University of Richmond Top Questions

There is not a lot that goes on here other than academics. The party life is nothing special.

The best thing about Richmond in my opinion is football because that is the only thing that keeps me sane here other than my friends. If I could change something here it would be to make people more open minded to others instead of holding pre-perceptions of people without even knowing them as people. In comparison to other school Richmond os considered a small school, but I think it's just right. The fact that I am black people who do not know me generally ask do I play a sport which pisses me off because they feel that is the only way that I could possible be at a prestigous school. Richmond's administration reflects the student population which is majority white which comes with the same racial problems. The biggest recent controversy was the hanging of a black doll in a theatre classroom which the richmond administration tried to cover-up. They discovered it and waited three and a half weeks before they notified the students of what happened in means for the students to be passive about the event which angers me beyond measure. Hell no there is no school pride, students here are stuck up rich kids who take pride in drinking and partying. The have more spirit for alcoholic beverages than their own school and sports teams. The unusual thing about Richmond is the lack of support for athletics. I will always remember the first time I was called a nigger at the University of Richmond and how I almost destroyed the lives of a couple students with the thought to hospitalize them. The most frequent student complaints have been directed at the administration for the lack of ability to handle situations on-campus such as the hanging doll incident. Minorities especially black kids on this campus have lost trust in our head officials do to their passive approaches to all the racial incidents that have occured on this campus. No one gets punished and the president write e-mails to everyone talking about his sadness and how we as a community need to grow and learn from these events. I say that is bullshit some action needs to be taken so kids commiting these racist acts know it will not be tolerated. It does not take a genius to understand that if someone does something and gets away with it, someone will try to do the same thing. Our administration lacks the strength and will to want to create change here and that is what pisses me off being an person of color at this school. I do personally feel white people do not want black people here. I will sat that all white people here have not been snobbish; I have a numerous amount of white friends. Due to me being a ver social person with an open and fun personality, I mesh well with generally everyone, but others who do not step outside their boundaries remain sheltered from other students. I question my choice of accepting my scholarship here due to the resentment of people here, but I hold me head high everyday to let them know I will continue to strive for success no matter how hard they try to hold me back. I will achieve what I came here to do with or wothout them resentment.

The best thing about Richmond is the campus. It's the most beautiful college campus I have ever seen. No matter what season it is, I always stop and just think, "I can't believe I go here. It's gorgeous". The lake is a great central feature of campus with a bridge on one side and the Commons on the other. Richmond is a small-sized college but so far I don't think it's too small. I like walking to class and seeing familiar faces. Small class sizes (20 students or less) are conducive to learning, make class participation not seem so scary, and helps form better relationships with teachers so going to them for extra help isn't intimidating.

The best thing about Richmond is the small size. You really get to know people, and when you meet someone, you can rest assured that you will run into them again. That said, the small size can sometimes make you feel like your social options are limited, but in the end you can have fun no matter what. The campus is in the suburbs outside of Richmond city proper, which can be kind of annoying if you don't have a car, but you'll probably have friends who do and then can go and do all kinds of fun stuff in the city. The campus itself is breathtakingly beautiful, it's truly a pleasure to walk to class during the fall and spring months. There doesn't seem to be much school pride, which is one of the few things I would like to see change here. We have a fantastic dining hall with reasonable hours from 7 in the morning to 8 at night, as well as a fast food restaurant and a pub that's open every night until midnight or one o'clock.

UR is a good size; there's enough people to meet someone new every weekend. Of course, it's so small that you're guarenteed to see that person in d-hall on Monday, and more times than not, that person will pretend that you two didn't bond over a can of Beast in the back room of one of the apartments last Friday night. The social scene can be pretty weird. The city of Richmond is pretty cool, but most students only go to the city to visit the bars. UR is trying to make transportation into the city, but it's still a lot easier to do anything if you have a car. When meeting people from the city or students from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), you need to be cautious before saying you're from UR. They automatically assume that you're going to be a pompous jerk. The most recent controversy that got people really fired up was over sidewalk chalk in the Forum (a big brick circle in the middle of campus). The school could have charged some first-year guys with vandalism, but instead sentenced them to six hours of community service--and the student body couldn't believe that they were punished at all. Because of that incidence, we are now allowed to use chalk in the Forum, and those of us who spend our days being outraged about things that matter are shaking our heads in disbelief.

