University of Mary Washington Top Questions

Whenever I tell someone instate that I go to Mary Washington, they get it confused with Mary Baldwin. And anyone from out of state? William and Mary, which is very flattering and I hate to correct them. Mary Washington is just too small. I had never heard of the school, after living in VA, until I was looking for colleges. As a vegetarian, the food is lackluster. There's not enough choices! I love salad, but I cannot eat it every day for every meal! The campus is very beautiful, very very beautiful. However, I wish they'd spend more money on a better food plan or on a better working internet system than they do on the damn landscaping.

At UMW honor is a huge deal. We live/work by our Honor Code, and everyone takes it seriously. I love it as you know that you can trust people and you don't have to worry as much as things such as cheating or theft. The campus is pretty small, but not too small. One of the things that made me choose UMW is the fact that the students and faculty are extremely friendly, trustworthy, and helpful. Literally everyone goes to UMW; every "stereotype" is represented. The campus is really diverse, but extremely accepting and open-minded.

I love the size of Mary Wash. It's perfect for me; I love that it is small enough to not get lost but large enough to not know EVERYONE (although there are people who do). There is a lot of school pride even though we don't have a football team.

UMW is definitely a medium sized school. Due to the status of being a Division III sports school there isn't the fervor over athletics that you would get a larger University, but the lack of fraternities creates a social atmosphere that is centered around the clubs and sports the school offers. There has been recent problems with selecting presidents but hopefully the new President will last a long time and put those issues to rest. Furthermore the faculty and board of visitors stepped up in a potentially volatile environment in order to keep the university on course. Overall Mary Washington is a medium sized extremely friendly and open atmosphere to go to college and no matter what type of person you are you will find a niche to fill because it is large enough to accommodate diversity while it may not be ethnically representative of the state as a whole.

There is not enough to do on campus! THe administration at UMW doesn't want to help us and they always tell you to go see someone else and that they can't help you

The administration is terrible and does not use any student input for any decisions that effect our school.

The school size is perfect for a small school-but also can be too small in the social scene. Because there is a smaller crowd of party-goers, and such it can seem like a second-high-school environment. I spent most of my time off campus, living and 'playing.' I found myself quite bored on campus-I come from a town right outside Boston so I was more accustom to more activities/concerts/etc. to go to in the city, which Fredericksburg could not really offer. The best thing about the school is the beautiful campus, and I think the programming surrounding History. I was a historic preservation major and decided against transferring because I was so enthralled with the program and the professors. When I tell people I went to UMW they often laugh, and tell me that everyone they knew who went there hated it, transferred or dropped out. To be honest, most of my friends from freshman year did drop out or transfer, and I definetely humored the idea of transfering many times. I stuck it through, and found a program that I cared about and a new group of friends! There needs to be more school pride-and will most likely grow when the sports teams have a stronger following, and maybe better facilities?? I found that Homecoming weekend was quite fun, more so because of the heightened party scene-rather than the actual sports games! People joke that homecoming weekend is when we actually act like every other college, and everyone is out and doing things-mostly party-related!

Mary wash has a great student body, everyone's laid back and has a good sense of humor. It's academically challenging but not as hard as William and Mary. The campus is gorgeous and small, you can walk anywhere / everywhere. Most parties occur in peoples' houses and apartments off campus. There's a TON of gorgeous girls. Everyone's in good shape, Mary Wash ranked as one of the most fit schools in VA. The on campus food sucks.

In one word I can define Mary Washington: Community. Usually a college community is associated with schools with less than a thousand students, but at 4000 strong, Mary Wash has a sense of unbreakable community. You may not know everyone you pass, but the ones you do know will say hello as you go by them on campus walk. When something happens, you can count on the students of UMW to bond together for support, whether it be honoring the memory of Virginia Tech or coming out to watch the Annual Underwear Run. In our community, there is also a sense of trust. A student can leave their bookbag/laptop/jacket sitting around at Seacobeck (the main cafeteria) and it will still be exactly how you left it when you return. A community is a powerful thing, and with each person, they are able to find their niche and blend seamlessly in the community that is Mary Washington.

The school size is just right and the campus is so beautiful - that's what really drew me to it. Every teacher that I have come in contact with has been beyond helpful and I have bonded close friendships with many of the professors within my major. The academic expectation are incrediably high, which creates a very intelligent atmophere around campus. I wish sports were held in higher appreciation by the facutly and administration. Also, the town of Fredericksburg is a town with a college not a college town, which leads to some tensions between the citizens of the Fredericksburg and the students.