Bloomingdale High School Counseling Department

Though the physical campus might seem stuck in a time warp, students say everything about William and Mary—from the amazing faculty to the picturesque grounds—is up to date. Traditions abound, yet this historic university—the second oldest in the nation after Harvard—continues to evolve in its pursuit of academic excellence. “Students at William and Mary choose to attend the college for its intense academic rigor, strong sense of community, rich history, and legacy of traditions,” says one senior. It has graduated three former United States presidents—Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler. Rival UVA prides itself on being “Mr. Jefferson’s” university, but W&M has the distinction of having educated Mr. Jefferson in the first place.

A profusion of azaleas and crape myrtle adds splashes of color to William and Mary’s finely manicured campus, located about 150 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. The campus is divided into three sections and includes Lake Matoaka, the oldest human-made lake in Virginia, and a wooded wildlife preserve, which is filled with trails and widely used by the science departments. The Ancient Campus is a grouping of three colonial structures, the oldest being the Sir Christopher Wren Building, which was constructed between 1695 and 1700 and is the oldest college building and arguably one of the loveliest in the country that remains in use. The Old Campus, where the buildings date from the ’20s and ’30s, recently added a 390-room residence hall. New Campus, where ground was first broken in the ’60s, includes an Integrated Science Center, a recreation center, and the 95,000-square-foot Sadler center. The W&M campus boasts one of the most romantic spots of any in the nation: Crim Dell, a wooded area with a small pond spanned by an old-style wooden bridge. A spate of new construction includes 11 new fraternity houses and a significant renovation of Tucker Hall.

William and Mary, which was founded as a private college and did not go public until 1906, created Phi Beta Kappa in December of 1776. The honor code, established by Thomas Jefferson in 1779, demands much from the college’s students. Fittingly, the history department, which cosponsors the Omohundro Institute for Early American History and Culture with Colonial Williamsburg, is a signature program at William and Mary. Business, government, psychology, English, and biology are among the most popular majors. The accounting program ranks in the top 20 nationwide; employers seek out graduates from the program. There are summer and yearlong study abroad programs around the globe, from Europe to China, South Africa, Russia, and Mexico, and summer field schools in archeology. Another program allows students to spend two years in Williamsburg and two at St. Andrews in Scotland and end up with degrees from both institutions. Approximately 46 percent of W&M’s graduating class receive credit for studying abroad. The top 7 percent of freshmen are designated Monroe scholars and receive summer research stipends to support independent projects, typically used after their sophomore or junior year.

The academic climate is rigorous, students say, but cooperation among peers is the norm. “There have been many times when I had to miss a class and all I had to do was send an email to fellow students before my email inbox was full of helpful notes. This type of setting makes the classes more fun, easier, and productive,” says one history major. Nearly half of all classes have 19 or fewer students, although a few introductory lectures may have a couple hundred. Virtually every class is taught by a full professor, and TAs are used for grading or lab purposes only. The college established freshman seminars, limited to 15 students each, which provide even closer faculty interaction. “I would rate the quality of teaching as extraordinary,” says a senior. “The professors here have their own ways of teaching, but also opening up a platform for students to freely discuss topics and learn from one another’s experiences.”

W&M graduation requirements are thorough and include proficiency in a foreign language, writing, and computing (major-specific). More specific general education requirements include a course in mathematics and quantitative reasoning; two courses in the natural sciences; two in the social sciences; one each in literature and history of the arts and creative and performing arts; and one course in philosophical, religious, and social thought. The Center for Honors and Interdisciplinary Studies allows outstanding students four semesters of intensive liberal arts seminars, with lectures by top scholars from around the country, and facilitates interdisciplinary majors like American studies, environmental science, and women’s studies.

William and Mary students are “a little dorky, but incredibly nice, bright, and giving,” according to one student. Another adds, “Students are generally very hard-working and diverse in talents and convictions.” Because William and Mary is a state-supported university, roughly two-thirds of its students are Virginians. Competition for the nonresident spots—mostly taken by students from the mid-Atlantic and farther north—is stiff. Ninety-seven percent of freshmen ranked in the top quarter of their high school class. The college has made a major effort to recruit and retain more minorities; Asian Americans now account for 6 percent of the students, Hispanics make up 9 percent, and African Americans contribute 7 percent. An ongoing series of programs in the residence halls addresses safety issues as well as diversity and gender communication. “Students are incredibly well informed regarding current issues,” says an English major. W&M has its share of eagerly recruited athletes; 288 athletic scholarships are offered annually. Merit scholarships are doled out to qualified undergrads.

