James Madison University Reviews

Definitely bring your own...

Definitely bring your own computer. Carrier Library has its moments where you can find an open computer, but it gets really crowded around exam periods. The new library is also really nice and big and has a lot of computers, but it can get crowded. If you really want stuff done, you should have your own computer.

Thursday through Saturday, you can...

Thursday through Saturday, you can pretty much find a party in any of the apartment complexes. The nice thing about JMU parties is that most of the Facebook invites say "guest can bring friends to this event." There is an open-door policy, and people share the alcohol like kindergartner's share germs. The drunk bus, which goes through campus and to all the complexes, is also one of the most fun places to be drunk or sober (you'll come back with many war stories). After you turn 21, the bar scene is fun, too. The Artful Dodger is a hip, artsy bar that features bands, salsa dancing nights, and cheap rail drinks on Tuesdays. Firetop is a hookah bar, which is kind of neat. Dave's is one of your more classic bars, and in the spring and summer you can eat Greek food and drink out on the Tarista, an outdoor rooftop café. Clementine Café, one of the newest places, has unique and interesting food matched with unique and interesting mixed drinks and lots of imported beers that you've never heard of.

The parties are great freshman and...

The parties are great freshman and sophomore year. During junior year, people tend to chill out more and have smaller, closer friends kinds of parties, which are fun. Senior year is mostly the bar scene. JMU has some fun bars in the surrounding areas, like Dave's, Finnegan's, and The Artful Dodger.

Dorm life really depends where you...

Dorm life really depends where you live. I got lucky and landed a spot on the Quad my freshman year, in an air conditioned and well-kept dorm, in which i shared my own bathroom with three other girls. We had to clean it ourselves, but it was good to have our own bathroom as opposed to hall-style. Anywhere in the Bluestone Area is pretty nice; Skyline is really nice too, but it's very far away from everything unless you're a math, science, or nursing major. The Village and Hillside aren't great, but they're definitely not bad compared to other colleges.

The food on campus is great! I...

The food on campus is great! I have no issue going to campus just to eat. There is lots to choose from, and yes, you can get tired of it, but you'll always come back. The best place is probably D-Hall which is all-you-can-eat and great if you're really hungry or even thirsty! A close second is Festival---lots to choose from and all delicious!

Off-campus housing is pretty good....

Off-campus housing is pretty good. Thanks to the public buses, getting around without a car is pretty easy, and walking isn't too bad. Some of the apartments are a good distance from campus, though, making it a little difficult. The prices are going up a bit, making it a little expensive but not too terrible. Getting an apartment is something that has to start early because they go pretty quick!

The dorms tend to be nice. You...

The dorms tend to be nice. You can't pick out where you are living as a freshman, though. The newly renovated ones and the ones built in the past 25 years have air conditioning and tend to be in good shape. Ones that are older than that have no air conditioning. It all comes down to if you want hall-style or suite-style. Hall-style tends to be nicer unless you are living in Eagle. I would not live in Eagle. Everywhere else is fine.

The public transportation is good...

The public transportation is good at JMU. You can go from all the major apartment complexes to the school really easily. The buses are good late night Friday and Saturday, but they can take a long time to come and drive around if you need to go to other parts of town or for shopping. It's best to take the bus to class and to go to places at night on the weekend but best to take a car for shopping or moving around Harrisonburg.

Generally the computer network is...

Generally the computer network is efficient, however, I do have a problem with losing Internet connection sometimes. As far as computer labs go, they only really fill up during mid-terms and finals. Other than that, they tend to be pretty open and available for anyone to use during the hours of operation. It isn't really necessary to bring your own computer.

Buses run all the time around...

Buses run all the time around campus and town. You can find a bus to about anywhere you want to go. They quit fairly early on weeknights, but on weekends there is the "Drunk Bus." There is also SafeRides, which will come pick you up really late at night if you're at a party or something and can't get home.

The buses are generally hit or...

