Reviews

Students at the University of Mary Washington definitely learn a lot. There are about 4,000 students total in the entire school, so over 900 students in each graduating class. It is so beneficial going to a school that is smaller because classes are smaller, making it more comfortable to participate in class and ask questions. Professors also know who you are: you are not seen as just a number to them. Because classes are so small, they get to know their students: the different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses of their students, making it easier for professors to know how to help their students. Freshman year, we take a freshman seminar. There are many different freshman seminars to choose from and the purpose of these classes is to help freshmen adapt to college courses. By the end of that course, students know what college professors expect from their students. Students learn skills that improve their writing, public speaking, and overall participation in courses. There are several tools to help students be successful throughout their four years at UMW. The librarians can help you find credible resources needed for research papers. They inform you about the online databases available for student use, things that students just arriving at the school would not know about. There is free tutoring at UMW as well. There is the walk-in tutoring for chemistry and you can sign up to get a tutor in other courses. Writing and public speaking is very important at UMW. All students are required to take a certain amount of writing intensive courses and speaking intensive courses. To help students improve these necessary skills, there are two resources available to students: the Writing Center, and the Speaking Center. Students bring their essays to the writing center, where tutors, usually all English majors, look over them, and help students figure out what they did wrong on the essays and how to improve it. At the Speaking Center, students practice giving speeches ...

It has been said that Mary Washington is a boring campus with absolutely nothing to do. Not true. College is truly what you make of it. There are tons of things to do at UMW; all you have to do is look around. There are over 100 clubs and organizations on campus ranging from Photography Club to African Hand Percussion Club. There is a club or organization on campus that represents everyone’s interests. Even if UMW does not have an organization on campus that you would like, you can create it. UMW holds several dances on campus throughout the year. There is the Homecoming Dance, and the other dances are normally held be sports teams, the different dance organizations, or community service clubs. There are many places on campus to hangout. There is a place on campus called the Washroom, where everyone comes to watch television, play video games or board games, eat, study, or get on the computer. The school has just completed another area for students called The Underground, which is set to open in the fall of ’09. At the Underground, students can come and eat, hangout, and many events will be held there, such as dances, live music, etc. Cheap Seats, an organization on campus, plays movies on campus that are about to be released on DVD, usually every weekend. It only cost a dollar to go see each movie. There are many other events held on campus. Devil-Goat Day, a carnival event, and The Multicultural Fair are two major events held in April. Fredericksburg is about fifty miles between Washington D.C. and Richmond, so that provides some fun on the weekends. We are near Central Park, an area with a lot of stores, restaurants, the mall, movie theatres, an ice skating rink, and many more. Within walking distance is downtown Fredericksburg. There are antique stores, restaurants, ice-cream stores, and events that are held downtown. It’s a fun place to hangout. Also set to open in the fall is the University Café, located downtown. Students will not only come to eat t...

Tuition compared to other schools in Virginia, is really good. For a lower tuition, you're getting an excellent education, a lifetime of experiences, and a beautiful campus.

Keep in mind that yes, college years are supposed to be some of the greatest years of your life. Its perfectly fine to have fun in college, but don't let anything distract you from the reason why you're truly there, which is to get an education. Take advantage of all the opportunities made available to you by the school.

The University of Mary Washington is great for students who are looking for a smaller school, and and a school that provides an excellent education.

There are a wide variety of classes here, meaning that there is always something appealing to take. The classes get more specific and therefore, more interesting, the higher their level. The class sizes are small enough that you can get to know a lot, or in some cases all, of your classmates, and the teacher will remember your name. The teachers here are all very enthusiastic about their topics, which makes going to class a lot easier!

I love the people here, everyone is very open and friendly. As a freshman it was very easy to get to know people, everyone in my dorm felt like family. When walking to class you are guaranteed to see a few people that you can say hi to, although there are enough students here that every day you will see tons of new people. For a small school there are a surprising amount of things to do. There are a lot of clubs and activities to participate in, when I'm at school I never feel bored. We have several concerts and carnivals a year, which are a great way to relieve the stress of finals and to have fun!

The quality of the education we receive is amazing for the comparatively low costs of tuition. The dorm rooms are pretty big, I've had friends at other schools who are surprised by their size and how nice the rooms are when they come to visit. While the school food is not great overall, it is edible. If you get to the dining hall at the very beginning of the mealtime, you will get the best food before it runs out.

