<p>Hi all! Son and I visited JMU this weekend for a campus tour. The campus was clean and updated, there were happy students everywhere, the food was delicious and offered tons of vegetarian options. The sessions with the foreign language and international affairs departments were very informative. Son loved it, I am hesitant. Can you recommend other schools near the east coast that have a similar feel? Thanks!</p>
<p>What made you hesitant, or is it just a matter of wanting to see what else is out there? Are you in-state or OSS and is cost a factor?</p>
<p>I am unsure if the reputation of it being a party school is true. The youtube videos scare me, lol. I know there will be parties at all schools and it is up to the student to choose to do this or not do this. With my mind I know this but I am a mother and I worry. 
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<p>We are Virginia residents, so there are a lot of kids from his high school there. A high number since his high school marching band is spectacular and JMU has a great marching band as well. Maybe it would be good to spread his wings a litter further? </p>
<p>Cost may or may not be a factor, I just dont know at this point. We are planning to use the Post911GIBill (transferred from my husband), but that is another headache as I cant figure out how these funds will be applied. So my plan is to find schools he likes, apply, and see where things shake out in the end. He is a junior this year, so we have a little time. </p>
<p>I think the more options he has, the better decision he can make. :)</p>
<p>URichmond, Wake, Elon</p>
<p>Thank you timetodecide! URichmond and Wake were on our list, but son’s scores are a little low so we have struck them for now. Elon looks fantastic! We are scheduled to tour this weekend at their open house and have high hopes. :)</p>
<p>spritle, I am also a Virginia resident and have also visited JMU and I don’t mean at all to be critical or to belittle your legitimate right to have your child’s best interests at heart but - can anyone name me a college that is not a “party school?”</p>
<p>If you’re mostly interested in state schools I would say the other options (grade-wise) would be George Mason and Christopher Newport.
Further down the list would be Mary Washington, ODU, Longwood and Radford (talk about a party school …).
I know almost nothing about U-Va-Wise but you may want to look into it.</p>
<p>GolfFather, I do understand that partying is a fact of life in college. I would just prefer that it not be THE fact of life. I have asked for first impressions of JMU and received ‘party school’ (Radford receives ‘party school’ with a look of fear, lol). But not having lived in Virginia for very long, I am uncertain if the reputation is deserved?</p>
<p>Mary Washington was son’s first choice before he saw JMU. If he chooses JMU, that’s great. I would just like more options to show him.</p>
<p>If marching band is on your radar some of the suggestions just won’t cut it.
D, a NOVA marching band kid, wanted to spread her wings and eliminated JMU and Elon as the bands/venues were too small.
Attended U of Arizona. </p>
<p>But yea, the food at JMU is great and the people seem both very happy and very friendly.</p>
<p>Marching band is not on son’s radar. I think he feels ‘been there done that.’ But, yes, he liked the happy, friendly kids, good food, applicable majors, east coast(ish)…are there schools out there with these characteristics that we may have overlooked?</p>
<p>If you talk to high school kids in Va each school tends to have (deserved or not) reputations that seem to be passed down from generation to generation JMU has a reputation of having friendly, happy kids and they are known to have parties that students from other schools covet. I wouldn’t dissuade my kid from wanting to go there based on that reputation though. It is a big enough school that if you want to shy away from that scene, you can. </p>
<p>Give ODU a look. It is really changing for the better and has improved its school spirit and many of its programs are wonderful. East Carolina is a suggestion for OOS (it’s in Greenville). Beautiful campus and nice folks. Virginia Tech has a similar student body to JMU (it may be a bit harder to get into, though) and its sense of community, incredible food (we never eat off campus when we visit) and very content kids are well known around the state, too.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you both!</p>
<p>If you are looking for an affordable private school alternative, you might look at York College of PA. It is about 5,000 students and only costs 16K for tuition, and about 9K for room and board. It is not far from the Mason-Dixon line. They have lots of new residence halls and a great new athletic building.</p>
<p>Goucher is similar, IIRC</p>