The University of Mary Washington

Date: Feb 11 2006
Major: Undecided (This Major's Salary over time)
I would recommend against coming to UMW. I acknowledge that this school may be the perfect place for some, but I can't say that I am amongst those. My grievances with the school lie in the poor social life, "cliquish" high school extracurriculars, poor undergraduate advising, and the bureaucracy.

The parties at UMW are off-campus, but are usually broken up so it is pointless to go to them. Therefore, if you are a big-parties I would advise you not to come here. If you liked social "cliques" in high school then you will love Mary Washington as it is a 4,000 strong high school with a few sets of individuals running the extracurriculars and making it awkward for new members to join. For example, I was in debate but quit after it became apparent that it felt more like a high school extracurricular than the "typical high school experience." I did not want to do activities just to fill time and make myself attractive to prospective colleges which is essentially what I did by joining debate. Therefore, it was time-consuming and very unenjoyable.

As a Freshman, I understand that I can not declare a major. I, however, did fill out a form prior to Preview that specified my interest as history and that I would be paired up with someone from the history department. What I got, however, was a biology advisor and felt mislead from day one. I hardly ever talk to my advisor about stuff relating to declaring majors, courses, etc. as she does not know anything outside of what is necessary for bio. majors. Therefore, I have learned only to rely on myself in finding out what courses I need for my major.

The bureacracy here true to what the Princeton Review reports is definitely a nightmare. Finding the right person to talk to about a specific economic problem is very difficult. For that very reason, it is best to look elsewhere if you want a smooth transition to college.

Overall, I can't wait to transfer to another college (probably UVA) fairly soon. Avoid this school if you are into getting the "typical college experience." If you want a good liberal arts education, then come here. However, if you want a school that has a good academic reputation along with a good social scene, go elsewhere.