Summer Visit Season Begins

We are so excited to see reservations rolling in for our summer information sessions and tours. If you're planning a visit to UVA this summer, here are some notes for you to consider. 

1. Registration for a Tour on the Office of Admission's Visit Page.

We have a set number of spots available for each tour time. Making a reservation ensures that tour sizes are appropriate and allow visitors time to ask their questions. Registration for each month typically opens a month prior. Attending the tour will not have any bearing on our review if you decide to apply to UVA. We don't use interest here! 

 

2. We'll communicate with visitors by email.

A confirmation email goes to the student after they register for the tour. In addition, we will send a reminder with parking information before your scheduled visit. Please watch for these emails and share them with anyone visiting with you. Parking can be tricky in the summertime because of new student orientation and summer camps on Grounds. Don't just plug UVA into Waze and expect to park when you get close to the University. Use the instructions we send you. 

 

 3. Summer is construction season.

There are all sorts of construction and renovation projects happening around the UVA Grounds. Fewer people are inconvenienced by closures and detours during the summer, so the projects seem to multiple as soon as the semester ends. I try to remind myself that these projects are making UVA even better than ever. 

 

4. Bring a water bottle.

Our tours are about 90 minutes long and summer in Virginia can be hot! Bring a water bottle and take advantage of the bottle fillers we have around Grounds (they are usually next to water fountains). 

If you're touring #UVA this summer, bring a bottle to fill at one of our water stations.

A post shared by Dean J|UVA Office of Admission (@uvadeanj) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

#UVA In-Person Tours for Prospective Students Resume June 14

I'm so excited to share that we will be hosting in-person tours soon! I remember posting that our admission events were cancelled back on March 11, 2020 and thinking we'd be back in a month or so. The day we were told to take our office phones home was probably the one when I realized tours would be on an extended hiatus. Suffice it to say, we have missed seeing prospective students in person! We've also missed seeing our guides, ambassadors, and student workers. The team of summer interns will ease us back into tours starting on June 14th (are you following them on Instagram yet?).

A few notes for those who want to visit...

• As always, reservations are required, so please head over to the Visit page of our website to secure a spot on a tour. Once all the reservations for a day are taken, that date is no longer "clickable," so have a alternate visit date in mind. 

• Prospective students can register themselves and one guest for the tour. If you'll be traveling with a larger group, please make plans for the other members of your party to do something while you tour. I suggest a walk on The Corner to see the shops and restaurants adjacent to the University along with a walk on the UVA Lawn and a visit to the new Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. 

• The University's buildings are still closed to visitors at this time, to the tours will be completely outdoors. We suggest you use the housing youtube channel to explore the residence halls and check department websites for virtual tour options. UVA Recreation's website has descriptions and picture of their facilities, too.

• We'll continue to offer live and recorded virtual options for connecting with the Office of Admission and our students. Links are on the visit page and we'll also email them to students who make in-person tour reservations. 

I'll do my best to answer your questions in the comments, but I hope you can appreciate that our plans will probably evolve during the summer. 

All #UVA Admission Events Cancelled

At UVA, we've been getting messages about COVID-19 since January (we didn't even know that term back then). The University assembled a team of public health experts to provide direction to us as the situation developed. Today, they announced that university-sponsored events like the ones we host are suspended. 

Until further notice, we will not have any tours, information sessions, or open houses. Our staff is available to answer questions. As always, I'll be happy to chat with you in the comments of the blog and on Twitter and Instagram. 

The email below is going out to admitted students who registered for our open house events later today. Students who registered for tours and information sessions will get a similar email. 

In response to the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, the University has made the decision to cancel University sponsored events indefinitely, including: Days on the Lawn, Admitted Student Tours, Spring Blast, Spring Fling, and EscAPADe. Unfortunately, this means we no longer are able to host you on Grounds for your scheduled admitted student visit.  

This decision was made by University leadership after consulting with leading medical experts. It is our hope that these efforts and this decision will best protect the health of our students, staff, faculty, and visitors and assist in slowing the spread of the virus. Our admission deans are available to talk by phone or email if you have questions, and we will be providing updates on social media and on our institutional coronavirus webpage. 

