<p>I think one of the most interesting things about the demographics at UR is the percentage of students that are from the Mid atlantic states and points north. Wonder why there is not more pull from the south?</p>
<p>For a school similar in model to schools like Wake Forest, why is the geographic distribution weighted so heavily north?Wake seems to have a more balanced spread</p>
<p>UR is not a household name here in NC and points south I imagine. I think some work needs to be done in nationalising its reputation, or at least building its reputation / name recognition in the southeast.</p>
<p>UR IS in the capital of the confederacy for heaven's sake!!</p>
<p>My daughter was greatly relieved to find sweet tea in the Dining hall, so all is not lost- and a few yanks must have been won over b/c the tea dispenser was completely drained on one visit!!</p>
<p>It's a very common question and the reasons are quite logical if you think about it and look at the demographics of the different regions. In most Southern states, the state legislatures have created strong incentives for students to stay in their home states for higher education. Think Hope Scholarships, Palmetto Scholarships etc. (Georgia, Louisiana, SC, FL, KY and others offer merit-based money to influence good students to stay home). While NC doesn't have a merit-aid program like this, they have a fabulous public university system at a startlingly low price plus they have 3 of the most well regarded private universities nationally. It's a hard state to crack (and the last time I checked the National Center for Educational Statistics had the highest in-state retention of students in the nation). As a result, there is very little out-of-state mobility even for excellent students throughout most of the region. </p>
<p>In the Northern/Mid-Atlantic states there are much more dense populations, higher college attendance rates and lesser investment in state university systems. So lots of the populations leave their home states to pursue higher education away from home. Historically northern students have been more inclined to see private universities as highly prestigious whereas southern populations have favored state universities with a high degree of prestige (think UVA and UNC vs. UCONN or UMASS--no disrespect to either intended). </p>
<p>At Richmond in particular I think we benefit from this trend (that is if you see these imported students as benefitting us and I do think this way) because we are within a day's drive of much of the NE corridor, we're in a "different" region of the country, which appeals to those who want a new regional experience from home, but don't want anything "too" Southern. In Richmond, they've just tip-toed into the South. From further South, people see Richmond as "North" even though the city was the capital of the CSA. Most of us don't see this as a particular point of pride and because of the baggage that it carries to all sorts of people in the present day and age, we don't talk a whole lot about that, honestly. </p>
<p>It is quite expensive to build your "brand name" in places where few are inclined towards your product and the truth is that we, in a lot of ways, have to operate like a business and look at cost-benefit of recruitment dollars. That said, we do recruit all over the South. But the base of those willing to consider leaving is a much smaller pie than up North. </p>
<p>Yes, there are still plenty of Southern elements of life at UR including sweet tea properly made! I hope that gives you a better understanding of some of the reasons for our demographic make-up that are totally out of our control. </p>
<p>great and thoughtful answer- I really had not considered many of things you brought up. Its just something I've always wondered about.</p>
<p>I brought up the the CSA capital reference not as a point of pride but rather as an interesting historical shift from when Richmond was considered the "south". Please don't misinterpret as me waving the stars and bars. </p>
<p>Thanks again for all your time and energy helping us to get clear and accurate info about UR.
GO SPIDERS!</p>
<p>I did understand your context on the stars and bars business--no worries! I thought my language might have been a bit strong too. </p>
<p>This issue is an important one that the University has (for some reason unknown to me) not done a good job in communicating to our alumni in particular. I guess there is a hesitation to admit that there are business-like decisions being made in what, for most people, should be an enterprise separate from "business" but instead all about heart and history. It is a very interesting business I will say and it is never, ever dull.</p>
<p>It's all good my friend! We'll look forward to meeting your family in August if not before!</p>
<p>we were just up for our final decision tour with an overnight-( though not at the accepted students day) So it may be in August- but when I figure out who you are, I'll introduce myself as the stars and bars poster from CC!</p>
<p>there are several professors we met with who should definitely be on the admissions staff- one was able very wonderfully to capture in words I think the essence of a liberal arts education; the other was charming and professorial, but so able to clearly answer the very specific answers we had- and he was also able to get my daughter excited about a major she had never really considered</p>
<p>These guys(! )ought to be part of your presentations!!</p>
<p>I think JBrown makes an excellent point. Being from Charlotte NC, I've wondered myself why there aren't more students from the south at UR.
I mean, down here the only thing many people know about UR is 1) it's gotta be in Richmond Va. and 2) hey, isn't that where Johnny Newman (ex Charlotte Hornet player) played college ball?</p>
<p>I'm saying this not to slam UR in any way but I'm rubbing my whiskers with JBrown as to why more folks from the South don't attend UR. I think UR Admissions did a great job helping to explain it--marketing dollars and such.
I contrast UR and Duke, my alma mater, by remembering that Duke has always tried to pull from the South. Decades ago, they really tried to pull from the South first, then used their strength to recruit northwards. It seems that UR has done a similar thing yet in the opposite direction. There's nothing wrong with that. But it is time for southern kids to know what a great school UR seems to be. </p>
<p>There is one dynamic at work (and someone mentioned it in a previous post): Many people in the South don't think of Richmond as being a southern town. I know: it sounds strange the higher your latitude. But it's true. A lot of people--including many North Carolinians--believe the South starts in NC. More precisely, the South begins somewhere in the middle of Virginia because any town far north enough to be near D.C. is basically a northern town. Hence, Richmond--the capital of the confederacy--is a northern town. </p>
<p>UR Admissions makes really good points about N.C. However, there are a number of people in NC disappointed with their alma maters in the state. My brother, an alumnus of Wake Forest told me last week of his unhappiness with his alma mater. He said "Duke wants to be Yale; Wake wants to be Duke; Richmond wants to be Wake. Why can't anyone just be the best Duke, Wake or Richmond they can be?" I'm not sure he's right about UR, but he's right about Duke and Wake. My wife, a UNC alumna, is not too happy with her alma mater: it seems to her that the "best value for the money in the nation" thing has gotten to their heads. Long story short is this: if the new President of UR works at making UR the best UR it can be then there should be more of a market for UR in NC than has been previously. Plus, more kids want to go to school out of state nowadays than when I went to college. I think UR has a real potential market in N.C. in the near future. Of course, their "Richmond in Reach" program helps a lot too. </p>
<p>We visited the UR campus last Saturday and it was a gorgeous day. I hope and think that it helped my undecided daughter to lean more toward UR. Her other first choice is in the Boston area. I really don't think she realizes that 30 degrees in Charlotte is not the same as 30 degrees in Boston and that the snow she gets in Richmond will be welcome because it won't hang around forever.</p>