Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU is a massive school that can't help but homogenize it's students. I am a 19 year old freshman in the AFO program. My first impressions of VCU was blinded by the status it's art program. I felt that jumping into the AFO program (with 13 credits) was even too fast paced and not a good adjustment for a freshman. The demand and quick pace restricted creativity and a smooth transition. Most of the art classes are overpopulated by girls, and the teachers had so many students to handle, they failed to recognize any outliers.

As a university outside the art school, VCU is a college town filled with horribly immature students trying to fit in. I felt it to be very cold and unwelcoming. I am a simple student who wants to attend a school with a real community. VCU is too big a school. Even if you find a group of wonderful people, you will still have to deal with uneducated and immature locals and students.

1st Year Female -- Class 2018

Useful Schoolwork: A, Social Life: D-

So VCU is actually a difficult school to get an A in no matter what major you are. But the school still has frats and sororities despite the hipsters and you still have to work to get past aramark's food poisoning and the cocaine. Great bball team, whatever, but I'm a Mensa-certified genius that just wants to kill herself and seriously the worst parts about VCU are the ones that people protest the capitol for and the min wage for (all of them are stupid and aren't even worth the dollar). VCU is great but people are hippies protesting for the lazy, totally serious about this. The people who feed prisoners should really not be feeding our students. They completely suck.

4th Year Female -- Class 2017

Education Quality: A+, Individual Value: F

I would choose a different school over VCU if I could do it over again. I graduated last December (December 2013). While in school the career department was very helpful with helping me to create a resume and look for jobs. Now that I have graduated no one from my finance department (my major) or the career department will respond to emails. I have yet to find a job. I think half of it is the economy right now and half of it is that VCU is not on the same level in employers minds as VA Tech or UVA. I can not even currently land a job as a BANK TELLER!! Is that ridiculous or what?! That just proves people don't respect a degree from VCU. I can also say I did not learn very much at all from my time at VCU. Sure I have a bachelors degree now but basically I feel like I paid 5 grand a semester for the last few years just for a title, not a real education. I truly believe if I had just started working right out of high school I would be farther ahead in life right now. So I would say that if you have to go to college go somewhere else, and if you don't then just start at the bottom and work your way up.

4th Year Male -- Class 2013

Education Quality: B, Faculty Accessibility: D