University of Richmond Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Kevin

I have experienced numerous amoung of racial issues from being called a nigger to the hanging of a black doll. I am the type of person who will not crack under these circumstance, quite frankly it makes me stronger. A minority student would feel out of place at Richmond. Most students wear prep type clothing, meaning polos, colorful sundresses, and northface. Different types of students interact, but it is not an everyday thing unless it is the same people. You will not see campus-wide interactions between different types of students. One table you have the athletes which generally is integrated, one is the frats which are all white, one the sororites which are mostly all white, and the last one can be either an all black or an all white table, take your pick. You rarely see a mixed table other than the football and basketball tables. The majority are rich financial backgrounds. I am really not sure how politically active they are.

Alex

While you will find some preppy boys and girls on campus wearing polos, madras shorts, sun dresses, and Rainbow sandals, most students wear jeans a a T-shirt to class or gym clothes. Most students work out on a regular basis because our gym is so nice. It has really convenient hours (6am-12 midnight), and tons of machines. There is also racquet courts, basketball courts, a swimming pool, tons of cardio classes, an indoor track, and a co-ed sauna. Most Richmond students come from the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York area. But you can find students from all over the United States and from other parts of the world too.

Jeff

At first glance Richmond seems to have a very homogenous student body. But once you get past the very visible preppy crowds, you can find people of every kind. You can get away with wearing just about anything to class short of all-black goth attire, which is just about the only kind of person that would truly feel out of place at Richmond. Students definitely have their own groups of friends who they hang out with primarily, but most people here are very friendly, and its very easy to make new friends and to hang out with groups of people you probably wouldn't have in high school. Unfortunately there is very little race interaction on campus. There is no animosty between any racial groups, but everyone seems to be more comfortable hanging out with people they can easily identify with. Everyone here is very intelligent and in depth discussions on complex topics are not uncommon.

Mel

Politically speaking, most of the campus seems pretty apathetic. If forced to choose, they would probably choose a moderate-to-conservative stance. Political students do exist here (I'm one of them), though it can be a frustrating climate for activists sometimes. The LGBT scene is scant. There's two gay bars in the city and they definitely have their regulars. There's more gay men on campus than there are lesbians, and all of the queer kids band together. The racial divide can be quite evident, and a few incidents that happened on campus during hte 07-08 school year proved how ignorant, and possibly hateful, some people can be. On Halloween, a student dressed in blackface; in the spring, someone hanged a black doll in the theatre department with the message, "Art is dead! Long live art!" These incidents were handled well by the administration; President Ayers issued statements explaining why these were offensive, since those who did it didn't seem to understand the history that follows those acts. The student body also pulled together; a new group called "UR Concerned: Spiders for a More Inclusive Campus" started and has been working towards creating awareness around the racial issues on our campus.

Kaitlin

The campus is extremely homogenous. Generally students are white, well-off, and wear polo on a daily basis. Anyone who is a "hippie" type or an intellectual will probably feel out of place at Richmond. Girls generally dress up for class, in the warmer weather, they typically wear dresses around campus. In the winter, UGGS, the latest expensive designer, and JCrew are staples. Boys can generally get away with deisel jeans, or polo pants, with a t-shirt or lacoste/polo shirt. Students at Richmond generally stick to their own social groups and do not really intermingle. Like the movie Mean Girls, certain social groups have their typical place in dhall. Even though Richmond is located in the capital of the Confederacy, most students are from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, basically anywhere up North. Most students here are rather conservative, though they do not actively support any causes whatsoever.

Fred

There is diversity on campus despite the rumors. I feel that Richmond has a place for everyone. Many students wear "preppy" clothes to class. Many students are wealthy and from the northeast although this is changing. The students are politically aware and lean slightly to the right.

Colin

At Richmond the white, upper class portion of the socio-economic scale is definately the most prominent. I think that, for many minority students, it's a little disconcerting during the first few weeks. However, I've got many friends who aren't white or upper class. My friend, who happens to be African American, told me that during orientation he thought he would hate it here because he felt out of place. After the first week, however, he felt comfortable and happy. Different types of students deffinately interact on campus. It's not a matter of excluding people based on looks or anything, I think groups here are formed on interests and personalities.

