ASHLAND, Va. — Randolph-Macon College is breaking enrollment numbers, and at 473 students, the 2019 freshman class is the biggest yet.
But four of those new students are bound to stand out in the crowd — The Jones Quadruplets.
Jake, Hannah, Lexi and Rachel Jones, who all play soccer and lacrosse, are from Chestertown, Maryland. On August 18, they packed up a U-Haul and moved to the Ashland liberal arts college…together.
Though didn’t always plan on attending the same school, it was inevitable after they heard about it from high school teacher Alex Herman, who graduated from R-MC in 2000.
“He was probably our best teacher in high school and he just taught us so much about this school and his stories and his memories,” said Jake. “So we just kind of felt like we had to come out here and see it for ourselves.”
They visited multiple times and checked out other schools, too, but R-MC held the top spot.
“In the end, we all fell in love with Randolph-Macon, and so it was all our number one choice,” said Hannah. “And I don’t think we could have separated from each other!”
The college says they’ve done a lot of research and they believe The Jones double duo are the only set of quads in the country entering the same college as freshman this fall.
“That was great news when they said they were going to be here,” said R-MC President Robert R. Lindgren. “We were thrilled.”
The siblings say they already feel at home.
“We’ve been referred to as ‘The Quads’ a lot on campus,” said Hannah.
And they say the campus isn’t much different from the one their parents once called home.
“They went to Washington College. It’s actually in our hometown,” said Lexi. “It’s very similar and it reminds us of Randolph-Macon.”
Rachel says their parents prepared them for their own college journey.
“They always said college is the best four years of your life and they always say they’d go back and do it all over again if they could, so I think they’re just excited that we’re experiencing it together,” she said.
The siblings say, while they intend to continue branching out on their own, it’ll be comforting to have each other through the freshman year jitters.
“It’s definitely easier, especially when we get homesick. We will have each other to talk to and be with,” said Hannah.
But they won’t have to wait very long for a visit from mom and dad. Parents Weekend is the first weekend of October.
And “The Quads” might not be the last of the Joneses to attend R-MC. Their 12-year-old sister will be scoping out schools in just a few years.