Although everyone wants to live in Alvey at first, due to its proximity to the gym and the fact that it has air conditioning, I would not recommend it. The rooms are actually very cold, you will wind up wearing sweatshirts in August. The dorm is isolated from the rest of campus, making it difficult to meet the rest of your class. I would recommend making Russell your first choice for dorms, it has the biggest rooms and closets, along with a lot of handy built in storage space. Try to avoid eating weekend meals at Seaco, with the exception of brunch, because the weekend food is worse than usual. The Nest is good to eat at for lunch, but the amount of food that constitutes a meal swipe there is not filling enough to be eaten for dinner. There are a lot of cheap places to eat within walking distance of the school. On campus jobs are great and extremely convenient, although not easy to come by once you are already a student due to the high amount of applicants. If you are offered a job with your admission, I advise that you take it if you think at some later point you would like to have a campus job.

Those who like the small school feel will love it here. It's big enough that it doesn't feel like high school anymore, but you're able to recognize people and the teachers will get to know your name. There is not a high amount of diversity here, but if the 2009 freshman class is any indication, the rate is quickly increasing. The students here have any and all types of interests, making it very easy to connect with others.

The small campus offers small classes, free tutoring anytime for math and free tutoring for other courses if a request is received. The professors NOT teacher's aids teach the classes. Only undergraduates attend the main campus making it ideal.
Internships in DC can be had during the school year with a train ride to DC from Fredericksburg. Students either go T TH or MWF and take classes the other days.

The most beautiful campus in Virginia! Easy to get around and an easy hike to DC to get nightlife, go to concerts etc.

Excellent price, seemed to me to be a private education for the public price.

Great for students who want to learn and relax in a beautiful setting while still having access to the big city.

A terrific school that I got into with a beautiful picturesque camous. However, I do not attend, my sister did and I love coming to visit this close-knit heartwarming campus. The cultural diversity fair is worth looking towards for.

UMW has strong academics though it is not many people's first choice. They tend to stay because fantastic professors and good programs.

The older dorms have spirit and historic value like Ball hall. The newer dorms are easier to move around in, since they are spacier. Since it is a small school, many do live on campus all four years or relatively close by.

Not too terribly many options for food but still delicious and good off-campus places.

Overall, UMW is a great school. It is successful in housing, dining, and academics, all of which are an important part of college.

One tip I have is to join clubs! That is a sure way to make friends here. Also, don't be afraid to talk to people sitting alone, that's how I made my closest friends here.

It gets challenging here, but they also have excellent tutoring opportunities here and speaking and writing centers to help you improve in difficult subjects.

I am a Resident Assistant and we try as hard as we can to create a welcoming environment. My freshman year I felt like I was welcomed into a new home and new family.

There are currently three places on campus that take the meal plan, but they are building a new facility. There are numerous options, so everyone is satisfied here.

There are tons of clubs to join here at UMW. Also, we are smack dab in the middle of Fredericksburg, so there are plenty of things to do off campus. There's Historic Downtown with quaint little shops, to Central Park with the latest and most modern shops and malls. There's never a dull moment!

Tuition is a little pricey, but I definitely think you get what you pay for here. You pay a little more, but the professors here are very knowledgeable in their fields and extracurriculars are very fun here.

We have the spirit rock is serves as a sort of billboard where the campus clubs advertise for upcoming events. I have also seen many birthday shout outs on the rock and just to say welcome back to UMW during the fall semester.

This school is great for Historic Preservation or History majors. Being in the middle of Fredericksburg, there is so much history. You cannot walk without touching some historical moment in time, whether it be from the Revolutionary War or the Civil War.

There are so many to choose from! From Quidditch to Student Senate, there is a club for everybody, and they always make you feel welcome.

There is a Greek Chapter off campus, but not recognized by the school. There are about two fraternities that people can join and they do not cause any trouble. They are very respectful of everyone here at UMW.

There are blue lights located all over campus. Also, I walk across campus from my friends' dorm and I never feel any danger. If you would like an escort, however, the police are more than willing to walk back with you and are very friendly towards you.

mary washington is a nice and safe campus that has enough academic work to keep you occupied and learning without constant stress. it is an environment conducive to learning, being social, and getting a job. great all around school.

get enough sleep. many students here fail to do so and you can see it affecting their academic performances and also making them too worn out to have fun on weekends. also, always go to sunday brunch. it is delicious and something that most students try to go to at least once a month.

depending on the classes you take, academics can be difficult or easy. getting your general education classes out of the way is easy but get it done early. as long as you go to class, participate, and do the homework then you should do just fine. some professors are very difficult though, so make sure you ask around for advice.