Kate

The best word to use to describe Richmond students is involved. We all take part in numerous activites and extracurriculars and love to have lots to do. There are at least 250 student organizations on campus, and the average student is involved in at least 3 of these at any one time. Students at Richmond are generally preppy and dress nicely to class. A fair amount of us are from the Northeast and come from predominately middle to upper-middle class familes. We are more conservative than the average college campus, but very moderate on the political spectrum.

Rory

The student body is not the most diverse I've ever seen, but also not the least. The majority of people that you will see when walking around campus are preppy, white, upper-middle class kids. This is not to say that there is no diversity what-so-ever...there is. The racial percentages are not much worse than any of the other colleges that I looked at as a high school senior. There is definitely an LGBT community on campus. One of the things that took me a little getting used to was what people wear to class. It would be completely normal to wear a sundress, high heels, and pearls to class. A t-shirt and jeans...not as much. Most of the boys here wear button down shirts and nice pants or shorts--khakis, vineyard vines, etc. However, the more I got used to campus, the more I started wearing jeans and t-shirts to class. It's not like you'll be judged or ridiculed for not wearing a sundress, everyone just likes to look their best for class. It's actually kind of nice.

Kathleen

preppy and most come from fortunate backgrounds, but so easy to get along with and find your crowd

Michael

On the whole, I have come to admire my peers. As a freshman, my friends have told me they speak five languages, had full rides to Harvard, lived in Italy for a year and currently research the AIDS virus. Most of the students are from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey so there are lots of regional identities coming together in this school. There is certainly a pressure to achieve high scores in order to make lots of money when you graduate. That pressure comes from parents, peers, and the general atmosphere.

Lee

The non-scholars are basically all from the same backgrounds, upper-middle class, white, and preppy. We have a good amount of international students and they organize some really fun activities such as socials, formals, clubs, etc. I would definitely suggest getting involved with the international students as they lively up the place a bit. In the dining hall, athletes sit in one section, frat/sorority kids in the other, non-frats on the other and then some regulars mingle. A lot of cliques and not much interaction between cliques. Most students are from the north, Jersey, PA, New York, etc.

Tim

At Richmond you are either in greek life or an athlete for the most part. There aren't a lot of independents. It is a predominantly white school and most of the students are from the North. There is some interaction between different types of students but not all that much. It is a school that favors the left side of the political spectrum but its just a slight majority, most are moderate. Most students just wear polo's everywhere and the girls where pretty much anything.

Michael

Generally a very fun bunch. Sure, there are plenty of preps, but there are also lots of other people, there's a crowd on campus for anybody.

Emmerson

non white students probably feel out of place. other than that its pretty open.

Katie

My experience with different social groups has been positive. Because we have such a strong study abroad program, our school admits a lot of international students which exposes us to many different nationalities, religions, etc. Within the classroom it is great because we are able to get a much more direct account of global events - globalization is made that much more real for us. Outside of the classroom, though, it is rare to see the international group. The different social groups on campus sort of stick together. If you are involved in Greek life, it is a very plain vanilla group (which is about 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body). The other half of campus does get exposed to different social groups. My experience has always been that LGBT groups are very open and accepted, but I have heard contrary reports from peers and friends. The races on campus are very divided, not segregated, but we do not go out of our way to mix. Our campus is also very divided based upon schools that we are in. For example, the business school is considered the elite bunch who rarely interact with the Liberal Arts school. This may correlate with Greeks vs. Independents. Most Richmond students are from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There are Pennsylvania and Delaware students, but more rare is someone not from the northeast. Most students wear jeans and collared shirts, Greek shirts, etc. We dress for class. Rarely (except in the instance of the athletes) do we show up in sweat pants or pajamas. The students at University of Richmond come from middle-class or upper-middle-class. If they aren't, they act like they do. I'd say that 70-80{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our campus is not politically aware. Those that are, are the very left-wing and the very right-wing parties. Everyone else stays quiet. Everyone in the business school is very open and frank about the fact that we'll be banking millions one day.

