James Madison University Top Questions

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!