UofL ready to welcome admitted students

UofL’s campus will be abuzz Saturday, March 24, when the Office of Admissions rolls out the red carpet for about 250 admitted students and their guests. Admitted Students Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and includes workshops, tours, an open house, speakers and a resource fair.

Admissions has hosted this event before, but took a few years off before bringing it back in 2017. Attendance last year more than doubled and is expected to be strong again this year.

Megan Adams, assistant director of Admissions, said the event was initially created as an opportunity for admitted students to visit on a Saturday and to see campus again or maybe even for the first time. It is also an opportunity for them to meet faculty and staff and take care of administrative needs that are required prior to freshmen orientation.

“We hope that students who have not yet made their college decision choose to come to UofL in the fall, and we hope that students who have already decided on UofL can get some things checked off their to-do list and feel good about their decision,” Adams said.

Full schedule

Admitted Students Day is just one of the office’s special events. In addition to hosting daily and twice-per-month Saturday visits, Admissions hosts about a dozen events on campus each year, not including orientation programs or off-campus programs. These include targeted events, such as out-of-state and transfer student day, UofL family and friends campus visit day or LGBT day. The busiest events are Accolade and Cardinal Preview Day, both of which bring more than 1,000 visitors to campus.

Admissions keeps its schedule full and diverse on purpose.

“We consistently hear from attendees, regardless of what program they attend, that everyone is so friendly and that they didn’t just feel like a number but were able to really make connections with faculty and staff. Having more programs that attract a smaller number of guests that all have something in common really allows us to maintain that atmosphere,” Adams said. “UofL is also very committed to enrolling a diverse class and having events focused on African American families, LGBT students, Hispanic and Latino, out-of-state students, etc., demonstrates to families that we truly value every student and what they bring to our campus.”

To achieve these objectives, the Office of Admissions relies on its visits and events team. The six employees are directly involved with planning and hosting each event.

“However, we couldn’t possibly host these programs without the support of our entire office and other offices on campus. We count on support from faculty, academic advisers, parking, catering, facilities, IT, Financial Aid, Honors Program, Housing, Communications and Marketing and many more departments,” Adams said. “We want to make sure that UofL makes a great impression – from sending out invitations to hosting the event to the post-event follow ups.”

In addition to making a great impression on prospective and incoming students, Admissions’ objective is to be as transparent as possible. Adams said this is important for students and their families who are navigating an overwhelming experience and often trying to choose between multiple schools.

“We are up front about academic programs, admissions requirements, costs and scholarships,” she said. “We want them not just to choose UofL for their freshman year, but to stay with us and graduate.”

To help students succeed during their time here, the Office of Admissions offers the following suggestions:

• The time students spend on campus is about them – what do they want to see? Who do they want to meet? What questions to they have?
• Spend time with current students and talk to them about their UofL experiences, whether that means going on a campus tour or eating at the Ville Grill;
• Trust your gut reaction. Do you feel at home on campus? “We will do everything we can to ensure that the answer is yes,” Adams said.

Facebook Live event

** Update: Because of Wednesday's snowstorm, Admissions has rescheduled this event to March 29.

Prior to Admitted Students Day, UofL’s Office of Admissions will host a Facebook Live Q&A from 7-8 p.m. March 21 for admitted students and their families. Executive Director of Admissions, Jenny Sawyer, and two current UofL students will be answering questions during a livestream from the office's Facebook page.