John

Apathy reigns. I'm quite happy we don't really care much about sports here- obsessive sports enthusiasm wrecked my high school. The general level of intelligence is quite high, which was a very pleasant change from high school, and overall people are pretty decent. Just don't be an ass and you'll be ok.

Lauren

Students often criticize Richmond for being too homogenous, but I must say those who don't "fit the mold" do a great job of making their presence known and respected. The school has been getting through some racial issues and although I can't say segregation isn't present, I think that's something just about every school suffers from. The administration and student body has made a strong commitment to combat any form of racism and prejudice. There isn't a huge LGBT community but I think any students of that type could easily find their niche. Most students are wealthy and are from the Northeast (and probably belong to a country club) but there are students from all over the country and the world. I would not say students are politically aware but rather politically apathetic. I often hear students voice political opinion or back a particular candidate but they can rarely back their opinions up. It's primarily the business students who are career and future oriented; those in the liberal arts just seem to be aimlessly floating around and will worry about the future when the time comes.

Dale

Most Richmond students dress nice to class. Everyone likes to look cute. There is some de facto segregation between black students and whites. Let me get myself straight- as far as I am concerned there is not a racism problem. I can't explain it but black students here tend to stick together (I blame the pre-oreintation program, which allows minorities to arrive on campus before the rest of the student body. Therefore, the minorities get to know eachother first and that's who they are comfortable with). It's a weird thing but to my knowledge its everyones own choice who they hang out with, no racism, but thats how it tends to be.

Jordan

No experience with those groups. They are available though. All students can find a group of their own, but the school is predominantly white. Clothes range from dressing up everyday to students who basically roll out of bed and make it to class. 1 table for greek life, 1 table for independents, 1 table for athletes, 1 table for minorities Most students are from the New England area Upper-Middle class and above Politically aware, but most not active Left/Right -- Ranges Earnings -- yes

Kelly

Richmond's student body is definitely preppy, but very motivated and passionate. We have a very activist student body who hold very different opinions. I wouldn't say the campus leans one way politically, it is pretty 50/50.

Toby

There is little diversity here. People aren't very nice either, especially if your on fraternity territory. They swarm, so watch out, don't start any fights. Black students tend to hang with blacks, whites with whites, outside of the athletic teams. While unfortunate, I can't imagine its much different than most schools. Students seem overly concerned with money and what job they will get, especially in the business school, but that's not too surprising. There seems to be a lot of sleep lost over grades so kids will get the best internships and whatnot.

AL

The following information is a generatlization for the majority of the student body, it does not describe EVERYONE by any means. However, it is an accurate representation of the majority of "typical" Richmond students. I'll be honest here. Richmond is not diverse at all. The dominent steryptypes - white, preppy, rich - consume the student body. If you don't fit in this group, you will likely feel like an outcast, to varying degrees. You'll be "weird." Most students wear sundresses, PEARLS, polo brand polo shirts, J. Crew, vineyard vines, etc clothing to class every day. They dress as if they're going on a job interview, or to a preppy new england yacht club or something. Most people are from the North. They're rich and they know it. A lot of them want you to know it, too. Most girls are thin, blonde, and beautiful (no joke). They all look the same, and dress the same. The boys are not ashamed to wear pastels, tightish pants, or the likes. "Preppy" is an understatement. Most people are not aware of money/the real world. They use their parent's credit card for everything. It is NOT by any means a lifestyle or population representative of the real world.

