Thoughts on U Richmond

[Anonymous]

all this talk about sticker price is it worth it blah blah. Oldest went to non-Williams/non-Amherst Nescac and was full pay - basically told him before he went you will not be living in ur old room or our basement after graduation, you will get a job and be on ur own. And in exchange, we will pay for college. Kid making well over $100k and living on his own, and thank god one of the 65% from his graduating class who is employed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aargh, I can't get my Nova kid interested in Richmond. Doesn't even want to visit. Any hooks?

I've heard the food is great there!

My DC, a very picky eater, was very happy with the food choices at Richmond. Definitely a plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family was on a roadtrip to see UVA, UNC, Duke, Wake, & VT. We decided to take a brief detour to see U of Richmond. After a few minutes of strolling around the campus, my foreign-born spouse said, “THIS is what a college should look like.”

We recently were in Richmond and drove by as well. I agree that the campus is very nice and the surrounding area is nice as well. It looks like a campus deserving of the high tuition. That said, I'm not sure if the school is worth sticker price, but at least the campus is not a dump like some schools that people fawn over on DCUM.

Serious question: do people feel the same way about the sticker price of schools like Colby, Colgate, Macalaster, or Holy Cross, for example? All expensive, selective schools that are “not Williams.” Few if any schools on this board draw as much fire. If I were a U of R person, I would stick up for my school too.

I feel the same way about the sticker price for all schools, including Williams and the Ivies. My family is full-pay and has the resources to cover tuition, but there would need to be a compelling reason to choose these over the public flagship schools that my kids prefer. If Colby, Colgate, or Richmond were genuinely the best fit for my child, then I would be comfortable paying the tuition. We certainly aren't actively seeking out the private schools mentioned.

Totally fair. I generally bristle at some universal notion of ROI for college because it means different things to different people,

ROI only makes sense if it is determined by school AND major, not just school alone.

There are majors at "low prestige" schools that have higher ROI than different majors at Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:all this talk about sticker price is it worth it blah blah. Oldest went to non-Williams/non-Amherst Nescac and was full pay - basically told him before he went you will not be living in ur old room or our basement after graduation, you will get a job and be on ur own. And in exchange, we will pay for college. Kid making well over $100k and living on his own, and thank god one of the 65% from his graduating class who is employed

What? Graduates of NEACACs other than Williams and Amherst are employable? I can’t believe it. Not what you would think if you only followed this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:all this talk about sticker price is it worth it blah blah. Oldest went to non-Williams/non-Amherst Nescac and was full pay - basically told him before he went you will not be living in ur old room or our basement after graduation, you will get a job and be on ur own. And in exchange, we will pay for college. Kid making well over $100k and living on his own, and thank god one of the 65% from his graduating class who is employed

Congrats on the successful launch! That's great your son landed well. We're just doing our due diligence on the whole cost-benefit thing and not because we can't swing it, but because we're not in the habit of writing blank checks without asking questions. Sounds like the non-Williams/non-Amherst NESCAC worked out perfectly for your family. Funny you mention Williams. A coach there went hard recruiting my son at a recent prospects camp. My son engaged politely but told me later he wished the D3 coaches would back off since he's focused on D1. Kid didn't even realize Williams was supposed to be prestigious. Different priorities, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about this?

Richmond/UVA Law
Denison/Northwestern Law
Furman/Duke Law
Williams/Penn Law
Amherst/Harvard Law

Again. None.

Funny thing is I went to UVA Law. Lots of my classmates were from top schools, also a lot from the top in state schools - UVA, W&M. And even Mary Wash, but I can't think of one from Richmond. Not one. Wonder why not?

Because they were broke after paying for undergrad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aargh, I can't get my Nova kid interested in Richmond. Doesn't even want to visit. Any hooks?

I've heard the food is great there!

My DC, a very picky eater, was very happy with the food choices at Richmond. Definitely a plus.

Fr fr. We all ate at the dining hall after our tour and the food was superb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about this?

Richmond/UVA Law
Denison/Northwestern Law
Furman/Duke Law
Williams/Penn Law
Amherst/Harvard Law

Again. None.

Funny thing is I went to UVA Law. Lots of my classmates were from top schools, also a lot from the top in state schools - UVA, W&M. And even Mary Wash, but I can't think of one from Richmond. Not one. Wonder why not?

They don't draw that many kids from Virginia at UR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about this?

Richmond/UVA Law
Denison/Northwestern Law
Furman/Duke Law
Williams/Penn Law
Amherst/Harvard Law

Again. None.

Funny thing is I went to UVA Law. Lots of my classmates were from top schools, also a lot from the top in state schools - UVA, W&M. And even Mary Wash, but I can't think of one from Richmond. Not one. Wonder why not?

They don't draw that many kids from Virginia at UR.

This. It’s like 18% from VA. I don’t know how many pre-law students there are, but I would imagine many of them don’t have more incentive to go to UVA vs any other law school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family was on a roadtrip to see UVA, UNC, Duke, Wake, & VT. We decided to take a brief detour to see U of Richmond. After a few minutes of strolling around the campus, my foreign-born spouse said, “THIS is what a college should look like.”