Seventy-two percent of the undergraduates live on campus in mostly co-ed dorms that range from stately old halls with high ceilings to modern buildings equipped with air-conditioning. All freshmen are guaranteed a room on campus (with cable, wireless, and Internet connections), but after that students try their luck with the infamous room selection process (“stressful but efficient”). “Freshman dorms are freshman dorms,” says one senior. “They are nice, clean, and livable, but by no means paradise.” Special-interest housing is available—there are seven language houses and an International Studies hall, Africa House, Community Scholars House, and a Mosaic House—and life in a fraternity or sorority house is also an option. Students give the three campus cafeterias less-than-stellar reviews, but all freshmen must purchase a meal plan. Others have a variety of options, including cooking in the dorms and dinner plans in sorority and fraternity houses. “The food is just OK and I’m not always a fan of what is available,” observes a senior. Campus security is regarded as tight, although crime is not a big issue.

W&M isn’t known as a social school, but there’s always something to do on campus. “Social events take place on and off campus, with recent years trending more off campus,” observes a public policy major. “Greek life makes up much of the off-campus social life, whereas clubs and organizations operate mostly on campus.” On any given weekend, students can enjoy the soothing voices of one of the many a cappella groups, dance the night away at fraternity parties, grab a midnight snack at the Sadler Center, or watch the latest dance or theater performance at Phi Beta Kappa Theater. Twenty-five percent of the men and 30 percent of the women join Greek organizations, which host most of the on-campus parties. The Office of Student Activities sponsors mixers, bands, and a film series.

Anyone who gets restless can always step across the street to Colonial Williamsburg to picnic in the restored area, walk or jog down Duke of Gloucester Street (called “Dog Street”), or study in one of the beautiful gardens. “Eventually, you don’t raise an eyebrow when Colonial reenactors are behind you at the grocery store buying beer,” quips one senior. Its appeal to tourists notwithstanding, Williamsburg leaves much to be desired as a college town. Nightlife is a hit-or-miss affair (mostly miss), although volunteer opportunities abound and many students participate. Richmond and Norfolk, each an hour’s drive, are top road trips; the University of Virginia, although an archrival, is also popular; and Virginia Beach, a favorite springtime mecca, is a little farther away.

Traditions are the stuff of which William and Mary is made, and perhaps the most cherished is the annual Yule Log Ceremony in the Wren Building, where students sing carols and hear the president, dressed in a Santa Claus outfit, read the Dr. Seuss story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Grand Illumination is a great Christmas fireworks display in nearby Colonial Williamsburg, and on Charter Day, bells chime and students celebrate the distinguished history of their 300-year-old institution. Each year, freshmen walk through the Wren Building for Opening Convocation, where they’re greeted by cheering upperclassmen and faculty. Four years later, as they graduate, they walk through the Wren in the other direction. Romantics will be happy to learn that any couple who kisses at the top of Crim Dell Bridge will eventually be married. The Seven Society, a secret society of students dedicated to the college, is among the most revered on campus. “William and Mary has four centuries’ worth of traditions, legends, and mysteries,” says one senior. Each year, more than 500 Tribe student-athletes compete on 23 Division I teams. Twenty-one intramurals and clubs such as softball and ultimate Frisbee attract a large percentage of the student body. The recreational athletic complex serves the health and fitness needs of students and faculty.

From Thomas Jefferson to Jon Stewart, William and Mary has educated some of the nation’s most famous and infamous. William and Mary’s traditions stretch back to the dawn of this nation, and its grand old campus and stirring history make it a distinguished and cherished part of many students’ lives. “Students learn so much from amazing peers and find great mentors in the faculty and administration,” says a senior. “At the end of their time here, students feel they have learned a lot as students, but have grown as people.”

 

Deadlines & Requirements

William and Mary: Early decision: Nov. 1. Regular admissions: Jan. 1. Application fee: $70. Campus interviews: optional, evaluative. No alumni interviews. SATs or ACTs: required. Subject Tests: optional. Accepts the Common Application. Essay question: personal statement.