Richmond is generally small, if you've done something embarassing over the weekend, people are going to hear about it. On the plus side, the small campus makes for small class sizes which is really beneficial for student-teacher relations. Richmond social life is also pretty centered around the fraternities and sororities. If you choose to be in a sorority, those girls will be your only friends, and you will only hang out with frat guys. Most of my time on campus i spent either in dhall, or in the library. This is not really a college town, per say, but more of a "Richmond bubble" as it is referred to. Most of a Richmond's student life will be on campus. The school pride at Richmond is, to be frank, completely lacking. This might stem from the whole having a Spider as a mascot thing, but generally it is because we are not that great at sports and do not have a football team on campus. Richmond does have a GORGEOUS campus on the plus side, making for a great time in the fall and spring.

Richmond is a great school, it is moving up and will soon be at the level of the ivy league schools. The academics are very hard, the professors are mainly very hard but very nice, they give you the oppurtunities to suceed, you just have to take advantage of them. People always seem impressed when you tell them you go to Richmond. Most people live on campus all four years and people rarely leave campus except to go to bars or clubs. The largest problem is the administration and its disdain for partying. Hopefully the school wakes up lightens up. Another problem is a lack of school spirit and the apathy of the student body. This will probably change when the oncampus football stadium is completed in 2010.

I love the size of Richmond. It may be just me, but 3,500 is just about perfect. It's just small enough to walk around campus and know a lot of the students, and professors for that matter, but just big enough to not feel like you're seeing the same people everyday, everywhere. I feel a lack of school pride when it comes to sporting events. I come from a big high school where sports were well attended and a big part of school life. At Richmond the sporting events are secondary to pretty much everything else. I'd love for more people to attend the sports games.

I am a graduate student so the best thing at Richmond for me is the opportunity I have to teach the undergraduates. I also really enjoy having great laboratory resources available at all times. Considering I am not part of the regular population, I really do not spend much time just hang around campus. I am usually in the lab or in my office.

The students at the University of Richmond are what I would consider the "well-rounded" kids. Academics are a top priority, but we are also deeply involved in numerous extracurricular activities: Greek life, volunteering, Student governments, Class councils, Sports and athletics, etc. Most students here are very content. We are always impressed with the renovations and new building projects that are being done - the new dorm, Lakeview, is absolutely amazing. It actually looks like a hotel, not a dorm. The new gym is also fabulous, and meets the students' needs of being athletically involved and fit. Richmond is just the perfect size: on your way to class, you'll recognize and say hi to a fair amount of people walking by, but at the same time, there are always lots of people to meet. At Richmond, no one is just a number. We all have a say and the administration attentively listens to student concerns. For example, students wanted to be able to write with chalk around campus, and after some controversy, the administration allowed it. My favorite part about Richmond is its location. We are not located in downtown Richmond, so we are not a city school at all. But at the same time, we are not in the middle of no where in some cornfield. The city and all of its resources are a mere 10 minute drive, and there is always something going on around the Richmond area.

The University of Richmond is a great school. It's pretty tiny (about 3,000 kids), but for me that's just right. When you walk around campus, you're greeted by happy familiar faces. And absolutely everyone holds the door for you. Most people know of Richmond for it's absolutely beautiful campus. It is gorgeous year-round. It's a quick drive to the city for clubs, concerts, food, or whatever you wish to do. One of the biggest controversies that we've had is whether or not you're allowed to draw with chalk on the bricks in the center of campus (the administration changed its policies and now you are).

great school! perfect size and the faculty is amazing and care so much and are so willing to spend extra time with you

The University of Richmond is a small liberal arts school near a relatively large city. As a small school, Richmond enjoys the relationships that can only come with personal interaction. The school has developed a system of activities and spaces for parties that includes the University Apartments and the Fraternity Lodges; however, the campus is tame compared to most secular schools. Classes are usually available for registering online and I have never had trouble getting into a class; however many of my friends have stated that popular classes like Arabic, Microeconomics and Organic Chemistry can be difficult. The city of Richmond is full of hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafes, but many students do not take advantage of this resource.

