Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

I had all the information I needed, but join the honors college!!

I wish I had been given the full story about how my program works and had received personal accounts from previous students on what they were doing after graduation. Colleges like to play up their programs to sound like the best option you have. This does not mean that a program is bad, only that you need to do plenty of research to make sure it is right for you, especially if your program is small like mine.

I wish that I had learned the importance of scholarships

I wish I had known how to get tickets to basketball games.

I wish that I had known about all the opportunities to join the many student organziations on campus. When I started my first semester, of course I was adjusting to the college life, but I wish I could have been more immersed into the community. There is a SOVO fair every year to showcase the different organizations. I wish that the SOVO fair would have been advertised more to the freshmen who had no clue what it was for.

I wish I would have known about the healthier options that VCU offers for swipes/blocks in the dining plan. As a freshman, the minimum dining plan includes 200 blocks (with varying amounts of dining dollars) which can be used in the Shafer Dining Hall or for meal exchange in surrounding restaurants on campus. Few people actually go through all of those swipes in a semester and they don't run over to the next year. I thought I had to eat Pizza Hut, IHOP, and Raising Cane's everyday, but there's cost efficient healthier options too.

Before coming to school, I wish I had known how to fit scolarships into my schedule. I came in undecided, no scholarships , out of state, and my primary focus was to earn a 4.0. I did it! Now that I'm in my second semester, I've realized that good grades won't pay off if I put absolutley nothing towards paying for school. Very often I sit and attempt to work on scholarships. I find myself flustered, doubtful and constantly trying to apply to too many at once.

I honestly don't wish I had known anything more than I already had before coming to VCU. Part of figuring out how to go to school and live on my own was what made college so much fun for me, and if I needed any help, there were so many friends, faculty, and community members basically jumping up and down willing to help me out. Some students say they can't seem to find the help they need here, but I found the most welcoming presence when I came to VCU.

I wish that I had known the extent of the workload I would be exposed to and also that upperclassmen basically prey on freshman.

I wish I had realized how easy it is for a single class to bring down your gpa. Being in advanced classes through high school gave me a crutch of weighted credit but when I came to VCU it took me a long time to realize you can't be lazy and successful academically. I also wish I had learned to focus more than I had in high school. When you're on your own for the first time, it's easy to be preoccupied with your social life.