Like to Catch “Arachnophoria?”

Imagine a college that offers you $4,000 to pursue your dream project or internship. It’s the home of the first school of leadership studies (Jepson) in the US, and the only Spider mascot in NCAA’s Division I. But we discovered much more to about the University of Richmond (which, as of this year, no longer asks applicants to “tell us about spiders” in their supplemental essay.

There's one big reason Richmond is able to offer so much-they have an endowment of over 2 billion dollars and roughly 3,000 students. Academically and socially, this small school feels like a large one: there are 100 majors, it is need-blind, offers merit scholarships, and is committed to diversity. There is active Greek life and 15% of students are first generation college students.

But the atmosphere, personal attention, and characteristics typical of a small college are everywhere: beautiful red brick buildings with Gothic arches, rose windows, and a cloistered walkway surrounding a large, scenic lake. All students begin in Arts & Sciences regardless of major and the business school is rooted in the liberal arts. Social justice is emphasized. The average class size is 15, and all classes are taught by full professors. Dorms and dining are first-class. The activities board schedules fun campus events as well as transportation to downtown Richmond, which features cobblestone streets and great restaurants as well as many internship opportunities.

Over 75% of students use the highly-ranked career services, which arranges career shadowing and chats with employers like NIH and the Federal Reserve (they visit campus to talk with students). Again, the university goes beyond expectations by paying for student road trips to job opportunities and leadership conferences.

Interested? The University Richmond accepts 31% of applicants, with an SAT range of 1220-1420 and an ACT range between 29-32. About 99% of students graduate with jobs or in grad school within one year of graduation. That means that University of Richmond prepares students to be problem solvers, creative thinkers, and socially conscious-all vital 21st century skills. That’s what they mean by catching “arachnophoria” and becoming a Spider!