University of Richmond Reviews

"Before attending this school, please think carefully. My experience here has not been good. To start with, the type of students that attend this school are for the most part, pretty despicable. Most students are very rich, racist, and have lived an extremely sheltered life before attending college. So naturally, they think this is the greatest place ever. Social circles are extremely cliquey and entirely revolve around Greek Life and partying. Drama and gossip is magnified because of the small campus size, and it’s really just silly the way kids here act. If you’re not in the business school, you are pretty much irrelevant and invisible to both other students on campus, and the university administration. The administration is flat out useless. I had a number of quite serious issues in college that I needed help with, and time and time again I was forced to get the services in the city of richmond rather than on campus. The administration only cares about your money, and trust me, they will do whatever they have to do to protect their own name and reputation. It is ruthless and quite saddening. On the bright side, professors are exceptional. You will be academically challenged, but not overwhelmed, as long as you are a motivated student. You will get a great degree, but one must question if it’s really worth the money you will be spending and the drama you will put up with here. Think carefully about your college decisions and good luck!!"

"The University of Richmond maintains a highly academic atmosphere. Students are given opportunities to glean from well-rounded and deeply committed professors. While this type of experience is not unique to U of R, the student-to-teacher ratio increases the appeal of the school. It is not unusual to see professors at sporting events and other non-academic settings. During my undergraduate years, I knew that any challenges that I had understanding the material presented in lecture would be explained in detail if I took advantage of the professors office hours. Small class sizes allow the professors and students to learn each others strengths and weaknesses, creating a more symbiotic relationship. Professors have the opportunity to recognize propensities in their students and can encourage them toward or away from life-long pursuits. The specialty programs (such as the leadership school) add to the character of the university. Even though the school is small, its leaders have a vision of excellence for its graduates. The science laboratory materials were and still are top notch. Fine arts programs such as the orchestra and school dramas are open to any students whether they are pursuing an art degree or not. It is not unusual to see a B-school student in the school choir or practicing on one of the many pianos in the fine arts building. Opportunities for international studies are plentiful, encouraged, and not limited to modern language students. Athletic programs are well supported, but the school places a great emphasis on the proper balance of developing mind and body. A degree from the University of Richmond represents more than the completion of a specific number of credit hours. It reflects the opportunity to explore a multitude of academic, social, and athletic experience available to all of its students."

"The University of Richmond was a wonderful school! I am proud to call it my alma mater. It was a bit challenging but it prepared me for the world, and taught me some skills that many of my peers were not privy to. Although the tuition is cheap because it is a private institution, I received some grants that covered MOST of the tuition. Be sure to look into financial options if you do not want to rack up a lot of debt upon graduation."

"University of Richmond has a lot to offer. The gorgeous campus with lush flora and gothic architecture makes for a wonderful living experience; the West End of Richmond is pricey so most choose to live on campus. As a graduate of a small, elite, private school, you will have access to a wonderful network of successful alumni. As a liberal arts school, the education is top-notch. The business school is especially prestigious. Professors are demanding and the university fosters academic rigor. Diversity continues to increase each year. Greek life is big on campus. It seemed like the majority of students were participating in Greek life. Downtown Richmond is fairly accessible so there is a lot to do off campus."

"The University of Richmond is a great school for a certain type of student. The campus is beautiful, the professors are top notch, and the substantial endowment allows for a myriad of opportunities for funding from fellowships to study abroad and beyond. However, there is a very clear typical Richmond student: white, wealthy, preppy "B-school" students. While there are certainly academic opportunities outside the business school, the overall culture and reputation of UR falls into the former category. As someone who aspires to a career in the "the arts", the Richmond bubble was at times oppressive. However, I would encourage students of all stripes to apply - change the culture from within and take advantage of the fantastic faculty who are somewhat starved for creative and passionate students and eager to help you succeed. Also, the dining hall desserts are really good."

"The University of Richmond is a small liberal arts college with the resources of larger schools. The class sizes (max 25 per class in most classes) are small and facilitate learning and discussion. I even had a few classes with fewer than 10 students, which encourage students to be engaged and active participants in class. The faculty are excellent and take an interest in their students' education. Being a primarily undergraduate institution, most classes are taught by professors themselves (rather than TAs). UR offers 100% financial aid through grants and federal loans (based on the need-based aid from the FAFSA), so I graduated from UR with relatively minimal debt."

"The University of Richmond is an excellent institution that cares about its students by making education accessible to people of all walks of life through its generous financial aid and limiting class size the foster discussion and critical thinking skills."

"University of Richmond is a great school. Even though, the school is expensive, it is very helpful financially. It provides students with different financial programs to cover expenses. The teachers are great and very helpful. Every difficulty students have the teacher are always looking for alternatives to help. Best School!"

"The MBA program at University of Richmond is designed for working professionals. Classes are offered at night. The best part is networking with other executives who are trying to increase their effectiveness."

"Great education, beautiful campus, tons of fun."

"Good opportunities at a school that is trying very hard to be Ivy-league level. Definitely clique-y and the administration's attempt at bringing diversity is (sadly) just polarizing everyone. The teaching quality was usually top-notch as they care more about teaching than research (after tenure) so I can definitely recommend it."

"The University of Richmond is an incredible school academically. The size enables you to create personal relationships with teachers and classmates. I chose Richmond particularly for the language and study abroad options which are diverse and encouraged - I studied in Spain, Argentina, and Kenya. The most important thing is to make your college experience your own, so I created my own major in an area I became passionate about, and I stumbled upon an incredible group of friends through playing ultimate frisbee. The Greek life is predominant, so those who are not looking for that presence may want to reconsider or pursue other opportunities on campus."

"Picturesque campus with all the amenities I could ask for and many connections to community opportunities while a short distance from downtown. Award-winning dining hall, diversifying small student body with hundreds of clubs and activities, generous financial aid, top-notch recreational facilities, improved residence halls and apartments. Instructors go to great lengths to get students where they want to be. Curricula are challenging and diverse, with requirements for a well-rounded education. Best four years of my life!"

"Education was great, student body is preppy, the school grounds are beautiful."

"The Teacher Licensure Program at the University of Richmond is a very rigorous program. You will often be challenged with your coursework. The rewarding thing about the workload is that most of your class assignments are adaptable into real world practice. Also, the staff and faculty all have real world experience that drives their teaching. This program and school have many resources for you to tap into. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to enter the world of education."

"The University of Richmond offers a very competitive graduate program in education. The professors balance our education with what are doing in the classroom, which makes the content of the course applicable to real word scenarios."

"The University of Richmond School of Law is an excellent place to pursue a J.D., because the professors are excellent and the opportunities for growth are great!"

"As a product of a middle-class family, this school can seem pretentious at times. The amount of effort I have to submit in order to be successful in my program while working on the weekends simply to support myself and afford rent can be strenuous. The major drawback for me is the inability to receive scholarships after being accepted. I was priority waitlisted for the law program, and upon being accepted I presumed that scholarships would become available as I progressed through the program; however, the scholarships awarded to incoming students are not disbursed to others upon learning class ranks. Instead, people who have been awarded the scholarships are assumed to be smarter than the rest (which is semi-understandable), but if they aren't and their class rank falls below the top 1/3, then the scholarship is lost and not given to another non-scholar student who is actually in that rank."

"A great school with a wonderful reputation. It is very expensive, however, since it is a private university."

"The campus is beautiful and the professors are great! The only drawback to this program is how expensive it is! I would recommend this school IF you are given scholarship money to help defray the cost. It really is a wonderful school, but law school these days is unworldly EXPENSIVE! (Not just this school, most schools)"