About

See what students say:

Academics

The focused 1,500 undergraduates at Virginia’s Randolph-Macon College are treated to an exceptional liberal arts education on the Edge, the school’s name for its four-year career preparation program. Across more than 55 areas of study via majors, minors, and preprofessional programs, the college’s focus is on producing successful, well-rounded students: “We are all seen and heard at this school.” RMC accomplishes this task with a purposeful general education curriculum that requires courses across many subject areas, and a “capstone” experience that shows students to be ready for employment or graduate school. Along the way, the Edge Career Center provides advising, career roadmaps, and internship opportunities, and classes incorporate innovative pedagogy—a hallmark of an RMC education—in the form of “activities, group projects, lab work, guest speakers, and…field trips.” Experiential learning is also key, in that “laboratory classes are very hands-on, and most classes make an effort to have discussions,” and small class sizes ensure that students “have the opportunity to create strong friendships and relationships.” This is especially true of the honors program, which “provides very interesting and different courses,” and provides extra attention that goes above and beyond.

Professors help to shake things up by bringing “their own quirks to their classes to make it not as traditional” or by operating flipped classrooms “where the students do the research for the class and teach it for the day.” RMC is also “very accommodating,” and not just in how “faculty and staff are welcoming and supportive.” Says one student, there “plenty of opportunities to explore whatever you want and if the school can’t offer what you’re looking for in an internship or experience, they’ll help you find what you’re looking for in the community.”

Student Body

The overall vibe of Randolph-Macon College is familial—it’s “a home where current students, previous students, and community members gather to celebrate being Yellow Jackets.” Along those lines, school spirit is a big part of the culture, with “a large athletic student population” and where “many students spend their time doing activities related to their team.” But it’s also an emphatically “welcoming community in a cute little town” where “no one seems to be disrespectful to anyone who affiliates differently than someone else.” Perhaps that’s because the school is “small enough that you’ll almost always see someone you know in your short walk to classes,” but however you put it, “the courtesy is endless.” For those looking beyond their college years, students note that many here “have jobs or internships and everyone is able to have a car on campus if they want,” and the alumni network is incredibly supportive.

Campus Life

Eighty-five percent of students live on campus “so we really have the opportunity to get to know one another and become closer.” People usually “spend half of their days in their classes” and then take to the dining hall—“great for a small school”—and studying at night. On weekends, students “explore Ashland and downtown Richmond” and “fill their days by hanging out on campus lawn chairs, hammocking, or playing around on the football field.” A lot of the buildings are new and the layout “is very compact, which makes travelling across campus very nice.”

“There are plenty of ways to be active on campus,” including participation in the more than 100 student organizations and clubs. The numerous intramural sports “allow you to connect with new people and have physical activity at the same time,” and “on varsity sport game days, you can find a good number of students at those games, especially men’s basketball.” Community service is a facet of the RMC experience, and many students participate in service learning opportunities.

Contact & Visit

Campus Visits Contact

Contact
Kristen Sauer
Assistant Director of Visit Experience

Address
P. O. Box 5005
Ashland, VA 23005

Phone
804 752 7305

Email
admissions@rmc.edu

Experience College Life

Most Popular Places On Campus
Brock Commons-- the Student Center, home to the Student Engagement Center, the Campus Store, coffee shop, cafe, the eSports Arena, and movie theater
McGraw-Page Library-- Media & Instructional support, reference librarians, circulation and reserves desks, the Makerspace, and the Higgins Academic Center (HAC), which includes the Communication Center, the Office of Disability Services, and the Office of New Student Transition & Services.
the Frank E. Brown Fountain Plaza-- the heart of the campus, home to orientation and Commencement ceremonies
The Brock Sports and Recreation Center-- 25-yard pool, a weight and fitness room, an indoor track, eight multi-use courts, an aerobics room, a sauna, racquetball and squash courts, an indoor golf simulator, boxing equipment and a rock-climbing wall.
Randolph-Macon Center for the Performing Arts, including Blackwell Auditorium (expanded and renovated in 2022)
Campus is located on 125 acres in the suburban community of Ashland, Virginia. R-MC has six historic landmarks, including three academic buildings listed on the National Historic Register. Other places of interest on campus include Duke Hall (Opened 2023, home to Athletics facilities and the new PA program) and the Keeble Observatory, whose Ritchey-Chretien telescope is the largest telescope located between Washington D.C. and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Most Popular Places Off Campus
Kings Dominion (amusement park and water park, 8 miles north of campus)
Carytown, Richmond-- a shopping, dining, and entertainment district
Downtown Ashland-- Charming small town with locally-owned shops and restaurants, arts and entertainment, downtown train station
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
Riverwalk, Brown's Island, Belle Isle, and James River Park System
Randolph-Macon is 15 miles north of downtown Richmond, VA; 90 miles south of Washington, DC; 60 miles east of the Blue Ridge Mountains; and 100 miles west of Virginia Beach. Randolph-Macon is conveniently located on the Amtrak line and a few miles off I-95.

Campus Tours

Campus Visiting Center
M-F, most Saturdays
8:30-5:00
804 752 7305

Campus Tours
Appointment Required: Yes
Dates: Year-round
Times: morning, afternoon, and some evening visit options
Average Length: 1 hour

On Campus Interview

Campus Interviews
Yes

Information Sessions
Available

Times
Virtual and in-person sessions available; see https://www.rmc.edu/prospective-students/admissions-events

Faculty and Coach Visits

Dates/Times Available
Year-round

Arrangements
Contact Coach Directly

Advance Notice
1 week

Contact Email Address for Visit
admissions@rmc.edu

Class Visits

Dates/Times Available
Year-round

Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays
Available

Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office

Limitations
Accepted students only

Transportation

Types of Transportation Available to Campus
Amtrak station (on main north-south track) located at southwest corner of campus - northbound and southbound trains each stop twice a day. Richmond International Airport located about 25 minutes away. Taxi and limousine service to campus available.

Driving Instructions to Campus
I-95 to Exit 92 (Rt. 54 West-Ashland). Continue on Rt. 54 across Rt. 1 (third stoplight). About 1/2 mile after Rt. 1, turn right onto Henry Street. R-MC Welcome Center is on the corner. Admissions Office is located three blocks down on East Patrick Street.

Local Accommodations
Lodging within Ashland, VA: See https://campustravel.com/university/randolph-macon-college/ and https://campustravel.com/university/randolph-macon-college-bbs/

Admissions

Applicants: 2,446
Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average HS GPA: 3.70







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