Virginia Military Institute Top Questions

this school deffinately looks good on a resume

Make sure the school has a balance of everything and is in a good environment.

Remember that you are going to school to get an education so that you can contribute to society and its not just four years of partying.

Traversing all of the ins and outs of the college choosing process is a daunting task. As teens are not experienced in making huge life altering decisions for themselves, parents need to guide their teen through the process and help him/her gain the perspective he/she needs to make the right choice. If one were to choose VMI, there may be no other college experience in America so proud of its product: citizen-soldiers prepared both for civilian and military leadership and service to their nation in times of need. In other words, VMI is not the every day college experience. It is more; more challenge, more physical expectations, more mental and leadership development?more. For these reasons it is up to the parents to help their teen lay out all of the college options available to him/her and to make the standards clear.

Look around

Definitly visit your college before you make your choice. and talk to the current students. There is a lot more that goes on at a school than the flyers tell you there is.

Don't go to VMI

This school is very different from your current lifestyle. Don't believe what the ads or the website tells you (they are mostly BS), make sure you come to the school and speak to the actual students. There is a program where you (or your child) can stay with the cadets overnight in barracks. I HIGHLY recommend this. Be ready for challenge and one of the greatest commitments you will ever take on, and make sure you are going for the right reasons. You have to want to go to this school, and you can't do it without a lot of determination and teamwork with the other members of your class. You will HATE being at this school, but I'm told the benefits outweigh the sacrifices. I hope that is right.

pick the place that feels right the moment you step on campus

You need to figure out what feels like the correct fit. If your child just wants to party then dont send him or her to college, they can get their "jitters" out in a less expensive way. You need to look at the relative class sizes as well as how well known their departments are. Why waste money on a lesser known school and get a meaningless degree when you can get a better degree at a better known school.