*sigh* college decisions.....

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U2democrat

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I just got back from visiting James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. It was ok, a little too big for my taste. And the town was too small....it seemed to me like all the restaurants were in gas stations....:huh:

So far my #1 school is Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. It's small, around 4,000 undergrad and is only an hour from DC. The campus is GORGEOUS. It just feels right.

Next saturday I'm going to visit Christopher Newport in Newport News. It's also small like Mary Washington, so I'm looking forward to visiting it.

Soon I'll start filling out applications, getting acceptions/rejections, and making major decisions. Heaven help me I'm not looking forward to this process, but I can't wait till I leave!!!!

U2kitten........how much do you know about these VA schools?
 
When you get to the right college for you, you'll know. Something will click and you'll feel like you've found your home-away-from-home. That was how it was for me. Good luck!
 
Good luck! I don't think I've ever been to VA (at least not while I was awake). My uncle's a coast guard captain there and I think the cousin my age goes to Old Dominion. Don't know anything about though as I haven't seen her since we started college three years ago.
 
U2democrat said:
I just got back from visiting James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. It was ok, a little too big for my taste. And the town was too small....it seemed to me like all the restaurants were in gas stations....:huh:

So far my #1 school is Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. It's small, around 4,000 undergrad and is only an hour from DC. The campus is GORGEOUS. It just feels right.

Next saturday I'm going to visit Christopher Newport in Newport News. It's also small like Mary Washington, so I'm looking forward to visiting it.

Soon I'll start filling out applications, getting acceptions/rejections, and making major decisions. Heaven help me I'm not looking forward to this process, but I can't wait till I leave!!!!

U2kitten........how much do you know about these VA schools?
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You asked the right person! I have a neice and a nephew who are both seniors. Ironically enough, they are both interested in JMU and my neice really likes Mary Washington. Her parents (my brother and his wife) are discouraging Mary Washington because it's a private institution and they want $30,000 per year tuition :yikes: JMU is around $11,000 a year including room and board. My neice now says JMU is too big and she really wants MW but the money difference is a big problem. She might get a couple thousand in scholarships, then they'd have to pay all the rest or get loans which would be hard to pay off.

If it were me, I would go with JMU, not just because of the money, but they have a wider variety of studies, and a big factor for me is that IMO Harrisonburg is the prettiest place in the world! The resturaunts are NOT all in gas stations. Downtown by the clock tower, there are all kinds of hipster eateries. Up on US 33 by the mall, there is every fast food and chain resturant you could possibly image. There are also ethnic resturants like Ciro's Lasagna house, only 6 bucks for delicious lasagna, and it's paid for with your JMU card! Go up on US 33 and see the real Harrisonburg! I love it and have posted pics of it. It's so friendly, low crime rate, and it has all the convenience of the city with the beauty and good things about the country. The areas around there are just gorgeous, and there's so much to do in your spare time, skiing, hiking, historical stuff, or just driving on pretty country roads. I am very biased in favor of Harrisonburg. But you pick the one that's best for you for what you want to study.
 
Mary Washington is public though...the tuition is also 11,000. Maybe you're getting it confused with Mary Baldwin, an all girls school in i think Staunton........:huh:

Anyway, I'll keep you updated on my college search...let me know what you know about the various schools around here! I want to major in poli-sci. (Shocker, i know.)
 
Oh and I think I know what gas station you went to, it's on Port Republic road just over the hill from the JMU entrance, there's a Dairy Queen and something else in there, it's all grungy, the parking lot looks like it's falling off the side of the cliff, that place sucks. JMU is the Port Republic road exit off I-81, the next exit up is Rt.33, the "Harrisonburg" direction will take you downtown where the clock tower and the hipster places are (outside tables, murals, concerts on the lawn) the "Elkton" direction goes up to the mall where all the chain stores and resturants are. As soon as you get off on that one you'll start seeing the good stuff :yes: (don't mess with Elkton, it's 15 miles away, just take the exit that says Elkton) Or next time you go come over the Skyline drive mountain where the Shenandoah park entrance is, and you will ride right down the hill and on into Harrisonburg where you will see all the stores and stuff. US 33 :up:

Oh one more thing- Interferencer UnforgettableLemon lives out there and goes to JMU, I saw him post just the other day, if there's some way to contact him he'd know it all!
 
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Ok thanks for the info U2kitten. We went to a subway at some gas station. The campus is REALLY big, as we were walking around I couldn't figure out if there was any rhyme or reason to the layout of it. Our tour guides were excellent though and everyone seems to enjoy JMU immensely. It has a great poli-sci program too. But i still think I prefer Mary Washington. After I visit CNU next week I'll let you know what it's like there.

If i were to rate the schools so far I'd say:
Mary washington 9/10
JMU 7/10
 
Well that's what my neice is leaning towards too, I still like Harrisonburg better. Oh well if you and her choose MW maybe that will leave a spot at JMU for my nephew who wants to go there. ;) Good luck! :) :hug:

(if you do both end up there I'll give you her email, it would be cool if you and her ended up friends!)
 
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oh that'd be awesome U2kitten! just make sure with them that it IS MW, because the mary washington i'm looking at in fredericksburg is $11,000 and a state school, not $33,000!! my parents would never go for that! :ohmy: :huh:
 
It is? I guess my sister in law got some wrong information from somebody then! I'll tell her! Thanks!
 
