James Madison University

I am a Quantitative Finance major, which apparently is the hardest major here, but its not as bad as they say, although its not too easy either. First of all, I absolutely love JMU. I recommend it to almost anyone. Here are the pros and cons.....

CONS
1)parking is tough (although the bus system is great so it doesn't really matter)
2)sports teams are good (football is a lot of fun), but it is not division 1 A, it is AA. BUT, they are working on this too and should be D1A very soon.

3)some people complain about the kinda small library, but don't worry b/c they just built a whole new one in addition to the old one that is HUGE!

4)the city of harrisonburg is lame, but our parties kick ass so nobody even seems to notice/care.
5) Gen ed classes kinda suck, especially if you leave any after freshman year and you just want to be done learning about shit that you dont care about.

PROS
1) The people are very friendly.
2) There is something for everybody.
3) There is a work hard play hard mentality. Lots of studying during the week and lots of partying on the weekend (which usually starts on thursday night and goes till sunday, with the occassional wednesday in there every now and then).

4) The parties are fucking sick. The beer is free and everyone is real chill. All parties are apartment parties and any amount of randoms can walk in b/c its JMU and we are friendly like that (unlike other schools where usually if a guy wants to get in he has to bring 2 or more girls). which leads me to my next point...

5) The guy to girl ratio is around 70/30, and you can tell. Our girls are very good looking, meaning if you were a decent looking guy in high school, you will probably clean up here.

6) You will meet a ton of friends here, and have the best time of your life.Overall, JMU is really a LOT of fun and has really good academics at the same time, which to me is the ultimate package!

2nd Year Male -- Class 2009

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: D

I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend JMU. It is a very welcoming place and a friendly atmosphere. The campus is beautiful. Academically, I have been challenged and have learned so much. I would highly recommend JMU and encourage a campus visit for anyone that is interested.

1st Year Male -- Class 2017

Perceived Campus Safety: A+, Extracurricular Activities: B-

The reason I chose JMU was because of their music program, which is truly better than I could have ever imagined.

There was a point when I felt pretty ostracized at this school. I didn't have a lot of friends and I was miserable all the time. I eventually realized that this, however, wasn't the school's fault, nor was it the student body's fault. I felt so miserable and out-of-the-loop because I wasn't getting involved in what I wanted to do. Once I realized that I started getting involved with several groups on campus and I instantly made lots of friends. A lot of people say the only thing to do is party, but I have had a lot of fun over the weekends doing activities that interest me, and I have never gone to a party.

The professors are incredibly helpful if YOU ask for help. Do not expect them to come to you. But that's how college is supposed to be, right?

The food is absolutely amazing to say the least.
College is truly what you make of it. I was looking for a good music program and a good christian group to get involved with, and I found both! You have all of the elements to make you happy at JMU, but it's YOUR choice to act upon it. I highly recommend JMU. The academics as a whole are top-notch and there are hundreds of opportunities to grow as a person. If you choose to be involved you will make fantastic friends which will create a unique support system for your overall success!

1st Year Male -- Class 2014

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: B-