University of Mary Washington

I liked the small class sizes and the huge number of extracurricular activities and clubs. I wish there were better internships and work programs so you feel better when you are closer to graduating. The professors are great and really want to help and support you in what you want to do next in life.

I didn’t like the lack of food choices. I went to the career center twice and they were both horrible experiences. They didn’t even look up my major they had no information for me at all.

During my time at Mary Washington I enjoyed that there was a variety of clubs and organizations that I could take part in. UMW however, is also a good school for anyone looking to keep to themselves and focus on their academics. I liked that I was not limited to taking classes that were relevant to my major. The campus is beautiful and cozy, it feels safe in comparison to a city campus like VCU/CNU.

The housing buildings were old and kind of gross. After I started attending UMW, and it seems like ever since, there has been a constant myriad of construction projects taking place. The food options became more and more limited as well.

I enjoy the small and close atmosphere, which is also a downfall since there's not much to do without a car.

The food is okay, we have Panera and vocellelies which is really nice. Nothing is open 24/7 though. The freshman dorms are very nice but the upperclassmen dorms are mid.

Mary Washington has many great programs to make you feel more connected to students, peers, mentors, and professors. You can find your community and sense of belonging.

At first, I didn't like the lack of social life but once you find people with that you have things in common with and whom you relate as well as mentors that care for you that changes. I do not like the food options on campus though.

I personally enjoyed my first-year experience in college at Mary Washington. The campus is beautiful with its scenic views of nature and historical buildings filled with character. The campus size makes it easy to navigate your way through campus. I also love our school spirit especially "Devil vs. Goat Day"

One thing I did not like was the lack of communication in some aspects. For example, there was a change in dining hall schedules in the middle of the year and there was no update or announcement which would have been helpful to know. Because of this, sometimes I had to get my meals from the other on-campus restaurants but they cost money rather than the dining hall, which is free for first-year students.

This university does a fantastic job when it comes to integrating students who are like-minded together. It feels like its own community, and many of the professors on campus really care about your education and possible future careers. I also think there are some very strong departments on campus, like historic preservation, geology, STEM, and theatre.

The only areas of improvement for this university would be the overall fining experience. There is a lack of vegetarian and vegan options, and usually, the same food is served daily which gets old and feels somewhat gross. I also think the freshman dorms could use a lot of updating and cleaning. The elevators and some of the air vents were on the dirty side.