About Virginia Commonwealth University

Founded in 1838, Virginia Commonwealth University. is a Public college. Located in Virginia, which is a city setting in Virginia, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 23,865 full time undergraduate students, and 7,007 full time graduate students.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 18:1. There are 1233 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Virginia Commonwealth University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate81%
Application Deadline
Application Fee65
SAT Range980-1200
ACT Range21-27

Admissions at VCU are considered Less Selective, with ,208% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 27 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

88% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 48% were in the top quarter, and 18% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Virginia Commonwealth University.

1%
“We”re apathetic”
9%
“We know about current events and vote”
53%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
37%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
14%
“Sometimes, but not often”
55%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
27%
“All the time, including weekends”
3%
“I”m always terrified”
15%
“I only go out in groups”
56%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
26%
“I feel extremely safe”
3%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
39%
“We bought the gear”
58%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
2%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
26%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
72%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
7%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
26%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
35%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
58%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
3%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
24%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
46%
“We only party on weekends”
28%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
52%
“There might be people who do”
33%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
9%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
1%
“We”re apathetic”
9%
“We know about current events and vote”
53%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
37%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
14%
“Sometimes, but not often”
55%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
27%
“All the time, including weekends”
3%
“I”m always terrified”
15%
“I only go out in groups”
56%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
26%
“I feel extremely safe”
3%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
39%
“We bought the gear”
58%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
2%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
26%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
72%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
7%
“Available in class”
64%
“They keep regular office hours”
26%
“They”re always available”
4%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
35%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
58%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
3%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
2%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
24%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
46%
“We only party on weekends”
28%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
52%
“There might be people who do”
33%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
9%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Virginia Commonwealth University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    422 Students rated on-campus housing 3.4 stars. 12 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    368 Students rated off-campus housing 3.5 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    466 Students rated campus food 3.3 stars. 18 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    479 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 38 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    480 Students rated class size 3.7 stars. 24 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    479 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 43 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    481 Students rated local services 4.3 stars. 55 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    480 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 35 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Virginia Commonwealth University?

241 Students rated Virginia Commonwealth University

Meshac - 12/11/2023

VCU is a great urban school with a lot of opportunities for students of any age to enjoy their studies, make life-long friends, and grow.

Xavier - 06/01/2023

The experience was pretty good. The schools environment and energy was nice as well. I liked there facilities a lot and they kept them in shape. Everyone I met or noticed were nice and respectable. Most people see m to get along very well. I definitely would recommend this college to many other to come.

sanaa - 04/11/2023

I think the school is amazing. all of my friends that have taken visits to VCU liked it and I haven’t seen any bad things that happen within the campus and I feel like VCU is like a big family and it’s easy to find your own group of people. There’s so many resources for anything that anyone could need.

Sarah - 10/13/2022

During my time at Virginia Commonwealth University, they were known to welcome diversity, community, and philanthropy. The student body is welcoming and well-involved in on-campus activities. They are politically involved and love to support causes that matter to others. Professors are pro-active and open to providing opportunities to student that allow them to excel. Student housing and meal plan options could use some improvements (especially for students with dietary restrictions). The campus can also make improvements on handicap accessibilities.

Virginia Commonwealth University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Virginia Commonwealth University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Virginia Commonwealth University is 81%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Assuming I could go back in time and speak to Katie the High School Senior, I would discuss two important points with her. First, I would tell her that college is not going to be easy. I would assure her that while college seems like fun and games with a bit of work mixed in, it is quite the opposite. “High remarks are imperative to college success.” I would state. Katie will look at me with sad eyes, afraid she will fail. I will then tell her with undoubted seriousness that she is capable of incredible things. I will tell her to always be confident in her abilities and to never doubt herself. I will say, “It will be tough, but you are strong and you can do anything.” Next, I will tell her to close her eyes and feel the burning in her soul. I would say, “Katie, that fire inside you is your passion.” I would tell her to embrace that passion whole-heartedly, and to never let it go. Her gaze will change, focused on the goal. Strength, courage, and passion radiate from her soul. She is ready. She will succeed.

    Read all  430 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    There are so many different types of people at VCU. You will encounter so many different walks of life everyday,

    Read all  146 answers
  4. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    Our school is very artistic. We have a wide variety of people on our campus. This is not the campus that has everyone dressing and looking the same.

    Read all  97 answers
  5. What's unique about your campus?

    the cultural diversity and the accepting "be who you are" attitude towards people

    Read all  80 answers
  6. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    The worst thing about Virgina Commonwealth University would probably the cross walks around school. Many students have to cross busy and dangerous intersections in order to get to their classes. Sometimes I really don't feel safe or comfortable crossing the street .