I feel that as a student-athlete, this school is really small and the attendance at sporting events is limited. Recently however, the attendance at football games has increased as they are now NCAA semi-finalists. Richmond is a very quiet, conservative, studious campus. If you are interested in a rigorous academic program with a tight nit of friends, this is your place. If you are looking for diversity, rowdiness, and lots of activities, I may look elsewhere.

There is not a lot of school Pride but everyone is very proud of the difficulty of our academics even though it stresses us out at times. I wish there were more southern kids here. On the weekends your time is spend at the lodges or in the apartments for the most part. The administration has been rather liberal in the past but the new president is from Tennessee and he's a great guy so we're excited about the direction he's going to take this university.

Richmond is a school where everyone works hard during the week and then parties hard on the weekend. There are plenty of opportunities to do just about anything. The campus is pretty isolated from any sort of off-campus stuff, you need a car to do anything that is off-campus. The administration does a good job of building stuff and providing fun programs, but if you want to join a fraternity just know that they make things harder on fraternities every year. THere has been a lot of controversy over racism, but the actual problems with racism on campus are very small, at least everyone I know is very open minded.

The best thing about Richmond is the gorgeous campus. It is really very beautiful here. If I could change one thing it would be the separate living spaces for men and women. It divides the sexes permanently and only allows us to meet in an academic setting or worse, when we are too drunk to act honorably or sensibly. The school is a little too small by the end of the four years, but I absolutely loved the sized through my Junior year. I have a feeling it feels the same for people at other schools. Richmond City is amazing! It is absolutely necessary to have a car here, though, if you want to go anywhere. It is also much more fun when you are 21 because the bars are pretty strict on IDs. There are a lot of nooks that you wouldn't otherwise find. There is not a lot of school pride. I feel like the alum network is so strong because we are such a small campus, but beyond that football tailgates and any other sporting event is seriously lacking. Hardly anyone stays at games beyond halftime and no one sports our colors. It is rare to find a true fan that tracks our sports throughout the year. Richmond has an amazing study abroad program, which was one of my favorite things I've done here. I highly recommend doing it.

I think this school is perfect. As a freshman I began to think it was too small but now I see people everywhere that I dont know and I see friendly faces everywhere too. I think a lot of the people are great and a lot of them are ridiculous and dont have perspective on the world. But then again- more than 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the students have unbelievable stories to tell from their experiences abroad. I dont know, i love it. My brother goes to school at Miami of Ohio. They have access to a small town with a couple of bars. Right next door to our quaint campus we have an unbelievably appealing, adorable, and fun young city with everything you could ever want. We get great concerts, and we are close to everything. Ive been to DC, and Charlottesville, and JMU, for any adventure you want. Theres the river and the mountains and camping- you can do anything and you are never trapped- even though its a small school.

I love the small size of Richmond because I can run into people that I know on my way to classes. I feel I am a part of the community when I see people I know and when people say hi to me. Students can get anything they need on campus, but when we do leave campus, we like going into Carrytown to get a bite to eat or to shop. Also, the Short Pump shopping center has an outdoor mall, tons of restaurants, and other stores.

It's a good place to be. The size is about right, classes are generally pretty good, it's not terribly hard to make friends, and there's a fair-sized city nearby to go out and have escapades in. "Diversity" is an omni-present buzz-word though, which gets really annoying after a while. When 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus really doesn't care all that much about race and isn't racist, it can get pretty tiring.

Everything at Richmond seems "just about right," from the size of the campus to the size of the city of Richmond to the variety of academics offered. The campus is small and can sometimes feel a little cliquey and high school-esque, but this really just enhances the sense of community on campus. Greek life is strong but not necessary for a happy social life. Non-Greeks and Greeks have plenty of interaction and parties are not exclusive. Recently the school has been struggling with racial and prejudice based issues. There were three major occurrences on campus throughout this school year but appropriate action has been taken and students have been expressing their concerns. A lot of people have gripes about the administration, and I admit sometimes they seem more concerned about moving up in the rankings rather than making students happy. School spirit could use a huge boost, but I think that has to do with the lack of a stadium on campus and the lack of a strong rival.

