<p>Ok, here's the situation. I am a senior in high school who plans to apply to various VA in state schools (VA schools are very good). These are the schools I am looking at and probably going to apply to:</p>
<p>University of Virginia at Charlottesville
College of William and Mary
James Madison University
University of Mary Washington
Virginia Tech
George Mason University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Christopher Newport University
Old Dominion University</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I am really confused as to what those various schools are known for, whether it be academics, certain programs, partying, food, etc. I mean of course I've done all the usual things to figure out what these schools are all about (toured the majority of the schools, princeton reviews, late nights on College Confidential). All in all, I feel like I dont know enough and I want info from a new source. Thats where you come in. Lets just assume I got into all these schools ( I have the stats to get into the majority of them, maybe not the "Big Two" but yeah) since this isnt really a "Chances" post. Id like to have as much info on each school as I can. So, by your expertise, if you could contribute anything to this post, I would highly appreciate it. Whether it be about Academics, school size, partying, experience, the whole nine yards. I would also like you to consider this brief profile when sharing your knowledge:</p>
<p>I am African American looking for a bit of diversity. Im not really that into school spirit but Im also pretty adjustable. Im very scholarly, though, but not too intellectual or extremely over achieving to the point where I want something super rigorous. I also plan on majoring in History and Im looking for a liberal artsy place. Please consider this in your answer. Thank you for your time.</p>
<p>Imo, you can learn a lot by closely reading the schools’ own websites- what do they brag about, what students do they tout and why (what is it they are involved in,) what programs make them unique? And, by learning what you can about your potential major there- what the dept offers, what the profs are engaged in (if they are) and how actively, what internships exist or other opps for your growth and experiences. Customize some of this, for you. You can also look at non-academic groups you might be interested in participating in, activities that match your interests- and look at the calendar to see what sorts of social events, lectures, performances, etc, happen.</p>
<p>I’ve said before, my D1’s 2nd choice school was far lower “ranked” than her top choice. Her interest grew because the dept was so strong, some faculty specialized in just what she wanted to pursue (within her major,) some of the activities she wanted to join (or opportunities that interested her) were available. And, despite its location, #2 was lively.</p>
<p>University of Virginia at Charlottesville
This is known as UVA or University of Virginia. This is a very prestigious school with a fantastic reputation. It is not only the best school in Virginia, it is one of the best in the country. </p>
<p>College of William and Mary
William and Mary is another fantastic school. It is one of the first universities and has a great liberal arts program. It is not known for its hard science programs, but is an excellent choice for anyone looking at studying the humanities or history.</p>
<p>Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is a good engineering and generally a good school for any of the hard sciences. It has a good campus and its students do well after they graudate, largely because they typically have an engineering, computer science/engineering, or hard science degree.</p>
<p>George Mason University
George Mason is an up and coming school with a very conservative focus. It has strong ties with the conservative political establishment and offers good employment prospects in conservative organizations around D.C.</p>
<p>VCU and Old Dominion are also good universities. I have never heard of the rest.</p>