I have to disagree with Will M. on this one. I don't know what decade he attended, but the R-MA my son attended is nothing like what he described. My son, who graduated in THIS decade (class of 2012, woo-hoo!), had dedicated teachers who were passionate about helping students challenge themselves and find joy in learning. His classes were small and he learned a lot. He was a day student, but sometimes he would stay in the dorms and he enjoyed it very much. He had a mentor who cared about him as a person. He made some fantastic friends that he still gets together with. The student leaders he had when he was a freshman inspired him to want to become a student leader himself when he became an upperclassman, because he thought they were so cool. As for accepting students who were expelled--if you know anything about the history of military schools, you know that dozens closed in the post-Vietnam era through the early 1990's. The association they belong to went from 100 schools to just over 40. So most of the military schools at that time WERE reform schools. The students there usually were expelled or given the option of military school or jail. That is NOT the case anymore. Most military schools are now college-prep schools. That is true of Randolph-Macon--if you look at the web site, they get gobs of scholarship money each year and most of their graduates go to college. Oh, and as for the name--it was never, ever Randolph-Macon Military Academy. The school was founded as a college-prep United Methodist school. The military was added in later. I could go on and on...but I'll stop there! I will add one more thing: I absolutely recommend this school! read more

As a member of the class of 2011, I had a totally different experience then the review above. I attend R-MA for 4 year and my only regret was I didn't attend the middle school. I came to R-MA strictly for the college prep aspect and had no intention in of doing more than the standard requirement in the JROTC program. I ended up loving the JROTC program and was selected for the leadership camp. While at R-MA, I was active in several different sports and activities. I was on the tennis team and participated on the swim team for four years. I also was on the student life, military ball, ring, and homecoming committee. The Alpha Book Club and Cadets-In-Action were also two clubs I participated in. There were several honors and AP courses that were offered. I took AP Biology, AP English (11th and 12th), AP European History, as well as honors Spanish, English (9th and 10th), and Anatomy. R-MA has a 100% college acceptance rate. I was accepted to six colleges including my first choice with over 300,000 dollars in scholarships. While I attended R-MA, students went on to attend the Air force Academy, Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Penn State, and Virginia Military Institute. I made lasting friendships that I will have for the rest of my life. Once you attend R-MA you become part of the R-MA community and that community is really a family. It is a wonderful school that provides an abundance of opportunities. I would highly recommend R-MA. read more

There isn't enough room to say all the great things about R-MA. An outstanding school with an outstanding academic program. I attended R-MA 2005-2007, and I came from another boarding school before that. The difference was night and day. R-MA only accepts students that have what it takes to succeed while recognizing the growth and maturity potential in students. It is not a reform school, nor is is a traditional military school that is aimed at correcting significant behavioral issues. I am not sure how things used to be run, but speaking from experiences in the last 5-10 years, the school is the best in the region, and I would say the nation. If you want an affordable education that provides the structure and nurture needed to produce responsible, well rounded adults, then you cannot go wrong with R-MA. read more

My daughter is currently a student at RMA. While no school is "perfect", this academy is a perfect fit for her. Having tried other school options (homeschool, public, and Christian private schools) we have found RMA to be the best at helping her find her strengths. Having a mild physical disability she needed to be in an environment where she could feel comfortable and safe. Her academic achievement has more than pleased us thanks to teachers who go the extra mile to help students succeed. While she enjoys the JROTC program for it's structure and discipline, the college prep aspect of RMA is what we are most satisfied with. I have no doubt Randolph-Macon Academy will see that she graduates with honors and college acceptances, not to mention scholarships. read more

This school is awful. The students cheat constantly. And when I reported the rampant cheating to my professor, he told faculty and my fellow students that I was a snitch. Which made an entire student body gang up on me. It got so bad I had to barricade myself inside of my cramped dorm room during the "activity" periods. Oh, and they don't mention that this is where the juvenile delinquents of the 1% go. Grand Theft Auto? Randolph-Macon Academy for you son, we have the money for that! And Yes, it DOES accept students who have been kicked out of other schools. Otherwise the Principal was lying when she told me the guy who threatened me and had shanks in his dorm room dresser was getting expelled and he had a history with other schools. read more

Before considering this school, know that there is a big chance that your child will be bullied and hazed. Also, there is a huge chance that your personal information will be given out to other parents. My child was a student there last year and she was bullied extensively. She was called a bitch and a whore and a Dirty "N" All of this was brought to the attention of the administration and absolutely nothing was done to correct the situation, other than the fact that my child was asked to leave the school. My child did nothing wrong; however, I just caution parents to look twice before they send their children to this school. They've had four Presidents in four years so there is definitely a problem. read more

I have 2 sons at Randolph-Macon Academy and couldn't be happier. Both started in their middle school (6th grade) and now both are in the upper school. One is a rising junior, and the other a rising freshman. R-MA offers excellent academics, a rich athletic program, and emphasizes self-discipline and community service. Highly recommend. Glenn S. read more

My experience at R-MA has been nothing but positive and it has been infinitely better than any public school I have ever attended