Late June in Charlottesville means branches full with bright green leaves, landscaping scattered with colorful blooms, and lacy patterns of sun and shade splashed upon brick walkways. Summer is a wonderful time to tour or visit the University, and appropriately, exactly when the Office of Admission's "Alumni Family Weekend" is held.
The event, however, is more than just a few lazy summer days. Held this year on June 20 and 21, it is an annual weekend for University alumni and their high school aged children. The program focuses on educating alumni and their families about the college application process with a focus on the Universities own admissions procedures.
"The point of the weekend is not to teach attendees how to get into U.Va., but rather to educate them on the admission process in general," said Senior Assistant Dean of Admission Lee Morgan. Morgan, who works often as an alumni liaison in the Admission Office, has put together the Alumni Family Weekend for the last 10 years, although it has been an annual University event for as long as she can remember.
This year the program's segments include a panel discussion with parents of college students, an hour-long lecture on "Effective Essay Writing," and an "Evaluation of Admission Cases."
"We've removed the section which discusses the importance of standardized testing," said Morgan. "Instead, we've given more time to looking at actual admissions cases."
By erasing names and other personal information, the University Admission Office is able to share actual past admissions cases with the attendees.
"Showing these cases illustrates the many factors the Admission Office considers when considering an applicant," Morgan said. "We use real-life examples to show that it is more than just test scores that make a successful applicant, it is a combination of factors, including activities, essays, recommendations, grades and classes."
The weekend, which is focused towards alumni with rising 10th and 11th graders, not only helps teach the process of U.Va. admission, but college admission in general. The information gained through the segments of the Alumni Family Weekend can be applied to the admissions processes of many other top schools.
Over the course of its long existence, the Alumni Family Weekend has proven to be a successful and well-received program. This year, Morgan reports that 320 alumni and family members are expected, which will make this year's group of attendees the largest in event history. "For the first time, we're not sure if everyone will fit in Alumni Hall," Morgan said.
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