VMI Questions

peestain123

another Prestrain
5-Year Member
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Jan 10, 2014
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I was accepted into VMI back in December, and I am stoked to begin my education there. I just have a couple question that hopefully some current cadets or alumni might be able to answer.

I am aware that VMI neighbors Washington and Lee and was wondering if cadets ever get the chance to interact with their neighbor school, specifically social gatherings.

I know VMI is intense and very military focused, and that is why It was my top choice, I was just curious if cadets will have the chance to interact with people outside the corps.
 
As a Rat- no you won't be interacting with much of anyone from the Civilized world. But come springtime when a young Rat's thoughts turn to love :wink: -
you will find that there are lots of opportunities to meet those of the opposite gender from schools like Mary Baldwin, Hollins, James Madison etc.
So- when you get that Saturday night GP to go into Lexington - you can find "friends" if you try, and the longer that you are there the more opportunities you discover- Brother Rat siblings, Brother Rat's girl friends :eek: or more socially acceptable , your Brother Rat's girl friend's friends etc...
Oddly- you typically still won't have too much interaction with W&L even though you will walk thru their campus every time you go up town ( they live in a more rarified atmosphere I guess).You see them more as competition for scarce resources in Lexington.

Bottom line- you will have a social life- though it often may not feel like much of one. You also learn to adapt
 
You may also have some in your MS classes. My DS got to know one pretty well that way.
 
To echo Bruno my time at VMI (late 90s and early 00s) not a lot of social interaction between VMI and W&L with the exception of some religious organizations and clubs. I was part of Baptist Campus Ministries and got to know several Minks (VMI term for W&L) pretty well. I think there are multiple reasons for the divide between the two.
1. A big one is they are in the same town and so if a cadet has a free weekend we typically wanted to leave Lex rather than stay in town where we had to remain in uniform and go back to barracks at night. Much more fun to change into civies and get away.
2. W&L is a heavy greek school and there are no frats/sororities at VMI so most of the W&L social scene was through greek life and unless you had a high school buddy or sibling (which did happen) go there you just didn't get invited to that sort of thing.
Most cadets if given a free weekend went to Virginia Tech, JMU or home or they did the all women's college circuit of Mary Baldwin, Sweet Briar and Hollins. Rats couldn't leave so weekends were for sitting around in barracks catching up on things like sleep.
 
As a 4th Classman- basically none. But you will get to go into Lexington Saturday night after supper formation till 1130. After that you get more weekends as your class moves down in barracks.
 
I heard Rats get two weekends they are allowed to leave Post the whole first year they are there (besides furloughs of course).
 
I heard Rats get two weekends they are allowed to leave Post the whole first year they are there (besides furloughs of course).

who/where did you hear that from?

if true that'd be different than most of our prior experience

at most one weekend is what I recall post breakout

*** note: best thing any of your prospective Rats can do for some time away is go uptown for Church or befriend a BR who lives within "Dine with Family" distance: Buena Vista, L'Burg, etc. - I used to carry 2 or 3 BR's home every Sunday as my Grandfather would be waiting outside Kilbourne at 0830 and he'd bring us back before 1800

** 2nd tip: while you still have a girlfriend or boyfriend (hah!) make reservations at hotels for hop weekends before you matriculate - there was always a shortage. same thing for your parents for parent's weekend

ps - you won't need hotel reservations as a 3rd :) ask Bruno or emwvmi01 why - (hint, no one loves 3rds)
 
I was accepted into VMI back in December, and I am stoked to begin my education there. I just have a couple question that hopefully some current cadets or alumni might be able to answer.

I am aware that VMI neighbors Washington and Lee and was wondering if cadets ever get the chance to interact with their neighbor school, specifically social gatherings.

I know VMI is intense and very military focused, and that is why It was my top choice, I was just curious if cadets will have the chance to interact with people outside the corps.

another thought as an Alum on this re interacting with W&L

I had a very good friend I had gone to school with in Lynchburg who went to W&L while I was at VMI

I never saw him once

he may as well have lived on a different planet as W&L and VMI are as different a breed as you could find
 
Everyone's experience is different. A girl I knew in High School went to W&L and after my Rat year was over (and I didn't look quite as bald and ugly) we dated off and on for my last 3 years as a cadet--we are still friends to this day. Because we dated, I got to know folks in different fraternities in Lexington and they were kind enough to let me in to their great parties. I considered myself lucky to foster such great friendships and I always thought highly of most W&L students. The parties really were great! (Just don't get caught in your civilian clothes if you're "running the block" ;) )
You also have many other opportunities through mixers, parties, and dances held at VMI and a number of Universities, women's colleges, etc.--UVA, VA Tech, William and Mary to name a few... As long as you don't go off the VMI Spartan "deep end" and want to pick fights at parties, you'll be fine.
 
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