<p>My junior son will probably apply ED to WM (in state). He visited and loves it, and he appears to be a match based on his current stats. But since it's never a sure thing, we need to come up with a list of other schools he'd be happy to attend if he is not accepted ED. Does anyone have suggestions of other schools that might appeal? He thought UVA was too big and busy feeling. He likes the size and location of WM, the liberal arts and undergraduate focus, and the reputation of the student body as friendly, maybe a little quirky, not too big a Greek/party scene. Richmond is his second choice, but we have only seen a few schools so far. Match, reach, and (especially) safety school suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>My D loved W&M & Richmond also… Take a look at Loyola Maryland! </p>
<p>Check out Wake Forest, they’re test optional and try Davidson College. However, both are private NC schools.</p>
<p>Your son sounds exactly like my daughter. We visited Virginia and W&M recently and she had the same reaction. We, however, are OOS, which will present its own challenge. I would agree with Davidson, but the question is whether he wants to stay in Virginia or the South. If not, and this might be a bit outside the box, but look at Notre Dame. Believe it or not, my daughter found several similarities between W&M and ND based on criteria that are important to her. There is definitely an undergrad focus and the campus feels a lot smaller than you would think for a school its size. She also noted that both are pedestrian campuses, which is not a feeling she got at UVa. My daughter does have interest in going Greek. ND doesn’t have a Greek system, but your dorm acts as a de facto fraternity/sorority, and whichever dorm you are placed in will automatically become the “best” dorm on campus. A lot of people can’t get around the Catholic identity of the school and all that entails, and the sports scene is much more a part of student life than at W&M, but there are enough similarities that might make it worth a look.</p>
<p>The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg has something of a W & M vibe. Beautiful campus, historic setting, and bright, committed students.</p>
<p>Washington University in St Louis. Smart kids who prefer collaboration to cut throat competition. Medium size (7K undergrads). Geographical diversity on campus. Campus is lovely; the school purchased a quarry when it built so it could continue to build as grew and still look coherent. Super easy to get to campus from airport - two metro stops adjacent to campus. Nice greek life, but doesn’t dominate campus. And while it’s not colonial history St Louis is actually full of history. Campus is next to park that held World’s Fair. And stadium on campus hosted an Olympics. All of their programs are very solid. Merit money easily available. </p>
<p>Thank you for these tips! We have trips to the NC schools planned already and will have to look into the others. We are Catholic, and many kids at my son’s school do apply to Loyola and ND, so it’s good to know they appealed to other WM fans. Doubt any of these will replace WM in first place, though!</p>
<p>Good luck with W&M—your description of what it’s like exactly fits with my daughter’s reasons and experiences.<br>
UVA was too big for her, but she thought Richmond, with it’s beautiful campus, was too preppy. Another school to consider might be St Mary’s College of MD. It’s the MD honor college, so should have lots of serious students, and, since it had some issues with the president and with not having enough students matriculating last year, is probably a safety.</p>
<p>You may want it look at Miami Ohio in oxford Ohio. We are from Maryland, but my son got enough merit money there to make it less than UMD CP. I’ve heard people compare it to W&M. </p>
<p>It will be hard to displace W&M --but if you are headed to NC check out Elon as a match school tending towards safety. It does not have much merit aid (but it does have some) and tuition is 10K less than comparable private schools and lots of experiential learning (but no bargain since you are in state at VA Schools). Beautiful campus like W&M, comparable size. My D is looking at both - is in Elon Early Action and waiting (with fingers crossed) to hear from W&M. </p>
<p>+1 on Mary Washington. </p>
<p>Williams has a pretty attractive vibe, but expense and remoteness was too much for us.</p>
<p>Have also heard good things about Davidson and Haverford.</p>
<p>But as you’re in-state, it’s really, really hard to find a peer to W&M at that price.</p>
<p>If you are instate (va) and you want a public school with a small private school feel consider Christopher Newport University. It was formerly part of W&M before it became its own university. It’s about half hour away from w&m. I attended Loyola in Maryland. It is ok but expensive. It depends on what your child wants to major in.</p>
<p>Villanova in PA is a medium sized, private Catholic University with a beautiful suburban campus and great academic reputation. Athletics are great too. </p>
<p>My daughter attends the University of Richmond, majoring in biochemistry, and loves it there. The campus is beautiful, she has great relationships with her professors, does research in a lab during the school year and summers, and plans to do a semester abroad next year. She is very happy.</p>
<p>I would add Elon, Gettysburg and Bucknell to your list. I also second the idea of Univ of Mary Washington.</p>
<p>I recommend you look at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. Not quite the history of W&M but an interesting history and the campus vibe was a lot like W&M. Very generous financial aid and an engineering program with Washington Univ in St Louis. </p>
<p>Sounds like our paths may cross on college visits. William and Mary is my DS’s top choice. He also liked Richmond as well. Last week we attended an open house at Christopher Newport and that is now his second choice. He liked the history of UVA, but it’s a little big for him. Spring Break we will visit VA Tech (which is big, but I told him he had to at least visit), Wake Forest, Elon, UNC and maybe NC State. </p>
<p>Be prepared for disappointment with W&M … My daughter applied and was waitlisted - but was accepted at other more competitive schools including UVA. She is an in-state applicant. I am sorry for my daughter as this was her first choice but as parent I am happy. See why … </p>
<p>Take a close look at W&M has to offer you student academically, I was not impressed. What will your student do with his/her Liberal Arts Degree from W&M? Every student says but I can make it work … But I will be different … Then look at the list of unemployed Liberal Arts majors … Again what makes W&M academically better than any other college - I directly asked this question during the admission tours as I have at other colleges and W&M could not give me a straight answer.</p>
<p>Furthermore with my income we get zero financial aid and unless my daughter signs a plus loan for the full amount with my co-sign she cannot go. Long story short my daughter is looking at $100K in loans if she went to W&M… Before you say I should have saved for her college I was making $40K less a year 5 years ago supporting a family of 6 including a handicapped child. There is no consideration for this scenario on the FASA.</p>
<p>Be sure you are not falling in love with the history of W&M and its very scenic campus. The kids that go there are very happy as the college lavishes amenities on there residential programs.</p>
<p>This may sound like sour grapes and some of it likely is - I would have chosen to support my daughter if she choose to wait out the waitlist but she decided to commit to another college. Best of luck to your child and if they go to W&M I hope it works out for them …</p>
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Could you post a link to this information, please?</p>
<p>A lot of good advice and possibilities here. Definitely look at your other state options. If money is a consideration, look at costs, run NPCs and make sure you pick schools that are affordable. Richmond is agreat school but if you don’t qualify for aid, and your kid doesn’t get merit money, if making that payment is a problem, it’s not a good option. The same goes for other schools that will cost you more. It’s hard to beat in state W&M for cost/amentities/quailties. Do check out the list of public LACs and costs in the Fin Aid section of this forum for some ideas. If cost is no object, then </p>
<p>good discussion here… S was accepted at WM, but we are OOS. Outside of a miracle aid package, trying to convince son that local state flagship university honors program (under $20k) is as good as WM … it is going to be a long and stressful time until he commits to a school…</p>