I can't name the best thing about Richmond- I love mostly everything. The one thing I would change would be to make dorms coed. I think the size of the school is just right, its small enough that you don't get lost in the shuffle and you always see friendly faces on your way to class. I spend most of my weekdays either in the library or in my dorm doing work. If it's a beautiful day, everyone will be working outside on the hill near the lake, at the greek theater, or tanning at the river. College town? Not really, but downtown Richmond is about 15 minutes away. There are plenty of clubs there and lots to do. The frats usually rent them out. We have a new administration that is supposed to be really great at listening to us and getting things done. The biggest recent controversy on campus was the doll incident.

School is just the right size Most time on campus is spent in the library (big social scene actually) or parties. Not really a college town -- campus is kind of in a "bubble" that just happens to be next to Richmond. The Administration is currently trying to crack down hard on partying across campus at both the apartments and the fraternity lodges. Racism has been a big controversy on campus this school year. Not too much school pride, well at least on the athletic side of things. Pig Roast is the greatest experience at Richmond, but as mentioned earlier, the Admin. is trying to take this away one piece at a time. Going abroad is also an amazing experience that 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} or so of the students experience.

The best thing about Richmond is the balance between academics and the social scene. The atmosphere here is very "work hard, play hard". I have never had a class where a professor does not know my name, and even got involved doing research as a freshman. I was able to create my own major in public health through interdisciplinary studies, and it has been one of the best things I have done here. The city of Richmond is nice, but most people tend to stay on campus because there is always so much going on. Sports are not a big deal here, so if you are looking for a school with a lot of school spirit, this school is not for you.

The school is tiny and pretty homogeneous. The students don't care about sports, so regardless of what coaches might tell you, the students don't give a damn. They won't go to your games and will treat you like outcasts as opposed to what is generally worship at other schools. The administration here is a joke. They aren't in touch with the students, and for that matter, the student government people aren't in touch with the students. The tuition here is raised every year. It costs $47,000 a year to go here now, but in reality you are paying for average to substandard student services. The food blows and there are few options on campus. Off campus options are pretty weak, but don't worry, no one leaves campus here ever anyways except to go to terrible fraternity sponsored parties downtown once or twice a semester.

It's an excellent school academically - great classes, teachers, learning environment, opportunities, atmostphere. The campus is goregous, and the weather allows you to enjoy it. People really are invested in learning and doing their work; a lot of time is spent in the library. It's a fun place, too, on the weekends. You will see friends while walking around campus, which is always nice. The administration really listens to student voices and results of hardwork are seen and rewarded. Organizations are visible, and LOTS of people participate in them. EVeryone is busy all the time - with school work, greek life, volunteering, organizations, etc. The people who fit-in LOVE richmond and wouldn't have it any other way. Most people who don't fit into the steryotype hate it.

I really like Richmond for its size. It's really not too big so that I feel like a nobody who knows nobody, nor is it too small (where you know everyone on campus and get bored). I still feel like I'm constantly meeting new, interesting (I guess sometimes not interesting too) people. So, I would say "just right". I still get tired of people staying in pretty much cut out typical groups (sorority girls with sorority girls, frats guys with frats guys, internationals with internationals, blacks with blacks, the "outsiders" with the "outsiders", etc. I wish there was more interaction between these clearly cut groups. I really like the committment of the faculty, administration, everything(!) to the students. I honestly feel so spoiled here, but it's awesome. Endless abroad, research activities... student involvement in different groups is definitely doable, there are so many events going on that I'm interested in. What I think it still lacks however is a kind of community unity feeling... I dunno, I wish people didn't stay in their rooms so much, close their doors so much... that they'd be outside more often or in a more "common area" type space just chillin'.

There is a diverse group of personalities at the university of richmond. I find that i have become friends with people that i normally would not have, all becasue i was given a geater opportunity to get to know people who were differnt than me. personlaites range from academic overachievers to hardcore partyers, but the one common thing that everone shares is that they are all positive about life.

