For the 14th consecutive year, the Fiske Guide to Colleges has named the University of Mary Washington among the country’s best for delivering outstanding academics and reasonable prices.
Among top-selling publications that compare colleges, the prestigious Fiske Guide is often considered the gold standard resource. The 2022 edition, the 38th annual issue, features more than 300 of the “best and most interesting” public and private four-year colleges and universities in the nation as well as Canada, Great Britain and Ireland. Listings are based on questionnaires completed by administrators and a cross-section of students.
Along with strong academics, championship athletics and successful graduates, this year’s edition mentions Mary Washington’s beautiful campus, rich history and unique traditions like Eagle Gathering, Devil Goat Day and Junior Ring Week. The publication points to incoming students’ pledge to uphold the honor code, along with other shared experiences like a first-year seminar, common read and living-learning communities.
“Tradition is at the heart of UMW and is one of the many things that instills a sense of community here,” the publication quotes a student as saying.
Fiske points out the strengths of UMW’s academic programs, emphasis on research and experiential learning, and study abroad and honors programs. The publication praises the University’s commitment to career development, fostering of student success after college, accessible professors and favorable faculty-to-student ratio.
“The close ties between students and faculty are a great source of pride at Mary Washington,” the guide says. “An economics major describes the academics as ‘rigorous and hands-on.’ ”
UMW’s location – midway between Washington, D.C., and Richmond – as an asset for students looking to land political and other types of internships, Fiske reports.
Student clubs, championship athletics and multifunctional facilities also receive mentions, as does the “relaxed social atmosphere” of Mary Washington’s hometown of historic Fredericksburg, Virginia.
“UMW is such a positive environment,” the publication states, “full of kind individuals who share the goal of communal success.”
Compiled under the direction of Edward B. Fiske, former New York Times education editor, Fiske is a leading source of information for college-bound students and their parents.
I treasure my Mary Washington years.