We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience as we know you went to great efforts to plan and arrange travel to Charlottesville. We are honored that you are considering the University as a college destination and we are confident you would contribute greatly to our classrooms and community. 

Please know discussions have started about alternative ways we can introduce you to our dynamic student experience despite not being able to accommodate visitors. In the meantime, below are links to some resources that we hope will help you get to know our community, our students, and the University Grounds.

• Student-Led Virtual Tour

• Experience UVA

• Voices from a Diverse Community

• Student Created Introduction to Grounds Episodes

• Dean J’s Notes From Peabody: The UVA Admission Blog

• Dean J’s Instagram highlighting activities around the University and live Q&A sessions

Most importantly, stay healthy and take care of yourselves and your families. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks. 

Best wishes,
The Office of Undergraduate Admission

Saturday Information Sessions at #UVA

I'll be giving the information session tomorrow morning and thought I'd share a few thoughts for those who will be visiting us on the weekend this summer.

Please keep in mind that the University is closed on Saturdays, so you may experience a fairly quiet visit. Buildings may be locked and those that are open may not be especially exciting. The Rounda is open and I believe you can also view our copy of the Declaration of Independence at the Special Collections Library (it's prime season for tourists!).

If you'll be able to stay in Charlottesville for lunch, I recommend walking to The Corner or driving to the Downtown Mall. The Corner is a shopping district adjacent to UVA and the Downtown Mall is just a mile down University Avenue/Main Street. Your student tour guides can point you in the right direction and Charlottesville residents are usually happy to talk your ear off about their favorite restaurants.

UVA is quiet, but beautiful in the summer!

When Should the College Search Begin?

I once had a fifth grader in one of my information sessions. They weren't being dragged along with an older sibling. They were here with Mom and Dad, both of whom attended UVA. The mom said "it's never too early, right?"

Luckily, the University Guide Service gives historical tours of the UVA Lawn and Rotunda in addition to admission tours. Since we were in session, I was able to send the family to the Rotunda for the tourist tour with an invitation to come back to see me in five or six years.

The fact is we're seeing more parents of young students making reservations for tours and information sessions and I don't think that's a trend we want to encourage. While it's smart to be thinking about how course selection early on will affect a student's options in 11th and 12th grade, I don't think we should be encouraging middle schoolers to do a deep dive into the college search. Things change A LOT in high school. We have students who change their minds about the UVA school that interests them between November and April. There's no way we should be encouraging children to craft a college list.

If you want to expose a younger student to a college campus, ours is wonderful. Between the Rotunda, the Lawn, the Declaration of Independence, and Monticello across town, there's a lot to see here! I just hope you won't introduce the admission process until the are withon a year or two of applying.

Jack loves to greet little siblings, but we don't need them to start the college search just yet!

Visiting #UVA in the Summer

We are so excited to see reservations rolling in for our summer information sessions and tours. If you're planning a visit to UVA this summer, here are some notes for you to consider.

1. Registration helps us pick our venue.

The Office of Admission doesn't have an auditorium for large groups, so we reserve spaces around the University to accommodate our information sessions. Making a reservation ensures that we have a large enough space for our guests. Registration for each month typically opens a month prior, but we have July and August up since many people are making summer visit plans now.

Attending the information session and tour will not have any bearing on our review if you decide to apply to UVA. We don't use interest here!

2. We'll communicate with visitors by email.

A confirmation email goes to the student after they register for the information session and tour. In addition, we will send a reminder with parking information in it a few days before your scheduled visit. Please watch for these emails and share them with anyone visiting with you. Parking can be tricky in the summertime because of new student orientation and summer camps on Grounds. Don't just plug UVA into Waze and expect to park when you get close to the University. Use the instructions we send you.

3. Summer is construction season.

As soon as graduation is over, the work crews get busy with all sorts of projects around the UVA Grounds. Fewer people are inconvenienced by closures and detours during the summer. I try to remind myself that these projects are making UVA even better than ever.

