James Madison University Review

James Madison University Overview

James Madison University was founded in 1908 by the Virginia General Assembly as a woman's college. Originally, it was known as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women. The school did not become coeducational until 1966 by order of the Virginia General Assembly. It currently enrolls 18,454 students, including 16,916 undergraduate students.

This school offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctoral degrees in many fields. According to U.S. News and World Report, www.usnews.com, James Madison University is the top public master's level university in the south in 2009, and has ranked as such for 14 consecutive years. Forbes.com has ranked James Madison University 22nd in the nation among public colleges.

Admissions and Enrollment Overview

Freshmen applying to James Madison University will have their admissions evaluated based on six factors, including high school academics, standardized test scores, academic achievement, secondary school reports, extracurricular activities and a personal statement. A letter of recommendation is optional but looked recommended.

For graduate students, individual programs have individual requirements, all of which can be found on the school's website. James Madison University offers several scholarship and financial aid programs. The school has also recently created the Madison for Keeps program, which helps students who have suffered from recent financial hardship.

Campus Learning Environment and Facilities

The James Madison University library features several online resources and research tools. These allow students to locate books, articles, videos, encyclopedic articles and primary sources. The school's athletic teams, called the James Madison Dukes, play in the Colonial Athletic Association. Students at this school compete in basketball, soccer, football, swimming, diving, baseball, women's volleyball, golf, softball and other sports. Of the school's 35 residence halls, nine are sorority houses, and Greek life makes up about 12% of the student body.

Colleges and Schools at James Madison University

• College of Arts and Letters
• College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Integrated Science and Technology
• College of Science and Mathematics
• College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Graduate School

Contact Information

• Address: 800 South Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
• Phone Number: (540) 568-6211