I’m considering applying for grad school at William and Mary’s Marriage and Family Therapy program. I’m from California and I’ve been told that living in Williamsburg is going to be very different. Can anyone tell me what it’s like at William and Mary? Also, what is it like living in Williamsburg? Is it a predominantly Caucasian area?
Williamsburg is a nice, affluent small town. Most of the population is Caucasian, although there is a relatively large African-American population. There are far fewer Hispanic and Asian residents than you would find in most of CA.
Because it’s a tourist area, there are a large number of restaurants, certainly a lot of nice ones for such a small town. Generally the social life is pretty quiet. There are no major clubs or anything like that. Downtown Richmond (RVA) has had a tremendous resurgence and has a vibrant nightlife (not LA, but vibrant). It’s just over an hour away. Virginia Beach has a pretty busy strip. It’s about an hour fifteen away if traffic at the tunnel is not bad. The NC Outer Banks offer scores of miles of beautiful beaches and are only 2.5 hours away.
The William and Mary campus is very nice, and there are lots of places to walk, hike, run, and bike. Everything is very affordable, especially in comparison to CA. It’s generally easy to rent. I think gas is about $2.20 a gallon right now.
Good luck with your grad school decision!
Oh my gosh you are in luck! I am currently an undergraduate student here but I have recently made friends in the exact program you are interested in. I cannot speak to what it is like as a graduate student, but I can have friends that can speak to that. My own description of William & Mary may vary significantly with what W&M is like through a graduate program just by the nature of the school.
Everything TTG said is pretty accurate. I would add that Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are right next door if you are into amusment parks. I don’t know how this translates into grad school life, but at least the undergraduate population is very active, community-centered, and intellectually driven. William & Mary is generally a school that has high regard for teaching and traditions, especiallly given its role as the second oldest school in the country. Yes it is primarily a caucasian area, but its students generally are more diverse than its surroundings, although probably not similar to what you might find in California.
The weather is nice, it is warm most of the year and doesn’t tend to snow all that often. There’s small beaches nearby, the infamous Colonial Williamsburg destination next door, and it is generally a quaint town that is interesting given its mix of college students, tourists, and permanent residents which generally are on the older side. One of my friends who just graduated ran for City Council and won the position, so there is an emphasis on bringing more of an arts and music scene into Williamsburg. Currently you can find many art vendors, local musicians, and the farmers market not too far away on the weekend.
I’d be happy to answer any more questions or I can ask my friends about the Marriage and Family Therapy program