Virginia Commonwealth University

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Virginia Commonwealth at a Glance

Location:
Richmond, VA
Setting:
Mid-sized city
Control:
Public
In-State Tuition:
$8,817
Out-of-State Tuition:
$20,751
Room & Board:
$9,670
Full-Time Undergrads:
19,150
Part-Time Undergrads:
4,228
More statistics . . .
School Website:
www.vcu.edu
Admissions Website:
www.vcu.edu/admissions
Financial Aid Website:
www.vcu.edu/enroll/finaid
Application Deadline:
January 15
Acceptance Rate:
71 %
Admission Difficulty:
Easy
Average SAT Scores:
1460–1790
Average ACT Scores:
20–26

Best Things

  • Students and faculty are both incredibly diverse.
  • The internship possibilities are endless with all of the companies downtown, including seven Fortune 500 businesses.
  • Although everyone might not be interested in basketball, everyone joined together to celebrate VCU’s buzzer-beater victory over Duke in the 2007 NCAA tournament.
  • Richmond Coliseum is five minutes away and attracts big-name artists and events, such as Tim McGraw Faith Hill, the Jonas Brothers, the Blue Man Group, the Harlem Globe Trotters, and monster truck rallies.
  • More best things . . .

Worst Things

  • Cheap off-campus housing is cheap for a reason.
  • Construction around campus doesn’t just cause traffic—all of the noise created causes headaches as well.
  • Crossing major streets during the busy parts of the day can sometimes feel like you’re in a game of Frogger.
  • Departments at VCU seem to be independent of one another.
  • More worst things . . .

Most Popular Majors

Overall ExperienceWhat's This?

Students who attend VCU either love it or hate it. If they hate it, they most likely transfer or don’t stay around campus on the weekends to find out everything the city has to offer. VCU has several nationally ranked academic programs and is continuing to grow and expand the classes offered to students. There are so many different fields that a student can major in that there’s no need to decide right way if you are unsure of your major. More and more students are enrolling at VCU, and instead of being a backup school, it’s becoming the first choice for a majority of the incoming freshman. While outsiders may consider it an art school, VCU students know that it is too diverse to label as any one type of school. Although VCU is in a city and some consider that a danger, the VCU security and police systems are arguably some of the best in the state.
 

VCU offers several opportunities for students to join clubs, fraternities, and sororities and even to travel abroad for a semester. They strive to give students the best opportunities knowing that once they leave college they may never be given them again. There are many different ways to socialize with fellow students, from going to athletic events to attending a house party down the street. The city has many different bars and clubs for people to let go of the stress of class and work. VCU has more than 32,000 students, which may seem crazy, but spread throughout the city, it’s not an insane amount. It is not uncommon to see someone who may have gone to your high school or someone you randomly met once at a party. Students who love and support VCU the most are active in some aspect and are happy with the decision they made in choosing their major. VCU has a lot to offer, but it’s up to each student to take advantage of it and make his or her experience here unique.

How do you
match up?

See how your test scores and GPA compare to other students that have applied to the same school.

Find your chances

Virginia Commonwealth University Campus Tour Video

Virginia Commonwealth Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Show section:

Sort by:

Loading...

Off-Campus Housing at Virginia Commonwealth University

tkeyah11

Occupational Therapy '14

2.3
C

Living Off-Campus Can Be Pretty Expensive

Well, this is big city so the pricing shouldn't be much of a surprise but the are plenty of halls and dorms to accommodate students.

May 27, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Academics at Virginia Commonwealth University

tkeyah11

Occupational Therapy '14

5.0
A+

Great Deal of Variety

VCU has a wide range of majors and programs that are offered at the university. They have something for everyone!

May 27, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Weather at Virginia Commonwealth University

aleeksandra118

Mass Communication '15

3.8
B+

Not Too Bad

When it snows or rains, the campus is pretty small and close together, so you don't have to trek through miles and miles of it. When it's nice out, you run out of room very quickly to be outside, which is annoying. Classes are never ever cancelled because of weather.

May 26, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
User rating for Virginia Commonwealth University is 3.5 out of 5 based on 882 user reviews.

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Carrie Lefler
Major
Communications

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)