Shannon

I still feel like there's a big racial divide on campus. The campus is undoubtedly overwhelming Catholic/Christian, which I consider kind of a bummer. Most don't seem to be practicing, however (something important to note). I still have many friends who are Hindu. Don't know too many atheists on campus... (at least they're not out-spoken enough to be known). Most students get too dressed up for class (in my opinion). I think students who are more of the "outsider" type would feel out of place at Richmond, but I think that they should not be scared away from Richmond- there are others like them here! A lot of Richmond students come from PA, MD, CT, NY, VA, NJ, etc... aka, the north east. I'm from CA, and I've definitely met more Cali/west coaster students here than I expected to meet. Lots of internationals, which I love. There are definitely students here paying full price, but I also know a lot of students who are on practically full financial aid (though you would never know unless they told you). There are also a lot of scholarship recipients (50 full-tuition scholars out of every class). Students are as politically aware as I would like, though I think the election is changing that attitude a little bit at least on campus. I wish however, that students were more passionate about [especially] international issues, and the US's effect on the rest of the world, good and bad. Most students seem to be center-ish. There are too many crazy liberals on campus putting on protests (I would like to see that). I think everyone hopes they'll make a lot of money one day, but I've met students here who know they won't because of what they want to go into (teaching, social change, etc.).

John

the school is ont racially diverse. but there are many differnt types of personalities here. Most people are able to find a great group of friends here than seems to be continusouly expanding. Most students are intelligent and friendly however there are the exceptions.

Ale

The Student body at Richmond is highly homogeneous, consisting of mainly white, upper-middle class students. There is a sense of diversity, though, on campus, given the high number of foreign exchange students. It is common to hear more than one language on your way to class. Almost everyone studies extremely hard for their classes, knowing if they do well enough, they are almost always offered a job after graduating, whether it is through one of the many

Chris

I was talking to a friend one day as we were eating lunch and we started talking about the students here at Richmond. I asked him: "Do you think that Richmond is a very diverse campus?" She answered: "Well, everyone in my hall is actually from a different state. Not a single repeat. So yeah, I would say Richmond is a very diverse place" This is very true at Richmond. Because of it is a private school students come a variety of different states. However, There is an inherent problem in this way of thinking. Location alone does not determine diversity. While Richmond may have students from many different states, every student comes from almost identical socio-economic backgrounds. Whether they be from New York or New Jersey or Ohio, most of them come from well to do families, whom share similar upbringings and values. These similarities create a strong sense of conformity on the campus. I can tell you that after the first week at Richmond I stopped wearing solid color T-Shirts and sweatpants and went out and bought myself a few polos. If you are a minority it is even worse. You find yourself in a milky sea which everyone is painfully aware of. You may share the same socio-economic background as the majority of the students but your minority status will set you apart regardless.

Suzanne

LGBTs are generally not well-received on campus, there is no outward hatred but many do not feel comfortable coming out here. Furthermore, there are few minority students here and many of them clump together. Religious diversity is also nearly non-existent. Most students dress up for class, rarely wearing sweatpants. Most students come from a lot of money and they show it - items such as Ugg boots, North Face jackets, Vera Bradley and other 'fashionable' items are frequently seen. Few students have ever held a job, whether out of necessity or just to get experience. Most students are from New Jersey. The student body is generally apathetic - nobody really knows much or cares about politics and current events.

Chris

I like the kids for the most part.

James

The student body at the University of Richmond is comprised of white, affluent youth. They tend to be rather arrogant and ignorant. Their lack of awareness of issues outside their limited scope of life is truly staggering. These are also kids who love to drink to excess, foregoing any sort of school spirit or off-campus social or cultural activity in favor of attending essentially the exact same party they attended last week. Also, due to the tuition hike of a few years past, the office of admissions has been forced to delve deeper and deeper into their waiting list, resulting in (generally) retrograding of academic standards and general intellectual level. This is not a callous judgement on the part of this one writer but a statistic. For instance, in the two years following this hike test scores of incoming students dropped substantially from that of previous years and was even well below that of the graduating class. The mark of a growing university is that the incoming class' test scores are better than those of the graduating seniors.

