William & Mary

You will find great professors at William and Mary, and not just in the upper level courses. There will always be the dud teachers, but most truly want to be there to teach, not just to do research. It the ideal place for them to do both and they are very passionate about students and involving them in their research.

The professors at WM have what's called office hours, which is time dedicated to helping students who decide to visit. The average size of classes is small, so professors are able to spend time with you if you want to. For instance, I missed a class because I was ill, and my professor practically repeated his lecture for me. Mind you, professors have their own papers and research going on and are thus not always free, but if you have a will to learn and are having a little trouble, professors at WM are definitely willing to help.

William and Mary has blown my mind, and I love it. The classes are small and the professors are not only intelligent and talented but incredibly giving with their time, so personalized academic help is just a 5-minute walk or an email away. What surprised me, though, was how much I learned from my classmates! W&M is a tough school, and the intelligence, work ethic and dedication I see on a daily basis are positively humbling. Those same students are friendly, too, and often eager to share and listen to ideas. However the students are not competing with each other - the academic atmosphere both challenges and encourages students, and intellectual growth is almost inevitable, but not miserable and GPA-driven. W&M is also unique in its opportunities for undergraduate research. Professors who give so much time and effort to quality classes also often are conducting research, and they do not limit valuable research assistant positions to graduate students. Some friends of mine in a Biology lab discovered a new strain of bacteria phage - as freshmen! Few universities can offer both quality undergraduate classes and so many opportunities for both professor-led and independent undergraduate research.

Learning is a relative term- it is said that it is impossible to stop learning. This is especially true at William and Mary. Learning isn't limited to the classroom. Walking from one’s dorm room to the cafeteria, a William and Mary student can learn about the history of America by passing various colonial buildings. For example, the Brafferton Building, built in 1723 was one of the first Indian schools and it is right in the middle of William and Mary campus. Students are constantly in a learning environment - whether in an academic building or in a freshman dorm. Students learn how to become adults, to test their limits, and to grow intellectually.

Being at the College of William and Mary is so much more than a classroom education! The professors know what the real world is like and relate all the material they teach the students to something that will truly pertain to life after college. The professors think out of the box and use methods, such as observations, research, and games that go beyond the traditional lecture hall style. William and Mary is without a doubt one of the country's best public Ivys!

William and Mary is academically challenging, rigorous, but the BEST time of my life! You're provided with ample academic, curricular, and social opportunities during the school year and you will make lifelong friendships. It sounds cliche, but there is no place I would rather be.

the college of william and mary is: quirky. i have met some of the most amazing, down-to-earth people here; kindness and humor is emphasized, and academic passion is a must. college is what you make of it but w&m will be more than happy to meet you half way!!! :)

I'm not sure yet what I want to major in, so I've taken a variety of different classes here. They are all STELLAR, and I'm not just talking about the astronomy class I had last semester! The GER's force you to become well-rounded, and you'll be exposed to great teachers and subjects outside your main interest. All the teachers care passionately about their subjects, and most can even communicate that to the students. I've taken several classes that have really opened my mind.

The professors at W&M are definitely great, some more so than others but you can find a phenomenal professor in any department, or for any type of class (if you take the time to look). In general, they make themselves very available outside of class time to talk, are engaging and passionate about their subject and are recognised experts in their field, outside of the university. In a lot of cases, you can even do research with the professors, even as an undergraduate. A few of my friends looked into it and had no problem finding a professor to work with, in a field they were interested in. This is especially true for science majors, because W&M has no graduate science program, so you aren't competing with grad students to do work with the professors.

Learning comes from more than the professors though. W&M is a community of very intelligent and driven students. The other students impress you with your knowledge and challenge you to try harder. It's cliche, but you really do learn from your peers.

W&M also provides ample opportunities to learn/ gain experience outside of the college. Study abroad is HIGHLY advertised and encouraged (and has very strong programs), and the career center is a fantastic resource for finding jobs/ internships while studying, during the summer, or after graduation.

William and Mary has awesome faculty and a wide-range of course options. There are general ed requirements of course, where if you are already familiar with the topic may expect to be disappointed, but I was challenged even in courses I felt overly prepared for. Each class expanded my horizons and stretched me in ways I had not expected. The professors expect a lot of us but in return pour a lot of themselves back in to the students. That combination really maximizes how much each students learns and grows.