University of Mary Washington (UMW)

Virginia's University of Mary Washington is a public liberal arts and sciences university offering a range of both disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs and "a small community with plenty of individualized attention for students." Students speak highly of those levels of support: "No matter what my problem is, personal or academic, there is a service on campus to help me if I want to reach out." There's also appreciation for "non-traditional class formats that are more flexible and convenient for full-time working adults to return to college."

Students add that they feel they "can form strong relationships with each other and professors." It goes both ways, too: enrollees emphasize how teachers "make every effort possible to have one-on-one time with every single student" and "reach out to individuals with opportunities as well as to check on them." This leads some undergraduates to happily declare that: "I am able to participate in graduate-level research and projects in my majors." In short, faculty "want you to succeed and outline their classes in such a way that success is easy if you stay caught up with assignments" and participate, and they "devote plenty of class time to discussions around real topics and situations to help ensure we come out prepared."

"Every student at Mary Washington has a different background and a different perspective to offer... which makes things in the classroom ten times more interesting and engaging." With this group being able to "contribute unique viewpoints in class discussions and come from all walks of life," it follows that "everyone has personality." Students say that "kindness is widespread, and when you are trusted and respected in the community, many students embrace you as a peer." Mary Washington has "strong school spirit and sense of community," and "everyone is kind and friendly and willing to go out of their way for a stranger." There is "a high LGBTQ+ community population, and by and large it feels like an accepting and welcoming community"; people are "outstandingly supportive of one another in all that we do...and encourage each other to step outside our comfort zones to meet people and gain new experiences." A student sums up: "It's the kind of place where no one ever has to eat alone if they don't want to. Every single person is genuinely kind and looking out for each other."

Whether you're into athletics or academics, activities at Mary Washington have you covered. Students particularly note how clubs related to existing majors help students find "more people that share similar interests and have similar backgrounds" and go a long way toward "knowing your department as well." The same's true for the environment, which encourages students to get "outside or in some of our cool places to study," or to take a break: "On some really nice days in spring, kids will head down to the Rappahannock River to go swimming and play games like spike ball or frisbee on the beach." The school itself also maintains this balance, with "fun events planned for a lot of nights such as bingo and karaoke" right alongside "a nice range from keynote speakers to panels to participant discussions" at the James Farmer Multicultural Center. And even though students spend a lot of time studying, on-campus activities "like club carnival, drag shows, concerts, bonfires...typically have a large turnout." On the weekends, students often "go downtown to shop, eat, [or] visit an art gallery," and "downtown Fredericksburg is a popular place for young adults to get together and have social time." At the end of the day, "spending time with friends or diving into community events are the most popular ways to have fun."