Though William & Mary tends to get a lot of flack for being academically demanding and difficult, students have nothing but praise for its committed professors, relatively small class sizes, and diverse opportunities regarding academic majors. Depending on the type of class (introductory-level courses tend to attract many students), class size can vary, though most classes tend to accommodate about 30 students. Professors also tend to become very involved with their students and provide various means of easy communication between teacher and student. Though, unfortunately, there are some professors that are relatively cut-and-dry, most professors that students encounter are very knowledgeable and passionate, which makes for an inspiring and positive classroom experience at William & Mary. In this same vein, the small class sizes make group work and collaborating with fellow students exceedingly possible.
While most students ascertain that some majors are less demanding than others, all students agree that William & Mary is very demanding academically, and that regardless of the class, it is important to understand how to allot enough time toward each subject. The workload has been described as "enormous", and the grading has been heralded as somewhat severe, but as long as you put forth the work and communicate with a professor when you have difficulty with the curriculum, your grades should reflect the effort made. Also, through the career center and well-rounded and experienced professors, students can get well acquainted with internships and programs that help lead them into the workforce. With dedicated professors, small class sizes, and top-ranked academic programs, William & Mary academics are essential to success, even if the workload and hard grading can become overwhelming at times.