Virginia Commonwealth University

Not a top flight math program by any strech. Very good for boosting your GPA. If you need to go to a state school, this is a good choice since you don't have a lot of core requirements so you have time to pick up other majors/degrees.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

VCU is a great school for the arts but a very bad choice for students interested in pursuing a degree in science. There are no opportunities here for undergraduate research, and very few, sporadically offered courses in the science departments. On the plus side, professors are very helpful and almost always available, and the Fan District surrounding VCU is very cool. Just be careful about getting robbed at gunpoint, it happens regularly to VCU students.

1st Year Female -- Class 2007

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Campus Aesthetics: F

VCU prepared me well in so many ways for the "real world". I found the education to be very practical and intensive (Communication Arts and Design), and still full of inspiration. The urban environment is a fertile ground for creativity and thought about our society and community - good material for expanding minds.

One thing I would do differently is agonize about my major less. I spent a lot of time worrying that I wouldn't make any money when I graduated with my degree, etc. I even ended up changing my major shortly before graduation out of fear in the bad economy at that time. I thought I should have a more "well-rounded" liberal arts background to be more marketable. Looking back, I now know that I didn't need to go through all that stress. Just enjoy learning what you love - it all works out in the end.

For prospective VCU students, I recommend getting out and experiencing Richmond while you're here. That's one of the great pluses of the school - the city is full of history and architecture and stories. There are wonderful museums, art galleries, parks - all stuff that's free - within walking and biking distance of the school. Take advantage of it and enjoy!

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000