University of Richmond Top Questions

most kids here are middle to upper middle class people. Black and white. Not too many asians, but they're here. People who like different kinds of things would be out of place here. Like, people aren't upper to middle class, incredibly comfortable to the point of complacency, athletic, preppy, somewhat materialistic, and fairly superficial people. Most students seem to wear clothing to class. Most people here are fairly similar, so there is little interaction between very different individuals. Politics is sort of a passing hobby for a few people here, not too big for most.

If you don't fit the preppy Richmond stereotype, you may feel out of place. It's not unusual for people to really dress up for class...think sundresses in March. Polo shirts are popular. Pajamas and sweats are never seen in class. Most UR students are either from Virginia or from the Mid-Atlantic, and are well-off. Students tend to be more politically apathetic than aware. Racial/religious/LGBT groups tend to form cliques because it's harder for them to get accepted by the rest of the student body. The student body in general is cliquey and it's hard to make new friends after freshman year.

Richmond is not a very diverse campus and that is probably my biggest complaint about the school. If you look around campus, it is pretty white and that frustrates me. I also think that a lot of issues though discussed in the classroom, are not out in the open on campus. I know that LGBT students have a hard time here because there is a really small support network for them. On the same note, all students here interact. I have friends in just about every social group on campus and I feel like those groups are pretty accepting. In the dining hall people are going to sit with their main friend group, maybe their sorotity, fraternity, roommates, athletic team, music group, or whatever else, but if I decided to eat with my friends who are athletes one day, no one would think twice about it. Political activity is low at Richmond. That doesnt mean we dont talk it to death though. If you want to talk politics you can ask any student on campus and they'll probably have an opinion, but the problem is, no one acts on it. With everything going on on-campus I think students sometimes forget about the bigger picture.

I have had great experiences with many of the religious groups on campus, and they have made an effort to get to know other groups on campus such as our Multicultural Student Union and New Directions. Students tend to find a group of people that they fit in with and stay there - they don't branch out too much. Right side dhall: sorority girls, frat boys Center: Athletes Left: Other (they're nice over there)

I would say students are maybe a little more libral than a normal population but we do have a definate conservative presence on campus. I feel like there is a little bit of everything on campus. There are a lot of overachieving students, but then there are some lazy bums too. I must say there aren't a lot of "gothic/alternative" styles on campus. There are some preppy people, but its not everyone. I have a theory that there are certain people that like to sit on certain sides of dhall, if that counts, of course some people dont care, but some people have very specific preferences. Side when you first walk in: Alot of Sorority or Frats somtimes, people who are too lazy to walk farther or are waiting on a big group, a bit preppier, middle: Athletes, including club, other just middle of the road people, far side: creative quieter people. I think students assume they will make decent money one day. We don't talk that much about it.

During orientation week there was a lot of talk about diversity, yet we have a serious lack of it. Most students are white and from affluent families in the north. We do have an international population and some minorities, but not so much and I am one of very few students from the west coast. That said, it seems students are becoming more aware of this fact and are doing something about it. Women in Living and Learning (WILL) is a huge group on campus that works for women's rights, there are several religious groups, and those who are treated differently for whatever reason are speaking up. So far the administration has been good about listening to my concerns as an overlooked commuting undergrad. It is going to take a lot of talking/shouting and time to get things changed but they will change if those who feel overlooked/stereotyped/mistreated stand up and do something about it. Those in charge seem to care, they just need to be told what's wrong and how they can fix it. There is quite a political scene on campus as well. Even more so with the 2008 Presidential Election being this year. Most students I have talked to are moderate but there are a large number of people on either end of the spectrum. We do have active political groups like College Republicans and Young Democrats who have recently been debating issues in The Collegian.

