This Thanksgiving Break, I had the privilege of visiting four colleges in North Carolina and Virginia: The University of Richmond, Duke University, the University of North Carolina and the College of William and Mary. Richmond will be the first school featured in this four part series of pros and cons of each school, which will also include outstanding features I noticed in each.

First off, the University of Richmond was founded in 1830 and is a highly selective, private liberal arts university. All the following information is based upon my visit, brochures and papers obtained and the school’s website. Please pardon my photographs: it was a dreary day.

So, why should you attend the University of Richmond?

• Beautiful, scenic campus with old-fashioned and modern architecture marked by elevation changes, surrounded by trees and centered around 13.6 acre Westhampton Lake
• International focus and the #1 school for International Business in the country (see more info at bottom)
• Need-blind admission and the ability to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students
• Located just six miles from Richmond, home to 6 Fortune 500 companies and the only U.S. city with Class 4 rapids for thrill-seekers
• About 90 miles from Washington, D.C. and Virginia Beach
• Three main schools: The School of Arts & Sciences, The Robins School of Business and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies
• First-Year Seminars- small classes taught by top professors only for freshmen
• Undergraduate student-faculty ration of 9:1
• Average class size of 16 students
• No classes taught by teaching assistants
• 185 clubs and organizations
• NCAA Division I Athletics

Why shouldn’t you attend the University of Richmond?

• If you are looking for a larger school, the university consists of only about 3,000 undergraduates.
• If you are looking for a strictly urban setting, the university is located in a more suburban area.
• The school is private, so the total costs (without any financial aid) is around $55,590.

The international focus of the school is what sets the University of Richmond apart in my view. Richmond’s international focus combines foreign language and international studies departments, international-themed programs and events and extensive support for international studies. Several buildings are dedicated to that goal: the Carole Weinstein International Center (57,000-square-foot building for all things international), the Office of International Education (coordinates study abroad, summer internships and scholarships for international study), Global Studio (where technology enhances language learning and facilitates cross-cultural understanding) and the Passport Cafe (allows students to sample a variety of international cuisine). More than 80 university and study abroad programs are available in more than 30 countries worldwide, and 55% of students study abroad.

Additionally, this was by far the best college visit I’ve ever been on despite the rainy, old day. My tour guide, Daniel, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and got me incredibly excited about the school in general. We got free cookies at the school’s famous cafeteria, got an application fee waiver (lets one apply to the school for free as opposed to the standard $50) toured the science department (while students conducted physics labs) and actually got to go inside a residence hall’s dormitories.