4. Bring a water bottle.

Our tours are about 90 minutes long and summer in Virginia can be hot! Bring a water bottle and take advantage of the bottle fillers we have around Grounds (they are usually next to water fountains). We have water coolers in our office, so you can get a refill when your tour guide brings you to Peabody Hall at the end of your tour.

If you're touring #UVA this summer, bring a bottle to fill at one of our water stations.

A post shared by Dean J|UVA Office of Admission (@uvadeanj) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

Are You a Junior Visting #UVA During Spring Break?

We experience what we call a rolling spring break here in the Office of Admission. We have students visiting us on their spring break starting in the middle of March and continuing through the middle of April. One week, it's New Jersey and Illinois, the next week, it's Colorado and Florida. Add in a few thousand Virginians and it makes for a very busy time on Grounds!

It's extremely important to make a reservation for information sessions and tours because we have limits on parking and seating at our sessions. We also want everyone to experience the fantastic tours given by the UVA Guide Service in a reasonably sized group. Once a session and tour slot is full, it disappears from our reservation system, so if you don't see any options for a certain day on the calendar, it means we are at capacity and can't fit anyone else into the session.

We reserve a parking garage for our guests, so you need to follow the instructions on the confirmation email we send once you register. If you've visited UVA before, you are apt to go to the wrong place to park. Please keep an eye out for that confirmation email!

In light of the crowds, you need to leave ample time to park and walk to the information session location.

Are You Visiting #UVA this Summer?

I have some brief notes for those who have signed up to attend an information session and tour this summer or who will be registering soon.

1. Registration helps us pick our venue.

The Office of Admission doesn't have an auditorium for large groups, so we reserve spaces around the University to accommodate our information sessions. Making a reservation ensures that we have a large enough space for our guests.

Attending the information session and tour will not have any bearing on our review if you decide to apply to UVA.

2. We'll communicate with visitors by email.

A confirmation email goes to the student after they register for the information session and tour. In addition, we will send a reminder with parking information in it a few days before your scheduled visit. Please watch for these emails and share them with anyone visiting with you. Parking can be tricky in the summertime because of new student orientation and summer camps on Grounds. Don't just plug UVA into Waze and expect to park when you get close to the University. Use the instructions we send you.

3. Summer is construction season.

As soon as graduation is over, the work crews get busy with all sorts of projects around the UVA Grounds. Fewer people are inconvenienced by closures and detours during the summer. I try to remind myself that these projects are making UVA even better than ever.

4. Bring a water bottle.

Our tours are about 90s minutes long and it is HOT out there right now. Bring a water bottle and take advantage of the bottle fillers we have around Grounds (they are usually next to water fountains). We have water coolers in our office, so you can get a refill when your tour guide brings you to Peabody Hall at the end of your tour.

It's nice and cool in Peabody Hall!

Days on the Lawn Observations

We're in the midst of our 5th Days on the Lawn event (two more to go!) and I thought I'd share some of the topics that are coming up a lot as we chat with visitors.

First of all, while we have all sorts of events and sessions scheduled, you decide what you want to do. Some families have a "divide and conquer" strategy and try to get to as many different sessions as possible and others wander at a more leisurely pace. This is a day to "kick the tires" and if that includes having an hour-long coffee break at the Greenberry's in Alderman Library, that is just fine.

Registration is on the Lawn before the welcome talk, but all of the tables move to Peabody Hall around 9:30 AM. If you arrive a little late, just see us in Peabody and we'll get you all the information you need for the day.

The admission officers are wearing gold name badges. Ask us anything! The student volunteers are wearing orange t-shirts or gray sweatshirts. Ask them anything, too. Beyond that, I think you'll find that most UVa students are friendly and happy to help you if you aren't quite sure where you are going on Grounds.

The financial aid folks are meeting with people in Newcomb Hall, but they are usually very, very popular. Consider contacting their office before you visit if you need to talk about your aid package.

By the way, the Office of Admission can't give you more money. We've had a few people come in to tell us about what other schools have given them in hopes of us somehow adjusting their aid package. Our office can't change your financial aid.

