Thoughts when comparing these two schools??
Thinking W&M is more easily navigated and open as far as ones ultimate major and/or if you change your mind??
Access to Career/Internships similar/different for top companies??
Students more driven at W&M??
OOS, accepted to both, Economics/Business (No Ross decision yet)
Thanks!
Congrats on two great acceptances! You’ll get a great education at either one.
Top companies recruit at both. Career services is strong at WM; I don’t know about Michigan, assume good though.
Have you visited? The schools have fairly different environments. WM obviously much smaller (6300 undergrads), and adjacent to the nice Colonial Williamsburg area, with a fair number of restaurants, bars, delis, pubs, etc. Very walkable from the traditional LAC-type campus. Michigan obviously much larger, with more of an urban feel, on campus and on adjacent streets, with a couple of nice streets with restaurants, etc. nearby. Students tend to live on campus longer at WM. D-1 sports at WM but truly big-time football, etc. at Michigan.
Outstanding students at both. I know WM better and students are bright, purposeful, hard-working, and very nice (notably so). I was impressed with all the Michigan gear we saw there. Greek life is very moderate–big enough if a student wants it, small enough that one can completely ignore it.
William and Mary gets the nod for weather. It’s rarely very cold and rarely for long stretches of time.
William and Mary has an outstanding economics department and business school. One might give WM the nod for a business major; Ross would probably get the nod for a business major. But I don’t think in a significant way, and that could be argued. Good luck!
If the cost is similar I would recommend going for fit. If you have not already visited, do so if possible and decide if you can see yourself there. They are different enough in size, location, environment, etc. that the choice should be apparent.
The one unknown seems to be Ross admission. I assume you would hear pretty soon. Ross is very large and one of the best known business schools and will probably have some recruiters there that don’t come to W&M. You would also have your admission already in hand if they accept you. At W&M you would have to apply sophomore year, which shouldn’t be prohibitive but is something to consider. While less well known, W&M’s business school is quite strong and has excellent facilities and is known for good teaching.
One consideration is that at Michigan, I think you’d have to be more assertive to make sure that you can do things like have closer access to professors, get into all the classes you want, etc. My son was planning to apply to both for economics (didn’t end up applying to W&M only because he got in ED elsewhere) and of the schools he was applying to, he thought these two were the most different from each other (the largest vs. the one most like a LAC), and that at Mich he’d need to be more proactive.
There are many things to love about both schools and they’re both terrific options. Think about the benefits and the costs of both environments - large university with more resources but also more competition for those resources vs. smaller school; distance to a city (and which city) if that matters to you (Ann Arbor is an hour or less from Detroit, Williamsburg is 2 1/2 hours or more to DC).
Your question about whether W&M is more easily navigated and easier to change your major probably can’t be answered as a comparison unless someone has been to both schools or has students at both schools – rather, maybe post something on both boards asking about the ease of changing your major, and other questions you have about that school. You could post questions about econ/business in both boards. Ask about whether people have had issues getting into the classes they want or time with professors on the Mich board; ask whether there have been resources they wanted that weren’t available on the W&M board. Ask about average class size in econ/business. Also look at the course catalogs for both in econ/business. Then you can compare with more information in your hands.
@lastone03 That is frightening.
@FoxRuiz I am not trying to throw W&M under the bus, but it’s even more disturbing to me because a professor is involved. I know this stuff happens everywhere, but you are right, it’s frightening.
I suspect a bus was involved. Interestingly enough, the visiting professor involved did his post doctorate fellowship at University of Michigan (College of Pharmacy).
According to surveys, almost 40% of college students in the U.S. report using recreational marijuana. You might need to look at Bob Jones University or BYU to mostly avoid it. . .
@IzzoOne again, no bus. And lots more going on than pot. Most wouldn’t think this would happen at a place like W&M. Just goes to show it happens everywhere. No need to be defensive.
The professor mentioned is a visiting assistant professor who earned his postdoctoral fellowship at University of Michigan.
@lastone03 Been thinking about what happened, one upshot is that the article says community was involved in leading to the arrests, which means that the community is speaking out when they see things that are wrong and doing something about it. Too many times folks are too afraid to speak up to the wrongs they see. Just another perspective as we all know things go on to varying degrees at every school and seeing the arrests should maybe make us feel better not worse that they are doing something about the problem…
Put deposit down for UMich, it takes me out of my comfort zone and really want that BIG school spirit thing that I have never experienced. Love W&M is so much like my high school which made the decision so difficult.
@FoxRulz congrats to you and best of luck!
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Way to stretch yourself and best of luck! Go blue!