Why UoR?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Richmond
1

<p>Daughter is a junior in high school and deep into her college searches. She's has a teacher/mentor that is a Richmond graduate. My know of Richmond is from the early 80's when my fiance' was a student who graduated in '83. Beautiful campus, great academics. However, during the preppy handbook era, the school was filled with Izods, button downs, and kakhis. Can current, former students, and those who are applying, give me some insight why you are looking at UoR? Also, some stats would help.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!!</p>

2

<p>Oh sure. Preppy, Izods and their successors, lots of colored shirts, still a magnificent campus, good academics, khakis, button downs, lots of cool cars in the lot. A good, attractive place where the reputation lags its reality and its competitors'. They definitely overhype the scholarship thing to the point of being open to false advertising, imo. Don't hold your breath waiting for the check in the mail. But a lovely, good place, for sure, whose reputation and performance would seem to lag its endowment and tuition. They're both astronomical.</p>

3

<p>My dad also attended Richmond for his freshman year '80-'81. I've heard the same things from him. He loved it there. Beautiful campus, great academics, but also swarming with the preppiest and richest. Unfortunately, my dad wasn't one of the richest, (or the preppiest for that matter, but that's irrelevant,) and he was forced to attend another school when there was a problem with his financial aid info being turned in too late for sophomore year.</p>

<p>My dad was the one who turned me onto Richmond my sophomore year of high school, which was the first time I saw the campus. I thought it was gorgeous, and when I was more serious about the college search, I went back and visited again the summer before my senior year (this past summer). I was again very impressed, but because I also had a pending William & Mary visit the next day, I was sort of distracted because I was so convinced W&M was a perfect fit for me.</p>

<p>However, once it occured to me how difficult OOS female admissions are at W&M, I decided falling in love with another school too would be definitely beneficial to avoid disappointment later. So, I read into and looked more and more into Richmond and started to like it more and more. The campus, the size, the academics, the location, everything is pretty wonderful.</p>

<p>The only downfall was when I got excited to be picked as a semi-finalist for Richmond Scholars and then did not move on to the next round, which wouldn't have been such a big deal if I had not also been informed that I will now recieve NO merit money whatsoever. With the huge sticker price, I'm going to need a pretty generous aid package to be able to attend. So yes, Whistle Pig, I agree with you that too many people get their hopes up about the scholarships when really there are not that many available, but I'm not sure if it's so much false advertising as it is too much self confidence. I'm guilty of that, too, though.</p>

<p>Anyway, I have already been accepted to Richmond. If I get rejected from W&M, Richmond will be my new home, unless aid ends up being awful. If I get accepted to W&M, it will be my new home, unless aid ends up being awful. Sadly, if I would have recieved even a little merit money from Richmond, it probably would have moved up to be my first choice in a heartbeat.</p>

4

<p>I am a current sophomore at UR, so here's a bit of my insight, from when I was college searching and from my time here. First, here are my stats (or pretty close...two years out and I'm fuzzy already...)</p>

<p>White female from NJ
GPA: 96ish, unweighted.
SAT: 2100
National Merit Commended Scholar
Editor in Chief of school newspaper and literary magazine
State-ranked competitive horseback rider
Part-time job since the end of my sophomore year, between 10 and 20 hours a week
Around 100 hours of community service at my stable
Various academic awards--honor roll, testamur, whatever the NJ Governor's award is, a few art contest awards (no wins)...
(for such a long application when you're filling it out, it really can be summarized quite briefly...)</p>

<p>Why did I look at Richmond?
I'm a big researcher, and on every search I did, Richmond came up as a close match. I wanted to be in the South (I was born in Richmond, actually). My stats were very close to those of the rest of the student body. It looked gorgeous, the academics sounded great, it offered the majors I wanted and had a great theater program. The student-teacher ratio was great. --- All of this got me to visit...and when I visited, it was just breathtaking, even though it was under construction.</p>

<p>The beauty factor of Richmond is undeniable. There's this phenomenon I call the "Richmond day"--warm weather, no humidity, slight breeze, gorgeous blue skies. Absolute perfection. It happens quite frequently too, which is lovely :)</p>

<p>So I applied, and I got in. I actually chose Richmond because it was the only coed school that I applied to, and I decided that I really didn't want to go to an all-girls school. So here I am. </p>

<p>And now that I'm here, I love most of it. The academics are wonderful. I'm an English major, but I've taken classes in quite a few different departments, and I've yet to be disappointed in material or professor. There's an astounding number of extracurriculars, and a lot of them are really active, which is wonderful. I don't drink, so I'm not in the party scene at all, but I've found my own niche and my own sets of friends, and I've found that not drinking isn't a problem in terms of my social life. The food is good. It does get repetitive, but they are actively working on that. And the desserts are fabulous. </p>

<p>There's a lot I can tell you, so if you have specific questions, please ask. I'm sure the other Spiders will be here soon to chime in, too.</p>

5

<p>Apart from what people have said above, UR is perfect for me in terms of size. Its not VERY big and not too small either. </p>

<p>I want to experience Greek Life, be a UR Rowdie etc etc. UR signifies true college experience for me.</p>

6

<p>Thanks, everyone that posted thus far. Good luck with W&M, kelli....my other daughter is a freshman there and loves it. She couldn't be happier. But we are VA residents so easier admission. Would be great if both girls wanted to attend the same school but not their desire.</p>

<p>She's also wants to major in English, URichmond2010. Not a partier so wondered how she'd fit. When I was on the campus, frats were the main source of parties. Some of the best times of my youth!</p>

7

<p>momray: American Pie style eh? :)</p>

8

<p>Animal House, maybe?? :eek: :cool:</p>

<p>"7 years, down the drain!"
Blutarski</p>

9

<p>Whistle Pig beat me to it....was going to state more Animal House than American Pie! Toga parties reigned. Of course, legal age for beer drinking in those days in VA, was 18. One particular frat, roof diving was a huge past time.</p>

10

<p>"Toga, toga, toga ..." :cool:</p>

<p>And now it's ....</p>

<p>"Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end ..." :(</p>

11

<p>Why don't you guys organize an 'after college' frat and throw a toga party :D :p</p>

12

<p>A fact called growing up, ajayc. Memories suffice now. Family, real world takes precedence over drunken debauchery!</p>

13

<p>Well as they say, everyone has a kid inside them an...ok I'll shut up.</p>

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<p>Don't get too nostalgic! They still have their toga parties :P</p>

15

<p>I believe that's ... :p</p>

16

<p> Toga! Toga! Toga! Toga! Toga!</p>

17

<p>That's the spirit!!! :cool:</p>

<p>Blutarski lives! I think he changed his name to Clinton and ran for president. :confused:</p>

18

<p>There goes toga..</p>