Richmond is a small school. That said, it is not uncommon to recognize a lot of people in a given day. Academically, I love the small, intimate classes because they are filled with heated discussions where I can confidently ask questions. Socially, a lot of people feel like there are some of the same stereotypes as there were in high school. With such a close knit community, gossip travels fast, as do certain generalizations about social groups. If someone wants to rise above that, however, they can if they don't get caught up in the stereotyping.

I feel that Richmond is a very good school when it comes to it's academics. The classes are small and intimate, perfect for individual attention from professors. The classes are rigorous and there is room to groom one's potential in thier own personal academic interests. However, despite these advantages I am transferring from Richmond at the end of this year. Despite these great academic advantages I find the college atmosphere at Richmond absolutely without any school pride or spirit. From every level whether it be the activities the RA organization puts together to the variety of sporting events seems to be approached with a sense of disinterest and apathy from the student body. Few people ever show up to anything and even if they do there is never any excitement. The administration constantly yet futilely tries to engage it's own student body year after year with little sucess. The problem seems to even self perpetuate itself. Students are aware of thier own apathy towards thier school and completely give up on attending anything. Instead they find refuge behind closed doors partying and drinking, which the administration turns a blind eye to, because otherwise the students of Richmond really would have nothing else to do. Now of course on any campus you will find a few groups or individuals whom truely are proud of thier school and display it colorfully. But at Richmond this is by the far the minority.

The school is a big bubble - most people live in their own worlds and are entirely indifferent to current events or even what is going on outside of their friendship circles. The social life is dominated by Greek life and sororities and fraternities are a huge presence on campus. Students here have a lot of money and spend a lot of money. For example, at a recent event in which students were auctioned off to raise money for a cause, one student bid $3000 on another student, and most (if not all) of that money probably came from his/her father's pocket. Diversity is nearly non-existent - there are few students of other races and the black students and the international students stick together. President Ayers is amazing - he really does care about the school and the student body and is making changes to ensure that the school is making progress everyday.

the best thing about richmond is that the teachers are helpful and good people. The worst will probably be when the credit system is instituted.

To be brief, the student's best interests are not neccessarily at heart, rather an insane quest for inter-university esteem dominates.

too small. people don't know what UR is. Campus is tiny. Richmond is an ok city. Richmond admins are fine. Nothing happens here. I don't really care about this schools pride. Nothing extraordinary ever happens here, good or bad. I don't really have memorable experiences... things just happen. Students... I dunno students everywhere complain.

Most students are entirely too apathetic about world issues and life in general. The "Richmond Bubble" as the campus is called feels like a country club with it's very own Police. The University of Richmond Police are possibly one of the most ridiculous gross miss-use of students tuition in the United States. There are 18 full time police officers at UR. There are 4 marked police vehicles which are 2 brand new Dodge Rams, 1 brand new Dodge Charger, and a Crown Vic. There are also 3 unmarked cars. All of this would be nice if this were a large campus however there are only roughly 3000 students on this campus, which is not that large. The police spend there day outside smoking cigarettes and trying to bust kids for smoking pot and at night they roam around trying to catch underage drinkers. While they aren't oppressive, they are bored and bored police cause problems.

The best thing about Richmond is the amount of opportunity available despite the size. Although it's a small school, the location is wonderful for connections, and the attention from the professors really helps a student's development. One thing I would change about Richmond is the sticker price...it turns off a lot of great students who could change the face of the university. People generally have never heard of U of R if they're from my hometown, or think it's UVA. In Virginia, they are usually impressed. The city and area around the campus are wonderful, but students really don't take much advantage of all it has to offer. Richmond's administration has really changed for the better with new president Ayers, who is a lot more attentive to student needs. UR really doesn't have a lot of school spirit, even though our sports teams are Div I. A lot of people traveled to see the football team play five hours ago in the NCAA playoffs, though!