dorm life is good. i was put in a triple, but it really isn't that bad. some of the dorms aren't air conditioned, but they are renovating buildings to change that. if you are put in a non-air conditioned dorm like i was, just buy a couple good fans and you'll be fine for the couple weeks of va summer heat. dorms are social and fun places to be, but it is also nice if you can find some alone time/a quiet space to be by yourself. lots of people here just take walks around town/campus.

for our sized campus we have quite a few dining options, which can be nice. the food is usually pretty good, with the exception of seacobeck at certain times. there are increasing numbers of vegan and vegetarian options all around campus. for most of the semester there is eagle express which is a great way to use your flex and buy a muffin and coffee for breakfast without having to take the time to sit down and eat in a dining hall.

there are lots of clubs and activities to do for fun. get involved and you won't be missing out on anything from sports to parties to be a kid night where you get glitter tattoos.

umw, especially if you are in state, is a great option financially. they give lots of financial aid for both need and merit.

we have a rock by woodard campus center (the nest) which you can paint whenever you like with almost anything you like. many people paint it to wish friends happy birthday or to tell you about upcoming events on campus.

umw is great for almost all types of students. for those who want the bare minimum college degree there are classes that fit with that sort of lifestyle. for those who want to work hard, get all as and be challenged, there are plenty of options for that too. there are a lot of work hard play hard students here.

we have tons of clubs and activities on campus and at the beginning of each semester there is a club fair where each club gets a table and you can sign up for info etc.

there is not a lot of greek life on campus. we have one campus recognized fraternity but that's it. we have many off campus options for frats and sororities, which are extremely popular, but getting them to be recognized by the school is some work.

our campus is really safe. from theft etc. we are very safe because of our honor code, however you do have to be careful with things on campus walk like bikes because people from off campus do come over and ruin our lovely system. the police are around but not overbearing.

Mary Washington is a wonderful school that really gives you so many wonderful opportunities. We have professors here who have won awards, and if you are in the Creative Writing department we have Claudia Emerson as a Professor here. Not only do we have great academics, we have lots of fun here.

Get involved! I can't stress this enough, for any college or University you attend. I have found that since I became involved in a club that I have met more people, had more fun, and had so many more wonderful experiences. While academics are very important, it is also important that you feel comfortable and accepted where ever you go. Mary Washington has so many different clubs and organizations that it is not hard to find something that interests you. Also, if you don't find something it is not hard to create your own club.

Mary Washington can be hard, we have been placed near the top in academics. While Mary Wash can have difficult classes it isn't anything that isn't completely fair and doable. The professors make every effort to help you are one of your best resources.

You are always going to have some drama somewhere when you are living with someone for the first time. If this does happen don't fret it! We have excellent RA staff who are always willing to help if there is a problem. Once you find your group of friends everything becomes much easier. Mary Wash just re-did some of the dorms and is in the process of updating more of them. Not all dorms have AC but all of them have heat. I would not suggest going to one of the dorms that have AC because that can cause a lot of drama. We have two different types of housing, dorms and apartments. The apartments are nicer than the dorms and are reserved for juniors and seniors. The dorms are either in a suite style- two rooms connected by a common bathroom, or hall style- a cluster of rooms that shares a big bathroom. I had a hall style bathroom my Freshman year and found that I met a lot more people that way. You can't help but run into your hall mates on your way to or from the bathroom.

Wherever you go you are going to find that campus food is not great. Think of your high school cafeteria with slightly more selection. Mary Wash has three main dining facilities. There is Seacobeck Hall, or Seaco as us students affectionately call it. Seaco is your traditional dining hall. It is all you can eat buffet style and has a variety of different foods. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We also have the Underground where you can find sandwiches, soups, and salads that have fresh ingredients. Then there is the Eagles Nest. The Nest has a Vocelli's Pizza, a WoW wings, and a sandwich section. This is where you are gunna find your traditional fast food on campus.

Explore downtown Fredericksburg! Historic Downtown Fredericksburg is great. There are a lot of different shops there. There are several very nice used bookstores as well as a great coffee shop, Hyperion. All of this is within walking distance of campus so you don't need a car. Also, like I said before get involved. Often the clubs you join will periodically have events and things for you to go to. There is always Central Park, where everyone goes to shop and to find real restaurants. There are two movie theaters near campus that the bus can take you to for FREE as long as you have a UMW ID.

Mary Washington has been rated one of the top schools that gives you an Ivy league education for a reasonable price. It is one of the best priced public universities in Virginia. We have great professors here that are experts in their field and really know what they are talking about.

Everyone meets at the fountain. When you want to meet someone for lunch or something, the fountain is the best place to do so. It is located very centrally on campus so it is close to everything! We don't have a football team but we have a great Rugby team that a lot of people go out to cheer for. Don't walk over the seal in Trinkle Hall. It is said that if you do you won't graduate on time. So when you are in Trinkle you will find students avoid that as much as possible.

