Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

At the end of the day, I love my school. It's in a good location. I feel pretty safe (although I have lived in Richmond for over 7 years), and I feel like it's worth my tuition.

Overall it a good school for minority students, but the administration is not as diverse as you'd expect it to be.

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.

the diversity is the best thing about my school. It has a large student body and yes, there is a lot of school pride.

the diversity is the best thing about my school. It has a large student body and yes, there is a lot of school pride.

I absolutely love my university. When I first got there, I didn't know what to expect, but once I actually got here, I saw that it was a phenomenal institution for education and the life in Richmond is lively and good to be around. One of the best things about the school is the diversity, which VCU strives to uphold in it's university-wide programming and student organizations. There is an organization for just about anyone who wants to do almost anything at school and if there isn't one, then students often times take the initiative to begin their own! One thing I'd change is the level of advising for students. Some students run into issues when they are ready to graduate because of issues with advising not always telling them which classes to take. While I have personally never experienced these issues, I know a few students who have. It is up to the student to be proactive and try to figure out what steps to take before seeing advising to benefit themselves. VCU is one of the largest institutions in the commonwealth of Virginia and that leaves a lot of room for students and it creates a solid community at the center of Richmond. I guess you can call VCU and the areas immediately adjacent to VCU a part of "college town" Richmond. VCU students always show a lot of pride, whether in wearing a school t-shirt or going to the home and away sporting events clothed in school colors and showing immense school spirit. When the men's basketball team made it to the final four last year, VCU was thriving with pride and students flooded the streets to celebrate. That kind of school pride was moving to me and the day that they won was one of the most amazing for me. But while VCU is great, it isn't always rainbows and sunshine. As I have said before, students have concerns about advising at VCU and they also run into some issues and frustration with housing on campus. There is very limited housing on campus- especially after the freshman year- and a lot of students have to look for off campus housing, even if they want to live on campus and that can sometimes be a pain with our lottery system, but most of the time, students are able to make do.

I love VCU!

My favorite thing about VCU is the amount of help available to the student body. If you ask, there is probably someone to answer. The only thing I'd consider changing is the financial aid office, the lines are always long. Even though VCU is the largest public University in Virginia, it still feels like a small-town school. It's weird. When I tell people I go to VCU they usually look at me strange, but I don't care! I love it here. It's completely built into the city of Richmond. I bleed Black and Gold. Aww yeah.

My overall opinion of VCU is that it's underrated. After attending another large, well-respected university in Virginia, I have found that VCU is often forgotten or looked as being not that great of a school. The diverse group of students and professors at this university is one of the things I like most about the school, as well as it's location in such an exciting city such as Richmond. There is always something to do and places to hang out with friends, and it's hard to ever really be bored here.

Richmond is not cool. It is dirty. Although there are many historic and important things in downtown Richmond, the Monroe Park Campus of VCU is absolutely disgusting. The people, the buildings, and most importantly the God awful employees (not the professors, they are fantastic). The best thing about this school is that it is extremely easy to work hard and earn your degree. If I had to change something, I would change the fact that Richmond owns Monroe Park and not VCU, so we could get rid of the horrible and frankly frightening homeless population from, oh, I don't know...our campus. The administration and professors are one of the best parts of this school. They work so hard and diligent to make sure we students get a good education. 10/10 for them. As far as "college life," stay in a group past midnight, don't go on West Marshall St. ever, and never...I repeat never look at a ghetto person on the street in the eye because of course...that is just insulting. The most frequent student complaints comprise of everything I wrote above. Seriously.

VCU is a great school with a lot of great programs. It is in the heart of Richmond but it can also be considered a city within a city. There are a lot of events that happen around the city and the VCU community, so there's plenty of things to do.

I love VCU. Its medium school size is amazing. Sometimes you are in a big lecture hall, sometimes you have small classes. All the teachers ive had are very helpful and interested in the students. When asked for help they are right there with no hesitation.

Since VCU is the largest public university in the state of Virginia, I have the opportunity to make tons of friends from various backgrounds, participate in numerous student organizations, study abroad, and declare 2 majors and 2 minors. Some people may see the large university as a down fall but I believe it offers so many endless opportunities. I had the chance to study abroad twice and I just received an internship at the Virginia Capitol. I started as an art major, but decided it wasn't for me so I am now on a pre law track with a B.A. in Philosophy (ethics and public policy concentration), and B.A. in Political Science (Public Policy concentration), and a minor in History and Spanish. I also joined a sorority and am a senator in our student government association. The opportunities here are endless!

