<p>ohioman, this is exactly why our OOS family first looked into W & M. Although our EFC would make us full-pay, we just couldn’t swing the additional 8 or 10 or 12K every year that a comparable private university would cost. For families who can afford the OOS tuition (and for students who are accepted), W & M is an excellent solution. We have never felt that our two daughters who attended received less than they would have at an academically similar private school. Our middle daughter attended Vanderbilt, and I could see some differences, but not in terms of the academic experience.</p>
<p>Guess I am still stuck in the past with my college payments permanently emblazoned in my brain! It still amazes me that 15-20K/yr or in ya’ll OOSers’ cases 40K a year is looked at as a low cost alternative. Now I totally get the sheer joy I see when neighbors’ kids finish their college schooling. It must seem like you’ve won the lottery! :)</p>
<p>Still waiting to find out - but I sure hope you’re right. ;)</p>
<p>Out of the schools on your list I think that W&M and Hamilton are going to give you the most interesting education and college experience. I strongly suggest that you go down to visit the school – when I visited W&M I fell in love with it. The history of the campus, the academics (doh!) and the Honor Code were what really attracted me to the school. The Honor Code, which is considered the first student-run system/code/council – and which Jefferson (an alum, if you didn’t know (yay history!)) used as a model for his university’s Code (UVA) – said a lot to me about the quality and integrity of students at W&M. It has a quaint location but of course the campus and the student body are active and the other schools you’re looking at (with the exception of BC) seem to have a similar surrounding vibe.</p>
<p>The only downside for me was the fact that it IS a state school so there’s going to be an inevitable discrepancy between the strength of the in-state students and the OOS students. But don’t let that deter you, it doesn’t mean that W&M isn’t just as strong as other top universities academically, it’s just something to be aware of. Also keep in mind the previous point made about diversity – though I do believe that’s improving as colleges become more and more cognizant of the appeal of a diverse student body. Another note is that (up north at least) people may not have heard of W&M… that’s a regional/case-by-case thing though. </p>
<p>Though I didn’t end up picking W&M (i did get in) it’s a pretty awesome place and as you can see there are a lot of people who are passionate about it – even those who don’t go there :)</p>
<p>GC414, a true Swattie, is flat wrong about one thing: the discrepency between the “strength of the in-state students and the OOS students.” At William and Mary there’s really not much of a difference. William and Mary is generally a tougher admit than U-Va for in state students – especially females – but easier than U-Va out of state. Its students on average may not be up to Swarthmore’s standards, but still all of its students are extremely well qualified. </p>
<p>Having said that, since money isn’t a factor I’d go for BC. Excellent business school, top notch students, big time sports, lots of school spirit, and fantastic location.</p>
<p>“Another note is that (up north at least) people may not have heard of W&M… that’s a regional/case-by-case thing though.” Only the seriously uninformed haven’t heard of W&M. It is one of the better known schools in the country IMO. I would say that most people do not know it is a state school, however.</p>
<p>Previous poster is correct in that when W&M’s Financial Aid Office provides a COA (cost of attendence) it includes estimates for books, travel, etc. The tuition price quoted in my previous post is simply tuition, fees, room, and board. It’s not W&M’s COA.</p>
<p>Agree with novaparent in that W&M’s admission process strives to bring in students of equal academic caliber from in and out-of-state. We expect in and out-of-state applicants to have taken the same courses and gotten the same grades. The middle 50% ranges on standardized testing or a bit higher for out-of-staters than in-staters but there are also more out-of-staters in the applicant pool so there are more to choose from for fewer spaces.</p>
<p>I view it as all the money I save for undergraduate studies will just go towards my MBA. In respons to KandK, spending the 35-40k for W&M as an OOSer is very cost efficient compared to my sister’s (an upcoming junior at Duke) 50+ a year. Also, no in state Ohio schools are appealing to me, so although I could save money by going there, Id rather pay more and not be miserable.</p>
<p>I agree with MD Mom. I didn’t know it was a state school since last summer. But ohioman, I agree with you about state schools. None of the instate schools are appealing in my state. I think with W&M you should swing the cost if you can do it.</p>
<p>You have selected a good array of schools. Do as much reading as you can about each one, talk to present and past students if possible. Go to the business/econ department websites of each school and research the core professors and the alum accomplishments. Sit in on classes of interest. BC is a good school that turns out mighty scholars and bone-heads alike, with ability to pay full tuition possibly being part of their acceptance equation. Hamilton would yield student body similar to that of the out-of-staters at W&M, but the price variance is great. I know folks who got rejected at W&M and got accepted at your other choices. What exciting opportunities do YOU seek for academics, social, pre-professional, arts, athletics, recreation, etc.? Also, on your tours, observe the personas of the staff and students; are they truly happy or merely glib?</p>
