Congratulations, Class of 2019, for your acceptance into James Madison University! If you have been set on being a Duke since day one then you rock, and I hope this article solidifies your great decision. However, if you are like me just two years ago, you may be torn between two or three schools that you have been accepted to. You have less than a week (May 1) to make your deposit and decide where you will be spending your next four years. I can assure you that deciding to go to James Madison University will not let you down. You will meet your future bridesmaids, best men, and create lifelong friendships from all of the incredible opportunities this school has to offer. Here is why JMU should be your first pick.

1. Clubs and organizations.

James Madison University has 360 different clubs and organizations on their Beinvolved website. With over 25 categories, ranging from academic to spirit and tradition, you are sure to find at least a few that spark your interest. Be sure to attend Student Organization night the first month of fall semester (time TBA) to check out and sign up for all the clubs that interest you.

2. Majors.

Undecided? That is more than okay. JMU students need to complete all of thier their general education classes before graduation. Why is this such a great thing? That is because you are required to take a class in five major clusters ranging from the necessary skills of the 21st century to social and cultural processes. This will give you a little taste of every subject so you can be 100 percent confident when you declare your major. Check out the General Education Requirements Checklist page so you can make sure you don't forget any of the clusters.

After you choose your major or are between a few, check out JMU's major snapshots to get a glimpse of the classes you will be taking for the next few years and make sure you complete all of the required major prerequisites.

3. Student to professor ratio.

With 4,325 first-time freshmen enrolled in fall 2014, you might expect to be enrolled in some pretty massive lecture halls. There is a decent amount of general education classes with a lecture style classroom, but as you progress into higher level classes, the student to professor ratio decreases. Overall, there are 16 students to every faculty member (16:1).

4. Day parties.

As the weather gets warmer, the parties get bigger. With bull riding, and free drinks, JMU is definitely the place to be. We even got featured on TFM for "Day parties done right."

5. Internships and jobs.

The career fair takes place once a semester and is held in our Festival ballroom. This is the perfect place for students to network and be offered internship opportunities to any major. The CAP program, Career and Academic Planning, has a recruit-a-duke website. Regular internships and jobs are posted to help students land the internship that will help get their foot in the door. Currently, there are over 1,000 internship and full-time job postings where you can apply right there on the website and even contact the employers to reach out more personally.

6. Family.

Going to college is an exciting and nerve wracking experience for the whole family. No matter how much your little brother or sister will hate to admit, they are going to miss you! Your parents are going to be worried about you getting enough sleep, nutritious food, etc. James Madison University makes sure the incoming freshman's parents get an equally warm welcome. The Office of Parent Relations even assembled the Madison Family Handbook to guide them through the next four years. Additionally, there is a family weekend in October where there are opportunities to parents to spend quality time with their kids.

7. Fitness.

Some students count walking up and down the Godwin death stairs their daily workout. For those that want to go the extra mile, UREC will satisfy even the biggest body builders' workout needs. Offering 100 plus classes a week, over 40 teams in sports clubs, and a cardio and weight room, you will soon be in the best shape of your life. Even better? UREC is being renovated and will be completed by the time you are a sophomore so you will be able to enjoy it to its entirety almost all four years! Check out UREC's website for more information.

8. Fraternities.

There are 18 recognized fraternities at James Madison. Recruitment takes place for approximately two weeks, both fall and spring semester. If you are interested in rushing, make sure you maintain a GPA of 2.5 and attend the information night thrown by the Inter Fraternity Council to learn more about the process. After the kick off night, prospective new members can visit the organizations they are interested in. If you want more information about the recruitment process, or why you should go Greek, check out FSL's website.

9. Sororities.

Recruitment for sororities is more formal and registration is required. Be sure to check out FSL Sorority Recruitment's website here, if you are interested. Recruitment is a week long and is held during the evenings and weekends. There are 13 sororities at JMU with a new one being added every few years. Each sorority has a house on the row which usually houses the sophomore members of the chapters.

10. ASB.

Choose to spend your Thanksgiving, January, May, or Weekend doing community service at an international country or even somewhere in the USA. Learn more about the programs and break locations here.

11. Study Abroad.

It is proven that students who had an international experience are better problem solvers, are more flexible, and are more likely to be promoted. In the academic year 2013-2014, 1,217 students studied abroad in 63 different programs.

12. Food.

According to the James Madison University Dining Services, JMU has been ranked nationally for great campus food by The Princeton Review as sixth, out of 376 colleges, for 13 years in a row! For ten years, we have been ranked within the top 10! With over 28 campus dining locations from all you can eat buffets, to coffee and smoothie bars, you will never get bored of the food options on campus.

13. Senior bucket list.

Streak the quad, steal a quad brick, get a photo with the Duke dog, find the underground tunnels, etc.

14. Reddish Knob.

Less than an hour drive away on the West Virginia, Virginia border.

15. The professors (Rate My Professors).

There is not one professor, yet, that I haven't enjoyed. As you can see, according to Rate My Professor, our school has quite a high reputation. Having an overall quality ratings of 4.5, our lowest being 3.7 for internet, we clearly are doing well. Our students were rated at 4.8 for overall happiness. Funny enough, Rate My Professor created a list of the hottest professors for 2013-2014. David B. Daniel, Professor in the Psychology department at James Madison, got number one on the list!

16. Conferences.

Conferences don't always sound like the most exciting way to spend your Saturday, but I promise you they are so beneficial. James Madison has conferences happening every few weekend specific to majors, organizations, and student groups. One in particular that I attended was the Women in Leadership conference. At the conference, women JMU alumni spoke to students about their professional careers and offered advice to students on how to succeed in the workforce. I even got the opportunity to eat lunch with them and was encouraged to follow them on LinkedIn. It was one of the best networking experiences I've ever had!

17. JMULOVE.

Students love JMU so much that there is even an Instagram account to display our love! Check it out to see beautiful photos taken by JMU students.

18. The Quad.

22 Thoughts You Have While Sitting On the Quad

19. Brunch.

Homemade omelets, tater tots, bacon galore. Enough said.

20. Downtown Harrisonburg.

Downtown Harrisonburg is extremely underrated. With a farmers market, museums, cute boutiques, a cat's cradle, and a ton of food options, you will miss out if you do not explore! They even have a yoga fest and biking trips! Check out the town website here to learn more about the activities you can join! It is also only a short walk from campus, so if you do not have a car you can still join in.

21. Getting around.

If you hate walking, JMU has you covered. With buses constantly running around campus and to off campus apartment complexes, you will never have to walk up a hill if you really do not want to. These also will save you the morning you oversleep and need to make it to your 8 a.m. test on time.

22. Madipalooza.

JMU has a pop up music festival on the east campus lawn in the spring time. Bands play, food is eaten (and free) and there are a ton of obstacle courses you can play in. Did I mention this is free?

23. CHOICES.

CHOICES is an admitted student open house, and your opportunity to get all your questions about JMU answered by those people who live those answers each day. Sponsored by our Office of Admissions, CHOICES is a special day-long program for admitted freshmen and their families that showcases the challenging and supportive JMU environment.

24. FROG week.

The week before classes start, you will be assigned two FROGS. These will become your parents away from home and will help you transition into the school year. The best part about this is you will make friends with the people living around you and get a better grasp of where everything is on campus.

Accepted students, choose JMU!