Similarly, we can't give someone entrance into the Echols, Rodman, or College Science Scholars programs because other schools accepted a student into an honors college. Our review process takes months (as I'm sure you remember!) and it is specific to us. The results of another school's process doesn't change ours. Our programs have processes for bringing some students on board once they are already here. See their websites for information.

An unusually large number of students have asked to switch schools. While we were able to accommodate switches before decisions were released, at this point, we can't guarantee a switch. The Dean of Admission, Greg Roberts, is handling those requests.

This is a minor point, but if you want to take a picture with CavDog, try to come see us before the welcome talk starts. Each of the deans has responsibilities during DOTL events, so we can't always linger on the Lawn after the welcome talk. Later in the day, CavDog is usually in Peabody and is happy to meet guests.

Remember to check the DOTL parking information! The Office of Admission has rented out the entire garage at Emmet and Ivy Roads, so it is free to park there on DOTL days. If you have visited us before, you probably parked at the Central Grounds Garage (under the bookstore). We are not using that garage on DOTL days. That garage has regular paid parking for other visitors to Grounds.

Shuttle buses are ferrying DOTL guests from the Emmet and Ivy Garage to the Lawn for the welcome session. If you don't want to take the shuttle, it will take about 10 minutes to walk to the Lawn.

Feel free to post questions about DOTL in the comments!

Are you coming to Days on the Lawn #5 on Friday?

The fifth DOTL is tomorrow and we've been nervously watching the news in hopes of a sunny day. Right now, it looks like we might see thunderstorms coming into the area in the afternoon. For now, registration and the morning welcome talk will be on the Lawn in front of the Rotunda. If the rain comes early, we will move to Old Cabell Hall, which is on the opposite end of the Lawn from the Rotunda. It's not far. CavDog can run down the Lawn and back in under a minute.

We have emailed everyone twice with information about parking, but it seems like some students aren't sharing the email with their parents. So let me go over it here.

If you visited UVa in the past, you probably parked in the Central Grounds Parking garage and we validated your ticket for three hours to cover the time you'd be at the information session and on the tour. That garage isn't big enough to accommodate everyone coming for Days on the Lawn. So, we rent out the entire Emmet Garage, which is at the intersection of Emmet Street (which is Route 29 when you get out of the UVa area) and Ivy Road. The garage is behind the Cavalier Inn, which is diagonally across the street from the UVa tennis courts.

In our email, we said it could take you about 20 minutes to talk from the free garage to the Rotunda. That's might be a tad generous. I think 10 minutes is okay...but leave a little extra time in case there's rain.

Any questions about DOTL?

By the way, if it rains, CavDog stays home. Old Cabell Hall isn't pet friendly. :)

Two Weeks Unlike Any Others

I don't know how many visitors we've had on Grounds over the last two weeks, but I am confident that this has been the busiest two weeks of my tenure at UVa. We moved our information sessions into Old Cabell Hall for these last two weeks because our sessions couldn't be held in our usual spots (Newcomb Theater, the Rotunda). Tomorrow should be our last day of this, but we'll have a nice, big crowd back on Grounds for Days on the Lawn on Monday.

If you are coming to Days on the Lawn, you probably have the basic information already. Free parking is in the garage behind the Cavalier Inn, at the intersection of Emmet Street and Ivy Road. You can either take a shuttle bus or walk up to the Rotunda for the welcome session. 

There is a check in table on the Lawn and a light breakfast (banana bread, fruit) up by the Rotunda. CavDog and I usually hang out in front of the reception table to greet people. Around 9 AM, Dean Roberts will start the program. We usually have one speaker from the faculty and one from the student body.

CavDog listening to Dean Roberts

After the speakers are done, we'll sing you the Good Ol Song and you'll be off to explore. There are sessions to attend, a bunch of different tours to take, and classes to visit (students only in classes), but everything is optional. You decide how you want to spend the day.

  Belly rubs from students are CavDog's favorite things!

There are signs around Grounds to point you in the right direction, but you can always stop a student if you get lost. 

