The University of Richmond

The financial aid at this school if fantastic. I recommend this school if you absolutely can't afford school because they will pay for most of it. However, be prepared to do a crapload of work, compete in battle to get into the classes you need, and be surrounded by drunk frat boys and sorority girls all the time. Also be prepared to be treated like a child. The professors are cool, but the administrative staff is hard to work with if you have a problem with your schedule or housing (and you will). I would also HIGHLY recommend reading the website to see what classes you need rather than relying strictly on academic advisors. Most of the advisors are professors who don't know squat about anything out of their immediate field. My advisor didn't even know my name and was completely unhelpful in informing me of a few classes I needed to take. Needless to say, I graduated, but can't get a job in my field unless I take more classes, so again I stress, read the website, especially if you are in a licensure program with state requirements. However, most of the professors are very helpful, and I was blessed to find an amazing professor who has been helping me in the search for a job, so they aren't all bad. They are also pretty quick to get back to you if you have a question or a problem.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

The international studies program is certainly evolving, but for all the hype they put out about it, the only appealing factor of that program is that the University sponsors many international exchange/study abroad programs. If you are serious about having a great background in international studies, I suggest a stronger program - Georgetown or Chicago.

1st Year Female -- Class 2014

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Social Life: C

I am freshman in my second semester at UR. First semester I had some major issues with the school but am starting to like things better. A few things you should know if you are thinking about attending the university:

- The city of Richmond is hard to access and is not very college friendly. Social life is nearly exclusively on campus

- The social life is very limited and repetitive. Apartment parties, frat lodges, dorm pre-games and get together, movies in the commons, staying in your room. That is essentially all you have to chose from.

- Not everyone is super rich. About 70% percent of students are on financial aid, although sometimes people on financial aid act as though they are super loaded anyways.

-The school is very homogenous. Most students are white, upper-middle class to extremely wealthy, fairly preppy, smart and/or hardworking but not intellectual, from New York (Long Island or city suburbs), New Jersey (North), Pennsylvania (outside Philly), Connecticut (Fairfield county), Massachusetts (Boston suburbs), and Virginia (all over), like to drink and party, politically conservative, and good looking (everyone goes to the gym). There are also a lot of prep school kids, but most went to public high school

- Almost everyone is a pre-med or business major and is serious about studies and making money, but won't talk about school outside of class

- Schoolwork is hard but the workload is not excessive. Some teachers grade deflate (the school is obsessed with boosting it's reputation)

- The campus is really a bubble, unless you have a car, don't plan on leaving campus hardly at all
- There are only really two places to eat on campus: the dining hall and tyler's grill (greasy food). There's a coffee shop and a convienience store with snacks, and the Cellar (a nice restaurant), but really, food options are limited.

- All classes are small and professors will help you if you go to office hours
- Most students are closed minded and live for the weekend frat parties
- The campus is very Greek, but there are no houses, making it easier for independents. A lot more girls join sororities than boys do frats.

- The school is very strong. It feels like you know everyone in your grade within a couple months. This also can make the social scene a little weird (that random kid you hooked up with on friday could very well be in your econ class)

- All the alternative kids are friends with each other, and the vast majority of kids aren't alternative.Most peoples' complaints about the school is the social life, so if you want a city school where it's easy to go off campus, don't come here. If small parties and lots of drinking is your idea of a good time, every weekend, then most likely you will like it here.

1st Year Female -- Class 2013

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: C-