James Madison University Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Tughral

I wish I would've known that living on campus is much more expensive than living off-campus. I'm paying twice as much as what I would've paid for a bigger apartment. I share a single bedroom with one other student and I pay twice as much as I would have for an apartment with a room for just myself.

Natalie

I wish I had known how much I would have loved this college. I went to a private university up north and dropped out after three years because of money issues and feeling as though I didn't belong. Had I realized that JMU would be a more affordable and comfortable fit for me I would have come here in the beginning.

Abbey

To get more involved in activities and that it's okay to be yourself

Emily

It's really competitive in terms of getting into organizations and clubs because there are so many enthusiastic and hard working people. This school is more competitive in those terms than it is academically which surprised me.

Sara

I wish I had known to check sites such as ratemyprofessor.com or asked other students about the professors because I do not want to miss out on some of the great professors that are at this school.

Alexis

How challenging the General Education classes were?

Alicia

How important GPA was in finding a career. Also, I would have selected a major that better fit my personality and what my goals were. The experience was great, but now that I am out, I would have done many things differently knowing how much the rest of my life depends on college.

Shannon

I wish I had known how amazing of a community JMU is! It would have made my decision a lot quicker and easier.

Christopher

I wish I knew that it was okay to go to parties and not drink. I chose not to go just to save face, but really I just didn't have the amount of fun and comrodery with my hallmates as I could have. I also wish I knew that it was okay to be myself, my real self. This school is amazingly accepting of all.

Shannon

I wish I had looked at all of the possible organizations so that I would've joined more of them freshman year.

Shannon

I felt pretty well prepared for what JMU has to offer when I entered here in 2007. I maybe would have liked to know what places on campus would hire students right away, rather than waiting a few years to get a job at school. If I could go back and do it again, I would have started working at the campus bookstore with the buyback program and then worked on getting hired for the rest of the year. The campus bookstore has many positive, wonderful employees who offer flexible hours based on class schedules.

Lauren

I wish I had known I wouldn't need all those clothes I bought. I honestly wear sweats almost every day.

jordan

i wished i would have known exaclty how fast money is spent when paying for your own education! i wish i would have saved more money.

Meredith

A more efficient way to schedule classes and get affiliated with my class options.

Candace

I wish I knew about some of the other academic programs they have so that I could have gotten involved and it would have helped me keep a better GPA. They don't give their programs enough credit, they really work, but they don't advertise them as much as they should!

Heather

How much of a party school JMU would be.

Kathy

This school offers so many cultural experiences and opportunities that are not so readily available in the real world. Plays, concerts, lectures, these are all things that the school has to offer its students and once you leave college these things are not so easy to come by. Take advantage of them when you can.

Lesley

I wish i was made aware of the majority of girls that the campus is made up of and that the classes at times especially in gen eds are very large.

Vaughn

I wish I had known that there isn't very good internet access in the dorms.

Jennifer

I wish i knew the challenge of adjusting to a new place and new people.

Majora

How none racially diverse it was. I knew it wasn't that diverse here, but it was a culture shock for me when I got here.

Sarah

I wish I had known how crazy my roommate was going to be, because I would have demanded my room be switched before I got there. But that was just a freak incident, and in the end I was really glad I was in that dorm building, on that hallway or else I would never have met the roommates I live with now or any of my friends.

Ashley

get involved early. dont wait till your second or third year to chose an activity.

Stephanie

How to study

Megan

How little there was to do in Harrisonburg.

Steven

I wish I knew how big of a party school this was before attending. I would have also liked to know more about some of the teachers and classes in my major. I found out that there are a lot of bullshit classes I have to take in order to graduate which does not benefit my learning.

Morgan

I wish I would have thought more about what major I wanted to pursue. I just decided last semester and now I am behind in my course of study.

Michael

Even as a transfer student from GMU, I consider myself prepared for JMU mostly from word-of-mouth from friends that attended the school. I was not prepared for the openness of the community and general amicablility of the student body.

Marge

How many clubs and fraternities there really were. Also how to study efficiently freshman year.

Grant

I wish I knew how outdoor oriented the school was. A lot of activities, including club sports, have a lot to do with the surrounding natural environment (national forests, lakes, etc).

Casey

That the cost of out of state tuition would be this much of a burden and it would be so difficult to find any financial aid.

Alexandra

I only wish I knew more people, and maybe the surrounding area a little better but it was fun to learn about it and make new friends so I can't complain.

Sara

I wish I'd known how hard freshman year was going to be. As much as the teachers in high school try and prepare you for college, there is really nothing like going to college. It's completely different world and I think a lot of people forget how hard it is to transition and feel like a part of the school you go to. I really wish I'd had more people encouraging me and helping me through my first year of college.

Sam

I wish I had know that you have to be active here in clubs and sports in order to really make friends. I also wish I had know that partying was such a big thing here.

Jaclyn

That there are basically no resident parking lots.

Abigail

How much I'd be on my own, academically

Vanessa

That parking is a pretty big issue because of space and the cost of permits.

Rebecca

Better study habits, and time management. first semester was a struggle because of both skills that I hadn't practiced as well in high school. But professors and other students helped out alot and now I have a much better grasp on both.