If you have any questions, come back to the Office of Admission in Peabody Hall. That's your "home base" for the day. There will be students and admission officers around the answer questions.

Dress comfortably! If you want to see a lot, you'll want to have walking shoes on. Dress is casual.

Any questions?

By the way, in the comments on past posts, people have asked if students on the waiting list can attend DOTL. 

These events are meant for admitted students.

Overnights with the Monroe Society

Note: This post is from 2013. The Monroe Society is no longer active. 

If you're an admitted student planning to visit us for Days on the Lawn, remember that you can always plan to stay overnight with a member of the Monroe Society. There's a good group of first year members who are eager to help you see what UVa is like beyond the tours and information sessions.

The Monroe Society hosts students all year long, but during March and April, they focus exclusively on admitted students. If you're interested in staying on Grounds the night before DOTL, submit a request at least a week in advance. 

Pack your bags!

What Happens Next for Admitted Students?

I trust that most of you have had a chance to share your feelings on the three decision entries by now. I will continue to keep an eye out for questions that are posted in them. It seems like many of you answer questions for each other in those comments, often before I can get to the blog. Thank you for that!

I thought I'd cover some of the typical questions that come up when students are wondering what happens next.


Welcome Packets
A welcome mailing was sent out on Friday afternoon to all admitted first year students.  Obviously, you saw your decision letter on SIS (and most seem to prefer the speed of online notification over waiting for the mail to arrive like I did when I was in high school), but there is some more information coming beyond that. A blog comments on Monday reported that one of those packets was received, so I imagine the USPS is ferrying them to you very quickly.


For now, you might be interested in checking out our admitted student page.  If you decide to join the class, at some point between paying your deposit (deposits are due May 1st) and June 1st, you'll want to go through the items on the Summer Orientation website.  In past years, that page has updated around April 1st, so the information that's on there currently is probably for last year's incoming class.



If you're really excited to do more, you could flip through last year's Welcome Book online.  The 2012 book, with new dates, should be up soon. You can also take a look at the virtual tours of the residence halls.


Admitted Student Visits
Days on The Lawn (DOTL) are the admitted student events. If the DOTL dates don't work for you, you can plan your own visit, which might include staying overnight with a member of The Monroe Society or attending some open classes.

Days on the Lawn are totally optional events.  We created DOTL to help students "kick the tires" before they commit to the University. You'll be walking around the Grounds just like our current students do. Dress as you do for school (unless, of course, you wear a uniform to school).  We want you to be comfortable.

I'm more than happy to answer questions about directions, parking, and lodging if the DOTL page doesn't cover your concerns.



Financial Aid
I should have a financial aid update later this week.  They aim to post packages around decision time, but we were obviously a bit earlier than expected with our decision release this year.   I'm not sure if all packages will show up at once, like your admission decisions did, or if they will come up over a period of time. It takes time to ensure that all admitted students who have applied for financial aid have been properly awarded, so please be patient with them.


If you have any other questions about next steps, feel free to post them in the comments!


Tomorrow on the blog: What Comes Next for the Waiting List

Let's talk about the weather

We've gotten calls from a few anxious parents who want to know if we will still be having information sessions and tours tomorrow and Saturday.  At first, I thought people were assuming that our buildings were damaged by the earthquake on Tuesday (all is well).  I didn't realize that people thought we'd be cancelling the sessions and tours because of Hurricane Irene.

Rest assured, the sessions and tours will happen as scheduled.  We're just about three hours from Virginia Beach, so while we expect rain, we aren't shutting down or evacuating. 

If you ever need to know if UVa is in session or closed, just click on the "What's Happening" bar on Virginia.edu.  A box will drop down that will show you all the information you need. 

You can also follow UVa on Twitter for minute-by-minute updates about what's happening on Grounds.  Even I follow UVa on Twitter so I can be aware of events and activities.

If you are thinking of visiting us this weekend, the sessions and tours will happen.  Just make sure to bring your rain jackets.

The dreaded overlap continues

Remember when I mentioned that March was the start of the overlap season? Well, it's in full force right now. We have scores of admitted students on Grounds for Days on the Lawn (and we even saw one denied student wandering around during DOTL the other day), but it's also spring break at a lot of schools right now. 

