We take our commitment to college affordability very seriously at Richmond, and the New York Times has taken notice.

The Times released its third annual College Access Index, “Top Colleges Doing the Most for the American Dream,” and we’re proud that they ranked UR among the colleges most committed to economic diversity. Richmond has made their list for each year of its existence.

The Times ranked colleges based the number of lower- and middle-income students enrolled and the cost charged to those students. The index examined schools with five-year graduation rates of 75 percent or higher and scored them based on the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants multiplied by the graduation rate. Then, that’s combined with the average net price for students from families with annual incomes of $30,000–75,000.

This ranking is a wonderful recognition of our commitment to access and affordability, which is a pillar of the University’s strategic plan. President Crutcher also spoke on this important issue when announcing our work with the American Talent Initiative.

“At Richmond, our commitment to being need-blind in admission and meeting the full financial need of all students has helped us to nearly double the number of Pell Grant-eligible students in our entering class over the past ten years,” Crutcher said.

Richmond is one of only 170 schools on the Times’ list. We ranked 49th overall, and second among Virginia schools.

Great news to start the summer with!