University of Richmond vs. College of William and Mary

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi guys. I was admitted to both U of Richmond and William and Mary as a spring 2015 transfer. I am still waiting on U Notre Dame, though I will be treating this threat as if I didn't get into ND as there is a high chance that this will be true. I want to gain your insight on UR and WM, and of course, I am aware that the decision is completely up to me. I just want to see of course other peoples' points of views. I am also going to be visiting campuses on Dec 20-21. </p>

<p>I am currently at Emory University. One of the main reasons I am leaving Emory is because I do not like the community dynamics at this school. I, along with a lot of the people I know, always complain about how Emory has no sense of community togetherness and how this school is very individualistic. I do not feel as I am part of a greater whole. With that said, I am looking for a school that has football games that are attended by many students, homecoming venues that are loud and eventful, a student body that is not afraid to engage one another, a campus culture that has traditions that have been done for decades, and an ideological culture that isn't afraid to be open to new ideas and consider points of views from outside of the dominant campus social groups. In other words, I feel like I am in high school again - I don't want that anymore. </p>

<p>Of course, I am also going to college to LEARN! I am an anthropology major and am thinking of picking up another major in linguistics or perhaps Arabic studies. I know archaeology is quite big at WM and that excites me, but I also like how UR meshes sociology and anthropology together in their approach to teaching. I honestly don't know anything about the Arabic program at either school, how the professors are, and how popular the language is among the students. </p>

<p>I am also a practicing Catholic and would appreciate the presence of a sizable Catholic student group on campus as well as a nice place to worship such as a chapel or what not. </p>

<p>I really want to see how you guys interpret the campus culture at UR and WM. </p>

<p>Thanks guys!</p>

2

<p>Based off what you’ve written, William and Mary sounds like it could be a great fit for you. One of William and Mary’s unofficial mottos is “One Tribe, One Family” and it prides itself on its sense of community. As a current student, I think it definitely rings true. We come together and celebrate traditions like the Yule Log Ceremony or Grand Illuminations (with fireworks, happening today). Some of these traditions have been centuries long, just based off how long the school has been around. But most importantly there is a sense of trust and caring for one another. Students live by the honor code, and I am not afraid to leave my laptop downstairs unsupervised, even overnight (heck, I’ve done it multiple times). And one of my favorite things about W&M is how friendly the students are - almost all the campus-wide, greek life, and club events are open to everyone, which means there isn’t really this sense of exclusion or individualism you many find at other campuses.</p>

<p>Another thing I love about W&M is the cool discussions I can have with people. I cant speak for everyone, but at least people in my dorm have been very open to having philosophical discussions about social issues. One of my greatest passions is bridging the achievement gap. And coming here, I was pleasantly surprised to have people care about that as much as I do, to the point where we have had several late night discussions about it. I’m constantly learning even outside the classroom. </p>

<p>William and Mary is one that prides itself on being interdisciplinary. In my Environmental Science class for instance, it is taught by a biology professor who specializes in wetlands, and a economics professor that specializes in environmental economics. Really cool stuff. I don’t know that much about it yet, but next year they are introducing a new college curriculum where all the general education classed will supposedly be taught from an interdisciplinary perspective. There is also the idea of designing your own major, which I have seen students do to combine their multiple interests. I have friends that are taking Arabic and Linguistics that I can ask if you have any questions about the particular program. </p>

<p>As for catholic organizations, although William and Mary itself is non-denominational, it does have many active groups, and being next to colonial Williamsburg, there are many churches nearby. (Some even practice in the Wren Building, which is ridiculously cool). My friend is in Catholic Campus Ministries, which he spends a lot of time with. They do more than just practice religion together. They play intramural sports, go hiking, and do large campus events. There’s also intervarsity that combines people from different faiths.</p>

<p>As for sports, I think University of Richmond has an edge. They are technically our cross-town rivals and we traditionally play them in the last game of the season. We were tied 7-4 overall and 4-3 in our division, and the winner would go to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they won that round. We’re not as big of a sports school as some other schools, but during our regular home games, they are decently well attended - you will always find students decked in green and gold and our President there. During homecoming, the stadium was packed. The best part, imo, is that tickets are free with your student ID, so even though I was not a big sports person in high school, I still have attended multiple football and basketball games just because of that. They are planning to expand the football stadium again next year, which I personally think is unnecessary, but hey shows they care about sports.</p>

<p>William and Mary has a community in more ways than one. It’s always full of surprises. I wish you could come on campus when school is in session to experience it. Being a transfer can be tough from any school, but I think W&M does a good job of helping theirs adjust. They have a five day orientation for new students just like freshman, and most that I have talked to, you couldn’t even tell they were transfers. I’m obviously biased towards W&M ( I have limited knowledge of Richmond), but it really is a great place to be. You have very good choices, good luck with your decision!</p>