James Madison University Top Questions

i like the people. i would do somethin about the meal plan. students are way overcharged. also it is impossible to eat healthy with a punch. just the right size. they say awesome. many parties and girls. the quad. def a college town. they need to learn when it is too icy to have school and not cancel sports. stop treating it like a business, start treating like a family. yes lots of school pride. you dont have to pay for beer. always remember the homecomings...beautiful.

The atmosphere at James Madison is amazing, everyone is extremely nice and genuine, and will go out of their way to make sure that you got what you needed. I can't count how many times people flash a smile for no reason. When I tell people that i go to James Madison, they always are like wow what a great school, congratulations!

JMU forces their students to be very well-rounded, and within the ISAT major, makes students do a lot of group work, so there's always a lot of moral support. I would change some of the administrative positions. It's 17,000 people, and it definitely feels intimate, but not crowded. I spend most of my time in the ISAT building on the East side of campus. The economy here is for sure connected to the college, we can use our ID cards like debit cards at most stores. The biggest recent controversy was someone getting hit by a car, because they were late to class and the car didn't see her run into the street, but she's okay now. There's a lot of school pride everywhere, but if you want to opt out of it, your friends won't care as long as you have a beer with them. James Madison has an unusually friendly staff, especially housekeeping, but also the business office, registrar, financial aid, etc. I'll always remember sliding down the ISAT hill with lunch trays on snow days!!! Students complain sometimes about each other's rude behavior, usually drunken rude behavior.

I think that JMU is just the right size for a school. It's not too big like UVA or Tech and it's not too small. There's lots of things to do on campus and off, even though the town of Harrisonburg is practically non-existent. I like the fact that there is soo much choice on what you can do around here, like where to eat, where to study, where to hang out. It's just very chill.

The people at JMU are amazing and everyone is so friendly. The northerners who come down here are at first surprised by it, and then buy into it. Probably the only thing I would change about JMU are the sports... I would have loved to go to a school with a bigger sports program. The school size is just right. I'm constantly meeting people but still see some of my friends every day. When I tell people I go to JMU they usually assume I have a girlfriend and that I'm a heavy drinking. Most of my time on campus is spent either in class or in the library, which is a great place to study. Harrisonburg is NOT a college town, but as JMU expands so do things of interest around town to students. The administration is great, but got a lot of trouble from students when they cut a bunch of our sports to comply with Title IX. There is a TON of school pride at JMU: Everyone loves it here. You'll never find a school that has more satisfied students. JMU really is not just a school, its a state of mind. That statement sounds stupid until you come here, but you'll understand when you do.

The best thing about JMU is the people. Everyone is really nice and willing to help. The orientation program is perfect and really helps freshman get into the JMU spirit. We are very proud of our school and everyone loves the purple and gold. Football games are crazy and extremely fun. It is the perfect size school too. It is big enough to have something for everyone, but small enough to treat everyone as an individual. The most frequent student complain is about the general education program, because we have a lot of requirements, but it really does help you get a feel for everything JMU has to offer and can help you pick a major.

Best thing - food I'd change- the parking situation Size is - just right, big enough you don't have to see people you dont want to and small enough you can see the ones you want to reaction to going to jmu - "that school is getting better and better academically" OR "you must have a lot of fun there" time spent on campus- Zane-Showker aka the College of Business the town- Harrisonburg is a nice city with absolutely beautiful surrounding rural areas. Most students dont even know much about the area outside of their 2 mile radius of campus and the college apartments most frequent complaints- parking spots and traffic

The BEST thing about JMU is the spirit. From the moment you walk on campus, you can feel a sense of school pride. Students sport the school colors and letters and the fight song can be sung at nearly any time, any place. People love this school, and they aren't afraid to show it. I would, however, change the parking situation. It's awful to have a car here. There are never enough spots and you have to leave home about 20-30 minutes before class to get a spot. I'd say the size of our school is just right, but we are being pushed to grow. I like that we are a medium sized school. I never feel like a number and I can walk through campus and almost always run into at least one friend. Any bigger and we might lose that close community feel. When I say I go to JMU, people always respond positively. They know it's a great school with a great student body. I spend a lot of my time on the quad in the warm weather. It's the perfect place to spend a day reading, chatting, or just relaxing. The town of Harrisonburg revolves around JMU. There's not much of a town, but there are some good restaurants and fun bars to check out. It's nowhere to vacation, but a nice place to live.

The school size is just right, but if they keep expanding to try and become a Division I school we will be too big! I spend most of my time on campus in ISAT for my nursing classes or eating lunch in the festival. I don't get to see the other side of campus, like the quad, since I started nursing school. I feel like Harrisonburg is definitely a college town, but for someone like me who lives in the middle of nowhere and it takes 30 minutes to get to town, being able to ride a bus or drive 5 minutes to Walmart or Target is great. The most recent controversy, in my opinion, was when JMU cut a bunch of athletic programs to be in compliance with the Title XI regulations. There is tons of school pride here and everyone loves Duke Dog!! Frequent complaints include the Gen Ed program, lack of parking, and lack of housing for sophomore students, since they continue to expand the number of incoming freshman and they are automatically guaranteed housing.

I love the parties here. I feel its a good size. This is definitely a college town.

The best thing about James Madison is that when you come here you feel welcome. In a school with a student body reaching towards 17,000, it is unbelievable how nice everyone is. James Madison also has a great academic reputation and is one of the more selective schools in Virginia. The campus is beautiful. Harrisonburg is a college town located in the Shenandoah Valley, and everything students need is a short bus ride away. The biggest problem is availability of on-campus housing/parking, but that doesn't stop anyone from showing their Madison pride.