How do I summarize our school so that everyone can understand it? There are so many facets to what I do here and so many different ways to participate or be involved. The school is the perfect size for me, as a senior, I can still meet new people, but I have a huge social network. Class sizes are also great because I am actually friends with my professors. They mentor me and help me out with anything I need and I am not just a number to them, or that girl in the back of the class. When I tell people that I go to Richmond a lot of people say 'Oh, the Spiders!" I guess that is a recognition thing, but I like to tell them about all the other great stuff I do. On campus I have to say I hang out a lot in the library or the coffee shop. Our school is really academically driven and so if you want to find someone, you have a pretty good chance of doing it in the library. I also frequent the dining hall, but now that I live in an on-campus apartment, my friends and I eat most of our meals at home. The administration here can be tricky, I mean, as a whole they want to present this Ive League front because that's what they aspire to make us. But to be honest, I came here because it was a great school that wasn't an Ivy, so sometimes I get frustrated with their uptight rules or regulations. The best thing to happen to the administration since I've been here is the hiring of Dr. Ayers. He is our new President and he actually wants to be involved with students and know what we think and who we are. Dr. Ayers is an amazing addition to our school.

I'd change the way that all the focus is on senior's finding jobs. I'm planning to go to graduate school and they don't really offer much help, nor are the departments very up-to-date on what's required for some programs. I spend most of my time on campus lounging in my apartment, the library's crowded and, in my opinion, a more distracting place to do work. People are proud to go to UR, but they just don't show a lot of support for Richmond athletics. Students are so overprogrammed that when they get some free time they just want to relax.

I really like our size. Its large enough to have many opportunities available to us, but its small enough to be able to take advantage of those opportunities. I do think we need to working on ways to create closer bonds of friendship between male and female students. There are not as many co-ed activities, and residence halls are not coed. I spend a lot of time in the commons and on the Westhampton Green when its nice out. Its so beautiful and I love it. I acually was very proud of our school recently. It sounds silly, but we had a chalk controversy. A student was punished for writing inspirational messages on the brick with chalk and the school rallied to defend their freedom of speech and right to expression by filling the forum's brick with chalk sayings and pictures. It makes me happy every time I see it.

Richmond is a very small, private university. This equals small classes, a tight knit community and a lot of controversy. All of which I love yet can find something wrong with. The small classes make for a much more personal and interactive learning environment where students get to know each other, especially in your particular major. But it is difficult to get away with not actually doing any work. I guess it's up to the individual as to whether or not that's good or bad. The tight knit community is great and helps with making and keeping friends. But it's a little difficult for me because I live off campus. A lot of activities are at night or on the weekends. I have no desire to drive for an hour at midnight or spend the gas money to go to school for an hour for something. But I get home cooked meals, my own bathroom and a dog so I'll take the extra time to drive for most things. Recently we had a nice big controversy over side-walk chalk. A few students were given community service hours for drawing pictures and writing in the Forum (a big open brick area). When this was published in the student-run newspaper, The Collegian, people freaked out and it was awesome. Students then went out at no o'clock in the morning and wrote an essay/statement about why we should be able to chalk in the Forum and it was washed away early the next morning. Then people freaked out even more and eventually made it so students had permission from the president to chalk on the Forum, as long as it wasn't vulgar. The following Friday there were people on the soap box and chalkers all around, showing their appreciation for free speech. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the chalking and look forward to the chalk days planned in the future. I believe this opened a door for students to be more vocal and active in what happens on campus.

