Hi, I am a prospective student who is interested in Richmond. I went to visit the school recently and was happy with the results. However, I still have a few questions. The information that shocked me was that Richmond had only 3,000 students. I was not planning on looking at such a small school, but the advantages of Richmond are impossible to ignore. How do you feel about the small size of the school? Does it attract you? Besides the intimacy with the professors, what other advantages are there? Also, with such low numbers and not the greatest sports, I have to ask: how is the school spirit in terms of the school overall and the sports teams?
Im not sure why you think our sports are “not the greatest”; we are division 1 (it is very difficult to “walk-on” to sports here). There is a lot of school spirit here, although not all of it is centered around sports.
Advantages of the small school size include a better sense of community, more interconnected social life, and more personalized programs. You get to know the other students in your major(s) very well because it is very likely that you’ll be taking much of the same courses as them.
Thanks so much! That is great to hear. I have one more question. Do many people head out to the city of Richmond on the weekends due to the close proximity?
Sometimes- it depends on what crowd you hang out with. That tends to be more of a upperclassmen thing (because of transportation). But we do have a shuttle on friday and saturdays called the hop which you can take. You can see its route here: http://transportation.richmond.edu/bus-shuttle/the-hop.pdf
I am an alumnus. UR basketball is exciting to watch so I guess it depends on what you’re looking for and what you get excited about. I’m very outgoing and could probably talk to a rock so I can have fun any place. Some people go to the city on the weekends but I agree, it depends on your group of friends as to what you’ll end up doing. I loved staying on campus.
We are 15 minutes from downtown and we have living/learning communities/dorms so you should check them out.
Honestly, if you’re an outgoing person, you can create your won fun any time, anywhere.
I have friends who went to the large schools because of sports and were miserable. I think of it this way: If you like big time sports, watch that team on TV or go to one of the games. When it comes to academics and your education, pick the school that is really going to take you places.
UR offers so many intangibles that I cannot express it in a post. What I will say is that the professors are amazing and the students are some of the most intelligent, interesting folks around. They balance education with having a social life and while we’re small, we have a lot of fun on the weekends. You’ll never find such a close-knit group of students.
The classes are small so you’ll be able to interact with your classmates and professors a whole lot. Some professors will even invite the class to their house for a meal which is very cool. We have access to some of the best facilities and every student gets $4000 for a research/internship opportunity.
While it is a private school, most students go cheaper than they could have gone at a public school. My 4 years was an amazing experience. Most of my non-UR friends were jealous.
BTW, I’m not sure if you’re in CT but I had a friend from Taft HS. He loved it here. He loved it so much that he lives here now.
Thanks a lot everyone! My questions were answered well and covered my concerns with the school.