Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school?

rahim

VCU is a diverse school, with lots of students from all around the world!

Lisa

Most people think VCU is full of hipster art students. This is definitely not the case.

Emily

The negatives: That we're dumb, rejects from other (more well-known/renowned) universities, art freaks, and NOVA airheads. The positives: That we're friendly, politically moderate and open-minded.

mariel

that they are stupid, if they had better grades etc they would have gone to va tech or uva etc. also that there is a lot of violence.

Branden

That VCU are all art students and boring.

Kat

artsy, quirky, ghetto, stuck up, punk, hippie, etc.

Christine

Emo, artistic students, independent campus instead of community feel

Jeffrey

art crowd

Erika

People always think VCU is in a really dangerous area of Richmond. Another stereotype is that VCU is a party school and people only go there to have fun.

scotti

drama freaks

Alex

That most of the students go there for arts and medical related studies.

Autumn

VCU is very dangerous & you shouldn't go.

Tiffany

We go clubbing every night.

Jesse

Before i came to VCU, i used to hear things like "VCU is so ghetto" or "there's so much drama" or "You're gonna get shot"...

Matthew

There really are not any because every stereotype is at VCU.

Victoria

That VCU is just a security school and not for smart students.

Jamie

It's too big of a school and students don't get time to talk to the professors.

Kelsey

I have always heard that VCU has a plethora of different types of people, groups, activities, and interests. Everyone I see is always his or her self- they never act like they have to fit in with the "cool group". Every group of friends is their own cool group in their own way! It is very encouraging to be in such an environment that accepts you no matter who you are!

Michael

VCU is in the ghetto. VCU is not a good school.

Allison

VCU is a party school VCU girls are loose VCU schoolwork is hard

Paige

Its a diverse group of students

Hannah

-Richmond is dangerous -ghetto -people aren't very smart -VCU accepts everyone

Robyn

We are not all medical student and we art students. We have one of the most diverse campuses around and we have a lot to offer. VCU isn't also just a commuter school. We actually had the largest incoming class of Freshmen last year who lived on campus.

Andrew

Scenesters are abundant

Josh

Ultra-diverse, self-absorbed, Fuzzy, Mega

Caitlyn

Living on an urban campus, most VCU students are preemptively assumed to fit the Richmond hipster stereotype. This stereotype includes the following physical characteristics: tight/fitted clothing, cut-off jeans, dyed hair, piercings/tattoos, aviator sunglasses, converse sneakers. Personality-wise, the stereotypical hipster smokes cigarettes, bikes everywhere, and has a generally apathetic outlook on life. The university itself is renowned for it's arts departments, and this creates the stigma that VCU is completely liberal-arts oriented. Because of this liberal-arts perception, VCU is also sometimes looked down upon by some of the more academically-oriented schools.

Andy

That all students are art students who have strange hair and wear strange clothes. Also, that they are rich white kids from the west end (a suburb of Richmond)

Jesse

Always loud,know how to have fun but still manage the 3.5 GPA and always helpful. We do smile a lot also :-) VCU is an urban university,always energetic.It is a university where diversity is the main component.

Andy

I don't really pay attention to any stereotypes

niki

They're underachievers.

Alex

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.

Torry

VCU is full of overly artsy students and emo dorks.

Andy

Liberals, Art Students

Allison

that it is an easy school. and that there are a wide range of people here.

Dennis

I guess some of the most common stereotypes about VCU students are that we are always partying and that we are pretty dumb, as far as college students go.

Caroline

That VCU kids aren't that smart since it's easy to get accepted and that we're all punk, liberal, artsy kids.

Madison

VCU is ghetto. Students come here because they couldn't get in anywhere else.

Melissa

I think that a lot of people see VCU as "ghetto" because we are so integrated into the city and our campus is not really separate from like the community area surrounding it. I've heard that people think anyone can get into VCU as well.

Liz

All students are poor. VCU students are crazy art kids who run around with pink hair. There are no real student activities.

Simon

That they're rejected from other schools and come to VCU out of desperation

Tim

That it is a slacker school and that its easy. Its not safe.

Michael

People seem to think that VCU is a slacker school and that anyone can go here and do whatever they want. Also, a lot of people think that because VCU is in Richmond, everything here and everyone here is in danger of being shot or robbed.

todd

toke on the way to class. never make it. buy a six pack.

Michelle

1. VCU has a large art school, so many people think that there are a lot of weird art students.

Bree

That we're ghetto and/or dumb kids that didn't get into other bigger name schools

Reese

Kids at VCU are black, gay, and artistic.

Maddie

People think that VCU is a slacker school. If you didn't get into any other school you can always go to VCU. VCU has the best sculpture program in the nation, the best fashion design program in the nation. This year we were voted the best Advertising program on the east coast. For becoming accredited in 2004, thats not bad. I've noticed when on campus, the students are scene. They have their long hair covering one eye, and tight pants with band shirts. But honestly there are so many different stereotypes at VCU, if you can't find friends...then there is something wrong with YOU.

Amanda

That VCU is dangerous and unsafe and you're asked for money by homeless people 10 times a day.

Drew

There are some stereotypes about the school being trashy, or the population being ethnically dominant. Also, people think that VCU is a school that "anyone can get into."

McQueen

Many people assume that everyone on campus does drugs, and that anyone who isn't a medical major is a total hippie. I think all art schools have that reputation, but VCU is such a diverse student body that I feel students get a bad rap for being "the weird kids".