- Photos
-
-
_
U.S. News Rankings
| Ranking score and category | |||||
|
|||||
Summary
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution that was founded in 1838. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,483, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 143 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Virginia Commonwealth University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 170. Its in-state tuition and fees are $9,686 (2011-12); out-of-state tuition and fees are $23,597 (2011-12).
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public school in Richmond. Cheering on the school’s Division I sports teams, the VCU Rams, is a popular outlet for students. There are also a variety of clubs and organizations students can join, as well as more than 30 fraternities and sororities. About five percent of VCU students are involved in Greek life. For off-campus recreation, students can take advantage of the school’s Outdoor Adventure Program, which coordinates kayaking, backpacking, and whitewater rafting trips, among other activities. VCU has a variety of academic departments for graduate students, too, including a well-regarded School of Education, a School of Medicine, a School of Business, and a School of Engineering. The university also has a campus in Qatar that focuses on arts programs.
| School mission (as provided by the school): | |
|
VCU is a public, metropolitan, research university, supported by Virginia to serve the people of the state and the nation. The university provides a fertile and stimulating environment for learning, teaching, research, creative expression and public service. Essential to the life of the university is the faculty - actively engaged in scholarship and creative exploration activities that increase knowledge and understanding of the world and inspire and enrich teaching. The university is dedicated to educating full-time and part-time students of all ages and backgrounds in an atmosphere of free inquiry and scholarship so they may realize their full potential as informed, productive citizens with a lifelong commitment to learning and service. The university serves the local, state, national and international communities through its scholarly activities, its diverse educational programs and its public service activities. As an institution of higher learning in a metropolitan center that also is the state capital, the university enjoys unique resources that enrich its programs. The university also contributes its intellectual and creative expertise in the development of innovative approaches to meet the changing needs of our society. A few goals of VCU in carrying out its mission are: Provide undergraduate education that includes a broad and rigorous foundation in the arts, sciences and humanities, and explores the ideas and values of humankind. Offer nationally and internationally recognized professional and graduate programs leading to doctoral, masters, and other terminal and advanced degrees in the professions, sciences, humanities and arts. Foster a scholarly climate that inspires creativity, a free and open exchange of ideas, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, freedom of expression, and intellectual integrity. To expand the boundaries of knowledge and understanding through research, scholarship and creative expression in the sciences, arts, humanities and professional disciplines. Value and promote racial and cultural diversity in its student body, faculty, administration and staff to enhance and enrich the university. Develop and sustain a faculty of the highest quality by providing an environment conducive to their achieving and maintaining national and international stature and by continuing to attract both recognized scholars and other outstanding individuals with a high potential for scholarly achievement and excellence in teaching. To provide an optimal environment for educating and training health care professionals, for conducting research to improve health care and delivery, and for meeting the needs of patients and the community in a comprehensive health care setting. Support (through its commitment to public exhibitions, performances and other cultural activities) the imaginative power of the liberal, visual and performing arts to express the problems and aspirations of humanity and to enrich the lives of individuals. Offer diverse opportunities for individuals to benefit from higher education through a variety of avenues including flexible scheduling for part-time undergraduate and graduate students, open admission for nondegree-seeking students with appropriate preparation, advanced-degree programs for working professionals, selected programs in diverse locales, admission of students with appropriate associate degrees in arts or sciences and support programs for specially admitted students. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1838 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | urban |
| 2010 Endowment | $243,510,450 |
Applying
When applying to Virginia Commonwealth University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at Virginia Commonwealth University is $40. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 65.6 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 66% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | February 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Virginia Commonwealth University is 18:1, and the school has 33.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Virginia Commonwealth University include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Visual and Performing Arts; Psychology; Health Professions and Related Programs; and Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 84.2 percent.
| Class sizes | |||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
| Student-faculty ratio | 18:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 23% - Medium | ||||||||||
| Five most popular majors for 2010 graduates | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Student Life
Virginia Commonwealth University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,483, with a gender distribution of 43.2 percent male students and 56.8 percent female students. 21.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 79.0 percent of students live off campus. Virginia Commonwealth University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Virginia Commonwealth University.
| Total enrollment | 32,303 |
| Student gender distribution | |
|
|
|
| Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity | |
|
|
|
| Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority | |
|
|
|
| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Virginia Commonwealth University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, day care, and health service. Virginia Commonwealth University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Virginia Commonwealth University.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | No |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | Yes |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Virginia Commonwealth University, 54.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $6,357.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $9,686 (2011-12) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $23,597 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $12,937 (2011-12) - High |
| Financial aid statistics | |
|
|
|
* Overview details based on 2010 data
