James Madison University Top Questions

JMU is one of the most beautiful campuses that I've seen. I visited plenty of schools before here and the beauty struck me. The size of the school is perfect where it's at. Even though we have almost 18,000 I still see familiar faces and I get to know people in my classes. If I tell someone out of college I go to JMU, they say wow, great school. If I tell someone in college or about to go, they say I hear there are great parties there!

Biggest controversy was students getting hit by cars while walking on campus.

I love the campus, it is beautiful. I don't think it is too big, I actually wouldn't mind if it turned into a Division 1 A. People react positively, they have heard great things about JMU and really feel it is a strong academic school. I spend most of my time on campus in the bluestone area in Harrison, since that is where my classes for my major are. The administration really depends on who you talk to. Some teachers and faculty I have met have been amazing and others not so much. There really isn't one experience, but one thing I do love is how many events go on around campus. I love walking through and seeing all these events occuring. The most frequent student complaint would definatly be parking.

The best thing about James Madison is..almost everything. The people are usually nice, the weekends are amazing, and even the classes are above and beyond. Like most universities, parking is a problem, but they are trying to change that by adding more parking decks and lots. I believe JMU has just the right number of students (a little less than 17,000), which is one of the reasons I chose to come here. One of the little things I do regret about the size is that it is not a big D1 football school. However, we are D1 AA, and have a very good team. The tailgates before football games are also some of the most fun times of the year. JMU is expanding the school size, however. They want to become D1, and that entails adding a greater number of students to the school. JMU IS the town of Harrisonburg. Unlike many other schools, JMU doesn't have a huge mainstreet or place to go outside of campus, but there is a quaint little downtown with some VERY cute coffee shops, boutiques, and lounges. There is INTENSE school pride. I have met very few people who dislike JMU, and if they do it is usually because it is too far from home and their friends/loved ones. The one thing I will always remember about JMU is the time I'm having .. I know everyone says college is the time of their life, but they don't even know what that means until they come here.

James Madison is a growing school and will only increase in its opportunities for the students in the future. I have never gotten a negative reaction when telling people that I go to JMU. On campus I spend most of my time in ISAT because that is were the majority of classes are. the admisistration seems to be very supportive of the students and want to the university as a whole to grow and advance. yes there is a lot of JMU pride. Parking seems to always be a probelm.

I love the atmosphere at JMU. It has the perfect size. I also enjoy the surrounding areas. It would be cooler to have a city nearby, but the valley is beautiful.

James Madison University is the best fit for me. It is just right in size, classes, and extracurricular activities. There is no one best thing about JMU, the students, the atmosphere, the accessibility of professors, the beautiful campus, and so much more make JMU spectacular. Lately, most of my time on campus is spent either in class or in the clubhouse. The clubhouse is free to all students and it is a place to make banners, advertisements, and posters for different clubs and organizations. It is a great place to hang out and bond with the people in your organizations as well as do something great for the campus through advertisements of fund raisers and events. The professors at JMU are always there for their students. Emails are answered within the day, phone numbers are given out, appointments and office hours are available. The professors really want to be involved in their students academic achievement. 80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of all of JMU professors have a terminal degree in their field, meaning the highest degree possible in that field. I do not really hear a lot of complaints on campus. All students love JMU and when walking across campus you can always see a sea of purple and gold. There is so much school spirit and pride in being a JMU Duke.

The best thing about James Madison: The people that go here! I’m not solely talking about the students but its the faculty and staff as well. When someone told me that at JMU people open doors for you I thought it was a joke or exaggeration. False! Literally, the first time I stepped foot on campus people held doors for me. The people on this campus have certain energy: one that is specific to being at this school. Faculty is engaging and generally loves to help their students as well. Even the people who work in the dining halls have smiling faces and positive attitudes. One thing I would change: This school is just right. It is big enough that you don't know everyone. You always have opportunities to meet someone that you have never met. And it is small enough that you still see people you know around campus and around town. Since I am from out of state people don't always know what and where James Madison is located. So normally I say, "I go to James Madison in Virginia". However, when people do recognize the school they have nothing but wonderful things to say about it. They remark on how beautiful the campus is, how their son/daughter/friend/relative loved their experience there etc. Most of my time on campus is spent in Harrison hall. This is where my major is located. Most of my classes are in this building. Since I am required to work in the labs for my projects I spend after hours their as well. At first glance Harrisonburg would totally be given title," what college town?” when i was a freshman all i knew of the town was Walmart, Target and Sheetz. However, as I grew older and more acquainted with the town I found a lot of hidden gems. The downtown area of Harrisonburg may not be "city exciting" but there are plenty of quaint boutique, restaurants and cafes that ware worth checking out. The biggest recent controversy that I can remember is the SGA president resigned because many of his plans for the campus were stolen from another school's SGA. I was in Florence at the time though. I only heard about it after. J-M-U DUUUUKES! This school has an overwhelming amount of school pride. People love being able to say they go to JMU. Football games are always a sure fire way to show your school spirit and within 30 minutes of being there once will have heard 4 JMU cheers and 2 recitings of the fight song. It’s strange because most school has a lot of school pride because their athletic teams are nationally recognized. JMU is not in a huge conference and is not normally televised for such. However, I think it is because of the general student body that there is so much love and respect for this school. Unlike other big names schools that worship their athletes and athletic schedule, JMU students worship the entire student body. We love each other and are so proud to all be a part of something so special. One JMU complaint that is most prevalent is that registering for classes is very difficult. Classes fill up very fast and priority is mostly given to upperclassmen. In this case it's best to be patient and plan your entire four-year schedule ahead of time. Another option is to take a course during the summer. "Maymester" as we call it is either a four-week or 8 week course taken immediately following the spring semester. Courses don’t usually fill up and maymester can be a lot of fun.

JMU's best quality is the friendly campus feeling. Everyone knows everyone it seems.

The best thing is how welcoming everyone is. There is always a place for everyone. If i could change something it would be the way that the curriculm is set up. It is very hard to double major or study abroad without having to spend more than four years at the school. Harrisonburg is not much of a "collegetown". There is not much to do besides what is going on on campus. JMU has a ton of school pride. That is what made me want to come to the school. Everyday people are wearing JMU apparel like it is a fashion statement, and the football games are an all weekend affair. Homecoming weekend is one of the biggest weekends of the school year. I had the most fun i have ever had yet that weekend.