JMU is a mixed bag.

Introduction
If you're a truly intellectual, thoughtful person who doesn't like being around kids whose GPAs average below 3.0, stay away from JMU. There are a lot of people here who you'll consider big dumb jocks, and they'll make your life miserable if you let them.

But if you're more athletically inclined, you'll find much to love about JMU. Huge quantities of time and money are invested every year in our football and basketball teams, and we also have softball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, rugby and frisbee among other teams. You'll have great fun and be in good company.

If you're in the former category (like me) with the minor difference that you refuse to let the athletic types make your life miserable, you'll get by. It's not the most nurturing environment for your inclinations, but it's a fun ride and you'll find good friends to share it with.

Campus Life and Social Life
I suppose the nicest thing about the weekend/social scene here is that you can join almost any party you walk or drive past, and be greeted openly by strangers. There are exceptions, of course, and there are some strangers by whom you don't really want to be greeted openly, but it's fun to run into people from your classes at random parties and get to know them a bit. In my experience, the students here are very down-to-earth and happy to meet new people.

On the other hand, the social scene does consist almost entirely of house parties with loud music and random strangers. If you're not into that, you may not find much to enjoy here outside of activities with the small circle of like-minded friends you'll make. Clubs and bars (particularly of the music and dancing variety) are all but non-existent here in the Shenandoah Valley. You're welcome to study or relax quietly on the weekends, but be prepared to do so in limited company. Advertisement
Academics
I transferred here with an associate's degree (ergo, junior standing), so I have no classes outside my major, which is Music. That said, the Music Department here at JMU is excellent: I have found the professors to be unfailingly kind, and always willing to help students who need it. Opportunities to play and compose abound for both majors and non-majors. The standards are refreshingly high, as they should be. I say this as someone who definitely doesn't always meet those standards. I'm challenged here and I like it.

If I have any qualms with the music program here, it's on the grounds of creativity. As a music student at JMU, you must take it upon yourself to let your individuality shine and avoid being turned into a musical robot. JMU churns out countless band directors and teachers (who do excellent work in school systems everywhere and I love many of them dearly), but the creative improvisors and composers here will need to take their own initiative to be just that.

Student Body
A disproportionately huge percentage of our student body is from Northern Virginia, and there are also a ton from New York and New Jersey. I'm not really sure why. But as such, I'd say the average JMU kid is white, affluent, reasonably intelligent, likes partying a little more than they should, and is very much into beer and sports.

But there are people here of every race, color, creed, nationality, economic standing, geographical origin, etc. I had almost no trouble finding people I could relate to (most of whom don't fit the above mold even remotely), and there are plenty of ways to do it. There are campus organizations for almost every interest you could think of, be it "hip" (indie radio, Freethinkers, etc.), slightly nerdy (chess, anime, sci-fi), religious, ethnic, sportsmanlike or Greek.

In Closing...
You weight the good and the bad. Fun place, good place, nice campus, excellent arts faculty. But we have a lot of pretty dumb kids who can make your life hard if you let them. But there are also a lot of great people here who *don't* fit into that mold, and once you find them, you'll be fine. There's something for everyone here...just more for some than others.