William & Mary: The Big Picture
William and Mary is a small public school, mostly for undergraduates, which is remarkable by itself. Most students like the small-school atmosphere, especially when it comes to class size. The college shares the town of Williamsburg with a thriving tourist industry- there's almost no "college town" to speak of. There are many tourist establishments that cater to students as well, but the main attractions for students within walking distance consist of three (3) bars, one gas-station style 24 hour convenience store, and a myriad of overpriced restaurants. Many students also feel that the police in Williamsburg are very anti-student.
William & Mary Academic Life
William and Mary's academics are generally held in high regard. Classes are difficult, good grades must be earned, (mostly) and people spend a lot of time studying. The only thing to watch out for is a liberal bias among faculty- it's not uncommon for professors in liberal arts departments to teach political opinion as if it were fact.
The physics department at William and Mary is outstanding. Class sizes are small, professors are extremely accessible, and students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with professors on current physics research. That said, the physics department is somewhat isolated from the rest of the school. During the faculty strike following the resignation of our past president, only one (of over 40) physics professors canceled class.
William & Mary's Student Body
William and Mary's student body is dominated by wealthy, white, politically emotional students. The majority of students are far to the left on topics such as gender issues, economics, foreign policy, and the environment. There are also minority populations of ethnic groups, religious students, and conservatives, however the campus is socially dominated by affluent white liberals.
Roughly one third of the student body is not from Virginia, one third from Northern Virginia, and one third from other parts of Virginia. There is a stereotype that out-of-state students are smarter than others, and that students from Northern VA are smarter than other in-state students, due to admission requirements. This stereotype has little merit, but is an example of elitism prevalent among the student body.
William & Mary Student Activities + Social Life
Social life at William and Mary is often felt to be hindered by an active police force. William and Mary is, however, a very safe campus because of that police force. I consider myself biased on this issue and will not comment further.
William & Mary Naked Truth
Conservative students may feel frustrated and ignored at this school.