U2democrat said:
yeah i just checked the MW website, www.umw.edu and the total tuition including room and board is around 10-11,000.
Click to expand...

not bad, not bad at all! sounds like a winner to me! My school is like what you described (around 4000 students) and we just got bumped up to $26,000/yr.
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:


not bad, not bad at all! sounds like a winner to me! My school is like what you described (around 4000 students) and we just got bumped up to $26,000/yr.
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it's amazing what tuition is like these days! if i had my choice i'd go to george washington, georgetown, or american in DC, but they're all over $40,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Okay U2dem I just called my sister in law, she said when she told me that she was wrong but knows better now. She said somebody told her that and she told me but it turned out that it was Mary Baldwin that costs $30,000 and that it is Mary Washington that my neice wants. So I guess she'll probably go there.

LivLuv, your school is too high. I feel sorry for you having to pay all that. Is there a cheaper one you can transfer to next year?
 
I'm glad that was cleared up. I bet your niece feels better!!!

Mary Baldwin and Mary Washington often get mixed up. They have similar names, both in small VA towns, and Mary washington used to be all girls until 1976, while mary baldwin is STILL all girls. they're easily confused. but i'm glad that your niece is taking an interest to MW and that its clarified that its not $30,000!!!
 
U2Kitten said:


LivLuv, your school is too high. I feel sorry for you having to pay all that. Is there a cheaper one you can transfer to next year?
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Not one with anywhere near the reputation. Unfortunately, you only get what you give. :|
 
One more thing, I wouldn't bother with Newport. It's your business you can check it out if you want of course, but I used to live there, and Newport News is a BAD town, ugly, grungy, HIGH crime/drug rate, ridiculous traffic, I would run like hell. There are a lot of apt. complexes near the campus, many with 'college' in their names, DO NOT live there! I have heard so many stories of drugs, shootouts, rapes, even murders in them. The college itself I cannot speak for.
 
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U2Kitten said:
One more thing, I wouldn't bother with Newport. It's your business you can check it out if you want of course, but I used to live there, and Newport News is a BAD town, ugly, grungy, HIGH crime/drug rate, ridiculous traffic, I would run like hell. There are a lot of apt. complexes near the campus, many with 'college' in their names, DO NOT live there! I have heard so many stories of drugs, shootouts, rapes, even murders in them. The college itself I cannot speak for.
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Well I would live on campus, where they have recently spent millions of dollars on new buildings, including dorms. I know alot of people who went/are going to CNU, including my neighbor and they enjoy it. I'm considering it my "safety school" in case MW and JMU don't accept me. But we'll see how the visit goes next saturday.
 
U2dem, I hope you find a great college - let us know how things are working out, ok?! :D



Sidenote: I'm amazed by the amounts of money you guys have to pay to go to college! :ohmy:
 
Merc said:
U2dem, I hope you find a great college - let us know how things are working out, ok?! :D



Sidenote: I'm amazed by the amounts of money you guys have to pay to go to college! :ohmy:
Click to expand...

The money really is insane! My parents are still paying off my sister's tuition and will continue to pay it off for the next 20 years (she graduated in 97). Add in the tuition where I go and I just don't know how they can do it!
 
U2democrat said:


The money really is insane! My parents are still paying off my sister's tuition and will continue to pay it off for the next 20 years (she graduated in 97). Add in the tuition where I go and I just don't know how they can do it!
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:ohmy: That's awful. My parents didn't help me at all which is fine since I never expected them to. I hope someday I can help my kids, but if not, at least it's possible to get a real education without parental support, even if I'll be paying it off till I retire. :huh: Try not to let money get in the way of your decision. If your parents can afford to help two people pay, then they will be accepted as co-signers for student loans if needs be.
 
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U2democrat said:


Well I would live on campus, where they have recently spent millions of dollars on new buildings, including dorms. I know alot of people who went/are going to CNU, including my neighbor and they enjoy it. I'm considering it my "safety school" in case MW and JMU don't accept me. But we'll see how the visit goes next saturday.
Click to expand...

I just am partial against that town it is so gross, I moved away from there and would never go back. I live across the river now and every time I cross the bridge, I am amazed at how much worse it has gotten. Jefferson avenue is a sewer pit. Anything south of J. Clyde Morris is trashy and creepy (people even get shot at the Captain D's) and anything below 50th street, well, you are taking your life into your own hands, like the Church Hill east end part of Richmond. Denbigh used to be good 15 years ago, now it's going bad too. The backups and construction on 64 are constant and nerve wracking. At least Richmond has it's good and bad parts of town, NN is running out of any good, but that's what I see, if you love it, oh well I guess it's up to you.:shrug: Just trying to let you know how bad it is before you get stuck down there. Some people come in off the interstate and only see the college, they don't know the area. I only wanted to warn you.

Richmond IS bad, I know a guy who travels a lot and he's been shocked at the scary looking guys from NYC and DC and Philly who are terrified of Richmond and say it's full of 'sick' people who would just as soon kill you as look at you! Are you not interested in VCU or U of R? What about William and Mary in Williamsburg?
 
I don't want to stay in town. I'd rather be killed in NN! But seriously, UofR is SUPER expensive, its a private school, and VCU is just too close and I don't think it offers poli-sci as a major but i could be wrong......

As for W&M I don't think I could get in. I went to the campus once and hated it. I also wouldn't want to live that close to colonial williamsburg......*shudders* tourists! :madspit:

I'll take your thoughts on NN into consideration.
 
I totally understand you wanting to leave town :yes: that is the main reason my nephew wants to go to college. Harrisonburg and Fredricksburg are cooler and better cities, but I know you'll have to decide based on what's best for your studies. Good luck!

Merc, is college free for Europeans?? Or do you guys get it cheap or something?
 
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