Mary Washington consistently gets top marks in such publications as U.S.
News & World Report and the precious-to-parents Princeton Review.
But this fall, Mary Washington made the grade in the popular press as well.
In its October issue, CosmoGIRL! advised college-bound readers to
check out the University of Mary Washington, which it listed as one of the
50 best colleges in the United States.
The popular teen ’zine asked college counselors and admissions officers
what types of colleges are most likely to lead to post-grad success. The experts
cited:
• Small class size
• Prominent female faculty members
• Strong women’s sports programs
• A career center that facilitates internship
opportunities
• Lots of chances to hold leadership positions in
clubs and activities
• An active alumni network
But it took more than that to be chosen from the 2,685 four-year schools the
magazine considered.
“We sifted through every college and found 50 that have all these things
and more,” the October article stated.
UMW got high marks for small classes and a favorable faculty-to-student ratio.
A CosmoGIRL! “College Fun Key” used colorful icons to
indicate that Mary Washington is within a two-hour drive of an ocean, lake,
mountains and skiing; within a 20-minute drive of art museums; and has top-notch
women’s sports teams.
All 50 institutions chosen had short entries listing their strong points:
Stanford University got a mention for famous alumni – Sandra Day O’Connor
and Chelsea Clinton. University of California, Berkeley was noted for its
high percentage of Nobel laureates on faculty.
Among Mary Washington’s attributes, the article listed proximity to
D.C. and its attraction to political science and international affairs programs.
But a long-time tradition – well known to alumni – got the final
word: Devil-Goat Day.
– Neva S. Trenis