The best thing about JMU is the pride/school spirit. I would change the amount of parking spaces (MORE!). The size is just right. Most people seem impressed when I tell them I went to JMU. I spent most of my time on campus in class, the dining halls, or Carrier Library. Definitely college town. There is TONS of school pride. I will always remember how weird I thought the FROGs were at freshman orientation when they were having us chant "J-M-U Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukes" but then towards the end of my time at JMU I chanted it myself with my friends down in the Caribbean on Spring Break so all the other Spring Breakers knew where I came from! Frequent student complaints: parking, hills on campus, short amount of time to get from one class to the next.

The best thing about JMU is the friendly atomosphere. Everyone is always polite and pleasnt. I would definitely change the parking situation on campus. I would also change the dining system. I feel that if students have extra punches at the end of the week, those punches should be converted into their dining dollar equivalent and added to the students dining dollar total. I spend most of my time in the library, whether I'm doing work or wasting time in between class by going on facebook. The biggest recent controversy is definitely the on going problem with title nine that eliminated a lot of JMU sport teams. There is a lot of school spirit/pride. Everyone loves to get "pupled out"

There isn't really just one best thing about JMU. The food is amazing, the people are friendly and the atmosphere makes you fall in love with this place. I love the fact that people open doors and everyone can answer your questions and not think that you are an idiot. I'd say that I'd have to change our reputation for being a huge party school. It's hard talking about this school without someone asking how the parties are and gawking at the fact that our beer is free. There is so much more to do here than drink. Compared to some of the major universities in VA, I have to say that JMU is just right. There aren't too many people and it's not to small either. We have enough to make it our own community and love everyone that is in it. People are usually very happy that I go to JMU. I usually get the "wow that's a great university" and they take pride in the fact that I go to such an established university. I spend most of my time on campus in class, hanging out with my friends in the dorms or doing things around. The campus is so eventful in itself that it's hard to say where I am spending most of my time, because I am always doing something different. Well, it is a college town but it's not a huge college town. We have our college nightlife, but it is def. lacking in some areas. I like the JMU administration, but I do think that they could have done something different when it came to the Title 9 cuts. The biggest recent controversy on campus would have to be the fact that we are starting to get a rep. as a huge party school, or maybe the fact that our ex-SGA president used another school's platform as his own. There is a ton of school pride here. Everyone owns something purple and gold and they aren't ashamed to wear it. It's nice to be around when there is an Orientation event, because everyone is decked out in the colors and singing the fight song. I would have to say the most unusual thing about JMU is the fact that a small cup of grapes cost more than a whole combo of food. It's not your typical unusual, but it's ridiculous. I'll always remember being a First Year Orientation Guide. JMU has one of the best orientation program's for first-year students and it really made me appreciate this school, and look at it in a different light. Students complain most about not being able to double punch on weekends, the food being too expensive, the weather, and about parking and the parking services people. We pay $172 dollars for a parking pass, you think that they would have enough parking for all of us on this campus, but nope. It's a race to find a parking spot, and good luck finding one in the peak hours of the day.

-The best thing about JMU is the people, it really is a friendly campus, everyone is very nice and polite. -If i could change one thing, I would change the athetic program, it'd be great if we were a D1 school for football and basketball, like a virginia tech. -I might make the school a little big bigger, but i'm happy with the size overall -people are usually impressed when i say i go to jmu -i spend most of my time on campus in classes -small college town, not a whole lot to do -admininstration overall is very good

jmu is getting too big. jmu isnt a big deal where i come from. i spend most of my time at showker. harrisonburg isnt receptive to being a college town. administration is out of touch. there is some school pride, not as much as a bigger school. frequent student complaints are parking, not being able to get into classes

The people are the best in the world

-Best thing is the people. They ALWAYS hold the door open for you and are SO friendly -I'd change double punching on weekends! -I love the size. I don't want it to get bigger. -I spend most of my time at TDU or out on the quad on nice days -There's so much school pride and i LOVE it -Overall I love the teachers. Some of them remind me of college students which is cool because I can relate better to them.

The best thing is the sense of community here. It's a big school numbers wise, but it doesn't feel too big at all. I see familiar faces everywhere. There is also tons of Madison Pride!! GO DUKES!!!

The best thing about JMU is the people, most of the students and faculty here are very friendly and eager to help and serve others. We show that in a variety of ways, from holding doors to giving away free alcohol. We are also very involved, there are hundreds of organizations and everyone finds their niche. If I could change one thing, I would make it so it was illegal to smoke on campus. JMU is the perfect size, it is not too small, you don't know EVERYONE, not EVERYONE knows your business, but you still see someone you know every where you go. When I tell people I got to JMU, I usually get a good response, that they've heard good things. Occasionally people tell me what a party school it is, and I simply say it's like any other college, and I don't drink, if that says anything. I spend most of my time on campus in academic buidlings such as ISAT, if not academic buildings, eating! If not eating, in the SafeRides office. College town, Harrisonburg wouldn't be much without JMU, although there are lots of unknown secrets! JMU has pretty good administration, students have a lot of say, it feels like a student-run campus. We have some great administators that are so personable, and others you barely see. The biggest recent controversy on campus was probably title 9, last year when they got rid of a lot of male sports to be proportionate to our female, male ration. We have a ton of school pride! Purple and gold is everywhere, lots of people go out to the football games, nobody cares who we are compared to or if other schools think they are better, we are outstanding students who stay classy. Lots of things are unusual about JMU, we are the only school to have a main road, a railroad, and a highway run through our campus! It's unusual to go to a party and not have to pay for alcohol apparently, we have an unusual design to our campus, with buildings that are classic bluestone, traditional red brick, and modern white brick. One experience I'll always remember is mudsliding down a hill in front of my dorm freshman year, good times! The most frequent complaints will be about the expansion of our campus, some don't think it should get any bigger because it's perfect!