Monday, March 30, 2015

W+M versus VCU (sounds easy right?)

 


For the Saturday, and Sunday during my Spring Break the Draper family headed to central Virginia to visit both Virginia Commonwealth University, and the College of William and Mary.  I didn't take a single picture at Virginia Commonwealth University, so does that mean that William and Mary is the better school? I don't think that should stand as the deciding factor, even though it is an accurate indicator.

First we stopped in Richmond, actually first stopped an hour before that for lunch at Cracker Barrel, and to fill up the tank with gas.  It's interesting to realize that during most road trips we decide to eat at the all-American comfort food serving Cracker Barrel.  It is also one of my mom's favorite restaurants, and since it was her birthday weekend the choice was hers. 

Virginia Commonwealth University was a very clean, and welcoming campus.  I enjoyed the new buildings that surrounded the polite, academic orientated kids.  We actually had the opportunity to walk into one of the freshman dorms here, and the hallways were tight with a foul smell.  Poor freshman, but at least it was only mandatory for the first year.  The William and Mary dorms were much more spacious, and clean.  Unlike VCU, we got to see a common area at William and Mary where both girls and boys could hang out together.  When I am looking for a college campus, I would prefer to have a common area with bathrooms that are cleaned by the staff instead of by the students.

 The photo above was taken at the William and Mary Sunken Gardens, and we took a few too many pictures here...  However, it was absolute beautiful, and both schools being in Virgina really excite me.  I believe anyone could go anywhere in the state of Virginia, and not have to look far in order to find a good view.  Both campus's had a major gardens, and I really liked how students could use this area to hold activities for either clubs, or intramural sports.  

Both libraries were spectacular.  I actually preferred the Virginia Commonwealth University, to William and Mary, because I felt like there was much more space, and VCU library seemed more developed.  Both facilities had mac workstations with high end editing software which was very thrilling.  When I am in college I see myself making videos, perhaps pursuing the fruits of my you tube channel, and having an editing station to my disposal would be great.

Both schools have cheer teams, and Greek life which are both things I am also looking for.  The Greek life at William and Mary is more developed because they actually have sorority houses on campus.

 The football stadium at William and Mary was absolutely massive.  It seemed bigger than many of the schools that I visited.  I really would love a big football field, because that means a big team, and impressive cheerleaders.  I can't wait until I get to cheer in college, because cheer is something I am truly passionate about.  Although education comes first, and both schools offer a great teaching program, for the educational career I want to go into, it really bums me out that VCU doesn't have a football team.  William and Mary is a beautiful school, and they are part of the NCAA division 1 team.

To wrap up the review on both of these schools let me tell you they both seem challenging to get into.  Virginia Commonwealth University is more of a fall back school if anything, and William and Mary might just be my dream school.  I really can't wait to get into those buffet lines, and attend these schools.  I just have to raise my GPA, and test scores, and maybe my dreams will become reality.