University of Richmond Top Questions

Start the college process early. Visit a lot of colleges and take into account of where it is located, surroundings, what people do on the weekend, etc. --Make a pro/cons list when narrowing down.

Try to isolate specific positive aspects of each college that you visit and then compare them before making a decision. This will help you remeber all of the aspects that you enjoyed and determine which is most important to you.

Pick a place you can stand the sight of, make sure the rooms and food are good, and look around for somewhere with a good academic reputation. Studying comes first, but if it's a 51{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}-49{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} with socializing. Friends make it worth suffering through academically even if your professors are bad. Get involved in a few things you care about and don't overextend yourself.

I would advice them to allow for all possibilities when searching for a school. A student, or parent, may think that a particular characteristic is essential for the school to be a perfect fit but that may not end up being true. The right college is the one where the student overall feels the most comfortable regardless of its prestige or any other specifc factor. In order to make the most of their college experiences, students need to be open to new experiences. They should try doing things that they have never tried before and take risks, both inside and outside the classroom. Colleges exist to broaden student's horizons and further their education about all topics, not just academic ones. College is also an opportunity to learn about yourself, to learn your limits and then surpass them. There is rarely another opportunity in life to be exposed to and experience the wide variety of opportunities that colleges provide. Basically, a student's college experience is what they make of it. Even if it is not their first choice school, embracing everything a school has to offer can make their college experience a valuable and enjoyable one.

Go to the campuses that you are thinking fo attending. It is imperative that you speak with students that are not being paid by the admissions office because they will give you a biased account. I worked for the admissions office for a while and just stopped working until I got fired because I was tired of being paid to creatively misrepresent (read lie). You should trust your gut about where you attend because only the student will no which place is right for them. Do not question your gut if you have a visceral response because it is probably right. Good luck to all prospies.

A sophomore explains that places to buy food close early in UR. Also, the social scene is centralized around Greek life.

A sophomore suggests considering a potential major when registering for classes for freshman year.

A sophomore shares that she enjoyed getting involved in only one activity in order to avoid overcommitting herself.

A senior advises to get involved on campus during freshman year but be sure to not overcommit your time.

A senior wishes he knew that the UR campus is farther away from the city than he would like.