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The fall 2020 acceptance rate for College of William and Mary is 36%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.
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What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
Before my freshman year, I believed that anticipating every possible need by overloading the family car on move-in day with everything from duct tape to freeze-dried ice cream would ensure a smooth transition to college life. Clearly I did not understand how little space a dorm room provides. Naively, I thought that if I had everything I would ever need at my fingertips, then I could easily prepare for any possible obstacle.
My first semester produced an immediate change in that mentality. Classes challenged my former standards of success, raising the bar to a new level. Time-management quickly became my mantra as I struggled to balance academics responsibilities, extracurricular involvements, and the beginnings of new friendships. I soon learned that not every obstacle will be expected, nor can it be always be solved with a piece of duct tape or some other material good. Fortunately, the ability to strive for personal best through challenge ultimately strengthens the heart, mind, and soul.
Spontaneity improves the college experience. Not everything can be, or even should be, anticipated. Moments spent outside of a scheduled existence oftentimes offer the most unexpectedly, satisfyingly edifying experiences. Therein lies the magic of college life.
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Describe the students at your school.
Serious, conservative thinkers; great friends if you're on their side.
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What is your overall opinion of this school?
Some people are surprised to hear how much prestige W&M has and other are surprised to learn how (financially) accessible it is for its level of prestige. It has both.
I have family, friends, and a fiance in Newport News so I tend to go there on weekends and can't really say much about the weekend life. During the week I'm busy with physics work (not typical of all majors). I do hear good things about the college town, but I don't know if W&M would be the place to go if it was your priority.
The college has gotten a lot of mixed press as of late. President Nichol removed the Wren Cross and put it in a box. In my opinion here was doing nothing more than restoring it to it traditional Anglican Church architectural theme and responding to complaints of minority religions for the sake of the college. Conservative alumni assumed he was anti-Christian and the BoV failed to renew his contract. His legacy of expanding diversity, financial aid, and undergraduate research remains and for all the hooplah the college remains mostly the same.
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What is the stereotype of students at your school?
That our school is boring and full of people that just study all of the time and that students here can't have a good time.
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What are the academics like at your school?
My professors know my name, and more than that they are easy to talk to and always ready to help. This is W&M greatest asset. In one it is the ease of taking classes and access to undergraduate research.
It's hard to pick a favorite class, but all my physics professors have a sense of humor and know there stuff. My least favorite class is my lab, which teaches me a lot but is very en cumbersome in terms of work-load.
I feel like the average student here is someone I really can have an intellectual conversation with, and often do on a variety of subjects. It's hard to articulate the contrast in visiting other schools, but needless to say it can be felt.
When people think W&M, they don't tend to think Physics. But I graduated salutatorian and choose W&M specifically for its Physics program. It has a strong focus on undergraduate research, with many grants and research opportunities. As a busy Freshman, I haven't had the opportunity to take full advantage of it, although the offers are a plenty. I can find three or four professors in my field willing to let me contribute to unpaid research. In addition, its near NASA Langly and Jefferson Labs, the latter of which I recently entered into a summer internship program with. Grad school or work force, I can't imagine a better preparation.
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Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
I knew three in my old high school, three here, and three that go to another college. I don't know whether there are more than statistical here or not, but I wouldn't regard it as a bad thing. Even if you have no tolerance for a pro-homosexual rights atmosphere, it would be the best place to go to make your voice effective in the matter. All in all, high or low, homosexuals make up such a small portion of any population that it just doesn't make sense to make college choices based on them. If you can't stand gays you don't have to interact with them. If you can, you are more than welcome here at W&M.
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What are the most popular student activities/groups?
I joined the Debate team, and have never met a group of people more intelligent and eloquent in my life. The upperclassmen in the circuit routinely defeat their Ivy League rivals and the witty and knowledgeable nature of the debate really does translate into all their social activities.
W&M isn't know for athletics but we do have a lot of spirit.
People are very open to talk to, even random strangers. I connect very well with the people here, and yes, people leave their doors open.
We have an active theater program, and the college is regularly visited by guest speakers of renown, bands with national recognition, and entertaining comedians. In 2007, the Queen of England visited but day to day important people come. For example, this week we have a Nobel Laureate at the physics department.
W&M is a school of many traditions, and I have many friends who belove them deeply. I can't say I participate in that many of them.
Like any college, if you want alcohol, you can find it and someone to share it with. I'm not a partier, I don't drink and I am pretty concerned with academics. But groups on campus have fun with and without drinking.
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Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
The presiding feeling of community; there was no where else that I visited that I found all persons so incredibly accomodating. Everyone who attends is happy to be there, and sorry to leave once graduation rolls around.
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What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
I consider the unequal balance between social and academic life is the worst thing about my school. There is too much pressure to do well academically, which is important, but students need to have the ability to let off some steam. I believe the college should have part of the responsibility to do this because it is located in a small city so there is not much to do outside of the campus.
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What's unique about your campus?
It's a very welcoming community, very small and tight-knit with at LOT of school pride, and even though it is a very difficult school, people here are not competitive; in fact, most are more than willing to form study groups and help each other out. Everyone is very tolerant and open-minded. Straight people join the GLBT clubs, students join multicultural groups when they aren't that culture, etc. It's incredibly safe here, and there is always plenty to do on campus! We don't just study all day, we party too, I promise!
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Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
It's quaint, natural, and traditional but the campus has a slight modern flair.
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What kind of person should attend this school?
Academically, anyone who is hardworking and enjoys intellectual challenge will fit in well, especially if he or she recognizes that the learning environment extends beyond the classroom. Extracurricularly, there is a niche for every interest, so a prospective student should be prepared to participate in a wide range of activities and to learn the basics of time-management. Socially, the typical William and Mary student is a bit quirky, but loveably so, and will easily develop a social circle within the close-knit community. William and Mary welcomes any student who is willing to embrace the College's many offerings.
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What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
How hard the classes are! And how hard it is to transfer into. I came at the beginning of Junior year, and people already had their own groups. Not as friendly as I thought.
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What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The course selection process is very competitive, frustrating, and time consuming.
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What kind of person should not attend this school?
If you are not into working hard to maintain a decent GPA, this school is definitely not for you. If you like cities, it's not for you. If you want an academic challenge or strong greek life, William & Mary is your school.
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Describe your favorite campus traditions.
William & Mary is best known for its history, its quality of academics, and its location, as well as its famous alumni (ex. Jon Stewart).
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What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
At The College of William & Mary, we often make fun of ourselves and others by calling them a TWAMP, or Typical William And Mary Person. A TWAMP is someone who has no social life because every second is spent studying. While there are many students who are involved in non-academic pursuits, the stereotype is an accurate description of many students.
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What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
The school's reputation for academic toughness and history as the second oldest university in America
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Why did you decide to go to this school?
I visited the College of William and Mary during spring break of my junior year in high school. It was a very rainy day, but the beauty of the campus and the joviality of our tour guide were not marred. Hearing about students' passions, and all the wonderful things about professors, prompted me to apply.
The full tuition scholarship award sealed the deal for me, and I could not be happier.
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What do students complain about most?
Students at W&M complain most about the lack of an athletic scene and the rigor of the workload. The common student is usually more willing to go to an acapella concert than a basketball game. Furthermore, I personally found that with a full 15 credit course load, you had very little free time.
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