If I could change one thing about Richmond it would be the availability of food. The dining hall closes at 8pm everyday and doesn't open on the weekends until 10:30 am. Then the other "dine late" places are often closed on the weekends or during the late afternoon and so it's very difficult to find food, especially later at night. I say that if the gym is open until midnight that the dining hall should be open until midnight. It just doesn't make sense to me that the gym is open four hours longer then the dining hall! The biggest recent controversy on campus was about chalk in the Forum. Some students had drawn on chalk in the Forum, an area supposedly designed for students to express their opinions and be heard. However, the administration freaked out when they saw the chalk and had maintenance clean it away right away for fear that people might see it (oh the horrors!)and then sentenced the perpetrators to a couple hours of work with maintenance to make up for all the trouble they caused. Students were really upset about this and a secret "Chalkers League" formed and began chalking the campus in the middle of the night. Finally, our President told maintenance not to clean the chalk up anymore so now was have a colorful and expressive Forum! The best thing about Richmond is the Professors and the students. As a freshman I didn't expect to be offered opportunities for research or to develop such close and friendly relationships with my Professors. However, I have already been offered numerous opportunities for further research and even presenting my research to the Richmond community. Additionally, the Professors really do care about the students and they ask their opinions and keep the structure of the classes open for student discussion and input. I think this give and take between students and professors is really wonderful because it makes learning so much more interactive and personal and motivates the both the professors and students to continually improve and strive for the best because neither one wants to disappoint the other and they both want to help each other out. There isn't a lot of school pride here at Richmond which was a big disappointment for me. I think people are proud to say they go to Richmond, but they don't actively support it here and hardly anyone goes to athletic events which are really sad. I think we could definitely benefit from some more school pride! The city of Richmond itself is a great city. It is a car town, however, so it's really hard to get around if you don't bring your car here or have friends with cars. Richmond has great restaurants, malls, and small boutiques as well as museums, historical landmarks, concerts, dance performances, and seasonal fairs. Additionally, the city is a great place to volunteer and it isn't too expensive for students. If people don't want to go into the historical city itself Broad Street is about a five minute drive from campus and it has just about anything you could be looking for at reasonable prices. I think it's nice to go off campus every once in a while because UR can be a bubble and if you're here too long without venturing outside you tend to miss out on big world news and to forget that the rest of the world doesn't all look the same.

The best thing about Richmond? I feel like the degree(s) I'll graduate with will mean something and help me achieve my career goals in the long run. That's probably the main reason I chose the school and the main reason I'll end up staying here and not transferring. When people hear that I go to Richmond, the first thing they usually say is "Oh, that's a really good school, isn't it?" followed by "Isn't it really expensive?" Richmond is known for those two things: being prestigious and being expensive/rich. Richmond has great academics. But if I could change just one thing, it would be the way Richmond spends its money. A universal truth on campus is that the college has a ton of money, but most of us students don't feel like we are on the beneficial end of Richmond's spending policies. The administration puts too much emphasis on the aesthetic appeal of the campus and not enough emphasis on student well-being. I am on financial aid, and I also applied for several non-Richmond merit-based scholarships. I received one, and Richmond promptly took the money I received from the scholarship away from the grant I was receiving from the school, rather than from my loans or the money I was putting towards school. They used the money I got on my own merit and by my own hard work to reduce the financial aid they were giving me! I was outraged and insulted, and after waiting on hold with the financial aid office and many conversations/arguments with the staff there, they agreed to reduce the amount of my scholarship from my work-study instead of the grant. It was a compromise I could live with, but that experience left me slightly bitter against the administration. My feelings on this matter have been echoed by many other students I have talked to, who also feel that Richmond's funds are not always being spent in the students' best interests. The most recent controversy on campus was that of student expression using chalk in the forum, a brick-sidewalk area in between the dining hall and the student commons. A student was punished with community service for chalking the area with colorful designs, talking to other students, and encouraging others to draw and express themselves one warm Tuesday a few weeks ago. This incited indignation and resentment throughout the student body, as protests and Facebook groups supporting student expression sprang up almost overnight. After a battle with the administration over our rights of expression, we the students finally won out, and now the forum is full of colorful and inspirational designs and messages. This situation represents how students here at Richmond are tired of the university administration ignoring student concerns. It also brings up the issues of community and school pride here at Richmond. This controversy was an event that sparked more student cooperation and school spirit than some basketball games do. In fact, Richmond seems sadly lacking in school pride and spirit. The idea of community is severely limited here, and the fact that it takes an attack on student freedom like chalk in the forum to bring students together is a sad commentary on life here at Richmond.

It is hard to come up with just one thing that is best about Richmond - we have great people, a beautiful campus, and challenging classes but generally good professors. The size has its pros and cons because we are definitely smaller than typical but it creates a very homey atmosphere. The smallness can be bad a times, however, because news travels fast in such a small setting and reputations stick. Richmond as a city is a great college town; there is always so much to do and everything is within 15 minutes. One of the few bad things about Richmond is the lack of school spirit. Its gradually being noted as a problem though so hopefully it will change.

