Hey, I’m an international student currently polishing my university list and I was wondering if anyone could give me an insight into these universities and their “vibe”.
For context I plan to apply to Health Science major which is why I’m considering these schools.
I’ve heard that diversity at UR is not great and social life seems to revolve around greek life. I’m kind of worried about this but I really love their Healthcare Studies major.
As for Brandeis I’m also interested in their health major and really like the location. I don’t really have a problem with the following but I was wondering whether I would feel left out given that this is traditionally a Jewish school and I’m not Jewish.
I know that what I’ve mentioned aren’t necessarily the most important reasons to remove a school from my list but I would really like to know your opinions.
Our son is a sophomore is a sophomore at Richmond. The only input I can give to you about Brandeis is the campus.
Richmond does have Greek Life and it is definitely part of the school but not nearly as much as certain other colleges. There are no residential Frats or Soriotorities at Richmond. One of the reasons our son chose Richmond was that Frats were present but not overwhelming.
There is also a fair size prescense of international students. When we took our campus visit we ate lunch in the dining hall and sat at at a table with students from four different European countries. In my opinion you would not feel out of place as an International Student at Richmond.
As far as the campus itself Richmond is beautiful and meticously maintained. The Brandeis Campus is a bit of an aquired taste. Both campuses are in the suburbs. You are closer to the city of Richmond than you are at Brandeis compared to Boston. Richmond is smaller than Boston and not as diverse but stll has a good deal to offer. As far as Richmond goes I would not cross it off my list.
Emphasis on the train line. You can get to and from Boston on your own via public transit. Richmond is only accessible by car and even then, you have to be fairly targeted about where it is you want to go.
Check the common data set for Brandeis. I believe only about 1/3 of students are Jewish. I think that as an international student, you may be happier with the intellectual and cultural life at Brandeis.
I have heard there is public transportation form UR to downtown Richmond but I don’t have a link to prove it. This page on the UR site doesn’t mention public transportation but says there is a “free and easy shuttle” that carries students back and forth from campus to downtown.
EDIT: Directions - Visit Campus - University of Richmond
Actually, this page, also on the UR site, says " GRTC’s bus 75 is a 20-minute ride from campus to Willow Lawn, with a stop at St. Mary’s hospital. GRTC Bus 75 runs every 30 minutes during peaks hours from 6 a.m.–9 a.m., and from 4 p.m.–6:30 p.m."
It also mentions another option.
Link isn’t working. Try Google Maps directions University of Richmond to Convention Center Downtown and chose train icon. 77 Bus to 3B bus about 50 minutes.
Brandeis is not a “Jewish” university. In general, there are no Jewish universities in the way that, say, Georgetown is Catholic. No religious requirement, nothing Jewish in the curriculum. Jews are also not the majority of the students, around 34% (Tulane has a higher proportion).
The only Jewish university which is an actual university is Yeshiva University.
Hey! Thank you so much!
I plan to go to medical school. I know how hard it is for international students and I’m aware that only a few medical schools accept applications from non US citizens. I also know that the acceptance rate is extremely low but it’s a challenge I’m willing to take.
that’s what I thought. In which case, you could attend any US college, and major in any liberal arts curriculum. Do not major in pre-health or something similar; med schools prefer a traditional liberal arts curriculum.
But note, it is nearly impossible to be accpeted into a US med school as an International. So that is not a reasonable expectation.
Biology Sciences are the top area of study to get into Medical School. Also Liberal Arts studies. You should not focus on Health Science if your goal is to get into medical school. Getting a high undergrad GPA and scoring well on your MCATs are key factors. I would suggest looking at schools with strong programs in Biology and then finding one that would be a fit for you personally.
Brandeis certainly has a strong program in Biology and Richmond is top-ranked in Liberal Arts so both schools are good choices. I would be happy to give you more advice if you need it.
What would be helpful is to provide your academic stats. Based on the stats to determine what schools are reaches, range schools, and safety schools. Also what type of budget that you have. It sounds like you want a school with good diversity and is not dominated by Greek Life. You can start building a list based on these criteria. I would try to do the right away to give you amole time.