Once an information session is full, it disappears from the reservation system.  So, if you are planning a last minute trip to UVa next week, please understand that all three sessions (8:30 am, 10:00 am, and 1:00 pm) are full for most days.  We added those 8:30 am sessions to handle extra visitors.

CavDog is thoroughly exhausted after going to three Days on the Lawn in four days.  He'll be rested and back in action next week.

Running towards the finish line

Visit traffic is up!  It looks like rolling Spring Break is in full effect.  If you decide to visit us in the next month, just be prepared for larger crowds than normal.  Each info session (there are two each day) probably brings about 200-400 extra people to Grounds.

Because of all these visitors, I might not be at my desk for periods during the day.  If you don't get a quick response to a question, please be patient (you always have been during reading season, which I appreciate!).  I'll try to to work through the comments as quickly as possible.


Someone asked for a picture of CavDog dancing in the Q&A thread.  Dogs aren't the most musical of animals (someone actually studied this), so I figured this picture might be an acceptable alternative.  

 

We can pretend that CavDog is gleefully running towards the end of the reading season.  

We're not done yet...but I think you all know that we're getting close.

News from the front desk

Our administrative staff went on retreat the other day and the deans took turns covering the phones at the front desk. I actually enjoy this little tradition (much like I enjoy opening mail during the heaviest mail days of the year). First of all, it's interesting to hear the questions that come in to the front desk. Second, I enjoy hearing the surprise in someone's voice when I tell them I'm a dean and am happy to answer their more complex question. There are also a few callers who won't tell the front desk why they're calling...they just insist that they must talk to an admission officer directly.

The questions were pretty interesting. One woman had questions about a pension plan and thought we could help her. She wasn't a former employee of the University, but I guess I should be flattered that she thought we could explain how her plan worked. Many wanted to know if their credit would transfer if they came to UVa. They didn't seem to realize that there's a handy transfer credit analyzer on the website.

The most unexpected question, though, was from a woman from my own home state. She wanted to make sure we'd keep her tour appointment for Friday. We get a lot of people who think they need reservations or to sign in for tours and information sessions. So many, that we looked into implementing a reservation system (we're going to demo one today and will probably launch it in the coming weeks). After chatting for a minute, it became clear that she thought Charlottesville was at the beach and that Hurricane Earl would affect us.

UVa is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from the beach, so we'll be open as usual today and over the weekend. Any changes to our schedule get posted on the Plan a Visit page on our website, which is where all info about tours, information sessions, open classes, and shadowing can be found.

Walking backwards, part 2

Photo courtesy of vid.rm

My last post, asking your opinions about the tour guide practice of walking backward, was inspired by a New York Times article and blog post, which pointed at that practice, and others, as evidence of "staid" college tours. Apparently, many schools are hiring consultants to review and tweak their campus tours and these consultants have labeled many traditional tour guide practices as ineffective and old fashioned.

We don't have any money to hire a consulting company. I'm not sure we would hire one if we had the money. You see, we have some really great consultants right in house. We have about 120 students, aged 17-22, who run our tour guide group. They decide the content and routes of our tours. The way the group operates is an example of student self-governance here. Perhaps the students who just went through the college search, the ones who visited a dozen or so peer institutions during their college search, the ones who are just a couple years older than the prospective students, have a good idea of what the students on tour want to hear.

The University Guide Service is an independent student organization. While we have a liaison (a former tour guide herself) who lets them know about high traffic days or special groups that might need a tour outside of the schedule, but we don't tell the University Guide Service what to do. The UGS selects and trains new members each year. Tours aren't scripted, but the group makes a list of topics that need to be covered at some point on the tours and new guides shadow experienced guides to see how those topics can be organized on the various tour routes. They combine those topics with their own anecdotes to give visitors a mix of the official and the personal.

They do this beautifully.

Time and again, we're told our guides are wonderful. People are often surprised that the Office of Admission is not involved in picking the guides or managing the group.