<p>Not to attend:
1.registration
2.lack of class selection
3. location
4.food
5.dorm
6.grade deflation
7.lack of diversity
8.lack of professors
9. conservative</p>
<p>to attend
1. inexpensive if in state, not too expensive if out of state
2. prestigious</p>
<p>Regarding #3 - um, did you not know where it was when you decided to attend? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Really, OP, not many W&M students would come up with the same list. Three of these items seem to be related to the difficulties you’ve had in registration - 1, 2 and 8 above. Registration for freshmen is difficult at every state school. It’s no one’s job to make it convenient for you. </p>
<p>I have 2 ds whose opinions of and experiences at W&M could not be more different from yours. Each of them quickly learned to be proactive and smart about the registration process. They emailed profs for overrides and attended the first day of classes, then asked the prof in person for an override. When they knew they’d have no trouble registering for certain classes, they saved those for last. My d advises you to Bannerstalk. There’s an art to getting the exact schedule you want. Are you willing to do early-morning classes, or classes on Friday afternoon? </p>
<p>I don’t know what you mean by saying “lack of professors.” The student-faculty ratio at W&M is 12:1, which is low for a public institution. Teaching assistants teach labs and discussion groups, not classes. It’s a sad fact of life that schools won’t add sections to accommodate every student who wants a spot in class.</p>
<p>did you not get all the classes you wanted? welcome to college.</p>
<p>take something else for now, and you can take other classes the next semester.</p>
<p>3, 5, and 7 are all publicly available on the website.</p>
<p>college food is not as good as your parents’ cooking. correct. go to the grocery store if you want.</p>
<p>Regarding #6, the academic rigors of W&M are well documented. That’s why it is one of the best undergraduate schools in the country. It doesn’t get its reputation from it’s graduate programs like a lot of schools do.</p>
<p>IMO, W&M is not conservative. But, that was just my impression after being there for 4 years. There’s a strong LGBT community and the students voted to charge themselves more tuition money in an effort to do “green” projects around campus. But obviously it could be more conservative than you wanted.</p>
<p>I think your reasons not to attend are mostly superficial. Yes, registration, especially for freshmen, can be miserable-- but when I did not get the classes I wanted, I took some classes I had not expected to take, and ended up loving them. The food is pretty mediocre, I agree-- especially as a vegetarian with limited options-- but consequently, I began cooking for myself and ended up enjoying it. I love my dorm, the professors are excellent, the student body is overwhelmingly accepting of others, and I made dean’s list for my first semester. William & Mary is by no means perfect, and it is not for everyone; I am currently struggling with the small size and competitive environment. However, William & Mary will challenge you, there is no question. How you tackle those challenges, and the student you ultimately become, is determined by you.</p>
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<p>Am I alone in getting excited about the courses W&M offers?</p>
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<p>I thought a meal plan wasn’t required?</p>
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<p>Come on, you’re not living with Fox and friends.</p>
<p>I believe a meal plan is required for the class of 2015 and on. </p>
<p>If the OP has hesitations, I suggest she or he look at another college. W&M gets plenty of applications from kids who would love to attend, so it is not as though OP’s decision to go elsewhere is going to affect the school in any significant way.</p>
<p>OP: what other schools are on your list?</p>
<p>As a mom of a sophomore and a 1980 something grad as well, I’d like to add a perspective here. If class selection seems a problem, it is often resolved during drop/add period. No one seems to jeopardize graduation because they couldn’t get in a required class. It all falls into place. Major pluses, then and now, teachers ( they care and they are available), learning environment(you are surrounded by high achievers who want to learn- its competetive but not cutthroat), sense of history (a lot of great thinkers walked these brick paths before you) teachers, teachers, teachers. That being said, food is so so, dorms are so so, party scene is mostly frat/srat, though plenty to do for those you don’t imbibe. Still a great education…and a great 4 years. I am nostalgic for my time there and she is having the time of her life.</p>