<p>This seems like the eternal struggle for many Virginia students, and it is also currently the struggle I am having. I'm in state and I know it is early to ask this question because I haven't even applied yet but I plan on applying ED and ED at W&M is binding. I've visited both schools (been to William and Mary a ton for football games, visits, etc.), and am going to a UVA football game this year. William and Mary is the slim favorite right now and the only reason it isn't the clear favorite is the fact that it doesn't have big name sports like uva does and it seems like there is just more to do in C'ville. Can anyone weigh in on these two schools (preferably students of the schools or parents/alums)? I'm not worried about the party scene because I plan on going greek so i'll be able to have fun wherever.</p>
<p>Personal pref. UVa is slightly better known outside east coast.</p>
<p>I liked the UVA campus more than W & M’s. Both are excellent schools, but in terms of academics, UVA comes on top.</p>
<p>I’m not worried about their different academics, because virtually they’ve the same stats and scores. The main thing that will make my decision now is the social life and the people at the schools.</p>
<p>I go to a NoVA school with roughly 1800 students. Out of the 49 people that applied to UVA, 18 were accepted and 16 are attending. William and mary had 23 applicants, 7 being ED, 5 of those got in and are attending, and of the 16 regular decisions 12 got in and only 3 are attending. </p>
<p>My experience has shown that those who want to go to William & Mary truly want nothing more than to go to W&M. With that being said Charlottesville is a much more happening place with larger athletics and social scene.</p>
<p>UVirginia and C’ville is louder. W&M has better reputation, esp outside the state. Undergrads get more attention at W&M and campus is more pedestrian friendly. Two good but very different schools. Go with your gut and you will be fine.</p>
<p>swish, you know I love W&M (2 kids are grads), but I don’t think it’s accurate to say that its reputation is better than UVA’s, in or out of the state. Both are great schools. The OP is probably right in deciding based on how he/she would evaluate the social life and student body at each school.</p>
<p>betweenthetrees, why are you considering an ED application to W&M? The advantage to students is that the acceptance rate is much higher than in the RD round. Are your stats strong enough that you’d likely be admitted RD at both schools? Your guidance office/Naviance should be able to give you a good idea. If you’re a competitive admit at either school, you might want to wait so you can make the decision in April.</p>
<p>My bias is towards undergrad education. I believe smaller is better. I think Davidson is a better academic experience than UNorth Carolina. Ditto with Pomona vs UCLA, Haverford vs Penn State, Rice vs UTexas, and yes W&M vs UVirginia. The larger schools serve a different mission with enormous grad programs, Huge D1 sports programs, and very active and loud Greek programs. </p>
<p>They are not bad, just not primarily focused on undergrad education as the aforementioned schools. I stand by my statement based on 25 years in business throughout the country, W&M has a better reputation than UVirginia. UVirginia Law, MBA, and Medicine is top notch, but the topic here is undergrad reputation.</p>
<p>“I stand by my statement based on 25 years in business throughout the country.”
Aren’t you also a W&M grad?
Both are great schools. Go with personal fit.</p>
<p>UVA by a long shot. W&M is a decent small school but it is not comparable to UVA by any stretch.</p>
<p>UVA all day</p>
<p>I toured William and Mary and loved the atmosphere there. I also like smaller schools. And William and Mary still has sports, just not D1 sports.</p>
<p>^ W&M has D1 sports. It’s in the mid-major CAA conference. It’s just a question of ACC vs. CAA for the sports (ACC <em>cough</em> <em>cough</em>).</p>
<p>Swish nailed it. William and Mary has a better reputation for academics for undergrads by far.</p>
<p>Nonsense. I tweak UVa sometimes because they need it but that is baseless. Also WM finances are much worse than UVa’s.</p>
<p>^^^^
Because finances makes all the difference in teaching and learning?! ***. W&M has teaching peers in Brown and Dartmouth. UVirginia is a peer of UNC, UCLA, and Penn State. Two very different schools with very different strengths and missions.</p>
<p>In the real world finances make a huge difference You see no poor schools in the Top 25. do you?</p>
<p>Also UVa is not half the research school you may think and is not a peer of any of those in that regard. Actually that is one major issue for new President. Go big research or stay smallish in that.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted to both schools this past spring. (We are OOS.) Liked a lot of things about both schools, but they are very different. W&M feels small and quiet. UVa has much more the feeling of a large state school. Both are very strong academically. I got the feeling that UVa was a much more “social” school. In the end, you do have to go with your gut, which is what my daughter did.</p>
<p>“The real world”?! Your arrogance is hilarious. Actually W&M had been ranked at the top of the list of Undergrad focused teaching. The only ranking that would be helpful to the OP.</p>
<p>So when they cannot update labs and buy books and retain faculty all is still going to buy great?? Rankings can lag reality by a decade.</p>