I honestly believe that VCU is a great school. The best thing about VCU I believe is the diversity. I love being able to walk around Campus and feel like I'm on a world tour. VCU has a very large population and I had no problem adjusting to it, I feel it's just right for me. It's a major difference where for me I was born and raised in the Islands (Bahamas) where everything is on a small scale. So it was new and exciting to go to a school where the population was bigger than the population of the place where I've grown up and lived all my life! When I'm on campus I spend a lot of my time in the academic buildings specifically the engineering building and I'm sure many of the other engineering majors can agree to the same! I believe VCU is a school that goes beyond in order to protect and meet the needs of the students. I believe that the majority of administrators do their jobs with excellence and are really passionate about the students.... However I do wish that there were more opportunities to meet with the higher powers within the university so that they're more reachable and relatable. A moment I will never forget is when our school made it to the sweet 16 for the first time, then to the elite 8 and finally to the final four in the NCAA men's basketball. After our basketball team made it to the Final Four school pride rocketed like never before. There was such a buzz on campus and for once we were all in unity in that we were proud to be VCU students. I believe that, that school pride is still present today and will continue to trickle down into the pipeline of incoming students. VCU is a great school and they're always expanding to fit the needs of students whether it be new classroom buildings, new dorms, new eateries or new parking decks, as students we can see that our money is being reinvested into the school to create a better learning and social environment for us all.

VCU is perfect for me, and it can be perfect for a lot of people- it really depends on what you're looking for. If you're into a very typical "four year experience", then you might want to look somewhere else. No one holds your hand here, and that's something I really love. This school has taught me how to be independent and make my own success, while still offering me opportunities to make friends and take advantage of my education at every turn. The school is definitely in a very urban setting, which can be looked at as both a positive and a negative. Yes, it can be dangerous to live here, if you're not being street smart. You should always watch your back and be aware, but that's just the basics of living in any city. Richmond is rich in both culture and history, and there are so many great things to see/taste/do here. The school WILL see you as just a number, but that doesn't mean that all the faculty will. I have had incidences where the administration has lost my paperwork, and times when I simply cannot find the right channels to get things done when dealing with the school itself. Transferring was a bit of a hassle, to say the least. But all said and done, if you keep a log of your paperwork and are fairly organized, it won't be a big deal. Faculty here, specifically the art professors/admins really care about students. Art students are NOT simply just a number, and are definitely treated very well. The food here is very average. I am an extremely picky person when it comes to what I eat, and I am more than satisfied. This could be because I live off-campus and make food at home about half the time, but my experiences at Shafer and the Student Commons have been mostly very positive. I've heard, however, that it's a bit tricky finding things to eat if you are a first-year student and a vegan.

I like the size of vcu. It is the largest school in virginia but it doesnt seem like it because we have two campuses, an undergrad campus and also a medical campus but also only about a quarter of the students live on campus. I like that we are sort of in a city but at the same time it is our campus. I wouldnt call it a college town. We have a lot of awesome little restaurants and cool places that only some people know about. you can go to clubs but you can also find a lot of house parties, one thing that most colleges have either one or the other of. My farthest class is a 15 minute walk but i can get there in less than 5 if i bike and less than 10 if i walk fast.

I chose to go to VCU, not only for its exceptional academic programs, but also for its location and surroundings. When I tell people that I go to VCU, they automatic grasp and tell me that they love Richmond, and the atmosphere at VCU. VCU is very much a college town and offered a variety of activities to partake in. The campuses are very urban and integrated into the city, so there is never a doll moment in Richmond. Whether it’s taking classes in newly built facilities or biking down to the river to go swimming, VCU students are always on the go. There is a downtown section with tons of restaurants and bars, and an uptown section with a wide variety of shops and stores. There are two campuses for VCU. There is a medical campus known as MCV, and the academic campus known as the Monroe Park campus. There are approximately 35,000 undergrad students at VCU.

VCU is a very diverse campus... I transferred from Radford and it's so much better because there's no minorities in any classes. The school is HUGE, but that's good and bad. This is DEFINETLY not a college town, it's in the middle of the city, and it's spread out throughout the city (but not ridiculously far). The city is safer than people make it out to be. Living on campus, I've heard, is really hard because it's hard to find on-campus housing because there are not enough dorms. There's no football team, either, so if you're really into school spirit, not the best idea. Finally, the dining plan is ridiculously stupid, and the food isn't that great, so unless yuou live on campus, DON'T BUY IT. And get a parking pass- parking on the street is impossible during the week

The school is very large and its hard to get your classes before they are full. Its a very different campus feel because it is mixed into a city. I am transferring to Va Tech because I wanted a community, close campus feel than how VCU is. At VCU it is hard to see the school spirit/pride..again that's why I am going to Tech. It isnt really a college town, just a college in a city really.

I love VCU because it's in the city of Richmond. There are so many things going on here. There are tons of events year round. Just last weekend there was a vegetarian festival. In my opinion the best part of VCU is the location. For me finding myself was made easier because of the city. I'm from the suburbs of DC and this place is nothing like my hometown. Everything is pretty close by so there isn't much of a need for a car. All you need is a bike. It's a pretty liberal city and there are so many activists living here so it's easy to get involved. I love the old buildings, Belle Isle, the James river, the bumpy old sidewalks, and just the mood Richmond has. I'm from Northern Virginia but VCU feels like home for me.