<p>Hey all,
im OOS for both schools, and im plannign to major in International Relations. I got accepted into both schools without financial aid, but im having a touch choice deciding between these two schools. Specifically, its because although I believe William & Mary might be better for me because of the small atmosphere and personal attention, I'm not sure whether the school is well known outside of Virginia. However, Wisconsin is a large state school. </p>
<p>So basically, if I go to William & Mary, would it mean I might have a harder time finding a job than if i graduated from Wisconsin?</p>
<p>And if there are other factors you guys think I should consider, please list them.. im dying right now =/</p>
<p>No. Not if your program and performance at both schools would be about equal. William & Mary is one of the oldest colleges in the country. It is well known and respected among people familiar with colleges (in the East anyway). </p>
<p>Many employers won’t care very much where you went to college. For employment straight out of college, it’s about your grades and the courses you took, or even more importantly your internship/work experience. If they do care, chances are it will show up in where they choose to recruit (if they do recruit). Recruiting may be stronger at William & Mary because it is a more selective school. It also is fairly close to Washington DC (an advantage for an IR major). I would expect international banks and federal agencies to do much more recruiting at William and Mary.</p>
<p>Would federal agencies/international banks recruit with only a BA? Assuming the current job market has not marketedly improved, wouldnt such agencies rather recruit someone with Ivy/Georgetown/Tufts degree than a small, albeit good liberal arts uni? </p>
<p>I was thinking more along the lines of recruiters in private industry, though at in which industry I have no idea. Would such firms recognize the W&M university more than the Wisconsin one?</p>
<p>Duskmantle - William & Mary is one of the greatest names in all of American higher education. It’s the second oldest American university after Harvard. The two of them are the only U.S. universities to date from the 17th century. It’s the Alma Mater of Thomas Jefferson. It’s one of the national stars in International Relations / Foreign Service. IMO, it probably has greater “name cachet” than even Brown or Penn, which many outside the Northeast don’t realize are Ivies.</p>
<p>Wisconsin, like W&M, is one of the top-rated public universities in the nation. But unlike W&M, it is by necessity a people-factory with over 40,000 students. W&M is unique among top publics for combining the best features of a moderate-sized liberal arts institution with university resources. I can see no downside to W&M.</p>
<p>W&M is awesome. That said so is UW Madison. The flip to being a large university are the opportunities available to students with some moxie. For your stated interests the IR group within Poli Sci is really kicking rear. </p>
<p>Look up individual depts at UW and research faculty interests. With a little effort a student can work with some of the best in the field plus get the excitement and fun of being in Madison.</p>
<p>Two very different choices! It is rare that people choose between them, but both are excellent. I am a W&M grad (international studies major) with a son at UW (and younger son says he wants to go to W&M) so have experience with both schools. </p>
<p>Others have already given you good info - both are well-respected and well-known. The feel, however, is very different. Have you visited? One is a BIG U with big sports, happening vibe, tons of different academic offerings/lectures/concerts, etc… set in a state capital. W&M is a smaller to mid-sized liberal arts feeling school with lots of history (6 presidents went to WM - it is the 2nd oldest college in the country with the oldest classroom building in continuous use in the country, the Wren Building - gorgeous campus and more personal feel. Assuming the finances are similar (and leaving “prestige” out since both are strong), where do you think you would be the happiest? Do you prefer one over the other as a place to spend the next four years? </p>
<p>Please let me know if I can answer any specific questions. Good luck. It is nice to have such great options.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for their responses so far.
I’m located overseas, so unfortunately I cannot get a feel for any of the two campuses. However, what about graduate school placement with scholarships? Does going to a liberal arts university help, or would it be better to go to Wisconsin where their is a graduate program which is most likely better funded. My parents got grad degrees from the schools they studied at for their bachelors and were given scholarships, so I’m curious as to other people’s opinions on this.</p>
<p>And I’m still wondering about reputation of the school. For example, people on CC are very well informed about the ups and downs of different unis. What about your average employer not located on the east coast? Would the school still be relatively well known compared to Wisconsin? Thanks</p>
<p>Moreso. While everyone will know that the state of Wisconsin has a major public university, just as the other 49 states do, many of them will have no idea that UW is one of the higher-ranked state Us. IMO, a far greater percentage will think that W&M is an elite private school, not a public doctoral-granting university.</p>
<p>BTW, W&M is not a liberal arts college as that term is commonly used on CC. Instead of 1500 students, all undergrad, it has about 7,000 students and a wide range of graduate programs.</p>
<p>In many fields, you’ll be advised to strongly consider going to a different university for grad school than for undergrad. Assuming that you go to grad school in the same field in which you got your undergrad degree, staying at the same institution means that you continue to be exposed to the same group of faculty in that field that you’ve had all along.</p>
<p>It’s interesting how nobody calls NYU a “people-factory”. </p>
<p>Both W&M and Wisconsin are fine public schools though, with Wisconsin having much better recognition internationally. You can’t go wrong either way.</p>
<p>^^^ OK - With over 40,000 students, NYU is a people-factory too, except that unlike UW, it doesn’t offer the focus and cohesion of a traditional campus.</p>
<p>While Wisconsin is certainly a very good state flagship, like it or not, for most people outside the midwest, it’s just going to be a state flagship that they aren’t going to think of any differently from any other state flagship. William & Mary’s reputation is at a whole different caliber.</p>
<p>UCBdilbert- I love engineers. They are hilarious in their combination of ignorance and arrogance. Not everything can be reduced to a number.</p>
<p>To the OP. Two entirely different schools. Do you want snow in April or 68 degrees in January? Do you want 40,000 peers or 5500? Do you want unique history or Big 10 football? Truly two schools that are apples and oranges. For general prestige W&M cache is more broader and deeper in USA than another solid midwest State U. A school of 40000 cannot, by definition, be exclusive.</p>
<p>I think W&M has a much better reputation than UW. I always thought W&M was a top private school and was very surprised to find that it’s a public, and the opposite for UW. I thought it was just a run-of-the-mill state school until very recently. </p>
<p>Going to W&M over UW will not hurt your job prospects. Anyone in the field of hiring or graduate admissions will know about W&M, and if they don’t you probably don’t want to work there anyway.</p>
<p>“Do you want unique history or Big 10 football? Truly two schools that are apples and oranges. For general prestige W&M cache is more broader and deeper in USA than another solid midwest State U. A school of 40000 cannot, by definition, be exclusive.”</p>
<p>Reputation and “exclusivity” all depend on your audience. At that dinner party with stiffened jaws, W and M will have greater cache. If the OP wants exclusive they can join a country club later.</p>
<p>But graduate schools won’t have a difficult time understanding the value of a degree from either univ, particularly with a recommendations from well known faculty members - and for those the nod goes to UW. Again, if you want more attention and smaller student body, go to W and M, but making the effort you will have extraordinary resources at UW. </p>
<p>Yes, besides essentially creating the field of wildlife ecology (Aldo Leopold and John Muir), writing the definitive frontier thesis (Frederick Jackson Turner), pioneering the study of women’s history, discovering Vitamin D, isolating human embryonic stem cells, writing social security and unemployment legislation - to name a few - the UW has no unique history. </p>
<p>This is one of the most interesting “this school vs. that” threads I’ve seen. It’s an unusual pairing, and not only are the opinions varied, there are adamant opinions on both sides. And, for the OP, that’s good news - s/he really can’t go wrong.</p>