University of Richmond Top Questions

If I was able to go back and have a chat with myself during my senior year, I would try to make myself understand the type of stress and workload I was signing up for. My past self would have to make the decision of whether to choose the school with ridiculously high academic standards with the knowledge of how hard it really will be. Knowing I could get a much easier education in state with a full-ride scholaship instead of paying much more for a shockingly increased workload as compared to high school would make the choice of coming to Richmond much more difficult. I would tell myself to be even more outgoing in my courses with mixed class levels so I could make a broader base of friends. I know that I would need to reinforce the fact that I shouldn't ever lose sight of who I know I am in the face of difficult social situations that are a staple of college life.

Make sure to look at all of the information available. Pick a place that not only looks good on paper, but that a place that you could see yourself spending 4 years. Visit the campus and possibly spend a night with one of the current students to get a better idea of the campus life.

I would advise parents and students to visit different schools and keep and open mind set. Don't just apply to schools that you hear about from others or that your friends are applying to. There are so many good colleges out there that have so much to offer you, its just a matter of what you want to get out of your college experience. I learned to love the University of Richmond after being depressed for the majority of my freshman year. I wanted to transfer... but I couldn't pin down why. My sophmore year, I started getting involved in more activities and started taking classes that I was truly interested in and started reaching out to people I never would have talked to. My experience and vision of the University of Richmond changed instantly. My grades began to go up, I partied less but had more friends, and I began to develop strong relationships with my professors. I started having fun not because of the partying, but because I felt that I was starting to be successful, doing things that I really wanted to do. I joined the Varsity Soccer team as a walk on shortly after!

Look at class size, whether or not classes are often taught by TAs rather than professors, how much on-campus housing there is and how easy it is to get it, how active the social life is on campus on the weekends, the safety of the surrounding area, and if the campus is involved with activities you enjoy (such as sports, helping the community, greek life, etc.).

I would tell students to take their time to research and visit as many schools as possible when going through the process. I made the mistake of not visiting many schools and therefore not knowing what they had to offer. Take into account important factors such as class size, school location, financial aid, and student involvement on campus. Do not let the cost of a particular school hinder your decision to apply. There are a variety of sources that will help to pay for college education. Making the most of your college experience is also very important. This is your chance to make lifetime friends and perhaps see the world. Take advantage of study abroad programs and summer internships. Make sure you find the balance between academics and a social life. You don't want college to be over and wish you would have done that one spring break and you also don't want to party so much that your grades suffer so much that it is more difficult for you to succeed at the next level in life. Good luck!

Find a place that suits your needs, both academically and socially. Know that both of these are very important in the things that you are going to take from your time at a university. Take advantage of whatever opportunities that come your way, but don't be willing to sacrifice your morals and personal ideals in order to impress those around you. College is a time to allow you to become sure of the person you are, to allow you to gain confidence in your own skin, and to show you that there are many other ways of looking at the world around you than you may have realized living at home with your parents.

When choosing the right college, make sure to not only focus on the academics area but also check out the type of students that attend the college to see if it is a good fit for your social life because that will be a major part of your college experience as well.

Visit the schools that your children are interested in; let them spend a night at the college in question that is; uncensored because in this way they will experience a regular day at the school and thus be able to make decisions. A day in class, and a day in the social life: those are the two factors that helps bring a decision to light

Come to Richmond!

Senior year of high school is obviously a stressful time, but make the most of it! As my parents and I looked at schools and talked about what I really wanted out of the college experience, it was an opportunity for us to grow closer as a family. Choosing a school is a lot like decorating a room: you have to have an inspiration piece. Choose a geographical region, a specific degree, or an overall campus "feel" that you know would suit you well, and then go from there. It's a good idea to choose a "safety" school, along with several you feel fairly confident you could get into and at least one that is something of a "reach" for you. With this strategy, you won't have to stress quite as much about where you'll get in...and as my Dad told me, you should go to the very best school you can get into! Lastly, don't be afraid to try again. Three of my friends transfered after our freshman year, and I made three NEW transfer friends the next year! All six of those girls were exponentially happier with their second college experience.