College of William and Mary Top Questions

The people at William and Mary are the best part because almost all of them are caring, quirky, and hardworking. There is a culture of excellence here because selected students are typically the cream of the crop. People are fun and engaging. You will find students here to be stimulating and competent. Because of this environment you can learn a lot from not only the faculty, but your classmates as well.

The happy community of wonderful, weird, intelligent students. I've met some incredible people here, and they've added so much to my college expereince.

The dorms at William and Mary are quite varied in terms of both their appearance and persona. Most relevant to freshman are the following dorms: Barrett, Botetourt Complex (includes 5 individual residences, all relatively similar in size and layout), DuPont, Hunt, Jefferson, Monroe, Taliaferro, and Yates. Barrett is one of the nicer dorms on campus--recently renovated, with a grand ballroom-style staircase, not many students complain about getting chosen to live there. There are a few common rooms for residents to hang out in, all nicely furnished (some with televisions), and a large porch out back (complete with large porch swings) to enjoy during the warmer weather. The Boutetourt Complex is sort of hidden away off of Ukrop Way (close to the dining hall that many upperclassmen/athletes frequent, the Caf, and the Rec Center). Because of its secluded nature, the residents there tend to form a very close-knit group (perhaps because nobody else knows who they are). The halls are not bad per se, but they are certainly more out of date than ones like Dupont, Barrett, and Monroe. Students that live in these halls typically opted into living in a smaller residential community, which is exactly what they'll get; the seemingly endless walk to classes gets shorter, but many of these friends will be cherished forever. Dupont and Yates are both very large freshman halls (totaling about 250-275 students each), with Dupont being a more updated version of Yates right next to the Caf (Yates is across the street from the Caf). Both inspire a community experience, but more similar to that of a fraternity. People in these halls definitely have a reputation of being more extroverted; it's therefore no surprise (though perhaps an unfair stereotype), that residents in these halls seem more likely to join Greek life. Many students say that living in Yates or Dupont was one of the best parts of their freshman college experience, because of the intensely social nature of the halls. Jefferson is the hall that many people sort of forget about--it doesn't have many stigmas attached to it, which isn't neccessarily a bad thing. It's on the larger side in terms of halls (nearly 200 residents), and has a nice central location near Old Campus, with easy access to the Sunken Garden and academic buildings. Jefferson is also extremely closely positioned to Monroe, another one of the nicer dorms to live in on campus. For the most part, Monroe is reserved for Monroe Scholars (high-testing academic freshman who accept a position in the program), but one might be lucky enough to enjoy some of its comforts as well. One of the chief benefits residents get to enjoy is the attic, a fully furnished game room, with projector. It serves as a central hang out spot for many students, and when getting to meet people freshman year, it's always nice to know someone in Monroe to enjoy the air-conditioned building (not present in all dorms). Finally, Hunt and Taliaferro are two of the smallest dorms on campus (Taliaferro being the smallest freshman hall), but nicely situated in fairly central locations to Marketplace (another nice alternative dining option) and Colonial Williamsburg (for all those intense desires to see historical Virginia). Again, nice living environment for those seeking a tight-knit community, without some of the rowdiness that Yates and Dupont are known for. All of the halls have some type of common area (some more distinct than others), and most have at least one kitchen, if not one of every floor for girls and boys. Students leaving their door open depends solely on the resident--I've known many students in all of the aforementioned halls, and some would leave doors open and unlocked for anyone to stop in and say hi, and others would leave it shut. It's just a matter of preference, not a reflection on the dorm itself.

The College of William and Mary is unique in that we have the oldest academic building that is still in use: the Wren Building. Religion classes are held in Wren, along with a few others I believe. If you're lucky, you can even get a chance to study there during finals. My friends and I did one year...talk about a memorable moment. The campus is also unique in that there's a lot of history and mystery behind it. You aren't the second oldest school in the country without collecting a few ghost-tales. Ghost tour guides always mention a few of the stories that dwell behind the creaks and groans of the academic buildings. Makes going to school at W&M kind of fun!

I think that the best thing about William and Mary is that it really does push its students and that students share the same values of hard work and honesty.

The best thing about William and Mary is the wonderfully omnipresent sense of community. People are incredibly thoughtful, willing to help, and compassionate. The ability to form strong friendships and lifelong bonds is both comforting and refreshing.

I think the best thing about my school is that it is one of the ancient institutions that has given us president Thomas Jefferson , and the current Secreatary of Defense Robert Gates. It is shows that Leadership and responsibility are the common traits of the schools almuni. I think not only the historical significance but also the acadamic competativeness shows us that high quality students are expected to come out. It challenges students to go beyone to reach higher. I think that is the best thing about my school.

The professors are amazing. They are very helpful in and out of the classroom and get you engaged in what you are learning it class. It is very hard, but you truly learn the material. There are also tons of traditions at my school that makes going here that much more awesome.

The best thing about William and Mary is its tradition of academic excellence. Every student realizes that they will recieve a quality education. Since 1693 William and Mary has challenged students and produced outstanding graduates such as Thomas Jefferson.

I consider The College of William and Mary's strong sense of community to be the best aspect of the institution. Coming into college as a naive freshman, I thought I would be intimidated and looked down upon by the upperclassmen. However, everyone on campus sincerely embraces and accepts everyone regardless of background. The tight-knit community of The College serves to present a welcoming ambiance to students, which is significantly vital to embracing and becoming acclimated to college life.