The College of William and Mary

Date: Aug 06 2003
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
William & Mary recently lost an alumnus in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy. And, as I read the volumes of press on the subject, I was struck by just how well he represented the university. He was an astronaut, of course. He was also a military man and a physician. But, most importantly, he was best remembered in his college days for riding around campus on a unicycle. He was on the gymnastics team and he once performed in a circus. The craziest thing about his bio? It's not at all unusual for a William & Mary student. This school is highly academically selective and the students are all exceedingly bright—but they are NOT nerds. They are fun, multi-talented, creative, social people and it's a life-changing experience to share both a classroom and a campus with them. Academics? Outstanding. Professors are excellent and accessible (with class sizes that are smaller than many high schools') Coursework is challenging and A's must be well-earned. (No one ever learned a thing by being coddled.) But what any student who matriculates here will treasure the most is the inspiration of his/her fellow students. Eight years later, and I still take pride when I hear of my classmates accomplishments (often on a national stage).