Ben

most kids here are middle to upper middle class people. Black and white. Not too many asians, but they're here. People who like different kinds of things would be out of place here. Like, people aren't upper to middle class, incredibly comfortable to the point of complacency, athletic, preppy, somewhat materialistic, and fairly superficial people. Most students seem to wear clothing to class. Most people here are fairly similar, so there is little interaction between very different individuals. Politics is sort of a passing hobby for a few people here, not too big for most.

Amanda

If you don't fit the preppy Richmond stereotype, you may feel out of place. It's not unusual for people to really dress up for class...think sundresses in March. Polo shirts are popular. Pajamas and sweats are never seen in class. Most UR students are either from Virginia or from the Mid-Atlantic, and are well-off. Students tend to be more politically apathetic than aware. Racial/religious/LGBT groups tend to form cliques because it's harder for them to get accepted by the rest of the student body. The student body in general is cliquey and it's hard to make new friends after freshman year.

Jordan

Richmond is not a very diverse campus and that is probably my biggest complaint about the school. If you look around campus, it is pretty white and that frustrates me. I also think that a lot of issues though discussed in the classroom, are not out in the open on campus. I know that LGBT students have a hard time here because there is a really small support network for them. On the same note, all students here interact. I have friends in just about every social group on campus and I feel like those groups are pretty accepting. In the dining hall people are going to sit with their main friend group, maybe their sorotity, fraternity, roommates, athletic team, music group, or whatever else, but if I decided to eat with my friends who are athletes one day, no one would think twice about it. Political activity is low at Richmond. That doesnt mean we dont talk it to death though. If you want to talk politics you can ask any student on campus and they'll probably have an opinion, but the problem is, no one acts on it. With everything going on on-campus I think students sometimes forget about the bigger picture.

Kate

I have had great experiences with many of the religious groups on campus, and they have made an effort to get to know other groups on campus such as our Multicultural Student Union and New Directions. Students tend to find a group of people that they fit in with and stay there - they don't branch out too much. Right side dhall: sorority girls, frat boys Center: Athletes Left: Other (they're nice over there)

Melanie

I would say students are maybe a little more libral than a normal population but we do have a definate conservative presence on campus. I feel like there is a little bit of everything on campus. There are a lot of overachieving students, but then there are some lazy bums too. I must say there aren't a lot of "gothic/alternative" styles on campus. There are some preppy people, but its not everyone. I have a theory that there are certain people that like to sit on certain sides of dhall, if that counts, of course some people dont care, but some people have very specific preferences. Side when you first walk in: Alot of Sorority or Frats somtimes, people who are too lazy to walk farther or are waiting on a big group, a bit preppier, middle: Athletes, including club, other just middle of the road people, far side: creative quieter people. I think students assume they will make decent money one day. We don't talk that much about it.

Stephanie

During orientation week there was a lot of talk about diversity, yet we have a serious lack of it. Most students are white and from affluent families in the north. We do have an international population and some minorities, but not so much and I am one of very few students from the west coast. That said, it seems students are becoming more aware of this fact and are doing something about it. Women in Living and Learning (WILL) is a huge group on campus that works for women's rights, there are several religious groups, and those who are treated differently for whatever reason are speaking up. So far the administration has been good about listening to my concerns as an overlooked commuting undergrad. It is going to take a lot of talking/shouting and time to get things changed but they will change if those who feel overlooked/stereotyped/mistreated stand up and do something about it. Those in charge seem to care, they just need to be told what's wrong and how they can fix it. There is quite a political scene on campus as well. Even more so with the 2008 Presidential Election being this year. Most students I have talked to are moderate but there are a large number of people on either end of the spectrum. We do have active political groups like College Republicans and Young Democrats who have recently been debating issues in The Collegian.

