
Also Newport News is not the safest place. My daughter chose JMU and absolutely loves it. She wanted the big game days, tailgates, -and the college town feel. On my first visit to JMU I was not overly impressed by their downtown but since then have changed my mind— the full campus is beautiful and well-managed. As a parent I can attest that JMU takes very good care of their students. Check out Dean of Students Tim Miller’s regular posts on Instagram. Honestly JMU students are great kids — it’s getting increasingly difficult to gain admission there; the overall stats are rising fast. CNU is an easier admit for sure.

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Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that went to CMU is conservative and give off vibes similar to Liberty University.

I did not get this impression when we visited.

+1 same
In fact, I had long heard complaints that there was little diversity at CNU but did not find that to be the case at all. We toured there and then visited another time (a friend's son attends) and there was significant diversity. More diverse than my child's N. VA high school.

Agree with this. I thought it was diverse.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that went to CMU is conservative and give off vibes similar to Liberty University.

I did not get this impression when we visited.

+1 same
In fact, I had long heard complaints that there was little diversity at CNU but did not find that to be the case at all. We toured there and then visited another time (a friend's son attends) and there was significant diversity. More diverse than my child's N. VA high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that went to CMU is conservative and give off vibes similar to Liberty University.

Yeah my CNU ultra liberal, LBGTQ, non white, agnostic child disagrees with this statement.

OP here. We absolutely did not get this impression during our tour at all. Everyone seemed open and welcoming; in fact, I believe that our admissions person was gay. He was super nice and very well spoken and representated the university very well.