Faculty closeness
highSmaller scale and research support direct faculty work.
COLLEGE FIT GUIDE
Evidence checked · 2026-10-06
William & Mary
William & Mary combines the scale and close teaching of a liberal-arts college with the research and professional resources of a public university. Its historic Williamsburg setting, strong undergraduate research, and shared traditions create an academically focused residential community.
- Public university resources at a smaller scale
- Academic choices and structure
- Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
QUICK READ
- Location
- Williamsburg, Virginia · Small-town setting
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 7,055
- Aggregate admission rate
- 34.1%
- Average net price
- $19,096
FIT SNAPSHOT
How this environment may feel
These are directional interpretations of the college environment, not a score or universal verdict.
Intellectual culture
highUndergraduate inquiry is central to the academic identity.
Community closeness
highResidential scale and traditions create repeated contact.
Academic intensity
highSelective programs support demanding study.
WHY IT MAY FIT
Consider William & Mary if…
- You want close teaching at a public university.
- You value undergraduate research.
- You like a historic residential setting.
- You prefer an academically focused community.
POSSIBLE TENSIONS
It may not fit if…
- You want a major city.
- You prefer a very large flagship.
- You dislike tradition-heavy campus culture.
- You want extensive technical majors.
WHAT STANDS OUT
The environment behind the name
Public university resources at a smaller scale
Faculty-mentored research, independent study, and capstones are visible across undergraduate fields.
Source: Undergraduate Research
Academic choices and structure
Liberal arts and sciences are complemented by business, education, data science, and interdisciplinary programs.
Source: Academics
A setting that shapes the experience
Williamsburg, Virginia gives students a distinct context for campus life, work, community, and recreation.
Source: Undergraduate Research
LOOK CLOSER
Questions worth asking before you decide
Use these prompts during a visit, an information session, or a conversation with a current student.
- 1
Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
William & Mary documents substantial opportunities, but availability can differ by program, timing, prerequisites, capacity, and student initiative.
Source: Undergraduate Research
- 2
Interpret scale and selectivity carefully
Federal data report 7,055 undergraduates and an aggregate admission rate of 34.1%. These figures describe the institution, not an individual applicant’s probability or a particular program’s experience.
- 3
Use the current price for your circumstances
Federal data report an average net price of $19,096. This historical average is not a quote; residency, income, housing, aid eligibility, and program costs can materially change what a family pays.
FEDERAL CLERY DATA
Campus safety statistics, with context
Federal Clery records describe reported incidents within defined campus geography. They are not a measure of crime prevalence or an overall safety rating.
2024 reported on-campus offenses:18
Per 1,000 enrolled:1.8
Reporting campuses:5
COMPARE THE TRADEOFFS
Schools that sharpen the question
A useful comparison for students evaluating William & Mary across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating William & Mary across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating William & Mary across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
EVIDENCE
Sources and method
View the reviewed sources
- Undergraduate Research - William & Mary (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- Academics - William & Mary (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- William & Mary institutional data - U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (federal, retrieved 2026-10-06)
Navastra interprets William & Mary’s documented academic environment, setting, opportunities, and federal reference fields through preference dimensions. The page describes documented structures, not every student’s experience. It does not calculate an individual fit score, predict admission, or estimate a financial-aid award. Read the methodology →
Programs, policies, costs, and campus life change. Verify current details with the college ↗
PERSONALIZE THE QUESTION