Julia

Richmond does tend to be pretty homogenous; however, there is a real effort to get a more diverse student body and to recognize diversity of all kinds on campus. Racially Richmond is actually pretty diverse and there are also a large percentage of international students on campus. Religion wise most students are Christian of some sort and there are very few LGBTs at Richmond. Additionally, while many students are here on scholarships and there is a good variety of people in various socio-economic groups, most students at Richmond do tend to be upper-middle class or very wealthy. However, this is not to say that there aren't any people of a certain ethnicity, religion, or sexuality because I have met a large variety and diversity of people here on campus. If you look hard enough you can find any type of person you might be looking for here at Richmond. Most students wear to class jeans and, depending on the person, either a casual t-shirt of a nice top. Some students go all out even at 8:15 in the morning with dresses, cute flats, blown dry hair, and immaculate makeup, however, many students exhibit typical college kid outfits with sweats and a t-shirt. It's also common to see students in workout outfits because the gym is a hot spot on this campus and if the student is an athlete they tend to wear their warm-ups or some clothing displaying their sport. Most Richmond students are from the east coast, particularly Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. However, there are also a good percentage of international students and west coast students. It tends to be a good mix that brings together a lot of different backgrounds. Sadly many students are not politically aware or active. Richmond students tend to be very apathetic when it comes to getting involved in politics on or off campus and many students don't even know what is going on politically. Richmond does have the College Republicans and College Democrats on campus who attempt to raise awareness, however, sadly, they still lack support and many students just don't care. However, there is a good mix of republicans, moderates, and democrats on campus. Students don't talk about how much they'll earn one day. If anything, girls talk about how much their future husbands will earn! Some girls seem to come here only to marry rich and they don't really care about their education.

Rachel

One good thing about Richmond is the diversity. In the course of one day, I seldom go without hearing more than four or five different languages being spoken around me. Racial and socio-economic diversity is not as prominent as religious and personal diversity on campus, but on the whole, we are a pretty diverse group of students. I think Richmond uses that to market itself, in a way. But as diverse as we are, people who are similar to each other tend to stick together. The international students, the art students, the athletes - they all have one thing in common: they stick together. Different types of students don't interact as much as I'd like to see us interact. I think the lack of interaction helps put a wall up that prevents the feeling of community on campus, which we are seriously lacking. Most students at Richmond are from the east coast, either from Virginia itself or somewhere in the East. Of course, there are international students and plenty of students from all over the country, but I would say they only constitute half of the student body while the other half are from more local places. Political awareness on campus is much higher than some other campuses I've been to. The news (which is today dominated by the Presidential race) is continuously on tv at the dining hall. However, diversity in the political realm is lacking. Most students tend to be Democratic, liberal, or center- to left-wing. Either that, or the conservatives and Republicans feel so outnumbered they are afraid to identify themselves.

Kristen

Not a very diverse campus, but made worse by the fact that it feels racially-divded. Richmond spends a lot of time talking about cultural acceptance, but in the end all it does is create more tension. One of the biggest issues I have is with Pre-Orientation, when all minority and international students are invited to move in a week earlier than other students. I feel that this causes many problems because the minority students all make friends with eachother during pre-orientation and then don't branch out once the other students arrive for regular orientation. This only causes more separation between races. The typical Richmond student is a rich, preppy white kid. Let's just say popped collars are big.

Quinn

There isn't too much diversity here. I know the university tries very hard to make it diverse but there are just some forces that exist that are preventing diversity from happening. Most of the kids are from white, upper middle class to high class families. Lots of them drive brand new, expensive cars, have multiple siblings, and live in large, suburban houses. The girls tend to dress nicely to go to class, meaning their Lacoste or J. Crew sweaters, jeans tucked into high-heeled boots, and pearl necklaces. I usually see guys wearing jeans and button-up shirts, but a significant minority like to wear khaki pants. I also see a bunch of guys wearing peach or pink pants every once in a while. I'd say most of the students come from New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. I think there's a significant political following here, too. There are a few die-hard activists out there, as well as the Young Democrats and College Republicans clubs. I think both political parties are equally well-represented on campus.

