Undergraduate Admission

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Admission Blog

Make the Most of Your Campus Visit
The end of summer is (almost) here. The time has come. You can now begin the final countdown to the start of the academic year – I know we have. We are excited to have students back on our campus with the palpable energy that they bring.As you begin to trade your beach towel for a backpack, fall marks one of the best times to visit those campuses on your college list. Students are back, classes are in session, college cafes are serving up pumpkin-spiced everything, and campus will feel, well, exactly how it will feel when you are a student. And while we know how busy the fall can be for you, finding some time to sneak away to see schools will absolutely pay off.So, when you are able to make it for a college visit (and we selfishly hope Richmond makes that list), here are three tips from a washed-up campus tour supervisor to maximize your time spent on campus.
A Summer Guide to Nailing Your College Apps
Rising seniors, while we hope (and expect!) you’ll enjoy some downtime this summer, there are a number of items that you can easily check off your summer to-do list.Unsure where to start? We’ve got you. Here are a few recommendations on where to begin as you start your college application prep. Just breathe deep and take it one step at a time.
Richmond Cares About Your Well-Being
Let’s get one thing straight: Richmond students are ambitious. For some, that means more than one major, or taking classes across schools to pursue multiple areas of academic interest. For others, it means leading student clubs or organizations, volunteering in the City of Richmond, and joining a club sports team. Regardless of what Spiders choose to pursue (which in many cases is all of the above), we know their health – physically, mentally, and emotionally – comes first. That’s one of the main reasons we’re building a new Well-Being Center on campus, which is scheduled to open in fall 2020. Attached to the Weinstein Center for Recreation, the new center will be the perfect spot for our students to tend to their health and overall happiness.
Regular Decision Admission and Merit Scholarships
On March 14, to commemorate #NationalSpiderDay (yes, we have the only mascot bold enough to compete with a day dedicated to pi(e)!), Regular Decision letters left the Office of Admission on their way to thousands of applicants waiting to hear from us in our final round of admission for the year.
For Those on the Fence
The start of January brings my colleagues and me to a critical crossroad in the admission cycle; the past months of intense travel and preparation for the Class of 2023 are more or less behind us, and the formerly far-flung reality of weeks and weeks of application review (we call this “reading season”) is suddenly, fully, and unequivocally upon us. The professional challenge for Admission Officers at the start of a new year isn’t just digging deep to review all application files by April 1. It’s the knowledge that, with an application deadline of January 15th, there are still students we’ve gotten to know and appreciate who have not yet applied to Richmond. And that, to me, is not so much a crossroad, as it is a colossal impasse. For those of you rounding out your college lists, still making decisions on where to apply, I know there’s not much I can do or say at this point to get Richmond definitively added to your list. But with a few days left until January 15th, a new year deserves a new attempt to show you why Richmond just might be the very place you belong.
A Parent's Perspective on the Admission Process
As a 7-year veteran in the world of higher education, I’ve watched many families tackle the college admission process. Parents help their students in very different ways but the one thing they all have in common –the hope that their child will be happy, healthy, and successful. So, what is the best way for parents to help their students during this momentous time? I am not a parent and do not pretend to understand the complexity of parenting a high school senior on the precipice of one of the biggest investments of time and money in their lifetime. Luckily, I have two uniquely qualified colleagues to dole out advice: Gil Villanueva, Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission; and Marilyn Hesser, Executive Director of Admission. Together, they have a combined 62 years of admission experience. Gil is parent to one college sophomore and one high school student. Marilyn is the parent of three young adults.
Answers to Your Toughest Questions About Richmond
I’m fairly new to our Office of Admission, but as a Richmond grad, I thought it would be pretty easy to answer students’ questions. And sometimes it was – questions about student life, the City of Richmond, or UR sports teams were some of my favorite. Other questions weren’t so easy. They got at the heart of what it’s like to be a student at Richmond, but required a lot of thought for me to answer. Here are three of the toughest questions I heard this fall, and my honest responses.
Take a Wrong Turn (And Other Lessons Learned from the Road of Recruitment)
Today marks week three of seven on the road of recruitment travel. My life is perpetually packed into a 14 x 22” carry-on, my waistline is suffering from a diet of Oats and Honey granola bars and vanilla mint Tic Tacs, and my distaste for airport travel is only counteracted by the fleeting moments of joy found following TSA on Instagram (an unexpectedly amazing account). After seven seasons of admission travel, you might wonder why I stick with this job. The reality is that the travel isn’t glamorous, nor is the paycheck large. But each and every year, I am motivated by the possibility of meeting future Spiders who will challenge my way of thinking, reveal new opportunities for empathy, and inspire the ambition I see so prevalent on our campus. And along the way, I’ve developed a few pieces of advice. Call them words of wisdom or mere musings of an admission counselor. But for what it’s worth, here’s my personal philosophy on how to approach the college search.
"How's Your Biology Program?" (And Other Not So Awesome Questions)
We’re still awaiting cooler fall weather here in Richmond, but our students have returned to campus! That also means that our Admission Officers are gearing up to hit the road and visit your high school, college fair, or your neighborhood coffee shop for a quick Spider Chat. Whether you are a senior polishing your admission essay or a junior starting the college search process, fall is a great time to make connections with your admission officer at the University of Richmond and other colleges you might be applying to this fall.
UR: Small College, Big Sports
If you know anything about the University of Richmond, it’s probably that we’re a highly selective liberal arts school... but our 17 Division I sports teams are the real deal, too.