We recently were in Richmond and drove by as well. I agree that the campus is very nice and the surrounding area is nice as well. It looks like a campus deserving of the high tuition. That said, I'm not sure if the school is worth sticker price, but at least the campus is not a dump like some schools that people fawn over on DCUM.

Serious question: do people feel the same way about the sticker price of schools like Colby, Colgate, Macalaster, or Holy Cross, for example? All expensive, selective schools that are “not Williams.” Few if any schools on this board draw as much fire. If I were a U of R person, I would stick up for my school too.

Of course the key question is whether or not they give you a discount. But I wouldn't pay full price for Richmond or any of the examples you gave here.

I’ve held the total yearly cost for each of
My 3 kids to $65k. Each did a LAC. Not paying more. That means they have to get money. Worked out fine.

Also paying for grad school. $65k for top but not tippy top LAC and excellent grad school beats crap out of Williams or Amherst.

Grad school pays you? Unless you’re going to professional school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about this?

Richmond/UVA Law
Denison/Northwestern Law
Furman/Duke Law
Williams/Penn Law
Amherst/Harvard Law

Again. None.

Funny thing is I went to UVA Law. Lots of my classmates were from top schools, also a lot from the top in state schools - UVA, W&M. And even Mary Wash, but I can't think of one from Richmond. Not one. Wonder why not?

They don't draw that many kids from Virginia at UR.

This. It’s like 18% from VA. I don’t know how many pre-law students there are, but I would imagine many of them don’t have more incentive to go to UVA vs any other law school.

Yes, most go to NYC after ugrad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all this talk about sticker price is it worth it blah blah. Oldest went to non-Williams/non-Amherst Nescac and was full pay - basically told him before he went you will not be living in ur old room or our basement after graduation, you will get a job and be on ur own. And in exchange, we will pay for college. Kid making well over $100k and living on his own, and thank god one of the 65% from his graduating class who is employed

Congrats on the successful launch! That's great your son landed well. We're just doing our due diligence on the whole cost-benefit thing and not because we can't swing it, but because we're not in the habit of writing blank checks without asking questions. Sounds like the non-Williams/non-Amherst NESCAC worked out perfectly for your family. Funny you mention Williams. A coach there went hard recruiting my son at a recent prospects camp. My son engaged politely but told me later he wished the D3 coaches would back off since he's focused on D1. Kid didn't even realize Williams was supposed to be prestigious. Different priorities, I guess.

Frankly, I’d you can’t get a job after landing at a top lac- a university isn’t gonna help you.

It’s easy mode. Get an Econ degree, have no passion, take the corporate classes, join the consulting clubs, mock interview constantly with friends, secure a sophomore summer internship after freshman year Econ research with a professor, take the right stats classes, and you’ll leave with an awesome consulting gig senior year minimum. Sounds like a lot but space that across 4 years. Don’t like business? Great, do CS, take the hard classes, join the ai club, and prep.

You’ll get an interview coming from a top school. I say this because DD goes to Pomona and easily got a gig with hardly anything on her resume for BCG and McKinsey. A lot of LAC grads are hellbent on grad school (and good on them) but you definitely don’t have to worry about roi if you’re at all focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family was on a roadtrip to see UVA, UNC, Duke, Wake, & VT. We decided to take a brief detour to see U of Richmond. After a few minutes of strolling around the campus, my foreign-born spouse said, “THIS is what a college should look like.”

We recently were in Richmond and drove by as well. I agree that the campus is very nice and the surrounding area is nice as well. It looks like a campus deserving of the high tuition. That said, I'm not sure if the school is worth sticker price, but at least the campus is not a dump like some schools that people fawn over on DCUM.

Serious question: do people feel the same way about the sticker price of schools like Colby, Colgate, Macalaster, or Holy Cross, for example? All expensive, selective schools that are “not Williams.” Few if any schools on this board draw as much fire. If I were a U of R person, I would stick up for my school too.

I feel the same way about the sticker price for all schools, including Williams and the Ivies. My family is full-pay and has the resources to cover tuition, but there would need to be a compelling reason to choose these over the public flagship schools that my kids prefer. If Colby, Colgate, or Richmond were genuinely the best fit for my child, then I would be comfortable paying the tuition. We certainly aren't actively seeking out the private schools mentioned.

Totally fair. I generally bristle at some universal notion of ROI for college because it means different things to different people, but I think your approach makes lots of sense (though those OOS flagships can carry a big sticker price, too). I think my point is nobody jumps on this board every week to start a thread about how Colgate sucks. People express pros and cons when it comes up but generally keep it moving. Richmond, on the other hand, is one of this board’s favorite whipping boys.

The comparison to Colgate might have to do with the (I would assume) larger number of VA participants on this board and their preference for public options. If you have the William & Mary option in-state, Richmond is probably less attractive since it appears similarly selective but much more expensive. NY and New England residents, for example, seem more focused on private colleges since they don't have as many desirable public options (NY has many good public colleges, but none with the name recognition of Virginia's flagship schools). Plus, in those regions, paying premium prices for private education is more culturally normalized. I'd be happy to start a "Colgate sucks" thread, but I'm not sure anyone would pile on.