Harrisonburg - what's it like? Schools, people, etc. (Fairfax: fit in, 2015)

[Feklar]

Hello,

Some friends of mine are considering moving to Harrisonburg, Va. due to a job offer. Since they tend to not look before they leap, I thought I'd do some research for them.

My biggest concern is, what are the schools like, and what are the students like? My friends have a pair of high school kids, who are exceptionally intelligent, get high grades, and like challenges. They also are perhaps a bit spoiled by the unusually good public school they go to presently, which seems to have a fairly pro-learning atmosphere and relatively little bullying and whatnot.

Also, what are the people like? In particular wondering about the "redneck factor" (mind you, there are a fair number of them where they live now, but they're the mild, relatively gentle upper-midwestern Scandinavian variety). What about uneducated, disorderly people? And how "liberal friendly" is it? Both parents and kids are very liberal with hippie leanings, so I was wondering how well they'd fit in. In most college towns I guess this isn't a problem. I don't think they need it to be Berkeley or anything, they're used to a small midwestern town surrounding a second-tier state college, but...

Also just interested in any perspectives on what the place and its people are like.

[CAVA1990]

My troll-ometer is tripping big time. Advise your "friends" to come for a visit and see for themselves.

[Feklar]

I'm no troll. I may tend to be obnoxious and insensitive, but not deliberately. Mainly, these are the sort of things that are sometimes hard to tell from a short visit. Isn't that the point of these forums? Is it wrong to be concerned that hippie-ish Yankee nerdy kids might be victimized by young rednecks enraged by their use of large words and adherence to vegetarianism? It kinda happened to me.

[ShadowBat]

In VA county schools are generally regarded better than city schools. (In VA no matter how small it is, a city is completely independent of the county it is surrounded by) However, the city of Harrisonburg will be more liberal and closer to what your friends are used to. It has had an explosion in the latino population and even has a fairly decent size of Russian and eastern European immigrants. But the county is a redneck paradise. Tell them to beware of the poultry farms. The smell is atrocious.Just from the little bit you put in, my gut tells me they will be fine here and will like it. It would help to know where they are coming from to better compare the areas.

Originally Posted by Feklar

Hello,

Some friends of mine are considering moving to Harrisonburg, Va. due to a job offer. Since they tend to not look before they leap, I thought I'd do some research for them.

My biggest concern is, what are the schools like, and what are the students like? My friends have a pair of high school kids, who are exceptionally intelligent, get high grades, and like challenges. They also are perhaps a bit spoiled by the unusually good public school they go to presently, which seems to have a fairly pro-learning atmosphere and relatively little bullying and whatnot.

Also, what are the people like? In particular wondering about the "redneck factor" (mind you, there are a fair number of them where they live now, but they're the mild, relatively gentle upper-midwestern Scandinavian variety). What about uneducated, disorderly people? And how "liberal friendly" is it? Both parents and kids are very liberal with hippie leanings, so I was wondering how well they'd fit in. In most college towns I guess this isn't a problem. I don't think they need it to be Berkeley or anything, they're used to a small midwestern town surrounding a second-tier state college, but...

Also just interested in any perspectives on what the place and its people are like.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Feklar

Is it wrong to be concerned that hippie-ish Yankee nerdy kids might be victimized by young rednecks enraged by their use of large words and adherence to vegetarianism? It kinda happened to me.

Well considering there's a university in the middle of town with about 15,000 young people many of whom match your friends' description, I wouldn't be too worried about it. They will get along better if they drink beer.

[TN Lily]

Harrisonburg is a lovely area. I wish I still lived in that area. There are three colleges/universities in the area. Their presence affects the area.

You can go on the Virginia Dept. of Education website to check out test scores for the schools.

Besides poultry farms, watch out for dairy farms. I lived across the street from one. The odor from spreading the waste collected in the large round metal containers is AWFUL. It sprayed on the land from high up on the piece of equipment as if they want to make sure it gets in the air.

The Little Grill is a great little restaurant that not only has vegetarian options, but vegan selections too. They serve meat too.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by TN Lily

The Little Grill is a great little restaurant that not only has vegetarian options, but vegan selections too. They serve meat too.

Dave's Taverna is pretty good too.

[Tiger Beer]

Harrisonburg is where Old Crow Medicine Show is from.

Great band....


‪Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel [Official Music Video]‬‏ - YouTube

[nova21]

We don't take kindly to Yankee liberal hippies in Virginia. They will feel right at home in Fairfax County though.