The buses are generally hit or miss. If you can catch them, you are set, but a lot of the time the busses are unreliable. They either come way early or way late. Either way, there is always a high chance that you will be waiting on one for much longer than you had anticipated.

The food is good, though a lot of...

The food is good, though a lot of the time, a large number of the dining facilities are closed at once. Mrs Green's is a good place for a quick and healthy meal, and Duke's has good quesadillas and other pick up options.

I really like the food around...

I really like the food around here. You don’t really hear too many people complain about it, especially not the off-campus students. On-campus students complain more, I guess because they eat it more and can get sick of it. The food here is so much better than at my community college, though, so I can’t complain.

I am a sucker for the chain...

I am a sucker for the chain restaurants like Applebee’s, Chili’s, and Outback. Sometimes, you don’t really know what you’re in for when you try out local places, but I hear that some of them are supposed to be really good. I have gone to Cici’s a couple times, and I really liked it because you can eat a lot of pizza and salad for pretty cheap. BW3’s is really great, too, especially for wings.

I have my own computer so I don’t...

I have my own computer so I don’t use the computers here very often. I would recommend having your own for convenience and reliability.

In my experience so far, the...

In my experience so far, the teachers have been either very passionate and interesting, or quite boring. Mostly, it’s been the former. The general education classes here are pretty tough, in comparison to other schools. JMU seems to be really serious about their education system. The key to finding a good teacher, though, is to ask an upperclassman or an older sibling who is good. Some of the best classes I have taken have been ones that other people told me were awesome.

I’m taking mostly general...

I’m taking mostly general education classes this semester, and on the whole, these professors could be summarized, in a word, as ‘liberal.’ They are very opinionated and vocal about current events and historical interpretation, and they often add a liberal slant when teaching their course. As far as proficiency, they teach and present the information effectively. This style is new to me, as I’m an ISAT major and my professors in my major more often lean towards an engineering or logical style of thinking; though often they are still liberal, the material is usually presented void of the professors’ opinions or beliefs.

I went to a community college...

I went to a community college freshman year, and it was pretty fun. However, the atmosphere and the abilities of the teachers were nothing at all like this. Sometimes the professors show videos or make statements in class that make it clear where they stand, but none of them push their beliefs on you. On the whole, they are very personable and most are ready and willing to help.

The guys are few and far between,...

The guys are few and far between, but there are some cute ones when you find them! As for girls, most of them would fit the sorority stereotype of skinny and blonde. However, there are many different circles here, so if you look, there is something or someone for everyone.

The guys are few, and the girls...

The guys are few, and the girls are many! The guys are hot, but mostly, they are already taken. The girls are all hot, but they have to compete with each other, which makes for bad situations sometimes.

I have seen and heard of a lot...

I have seen and heard of a lot more diversity on other campuses than there is here. It’s kind of pathetic, I think. People say that Admissions is trying to recruit more people of different races and walks of life, which is good. I hope it works, because I think it’s more fun to have people around with different viewpoints. I really miss learning about other cultures from the people who live in them. So hopefully that will change.

There are a lot of guys who are...

There are a lot of guys who are those stereotypical guys you want to avoid, then there are a lot of really great ones, too. The girls are the same way. There are a lot of great people here; sometimes, you just have to weed through a bit.

For the most part, off-campus...

For the most part, off-campus housing seems convenient, except for the bus system, which is inconsistent in picking up passengers from local apartment complexes where many students live.

A good number of people smoke...

A good number of people smoke weed, and there are all different types of people, too. If people are doing it at parties, they’re almost always very secretive about it and do it in a bedroom because it’s still not universally accepted. Heavier drugs aren’t really talked about, and I haven’t seen a lot of drug activity other than weed.

Lots and lots of people drink, and...

Lots and lots of people drink, and lots and lots of people smoke pot. At almost any given party, you can find some room where the door is closed, and four or five people are smoking up behind it, having a good old time. Other than pot and drinking, I don’t hear about too many other drugs being used. The majority of students at JMU are hardcore partiers, and the minority doesn’t drink at all. There isn’t really an in-between.