Hello! I’m a Muslim girl currently NOVA and planning to transfer soon, and honestly I’m really stressed about making such a huge decision. My top choices right now are Virginia Tech, James Madison University, and George Mason University. I’m a psychology major and plan on getting my master’s as well. I’m definitely more of a homebody and really value being close to my family, so distance does matter to me. Virginia Tech is farther away, and while my parents would absolutely support me going there, I know being far from home would be a big adjustment for me. I recently started seriously considering JMU since it’s closer, and I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. One thing that does make me a little nervous though is diversity—I’d love to hear from other Muslim students, hijabis, or honestly anyone from diverse backgrounds about their experience there. I’ve also looked into George Mason, which seems appealing because it’s closer to home and I’ve heard it’s very diverse. I briefly looked into George Washington University too, but I’m mainly focused on these three right now.
A few things that matter a lot to me:
- Diversity/inclusivity
- Strong psychology program + opportunities for grad school
- Feeling safe and comfortable on campus
- Being able to make friends as a transfer student
- Housing… and I’m gonna be honest, communal bathrooms are a HARD no for me 😭
If anyone has attended VT, JMU, or GMU (especially as a transfer student, Muslim student, hijabi, psych major, or homebody lol), I’d really appreciate any honest pros/cons or advice!