Someone who likes to get involved but doesn't mind working hard in classes.

Mary Washington has so many different clubs and activities that you can join that finding something you are interested in will not be a problem. We even have a campus scout troop where you can get your Girl Scout cookie fix when it is cookie time.

Mary Washington is a Greek free campus.

This is something Mary Washington is improving on. There are security escorts after dark that will either walk you to your destination or pick you up in a police cruiser. Even though Mary Wash is a relatively safe campus I would still encourage everyone to use the buddy system after dark or to call a safety escort.

The classes at UMW are awesome! They are on the smaller side, but this is good because it gives the professors a chance to answer any questions you might have. Speaking of professors, they are awesome! You can really see the love they have for teaching when they lecture. The professors at UMW make you love your class, even if it is impossible. For example, I am currently taking statistics, math and I haven't always gotten along, but my statistics teacher is wonderful at making learning statistics seem easy. I enjoy going to statistics class because of my professor.

I was a transfer student, so my biggest fear was that I would be the outcast on campus since everyone has known eachother since they started. This is no where near true! All of the students at UMW are so welcoming! I feel like I have been here since my freshman year. There is also a lot to do. Between the sports and the 100+ clubs and organizations, there is bound to be something for everyone. Also, UMW is making a lot of upgrades. We are currently in the process of building a new gym and we just opened the new Eagle Landing which is gorgeous and has nice places to eat at the base of the building. UMW is a great place to attend school, I love being a UMW Eagle!!

Colleges are expensive, there is no way to get around it. But it's nice to know that you're paying a lot to get a good education and that's what counts the most. You could pay a lot of money anywhere but you have to know what's going to benefit you in the long run. Combine the awesome, educated professors, new expansions, and beautiful campus and you know that it is worth every cent of your tuition.

My advise to any prospective UMW students would be to read when the professors assign readings, they're not doing it because they want to...it WILL be on a pop quiz, test, or final. Believe me. And also to enjoy college. It's stressful but you will look back on it and remember the best times you had at UMW :)

I think UMW is good for all types of students but you will benefit more if you are a hard-working, motivated, charismatic individual.

the university of mary washington was my #1 college when i was in high school because i remembered how beautiful and welcoming the campus felt when i went on a student lead tour years before. i am starting my sophomore year in the fall and could not be any happier about my decision of umw. the students and faculty are always so warm and welcoming here and the "homey" feeling you will get while walking down college walk is unbeatable.

joining a club, cheering on the eagles at a sports event, and partaking in one of the almost daily events on campus are great ways to enjoy all that umw has to offer.

i do not live on campus considering how close i live to the university but all of my friends loved their dorms, especially the new eagle landing.

there are so many dinning options on campus and if you cannot find something that will hit the spot, there are tons of other options nearby with downtown fredericksburg being just a short walk away and central park being a short bus ride away.

the university always has fun events on campus including $1 movie showings, game nights, or performances. being so close to downtown fredericksburg is also a big plus for the students because there are always things to do downtown whether it be window shopping, enjoying the hiking/waling trials by the river, or one of the numerous festivals held there many times a year.

the classes here can be very difficult. professors do not spoon-feed their students the answers and expect a lot out of their students in terms of keeping up with course work as well as being able to not only recall facts, but also to be able to apply what they know to solve complicated questions. professors will push their students to try their best, and if you put in the effort, you will not only succeed, but learn a lot from your courses. many subjects will offer tutoring sessions called pass (peer assisted study sessions), in which students can go to get help with understanding concepts and get some of their questions answered from other students. the tools for success are readily available on campus, you just have to be willing to take advantage of them.

there are a variety of different styles of dorms on campus, including suite style rooms, buildings with communal bathrooms, and apartment style dorms. some are newer and others are historic and were some of the first buildings build on campus. not all of the buildings are equipped with air conditioning so be aware of this when you are choosing which building you want to live in. there is an ra on each floor.

the university center, which is the main dinning hall on campus, has food of average quality. there is usually not a lot of variety and very few counters open, leading to some extremely long lines. there are five other dinning options on campus including vocceli pizza, blackstone (cafã£â©), jamba juice, and qdoba. the pizza place will deliver to your dorm room, which is a great solution if you need to stay in for the night to study.

this campus is very safe and safety is a top priority. scattered throughout the campus are emergency call stations. you just press the button and campus police will be alerted and come to your location. campus police will also send out emails to all students and faculty on campus if there is any danger on, or near, campus.