| Elite Education |
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William & Mary has a reputation as an elite academic institution. The university was No. 10 in U.S. News & World Report (2019) rankings of the top public schools in the country. W&M was also rated No. 10 by Forbes (2017) among America's Top Public Colleges. The university ranks No. 5 in Best Undergraduate Teaching among public institutions in the country according to U.S. News & World Report (2019) as well.
The university's 12-to-1 student-faculty ratio is the lowest among the top public universities, a factor that helps strengthen W&M's traditional commitment to teaching. Eighty-six percent of W&M's classes have fewer than 40 students.
W&M claims a number of impressive national rankings, click HERE for a complete list of the university's success. |
| Alma Mater of the Nation |
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The second-oldest institution of higher learning in the country and the first to be chartered by the Crown under the Seal of the Privy Council in 1693, a succession of influential individuals have attended William & Mary. The school educated four United States Presidents (George Washington [surveyor's license], Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler). A total of 12 former members of the United States' Cabinet studied at W&M, including most recently, Robert Gates '65, who is the former U.S. Secretary of Defense and W&M's 24th Chancellor; four members of the United States Supreme Court, including the longest-serving Supreme Court Justice, John Marshall (1780); 100 members of the U.S. Representatives, including three current; 36 State Governors; 35 U.S. Senators; and four Speakers of the House of Representatives.
Some of W&M's notable graduates including:
Glenn Close '74 - Emmy and Tony award-winning actress
James Comey '82 - former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Beth Comstock '82 - former vice chair of General Electric
Perry Ellis '61 - fashion designer
Robert Gates '65 - former U.S. Secretary of Defense
Chip Mason '59 - founder of Legg Mason
Patton Oswalt '91 - comedian, actor
Ellen Stofan '83 - NASA chief scientist
Mary Jo White '70 - chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Tribe Athletics owns its fair share of distinguished alums, including:
Chip Brewer '86, CEO of Callaway Golf
Jill Ellis '87 - head coach of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup Champion U.S. women's national soccer team
Mark McCormack '51 - founder of International Management Group (IMG)
Joe Plumeri '66 - Chairman & CEO of Willis Group Holdings and one of the world's 100 Most Influential People in Finance
Jon Stewart '84 - Emmy Award-winning comedian and satirist, former host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show
Mike Tomlin '95 - two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Championship Athletics |
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W&M is the only Colonial Athletic Association program with more than 100 conference championships, winning a total of 144 through the 2018-19 season.
A number of individuals have enjoyed success on a national level with the Tribe. W&M student-athletes have earned All-America honors in 52 straight years. In total, the Tribe owns 561 All-Americans (through 2017-18), including 236 on the men's side and 325 on the women's side.
In college athletics, W&M is a recognizable national brand, ranking among regional and national leaders in the Learfield Directors Cup, which began in 1993-94. In total, W&M has ranked among the top 100 nationally on 14 occasions, topped the CAA 12 times and placed among the top three in the state of Virginia 13 years. |
| True Student-Athletes |
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The Tribe's athletic accomplishments do not come at the expense of its student-athletes' academic responsibilities. W&M athletes earn their degrees at rates much higher than the national average and its peers, while the school provides its students with well-known and nationally-respected academic programs along with an extensive network of alumni. In 2017-18, Tribe student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.22.
William & Mary had nine teams rank in the top 10 percent of their sport for Academic Progress Rates among all Division I programs and received a Public Recognition Award by the NCAA in 2018. W&M's nine awards ranked third nationally among public universities, trailing only North Carolina (10) and Michigan (10). The Tribe was one of only 22 schools (out of 312) across the country with at least nine teams earning honors. W&M ranked tied for first in the CAA and No. 1 in the state of Virginia in awards. In total, 101 Tribe team have received the NCAA Public Recognition Award since it started in 2004-05.
W&M's Athletics Department ranked among the top 3 percent of NCAA institutions for the cohort that began college in 2009-10 in the NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and the Federal Graduation Rate (FGR). Tribe Athletics had an overall Federal rate of 86 percent, matching its best-ever, while the NCAA rate was 91 percent. The Tribe ranked 11th among all Division I institutions in the FGR, its best rank since 2011-12, and its 12th-straight year out of 12 that the NCAA has been tracking the figure that W&M has ranked among the top 5% of all colleges and universities. W&M was once again the nation's best public university athletic department for graduating its athletes, a distinction that W&M has earned every year since 2004-05. Seven teams earned a perfect 100% graduation rate in the NCAA method, an improvement of two teams over 2014-15.
Through the 2017-18 academic year, 187 student-athletes have been elected to Phi Beta Kappa, while four Rhodes Scholars were W&M student-athletes. In 2002-03, the CAA created a Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in each of its sports, and not surprisingly, W&M has set the pace with 76 winners through the 2017-18 academic year. |
| Colonial Capital |
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W&M resides in one of the most historically rich regions of the country, Williamsburg, Va. As the Colonial Capital and part of America's Historic Triangle, Williamsburg is home to Colonial Williamsburg and a variety of areas rich in American History.
Along with its historic significance, W&M and Williamsburg are part of the bustling Hampton Roads area. Located between the large metropolitan cities of Richmond and Norfolk, Williamsburg is only two and a half hours south of Washington, D.C. The university is located within an hour of various beaches in the area, including Jamestown, Yorktown and Virginia Beach. Williamsburg is also home to one of the leading theme and entertainment parks, Busch Gardens. |