<p>My only disappointment with W&M is that they need to balance out the in-state/OOS tuition variance. The in-state kids go for peanuts (truly not enough) and the OOS kids pay way too much…at least $90K difference for an out of state individual to attend W&M for four years…enough to have paid for a graduate degree which you’ll surely be seeking if you’re looking at this calibre of school for undergrad.</p>
<p>martha, Maybe WM’s IS tuition is a “drop in the bucket” to you, but to most middle/ upper middle class families from the state of Virginia, families where the breadwinner parents are teachers, firefighters, policemen, employees of the state, etc., 20K+/yr isn’t “peanuts”. It requires many families to make significant financial sacrifices so their kids can attend college. To us, thankfully William and Mary is a state school and hopefully its BOV will try to keep the costs down so kids from the aforementioned socio-economic segment of the population can continue to attend if they are accepted.</p>
<p>I agree with the above post. Virginia’s best state colleges are not bargains, only relative bargains. Lots of folks have serious problems paying 20k a year for school. </p>
<p>I’d hardly say the BC accepts boneheads. Its student body is pretty much on par with William and Mary’s.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Are there stats to support this? Lots of kids from my area - Maryland - apply to Virginia schools and based purely on their results, I would have said the opposite is true.</p>
<p>UVA is much larger than W&M, so that may be why you see more admitted to UVA, cartera.</p>
<p>Neither school is particularly good about breaking down the numbers by in state versus out of state. Dean J’s U-Va admissions blog reports that only 22 percent of out of state applicants to U-Va were admitted this year, while the Washington Post reports that the out of state admit rate for William and Mary has actually been RISING in the last few years because William and Mary wants the extra tuition money – the reported out of state admit rate last year was 30 percent. </p>
<p>[Notes</a> from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Statistics for the Class of 2014](<a href=“http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2010/03/statistics-for-class-of-2014.html]Notes”>Notes from Peabody: The UVA Application Process: Statistics for the Class of 2014)</p>
<p>[State</a> colleges accepting more nonresidents to keep up revenue - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111301940.html]State”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111301940.html)</p>
<p>U-Va’s number will go up when waitlist admits are included, but I’d be surprised if they reach anywhere near 30 percent. It is without question harder for an in state girl to get into William and Mary than U-Va, but the available numbers suggest it’s easier for a boy. Compared to U-Va in state, William and Mary students on average have higher slighter higher SAT scores and lower grades/class ranks. This reflects the demographics of William and Mary’s application pool, which is much more lopsided in favor of girls than U-Va’s. William and Mary needs the boys and by all indications has adopted an admissions policy that favors them. Boys generally have higher test scores than girls in high school but lower grades.</p>
<p>My only disappointment with W&M is that they need to balance out the in-state/OOS tuition variance.>></p>
<p>What state are you in and what is the tuition variance there? From what I’ve seen a difference of 15-25K isn’t unusual at all.</p>
<p>W&M and UVA are probably two of the most prestigious schools to OOS students, especially on the East Coast. I think those schools are ahead of their time in charging a higher OOS premium. And if people are willing to pay it, more power to those schools. Michigan is very expensive OOS as well. I am sure there are many others, and as budgets tighten, the costs will continue to climb. Everyone has the option of staying in-state.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t understand this logic - if the W&M’s actual enrollment consistently remains 2/3rd in-state, 1/3 out of state, how does “admission” offers affect the amount of money the school takes in? </p>
<p>I know you know the word “admission” isn’t the same as "enrollment - so, please explain how, given a relatively fixed enrollment rate of 66%/33%, admissions rate has <em>anything</em> to do with revenue?</p>
<p>In response to Cap wondering about my state and the tuition differences, University of Cincinatti is 10k for in state for the year and 24.5k out of state costs, while Ohio State is 8k in state and 22k for out of state but that does not include rom and board which is 8k (most my friends that go to OSU get an apartment off campus thus I provided both stats since on campus living is not required). So Cincinatti is 10 and 24, while OSU is roughly between 8-16 in state and 22-30 out of state. Both schools are less than William and Mary’s cost of 23 and 45 seen on their website here
[William</a> & Mary - Tuition & Fees](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/admission/financialaid/tuition/index.php]William”>http://www.wm.edu/admission/financialaid/tuition/index.php)</p>
<p>The Washington Post article says that OOS enrolled in the most recent class at William and Mary was 37 percent, more than a third, and up for 34 percent. So William and Mary is both admitting AND enrolling more OOS students.</p>