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UR Admission Twitter

We're into these summer chemistry vibes! https://t.co/YxblshE3WN
MOVE REGISTRATION OPEN!
Meet Charlie Broaddus, a recent alum with his B.A. in Journalism, a local Virginian, first-gen college graduate and… https://t.co/T5hh0DT1q6
RT @urichmond: #URichmond has been ranked No. 2 for “Best Career Services” in the 2020 edition of @ThePrincetonRev's college guide. #Spider…
Happy Common Application Day!!! Time flies when you're enjoying the summer fun, but it's already August 1 and it's… https://t.co/Zb80D6Y2bb
Meet Nadine Saint, '10, who has some of the hottest territories of all spanning from Arkansas to the Carolinas and… https://t.co/8JcYsbvJGT
RT @URNews2Use: Gil Villanueva, #urichmond associate vice president and dean of admission (@URAdmission), is quoted in "Admission Deans Sha…
This lady right here, Priscilla Greene, is responsible for leading the efforts on all of our amazing Open Houses an… https://t.co/mxkPQeL9GC
Meet Rachel Ristow, our Associate Director and proud Virginia (Newport News) native. Chances are if you visit campu… https://t.co/fRMo6P0nU2
Hey, rising seniors- you can go ahead a take a little break this weekend OR you can get ahead of the game. The Comm… https://t.co/Axpjdp4ImN
Meet Jose Garcia, our new Asst. Director of Multicultural Recruitment who will travel to Maryland and New Jersey th… https://t.co/vqgrPqA5s7
Another ranking in the books for prettiest campus 😍 #TowerTuesday for the win! https://t.co/thTuSQQHSe
We are so excited to welcome everyone to campus for Virginia Private College Week! @VaPrivColleges You still have t… https://t.co/s8SwqSiYyt
Working on scheduling your college visits? Look ahead at our festival schedule in Richmond to step out on the town… https://t.co/ftxP9snVJC
RT @urichmond: #URichmond has been named No. 25 in College Consensus' list of the nation's best liberal arts colleges. #SpiderPride ❤️💙 ht…
Last month, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Simon Scholars for their annual Leadership Symposium and leading… https://t.co/QHqmm8Y2eN
Meet Heather Selby, our newest admission counselor! She's been an intern with us for years and now she's stepping i… https://t.co/8Jsvi4N2J2
RT @OHara_HPS: Thank you @urichmond @URAdmission for an amazing visit to your wonderful University - a true gem! @HPS_HSGuidance @HPS_HSGui…
Coming soon: we'll be highlighting each admission counselor, which regions we cover and a little more about why we… https://t.co/Qb64COTJv2
Just a little over ten days left until Virginia Private College Week begins. Remember you can visit 3 schools and e… https://t.co/36VudKaeUG

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Summer Visit Opportunities

Campus visits are available to all prospective students on most weekdays throughout the summer.

The next Preview Richmond open house will take place on Friday, August 30.

Richmond Videos

Class of 2019 'Spiders Take on the World'

"It's an ending and a beginning, simultaneously." See what the Class of 2019 had to say about their time at Richmond, what's ahead for their futures, and what they'll miss most about the place they call home.

34th Annual Student Symposium, School of Arts & Sciences

University of Richmond's Princeton Rankings

The Princeton Review - College and Beyond has named UR as the No. 3 Best-Run College in the 2019 edition of "The Best 384 Colleges" college guide.

University of Richmond 'Move In Day 2018'

We welcomed the Class of 2022, which is among UR's most academically talented.

Commencement 2018

The University of Richmond’s Class of 2018 is heading to coveted jobs and graduate schools all over the world. But as any alum will tell you, the Spider connection is for life.