Mary

Religious groups like Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, the chaplaincy, etc. are undervalued. If you participate in them, you are not considered "cool" by the Greek half of campus. There are not many black people in the general fraternities and sororities. There is not much racial mixing. Students will dress up for class. Students will dress up all the time. It doesn't make sense. Why are you trying to be sexy in the library?? Honestly! People wear polos, button downs, Ralph Lauren and JCrew sweaters, headbands, you name it. Some newbie will come to class in pajamas and they will be shunned until they straighten their hair and put on some makeup for their 8:15 because what ungodly creature wouldn't. This is not a very politically active campus. If you had to divide the dining hall into groups it would work like so. The Right side has fraternities, sororities and the hopefuls of said groups. Since the big tables are over on this side, occasionally a club will take over a big table. The middle has jocks, internationals, jokers. The right side has arts and sciences students, people who have no one to sit with, visitors to campus. Exchange students just sit anywhere because they don't recognize boundaries. If you try to sit somewhere else with your group of friends then normal, they will likely get all confused.

Dylan

Racial, religious, LGBT, Socio-economic... I could write about this forever. This campus is "whitewashed" and the black people on campus bond and stick together. Even the ones that came from predominately white schools who don't care are forced to be friends with all the other black people because then they would be disowned as a black person. There was a racial problem last semester where a bunch of people thought a friend of mine had depicted a black woman being lynched which was SO WRONG. It's very tense on campus. in terms of LGBT. Nobody cares about that. There are LGBT's and nothing really happens to them and they don't get crap. In terms of socio-economic, well, we have divisions. It's called greek life and those without enough money to afford greek life. But then again it's also those that want to fit in and make tons of money and those that don't care as much and are on scholarship here. If you were not a lover of polo, pearls, aka the preppy look. If you want to make a difference in your life. If you aren't really attractive and skinny. If you aren't from a private school or NJ or outside NYC ... you will feel left out. To class students are dressed up. As a friend of mine and I commented... we have learned how to casually wear a dress. We look good for each class. No PJ's and you must shower everyday. Different types of students interact to get a grade for a class... outside that they may interact while they're drunk. Four tables: First table: This table would be located on the right side of the dinning hall. Here it would contain classic richmonders. Greek life loving, private schoolers. Second table: This table would be in the middle of the dining hall. It would contain the atheletic kids who are on one of the many collegiate teams we have. Third Table: This table would also be located in the middle but nearer to one corner. This table would have all Black students with a few football players because the area where the football players eat and the black kids eat is the same. Fourth table: this table would be on the left side of Dhall and would contain either internationals, normal people (intellectuals), or IV (the largest christian group on campus) kids, or a combination. The left is also where the professors eat. Most Richmond students are from NEW JERSEY!!!!!!!!! Therefore I hate it here because I'm from NY and people from NY hate people from NJ. Financial Backgrounds: Well, wealthy... Politically active? let's just say I met someone at a pro-choice lobby day who was amazed that we were there because she had gone to Richmond only 5 years prior and it was not politically active at all. I would say it is predominantly apathetic. yes, students talk about the money they are looking to make.

Becky

Richmond is definitely a predominantly "preppy" school, and everyone is usually very well dressed and put together. Coming here from a hippie town in Oregon was a small shock to my system last year, I'll admit - I certainly wasn't used to girls wearing sundresses to class and found it silly that they chose to teeter on heels while traversing the cobblestone hills on campus. I was also introduced to the phenomenon of Vera Bradley, (which has after many years finally trickled over to the West Coast, as I discovered over Winter Break) which no Richmond girl can be without and a vast array of which lines the shelves in our campus bookstore. The impression I have of the student body is predominantly white, Christian, and wealthy - yes, a little on the homogenous side. There is a significant population of international students, who are great people to hang out with, but there seems to be an unspoken segregation between the different cultural groups on campus, which isn't necessarily the fault of any one group. In terms of religion, the University has a Christian chapel and the students most active in their faith are Christian, but there is also a specific "Interfaith" room for the use of several different religious groups in their services, which have followings as well. Politically, I feel there is a good balance between liberal and conservative students, and that students are politically aware and involved - in a polite sort of way, and never through anything too demonstrative.