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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.
Mythbusters: Increasing Your Chances of Admission
“How can I improve my chances of admission?” I usually start to hear that question around this time of year. By October, I’m hearing it on an almost daily basis. It’s understandable that this is one of the most common questions we get from high school seniors beginning the application process – guidebooks, web searches, and the media would have you believe that there are a myriad of hidden tricks that can significantly boost your odds of getting in (if you could just figure out what they are).
Top 5 Reasons to Start Your Essays Early
There’s no time like the present. The early bird catches the worm. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Just do it. We dole out advice frequently and exhaustively throughout the college search process. And I mean the collective We – teachers, counselors, admission professionals, classmates, friends, family, and strangers who find out that you are a high school senior. Whether helpful or not, offering advice is what we [Admission] do. So here are our top 5 reasons to start working on your college essays early.
Hidden College Costs
Admission decisions are out, the long months of anticipation are over, and it is finally time for our newly admitted students to choose a college home. The ball is in your court, future Spiders! Here are a couple of the most common areas you might find yourself accruing unwanted financial add-ons over the next four years – and, more importantly, how Richmond subsidizes many of these extra costs for our students.
Regular Decision Admission and Merit Scholarships
On Friday, Regular Decision letters left the Office of Admission, en route to thousands of applicants waiting to hear from us in our final round of admission for the year.
Richmond's Statement on Peaceful Protests
In light of recent and ongoing national events, the following statement was released yesterday by the University of Richmond via the @urichmond Twitter account: "In recent weeks, we have all shared in the heartbreak of the devastating loss of life at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and we are all wondering what might be done to stem the tide of gun violence that has taken many young lives. What we know we can do right now is to ensure that those who choose to peaceably participate in civic protests regarding gun violence will not be impacted negatively in any way in the admissions process to the University of Richmond. We all seek a better way."
Early Action Decisions
An overview of the Early Action applicant pool and the three different types of decisions that were recently released.
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 2022 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.

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UR Admission Twitter

So much fun at our 2nd Annual Partnership Prom!!! #PartnershipProud #creatingcommunity #access https://t.co/iyc3Gyv1Va
Due to impending inclement weather from Hurricane Florence, all admission events have been cancelled on Friday, Sep… https://t.co/JqZI1CIAli
It's the second week of September which means it's time to start recruiting #futurespiders - Here's a blog post abo… https://t.co/JLa06NDmNJ
RT @URSpiderFan94: Great article from @URAdmission! We have top ranked academics and athletics. Beautiful campus with a tight-knot communit…
We're so excited to see new Spiders crawling around campus! Here's a look at this year's move-in day: Welcome, Clas… https://t.co/sey69NruoE
Friday was filled with blue skies and lots of Spider Pride- thanks to all of the students and families who came out… https://t.co/n7CYtzWGyy
RT @URNews2Use: #urichmond ranks high in latest @ThePrincetonRev College Guide, including #4 Best Career Services, #5 Best Classroom Experi…
Our COMMON APPLICATION is now LIVE for First Year and Transfer Students entering in FALL 2018. #ReadySetClickSUBMIT https://t.co/vVidno7Xfc
One of the coolest of the summer- Richmond's International Dragon Boat Festival is tomorrow at Rockett's Landing! T… https://t.co/VqvbkGom9Y
We know it’s summer, but college applications are coming up soon! Still have questions about Richmond? Be sure to r… https://t.co/dnKBlW9WZ8
RT @CommonApp: 🚀 Less than two weeks to go until the 2018-2019 #CommonApp is live! 🚀 Check out some of the changes you can expect in the ne…
RT @URNews2Use: #urichmond noted by @Forbes among "TOP COLLEGES THAT ARE GENEROUS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS" https://t.co/2tDPTg4SRx. Read…
Friday is for FUN FACTS! Did you know that just in the last two months the City of Richmond has been highlighted in… https://t.co/b5sDZOoJAC
REGISTRATION is now OPEN for the first Preview Richmond open house of 2018-19. Sign up now to reserve your spot and… https://t.co/dEpSG7UX17
So, how's that essay coming along? We hope you got some brainstorming done last week, but if you're not convinced y… https://t.co/DX6YktCvFi
Another alum making headlines! The NYPD announced its piloting new technology invented by Class of 2002’s Patrick T… https://t.co/U54eFSgItp
Have you heard about our newest Spiders, the Class of 2022? Take a look at these impressive stats, placing them am… https://t.co/fdgwZGcrxg
This FRIDAY is for FEE WAIVERS! Have you planned your tour route for VA Private College Week (July 23-28) yet? All… https://t.co/JK7wd7FUzw
#URSpiderSupplement Question #3: You are required to spend the next year in either the past or the future. To what… https://t.co/BLO2npHljG
What a fun-filled week with Summer Institute on campus - we truly enjoyed hosting @PCACAC this year. Safe travels,… https://t.co/raxOvSh16x

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Richmond Videos

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.