I do think getting a postcard has to do with whether they’ve gotten to your app yet like they say on their website. S19 has his app and all supporting pieces for RD in on 11/1.
@momofthree55 My daughter may have similar choices as you daughter. She received likely letters from W&M and W&L and has RD applications in at UVA an VaTech. Interested to know the decision your daughter made and why.
She choose UVA. She knew three girls that went to W&M two years before her and only one of them enjoys the school. The other two have joined clubs and sororities at W&M but still don’t like it that much. They feel that there is not much to do around there. It is not a college town like Charlottesville and most of what is near the school is touristy and expensive. The third says she likes it so I guess it depends on the student. My daughter liked that there was so much to do around UVA and that the bigger school would give her more opportunities. All of the people she knew that were there said they loved the school and the community. She applied to all because she had heard that some students will get into one school and not the other and she felt that she could be happy at any of them. Washington and Lee was a little small for her but if she didn’t get in UVA or W&M she would have gone there. She likes that there are so many clubs and organizations and sports at UVA to choose from that you just don’t have at the other schools. She felt that VT is known for engineering and that is not what she wanted to study so it was a backup if she didn’t get into the others. She is very happy with her decision.
@momofthree55 What kind of opportunities does your D have at UVA that they don’t offer at W&M? Seems to me that W&M has everything S19 could want. (He’s not interested in a really big school, wants small classes and personal attention from the beginning and the option to live on campus all four years.)
UVA has three times the number of undergraduate students. My daughter wanted to meet new people from different walks of life. This can be done at W&M, there is just 1/3 the number of students. Being a bigger school it also has three times the number of Alumni to help you with internships and job opportunities. She liked the college town feel of Charlottesville. She liked that there is always something going on around campus. I know W&M also has a lot around campus just on a smaller scale. We have visited Williamsburg on the weekends during the school year and didn’t really see any activity on campus where UVA always has something going on. There are also three times the number of clubs and student organizations so anyone can find something they enjoy or new things to learn. She goes to office hours and is able to get individualized attention from her professors in her classes. Only a few intro level classes are in larger halls but most are in smaller classrooms. She felt that there would be more opportunities to take a wide range of classes where she had heard that W&M does not have as many choices because of the size of the school. Sports are very big at UVA and her friends at W&M don’t seem to be interested in sports. She was never a sports fan but she know loves going to events and seeing all of the school spirit.
I am not saying either school is better, these are just some of the reasons that my daughter choose UVA and she loves being at the school. BTW, students can stay on campus for all four years. There are student apartments on campus with a brand new one opening next year. They will also be building more new apartments like the one opening next year so there will be plenty of on campus housing. The new apartments have private bedrooms with double beds, kitchens with microwaves, open/stoves and dishwashers and a kitchen island and living room.
It is really a personal preference, both schools will give you a great education, it just depends on the atmosphere that the student will feel most comfortable in.
JUST GOT MY POSTCARD TODAY!! (NY)
still can’t believe it - I kinda gave up hope after not getting one last week but this is amazing!
Congrats, @microdrop18 ! Your happiness jumped off the screen 
I wanted to chime in on the W&M/UVA question. Virginia residents are lucky to have a variety of great in-state options! I agree with @momofthree55 that “both schools will give you a great education, it just depends on the atmosphere that the student will feel most comfortable in.”
As far as things to do, my D19 is looking for on campus life–her club sport, intramural sports, marine science opportunities, acapella and dance groups, dorm socializing, and maybe a sorority. She is also a roller coaster fan who loves Busch Gardens, so there are probably too many things for her to do at W&M!
I’m sure she’ll go to sporting events to support her friends (she does now), but sports spectating isn’t something she’d choose to do otherwise. A bar hopping tour would be very short in Williamsburg, but that’s a plus in her book.
A couple stats according to Niche:
73% of W&M students live on campus, 39% at UVA.
The majority of W&M students say that Greek Life is average and no one will treat you differently if you don’t join. The majority at UVA say that “Greek Life is pretty big.”
My best friend from HS went to UVA and loved it as much as I loved W&M–they are both terrific schools!
@3SailAway what do you know about the dance groups? They seemed pretty limited when we visited but we didn’t dig too deep. (This question is for D21!)
just got my postcard in TN! Had no idea anything was coming (or that this process even existed) until the mail came today!
I think the reason more students live off campus at UVA is because there is more affordable housing that is close to the school, Many apartments are closer then on campus housing for upperclassmen. It doesn’t sound like Williamsburg apartments within walking distance to the school are that affordable or as plenty as UVA. Many UVA students like Charlottesville so much that they decide to stay in the summer and do local internships and with off campus apartments you can live in them in the summer or sublet. With on campus housing you have to pay extra to stay in them in the summer. Off campus apartments are also cheaper then on campus. Just my thoughts on why more students live off campus.
@eardcolleges2714 , what an awesome surprise! Congrats!
@homerdog , I sent you a PM about dance options at W&M.
I’m a little late but I got a postcard today!! Super happy about it! I live in the Chicagoland area, it probably took a little longer to get here due to the polar vortex.
@momofthree55 you may be right in part on some of your points about UVA on campus housing, but I suspect more would live on campus (assuming close to the grounds) if it was available. But with 16,500 or so undergraduates, I think it would take up a lot of prime university land to build that much housing. Most of the schools that house large percentages of students on campus aren’t nearly that large. And if they acquired a lot more land, it would take it out of the city’s tax base unless an agreement was reached.
S19 likes the idea (and so do I) of kids living on campus all four years for the sense of community. I was never thrilled with the idea of him trying to find a roommate to live off campus with by Jan of freshman year in order to sign a lease. That’s way too much stress.
@lmaowutt , nice to come out of the polar vortex and find that postcard! Congrats!
Does anyone know when re-visit weekend might be?
Son received his postcard in Tennessee yesterday! It was a fabulous Valentine surprise!
@UGG2023 I believe it’s Sat April 13.
Got my postcard two days ago! 4.34, 1520 SAT, not that much ECs, had a summer job in '17, JV/varsity wrestling. I’m currently debating between VT and WM; I’m not sure which college will fit me best.
@joshmachine Interested to hear your thoughts on WM vs. VT. Really different schools, culture, I think. I’d be interested to hear how they are differentiated for you. Pros, cons?