<p>So I really want to attend a school that has a lot of school spirit and people are exciting to be going to the school. like does everyone wears W and M apparel and show spirit? also what are the football games like? i know they are nothing like the hardcore fans at UGA but do people still get into them and are they well attended?</p>
<p>W&M does not have a big time athletic feel. This year attendance trailed off as the [poor] season went on, but on opening night, over 3000 students were there in the stands (that's over half the undergrad population). W&M faces an uphill battle with recruiting, especially on the football field, as academics can take a lot of potential recruits out of consideration, and players hardly ever transfer to WM for the same reason (as an example on the other side, Joe Flacco (Delaware) who ESPN just projected as the #3 QB in the draft was a Pitt transfer, and they are reloading at QB this year with a transfer from Ohio State).</p>
<p>The basketball team is improving after many years of horrible-ness, and is seeing increased support, though nothing like a Duke or UNC, or probably even UVA. We are one of a handful of Div I teams that has been around since the NCAA tournament started that has not participated.</p>
<p>WM will never be a Michigan, or Florida, or Virginia Tech (football), or Duke/UNC (basketball) etc. On the other hand, WM graduates its athletes, unlike the schools with "big time" programs. Trade offs, I guess.</p>
<p>Soccerguy - being from Delaware, it's really quite refreshing to see someone out-of-state not spell it Deleware, AND know who Joe Flacco is. I guess the latter isn't so difficult, and the first wouldn't seem to be either, but believe me, it is.</p>
<p>Sort of like everyone assuming W&M is a private Catholic school.</p>
<p>Well, Mary was mother of God and wasn't William the pope? :confused:</p>
<p>It's so ironic, because William and Mary were protestants, placed in power to quell the Catholics.</p>
<p>I know namtrag it's so annoying!! As for school spirit, you have to remember it's a small school who is strong in academics. I feel there is enough spirit, but you have to decide if you want a school that has its strength in academics (like WM or ivy leagues) or powerhouse athletic schools (UF, FSU, etc)</p>
<p>oh, come on. W*M determined they did NOT want to be in Ivy or Patriot leagues when invited. and it's not much "smaller" than Duke, Gonzaga,Rice, Stanford, Tulsa, Wake Forest, Northwestern, Notre Dame ... school spirit and academics need not be mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>seen how many people show up to Duke football games?</p>
<p>And Rice, give me a break!</p>
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<p>school spirit and academics need not be mutually exclusive.</p>
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<p>(Accepting for the moment that "school spirit" == "attendance at football games" ...)</p>
<p>No, but it helps to be a well-endowed private school with lots of money for facilities, recruiting, famous coaches, and athletic scholarships, have no restrictions in IS/OOS, have your own lucrative television contract to broadcast games, and a willingness to be, uh, "flexible", when it comes to academics for your athletes. </p>
<p>The schools you name for the most part have a history of success - and success breeds success. For every "Duke" basketball program, there are dozens of other schools that don't have <em>any</em> kind of success in athletics - somehow, I don't think MIT or Amherst or Cal Tech are any threat to Duke basketball for the foreseeable future. And success in one sport doesn't mean guarantee success in another - as has been pointed out, how many people attend Duke football games? </p>
<p>Honestly, I just don't think it's "that" kind of school environment - "environment" as defined by the the kids themselves. Compared to a lot of places, those that choose to attend W&M don't seem to be all that into watching sports, though a fair pct play them. </p>
<p>Then again, everyone loves a winner - if somehow, the bb team had gone to the NCAA's and were in the Sweet 16, I think you'd find a whole different dynamic right now. </p>
<p>As DD might put it, if she wanted to go to a school full of kegger-swilling, jock-worshiping, spoiled rich white frat boys, and schnapps-guzzling, bulimic, ex-high-school-cheerleaders-now-future trophy wives, well, she would've gone to "***" ... ;)</p>
<p>C'mon Squiddy ... you GOT to tell us where that is! :eek:Sounds like a dream school! :cool:</p>
<p>You know, you might be right about W*M not being THAT kind of school. That's profound because it's probably on the $. :(</p>
<p>W&M does not give off the big sports vibe. Because it doesn't have big college sports. Like, the athletes go to class and stuff, a rare concept for some schools.</p>
<p>That said, even though it's not a big time sports environment, 3000 students still went through the gate to watch the Delaware @ WM game last fall. That's a very high percentage.</p>
<p>The basketball team is getting better, and the number of fans supporting the team will continue to increase.</p>
<p>Whistlepig- my post wasn't inteded to say that they had to be exclusive (although looking at my post it did seem that way, my bad). Duke, Michigan, and Miami are all examples of this. However, it is not that common and you have to choose your priorities.</p>
<p>That's my .02</p>