The College of William and Mary

Date: Mar 08 2007
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
I transferred into William and Mary from a small liberal arts college in the northeast (one of the NESCACs). I felt the student body at my old school was too monochromatic, and I was also looking to go a bit bigger (and cheaper…even though I'm an out-of-stater, I'm still saving about $10,000 a year).

While I realize this place is not for everyone, I really do like it here. I feel like there was definitely a "break in" period, if you will. At first, I was sort of surprised by the academic environment here (students take their academics pretty seriously) and the lack of a social scene. If you're a partier, be warned, unless you're into the Greek scene, there is very little of that kind of fun here. It's not to say that you absolutely can't drink if you don't want to, but it's definitely more difficult to do here (at least compared to my last school).

I suppose I should touch on the student body. I would say like 50% of the kids here are the "weird" kids from high school (you know, the ones who were into anime, Harry Potter, and lacking social skills. Don't take offense to this if any of the aforementioned apply to you…I have lots of friends who fit into this category. Know that if you do, you won't have trouble finding like-minded people). The other 50% is definitely a mix of people. I have been able to find people with similar interests to my own, especially by joining clubs here on campus (there are literally hundreds to choose from).

As far as the campus goes, I love it. Most of it (particularly old campus) is gorgeous. New campus definitely suffered aesthetically when funds were tight in the '70s, but new buildings are being built that seem to be a lot better in appearance. I live in one of the brand new dorms on campus, and it is quite nice. I have lived in some of the older dorms as well, and they're really not terrible. Only the Botetourt Complex, Frat Complex (the "Units"), and Yates (a freshmen hall) are really undesirable.

The natural beauty here on campus is awesome. I love being able to go running on the trails that weave through the campus woods surrounding the lake. If you like being outside, there are so many ways to escape the "campus" scene here.

That brings me to Williamsburg. Many students are very down on the town, seeing as it's primary function is to cater to tourists. I actually like Colonial Williamsburg. Again, it provides an escape from the campus scene. If you don't like that, there are plenty of other places in town to go to, like "New Town." Here one can find all sorts of things like a movie theater, Panera, and Barnes and Noble. There are a lot of commercial areas as well where one can find Target, Walmart, etc.

I suppose now I should comment on the academic environment. To be perfectly honest, my first semester here frustrated the hell out of me. The grading here is fickle, at best. Some classes are not difficult at all, and others are quite tough. I wouldn't expect to get all A's here unless you're a braniac or you choose all your classes based on Professor "easyness" on Ratemyprofessor.com. As for the second part of the last statement, don't be a typical William and Mary student and do that. Take some risks, even if that means a less than perfect GPA, because some of the best professors here are the ones who make you work for your grade. Also, most employers/graduate schools are familiar with the academic rigor of William and Mary, and should take that into account when looking at your resume. I'm from New Jersey and when I tell people I go to W&M, they're all like, "Wow, great school! I hear it's really difficult…"

Okay, so while this place has its imperfections, I am glad I ended up here. Sure, there were some times right after my transfer when I had my doubts, but this place really does grow on you. There are so many little quirks here (such as the reputation of the students being "socially awkward" to the great history we have here) that make you proud to be a student here.

So, if you're up for some challenges (both academic and at times, social), come check W&M out!