The biggest complaint I have about Richmond is that it's so expensive! Sometimes I wonder whether the education here is actually worth the value. As far as the size of the school, it feels a little too small. Everyone eats in the same dining hall at pretty much the same time every night, so it is impossible to avoid anyone. Relationships are also more awkward because rumors tend to spread, especially among students of the same class. On the positive side, the campus is beautiful, and it's pretty spread out for such a small student population.

As much as I complain about it, I love Richmond. My favorite thing about it is the small community feeling. i love to feel like I know everybody, or most of everybody, and I get that feeling here. When I tell people I go to Richmond (especially people from home), their knee-jerk reaction is to ask me where it is. [I hope you have the same stunned reaction that I usually have.] I probably spend equal amounts of time in my room as I do in Jepson Hall. I have three classes in Jepson, and I'm usually in one of the Comp Sci labs doing some sort of work for a good portion of the rest of my time. But I do love my bed...so I make sure to spend a lot of time there, too. Right now, the huge controversy is about drawing on the Forum with chalk (which I support by the way). Which I guess is good in a way. That means we don't really have any other huge problems to deal with. I don't think there's a lot of school pride in general. I'm not quite sure why it just doesn't exist...but I don't feel that the general population of the school has pride. I think the unusual thing about Richmond is the coordinate college system. I have never heard of a system quite like it before.

Richmond has a beautiful campus and an excellent small class size. Richmond also has a large endowment so financial aid packages are wonderful if you are in need. I would lower the percentage of greek life, or at least the campus obsession with it. The school is very small so if you get in fights expect news to travel. It can also be harder to get new groups of friends. However, the small size of the school does create a sense of community on campus. You can rarely walk around campus without seeing at least one person you know. There is not a lot of school pride at Richmond. People are more interested in getting piss drunk, trying to get laid and then not remembering anything the next day...People don't really show up much for sporting events. When they do (at least for football), they get dressed up. People dress in sundresses and button down shirts with slacks for the homecoming game.

Best thing: The science research is all undergrad so I don't have to fight for research positions. One Thing I'd change: The fact that everyone is exactly the same at this school. Size: Just right Reactions when I say I go to Richmond: In NY, "is that a state school?" In VA, "Oh I heard you have shoe shiners in your classes and the walls are covered in money and you are pampered beyond belief there." Where I spend most of my time: Gottwald (the science center, or my room) Not a college town at all. Richmond's administration needs to get the sticks out of their ass'. They don't listen to the student body and they basically know that the only thing we have going for us is our perfect prestine campus. So to maintain the campus they put metal bars up with American Holly bushes so that we only walk on the perfectly bricked pathways. Biggest controversy: The fact that some kid got five hours of community service for chalking the forum. Don't worry we are not allowed to chalk the forum at any point in time. School Pride? that's all I have to say. We are called the spiders... as a result I think we have identity issues. *shrugs* I don't know we're just really confused people. It's like the CT/NJ rich kids who want to go south for the pastels and annoying stupid toolish girls. Unforgetable moment: Going to Toad's Place at the same time as The Wu Tang Clan and then having the worst service ever and being really creeped out by the people that show up to Wu Tang concerts. So much craziness. Most frequent complaints: That nobody cares about anything on this campus. I came from a school that didn't have school pride but that was because we were all trying to save the world! These people are just fucking lazy.

When I first arrived at UR as a wide-eyed freshman, my initial impression was: "Wow! It's just like summer camp - but I get to stay here all year long!" Nearly two years later, I've been slightly disillusioned by the intensity of academia, but still hold the same general impression of Richmond as a welcoming home away from home. Richmond may be somewhat of a "bubble," after all, but this can be a good thing in many ways. The fact that the majority of students live on campus lends to a great feeling of community, and also means that there's nothing holding you back from fully engaging yourself in all the enriching opportunities of college life. No, the city of Richmond isn't the hippest place around, and the weather here is completely bi-polar (yes, it has been known to snow here one day and be 80 degrees the next), but I've come to really appreciate the campus and the area as "my own," and I've found the school to be an incredibly supportive environment both personally and academically. Personally, I like the size of the school; my classes are small and especially in the courses within my majors, I generally know about half the class from the first day of the term. Walking to class you'll always recognize a friendly face, and although you'll always recognize lots of people around campus, the effect isn't stifling - there's always plenty more students to get to know.