    Read all  79 answers
  7. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    Virginia Commonwealth University is possibly the best decision I have ever made. Walking through the streets of Richmond is so interesting because of the amount of diversity I experience. It is not only diverse with race but also with gender, age, cultures and even how people carry their selves. Nothing appears to be strange or out of the ordinary because there are so many types of people that judging them would be pointless. It is such a friendly and welcoming environment to where anyone can fit in and should not have to feel stressed about being different. Don't even think I forgot about the party life style. Frats aren't always welcoming to other guys who aren't affiliated but once you actually get in, it is the wildest thing you can imagine. I feel like I am at a rave 24/7 because of the props and hype music they play. Don't get me started about their food system. You begin as a freshman with the certain amount of swipes and dining dollars that you chosen from, and can swipe 6 times an hour. They have an all you can eat dining hall named Shafer and a Shafer-to-go downstairs if you can't stay. Right next door is Einstein Bagels. In the commons, they have subway, an express pizza hut, a chinese place called nao and zen, taco bell, chick fila, and a place called the POD that is equivalent to a 7/11. We also have a place called bleaker that has the DANKEST sandwiches and just opened a new Panda Express on Shafer street. VCU is overall a quality school and definitely needs more credit. Although, I like the fact that people underestimate the qualities of VCU because if they were to ever visit then their minds would be blown.

    Read all  76 answers
  8. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Virginia Commonwealth University is a school where students from diverse backgrounds can find exceptance all throughout the campus environment.

    Read all  75 answers
  9. What are the academics like at your school?

    Academics are a mixed bag depending on your department and educational leanings, but my experiences were largely positive. I majored in Biology and found most professors to be very nice and gave an excellent lecture. Basically as long as you're not an idiot about attendance or notetaking you'll be fine in most cases. I don't want to name names here, but the obvious exception was a rather condescending professor I had for cell bio (which you WILL take if you major in biology). The chem department, conversely, seemed to offer the opposite experience. I did well in the labs but my lecturers ranged from a half deaf guy, to a mousy little guy with no stage presence and little clarity on how his curve worked, to a psychotic englishman. While I'm sure they do excellent research it seems no one in that department can lecture to save their lives. Exceptions were the lab instructors who were quite good at making it clear what you should be doing and what was happening chemically. In the interest of disclosure, chemistry is one of the areas where I'm naturally weak anyway so take all this with as much salt as is necessary. My classes in the other departments (cheifly english and politics) were also very good and the professors were as entertaining as they were informative (especially english 101 and Poli 105).

    Read all  70 answers
  10. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I would have seen the whole campus, it's a busy place and city.

    Read all  70 answers
  11. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    Apparently we aren't that smart? I hear it's pretty easy to get into VCU but we do occasionally work hard. We just prefer to play first.

    Read all  66 answers
  12. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    The art community is pretty diverse with a wide spectrum of bathing schedules. Kidding aside you literally can't fit all of them in one category. Same for almost every other student at VCU. While its true the acceptance rate is quite high, the dropout rate is only slightly lower. VCU's tougher academically than people would be willing to admit: they'll give you a shot but staying in is easier said than done.

    Read all  65 answers
  13. What kind of person should attend this school?

    People who are open to new, different and quirky experiences, who understand the importance of learning but don't underestimate the value of injecting fun and personality into the classroom, are a really good fit for this school. There's always something to do and always something to see and those who don't take advantage of these opportunities will miss out on what it means to be a part of the diversity of VCU.

    Read all  65 answers
  14. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    The kind of people that should attend this University are the ones with Liberal points of views, who enbrace diversity, and would like an urban setting for their college campus.

    Read all  65 answers
  15. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    the dining hall and how they make us steaks.

    Read all  63 answers
  16. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Basketball

    Read all  62 answers
  17. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    Virginia Commonwealth University is very well known for their School of Art, but being a Biomedical Engineering major on the pre-med track, I would rather focus on their rising popularity in the department of Biomedical Engineering in the VCU School of Engineering. The program is relatively new but is growing very fast to accomodate for the rising demand in biomedical engineers all over the nation. Also, with the BioTech park and MCV very nearby, not only can BMEs gain medical and research experience, but also learn how to apply it to what they learn in class.

    Read all  59 answers
  18. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The two most frustrating things about my school would have to be the financial aid department and the bus. Our financial aid department SUCKS! Itt's like they don't really care about what's going on in our lives. It's very frustrating going in multiple times and they do nothing but give you the run around.

    Read all  53 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    I hear a lot about how VCU is too Liberal and that all the students that go there are 'hippies' or social extremist, but there is a variety of opinions and types of students.

    Read all  17 answers
  20. What are some hot-button issues on campus?

    I think people on campus are always discussing the employers that work for our dining services. Don't get me wrong, the food on campus is great we have so many options but I think often where are they hiring their employees from?

    Read all  4 answers
  21. What are your classes like?

    Usually the 100-level and introductory classes tend to be very full. My core-curriculum classes were lectures of about 300 people with 3 exams that make up your entire grade. Once you get into upper-level classes, they will get smaller. I have a class with about 8 people in it and the professor knows everyone by name. It really depends.

    Read all  3 answers

Student Body

Students

58%

female

42%

male

23,865

Total Undergrad Enrollment

7,007

Total Grad Students

7%

Out-Of-State

90%

In-State

3%

International

Organizations

477

Student Organizations

19

Fraternities

17

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

17%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
13%
% Black or African-American
19%
% Hispanic/Latino
9%
% White or Caucasian
48%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

82% of students attending Virginia Commonwealth University receive some sort of financial aid. 32% were awarded federal grants. While 55% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$32,287

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$2,804

Books and Supplies

$11,280

Room and Board

46,371

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$13,593
$30 - $48K
$17,606
$48 - $75K
$21,089
$75 - $110K
$24,358
$110K & UP
$26,432

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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