VIRGINIA COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ROAD TRIP
by Soozi Allder (edited by Larissa Lemp)
It’s time to start planning those college visits! We recommend calling the college admissions office so that you may obtain information concerning campus tour times or scheduling interviews/appointments (Further, check when you call concerning application fees as submitting your application in person may waive fees). This will allow your student to take advantage of an official tour of the campus (i.e., classrooms, lecture halls, dorms, labs, athletic facilities, etc.). It is also highly recommended to check the college websites before traveling since some of the schools are public, private, all women/all men, historically black, etc. There are three tours to choose from: Route 81 Corridor Route 29 Corridor Route 95 Corridor
ROUTE 81 TOUR
From Leesburg, go west on Route 7 to Winchester. Our first stop is SHENANDOAH COLLEGE. Approximately 30-45 minutes down the road in Front Royal is CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE.
Keep on traveling south on Route 81 until you come to Harrisonburg. Now you have 3 colleges to visit: JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, EASTERN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY AND BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE.
Next stop is in Staunton to visit MARY BALDWIN COLLEGE.
In Lexington, your visit will take you to VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE and WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY.
As you come upon Roanoke, head east to visit HOLLINS UNIVERSITY.
Get back on Route 81 for a couple of miles and then you’re heading southeast to visit FERRUM COLLEGE.
Back on the road, travelling south again from Roanoke, you’ll come to the town of Salem, where you’ll find ROANOKE COLLEGE.
Next stop is Blacksburg, home of the Hokies at VIRGINIA TECH. Less than half-hour away from VT, is RADFORD UNIVERSITY.
Heading west off Route 81, go over the mountains to BLUEFIELD COLLEGE. You can continue on the western tract and visit THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA’S COLLEGE AT WISE. From here, you need to head back to Route 81. If you travel north, plan to visit EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE. If you choose south, head for Bristol, where you’ll find VIRGINIA INTERMONT COLLEGE. ROUTE 29 TOUR
From the Sterling area, take Route 28 south to Route 66 West to Route 29 South.
The first stop is Charlottesville at the UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
Returning to Route 29 South, first stop is SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE.
Our next stop in the Lynchburg area is RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN’S COLLEGE, LYNCHBURG COLLEGE and then off to LIBERTY UNIVERSITY.
Feeling a little tired of Route 29, take a side trip from Lynchburg onto Route 460-East and visit HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE and LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY.
If you stayed on Route 29, the last stop on this tour will be in Danville where you’ll visit AVERETT COLLEGE.
ROUTE 95 TOUR
From Leesburg, you’ll have a short trip to Fairfax to visit GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY.
Then you’re off to Arlington to visit MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY.
Take an hour trip down 95 to Fredericksburg to visit UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON (formerly Mary Washington College).
The next stop down Route 95 is Richmond. You will have 3 colleges to visit here: UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY and VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY.
If you want to continue on Route 95, the next stop is VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY in Petersburg.
From there take Route 85 south and go to Lawrenceville to see ST. PAUL’S COLLEGE.
If you are planning to visit Virginia Beach while on your college tour, take Route 64 East from the Richmond area. The first stop will be in Williamsburg to see the COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY.
Next stop is Newport News where you can visit CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY.
You only have four more college before you hit the beach! The remaining campuses are: HAMPTON COLLEGE, NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE and OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY in Norfolk.