Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, state school in an urban setting in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 and now enrolls around 29,070 students a year, including 21,943 undergrads. VCU provides on-campus housing for up to 6,585 students. Most students live in off campus housing.

There are many ways for students to get involved at VCU! Love music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of VCU's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? VCU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Excited for Greek life? VCU has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? VCU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at VCU on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at VCU on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2022 is January 15.

Is VCU a Good School?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how competitive a school is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are. There are a few statistics that can give you a good idea of how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its students.

Let's take a closer look at all of these areas to get a clearer idea of what VCU offers and if it might be a good fit for you.

2021 Acceptance Rate for Virginia Commonwealth University

The acceptance rate at VCU is 91%. Last year, 17,368 students applied to VCU and 15,739 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at VCU

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at VCU, around 83% are still enrolled their sophomore year. Around 66% of students who started at VCU earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outcomes for VCU Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

VCU's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. VCU's endowment was valued at $153.9 million in 2021, compared to a national average of $905 million. For each full-time student, VCU spends about $13,471 a year.

Tuition and Financial Aid at VCU

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. VCU meets 52% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $15,321 a year.

Students in the class of 2021 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $33,031 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at VCU. Based on this information, how does VCU sound? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is VCU a good school for you?

If Virginia Commonwealth University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Where is Virginia Commonwealth University Located?

VCU is located in the urban setting of Richmond, Virginia.

If you want to see VCU for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 to Richmond, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Richmond International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what VCU and Richmond are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges and Universities in Virginia?

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