If you are a minority, don't go VT. If you are out...

If you are a minority, don't go VT. If you are out of state, don't go to VT. And if your career choice requires any kind of networking in college, then don't go to VT.
As a foreign student, I was at VT from 2012 to 2014. It's was a nightmare. The department pays penny to let Phd students to teach a lot of your classes. You will hardly find any support group while you encounter difficulties to adjust culture shock and adopt new life in college. You will not make any friends outside of your own race. There is not enough academic advisor to assist you before u get into your major. What I have felt at VT was that you are just someone with a ID and who is paying full tuition.
Also the rural location limits what you can do outside of class, yes, it's a beautiful little town. But it's not close to anything. I image gmu would take over VT as more popular choice amount many.