Richmond does tend to be pretty homogenous; however, there is a real effort to get a more diverse student body and to recognize diversity of all kinds on campus. Racially Richmond is actually pretty diverse and there are also a large percentage of international students on campus. Religion wise most students are Christian of some sort and there are very few LGBTs at Richmond. Additionally, while many students are here on scholarships and there is a good variety of people in various socio-economic groups, most students at Richmond do tend to be upper-middle class or very wealthy. However, this is not to say that there aren't any people of a certain ethnicity, religion, or sexuality because I have met a large variety and diversity of people here on campus. If you look hard enough you can find any type of person you might be looking for here at Richmond. Most students wear to class jeans and, depending on the person, either a casual t-shirt of a nice top. Some students go all out even at 8:15 in the morning with dresses, cute flats, blown dry hair, and immaculate makeup, however, many students exhibit typical college kid outfits with sweats and a t-shirt. It's also common to see students in workout outfits because the gym is a hot spot on this campus and if the student is an athlete they tend to wear their warm-ups or some clothing displaying their sport. Most Richmond students are from the east coast, particularly Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. However, there are also a good percentage of international students and west coast students. It tends to be a good mix that brings together a lot of different backgrounds. Sadly many students are not politically aware or active. Richmond students tend to be very apathetic when it comes to getting involved in politics on or off campus and many students don't even know what is going on politically. Richmond does have the College Republicans and College Democrats on campus who attempt to raise awareness, however, sadly, they still lack support and many students just don't care. However, there is a good mix of republicans, moderates, and democrats on campus. Students don't talk about how much they'll earn one day. If anything, girls talk about how much their future husbands will earn! Some girls seem to come here only to marry rich and they don't really care about their education.

One good thing about Richmond is the diversity. In the course of one day, I seldom go without hearing more than four or five different languages being spoken around me. Racial and socio-economic diversity is not as prominent as religious and personal diversity on campus, but on the whole, we are a pretty diverse group of students. I think Richmond uses that to market itself, in a way. But as diverse as we are, people who are similar to each other tend to stick together. The international students, the art students, the athletes - they all have one thing in common: they stick together. Different types of students don't interact as much as I'd like to see us interact. I think the lack of interaction helps put a wall up that prevents the feeling of community on campus, which we are seriously lacking. Most students at Richmond are from the east coast, either from Virginia itself or somewhere in the East. Of course, there are international students and plenty of students from all over the country, but I would say they only constitute half of the student body while the other half are from more local places. Political awareness on campus is much higher than some other campuses I've been to. The news (which is today dominated by the Presidential race) is continuously on tv at the dining hall. However, diversity in the political realm is lacking. Most students tend to be Democratic, liberal, or center- to left-wing. Either that, or the conservatives and Republicans feel so outnumbered they are afraid to identify themselves.

Not a very diverse campus, but made worse by the fact that it feels racially-divded. Richmond spends a lot of time talking about cultural acceptance, but in the end all it does is create more tension. One of the biggest issues I have is with Pre-Orientation, when all minority and international students are invited to move in a week earlier than other students. I feel that this causes many problems because the minority students all make friends with eachother during pre-orientation and then don't branch out once the other students arrive for regular orientation. This only causes more separation between races. The typical Richmond student is a rich, preppy white kid. Let's just say popped collars are big.

There isn't too much diversity here. I know the university tries very hard to make it diverse but there are just some forces that exist that are preventing diversity from happening. Most of the kids are from white, upper middle class to high class families. Lots of them drive brand new, expensive cars, have multiple siblings, and live in large, suburban houses. The girls tend to dress nicely to go to class, meaning their Lacoste or J. Crew sweaters, jeans tucked into high-heeled boots, and pearl necklaces. I usually see guys wearing jeans and button-up shirts, but a significant minority like to wear khaki pants. I also see a bunch of guys wearing peach or pink pants every once in a while. I'd say most of the students come from New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. I think there's a significant political following here, too. There are a few die-hard activists out there, as well as the Young Democrats and College Republicans clubs. I think both political parties are equally well-represented on campus.