<p>As stated above, the facilities might have been recently improved. I want to focus more upon the fact that the school has bad career prospects (Consult the Vault survey - better than some richmond.edu url), costs a fortune, and doesn't even provide an awesome collegial atmosphere. It's prettier than many state colleges. That's about it.</p>
<p>You disagree on the job search. Did you secure paying employment this summer? Where are your recent grad friends taking jobs? Did everyone you know that graduated go on to graduate school?</p>
<p>Did you secure paying employment? Yes, Chicago Investment Group (internship, not job, but I will probably get a full time offer at the end of the summer)</p>
<p>Where are my recent grad friends taking jobs? Goldman Sachs, Philip Morris, Beers and Cutler, Jones Lang and Lasalle, Citi Group, Teach for America, Lehman Brothers, All Big 4 Accounting firms, I could keep going if you'd like...</p>
<p>Did everyone I know that graduated go on to graduate school? HORRIBLY phrased question, it doesn't even make sense. All kids going to grad school? Make your questions make sense. But the people who wanted to go to Law or Med school do, if their grades hold up.</p>
<p>Whoo Spiderlove, that was quite an extensive post! I'm impressed, lol.</p>
<p>To URdefect, it's not "might have been recently improved" but rather "have been recently improved" and "continue to be improved." There's no "might" about it.</p>
<p>Richmond is the same or similar to most (or at least many) comparable private schools in the US in terms of cost. And we're still going round and round your belief that the academics are crap and the job placement is nonexistant, which most UR students--or the ones represented here, at the very, very least--disagree with.</p>
<p>I don't think the student's on this board know what they are talking about. </p>
<p>If you do, your responses are more knee-jerk reactions to the assumption that your school might not be worth anything. Deep down inside we all know the truth about Richmond.</p>
<p>Job prospects: Look at the Vault survey.
Academics: Average; just look at other schools.</p>
<p>URdefect, I politely disagree. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean that you can write the book, that your opinion is the only one that counts, that current students don't know just as much--if not more--about the school than you do.</p>
<p>I'm thoroughly amused by this thread, now. It actually reads a bit like a trashy tabloid. "Deep down, we all know the truth" (insert evil cackle here).</p>
<p>URdefect, "my opinion is the only one that matters"? No wonder you hated Richmond, where most people actually have an open mind and are able to hold intelligent conversations.</p>
<p>Just a quick note as I'm busy at work as an investment banking analyst. Most of my friends who graduated two years ago are doing very well (most are making $55+). A few came out making over $100k (one of which is a job in Richmond). Another group are going to some of the best grad schools in the country for their respective fields. A few have already started their own business or are working out the details now. I wasn't thrilled with the CDC when I was at UR, but I've been very impressed with mentoring programs they've implemented in the past few years. </p>
<p>Sorry you had a poor experience, but yours is unique to you. 92% of us liked it enough to stick around (I myself considered transferring, but I couldn't be happier that I didn't). Given your misinformation and the fact that you're posting about a school you attended 3 years ago, I pity the life you have. I could think of a million things I'd rather do with my life (especially on a day like today) than post obsolete information on a school I hated enough to transfer from. Pathetic.</p>
<p>One measure of the satisfaction of a school's grads is its alumni giving rate. The higher the alum giving rate the more pleased the school's grads are with their alma mater.</p>
<p>U.S. News & World Report reports that only 28% of the Richmond alums donated to the school during the prior year. That 28% rate ranked 92d among other liberal arts colleges in the country and was significantly lower than its peer institutions.</p>
<p>Richmond's alumni giving rate lagged behind its academic peers (i) SewaneeUniversity of the South (TN), (ii) Whitman College (WA) and (iii) Occidental College (CA)..</p>
<p>US News ranks Richmond overall among liberal arts colleges tied with SewaneeUniversity of the South (TN) at #34 followed by Whitman College (WA)and Occidental College (CA).</p>
<p>SewaneeUniversity of the South had an alumni giving rate of 44%;
Whitman College alum giving rate was 46%;
Occidental College (CA) alumni giving rate was 45%;
- all significantly higher than Richmond's 28% alumni giving rate.</p>
<p>otis, I think you'll find, if you know anything about the school, that the alumni (myself included), stopped giving to the school as a way to show their displeasure with the former administration. Prior to Dr. Cooper becoming president at UR in '98, alumni giving was in the high 30's, low 40's. In fact, the almuni put enough pressure on Dr. Cooper for many of his actions while president, that he elected to resign and on July 1, Dr. Ayers became UR's president. I think you'll see alumni donations steadily increase with him at the helm. Additionally, UR has never been very good at soliciting donations from alumni, primarily because they've been able to rely on just a few wealthy families to sustain the school. Over the past 10 years or so, they've realized how beneficial it is to have more alumni give, even if it's only a few dollars a year. This year's senior class had a giving rate of over 70%. The previous year's class had over 60%. The senior gift program is a new initiative to get the students in the practice of giving back and I think you'll see this also increase the number of donors. If you want to take a look at a superficial level, yes, UR's rate is poor, but if dig a little deeper, you'll see there are great reasons for it and many of those have been changed, so UR will get back to its peer institutions and hopefully the young alumni can be an example for the older alums.</p>
<p>As spider05 points out alumni giving, while a measure, is not always a good indicator of satisfaction. The spectrum of alumni spans 50 years and tends to be a trailing indicator for schools on the rise or on the decline. Endowment is another measure, albeit an imperfect one as well. Richmond is ranked quite high in total endowment and per student endowment (top 25).</p>
<p>59th on the National University List is a good score. For starters, the National Universities list lists schools that are more well known. Secondly, UGA comes in at 20th when ranked amongst publics which is very respectable.</p>
<p>I come to this site to share my opinions about Richmond because I was once misled into believing something about the school that just isn't true. It is not a GREAT school. It's just a school. Some folks know about it and think highly of it, but it won't blow any one out of the water. Other schools, particularly large publics like UGA, have so many more opportunities available to the student body that it really is incredible. Combined with lower expenses and a higher quality of life while in college it makes it a no-brainer.</p>
<p>In short, 59 on national list > 40 on seldom-read LAC list.</p>
<p>Pathetic spin job, but whatever makes you happy. "seldom-read LAC list." Haha. </p>
<p>I don't think you were misled at all. You didn't do your due diligence when it come to selecting a school and that is no one's fault but your own. The more you trash UR, especially after your arguments are rebuked, the worse you look.</p>
<p>To my credit, UR made no effort to help with the education process. It is not entirely uncommon for a high school senior to have little perspective and understanding of "the bigger picture." That said, there was certainly more that I could do.</p>
<p>Also, you're not rebuking my arguments at all. You said I had a pathetic spin-job. Let's talk about real jobs. If you went to UGA and worked the same, played the same, studied the same, etc. you'd probably end up with better job opportunities, have more fun, and be a more involved rounded person at graduation. For me this is exactly what has happened. Going to a public school completely transformed my life for the better. Richmond was an isolating, enclosed experience that was stunting my growth. I'll concede some may like it, but in case there's someone out there reading this that might have been in my shoes where they were a little nervous to go to the big school campus and maybe wanted a more secure environment to study in - THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT RICHMOND.</p>