As university admission decisions begin to trickle in this month, students might be invited to attend April Admit Days for US universities to which they have been admitted. Also known as Admitted Student Days, these events are designed to give admitted students a chance to explore the campus, meet with faculty and current students, and get a feel for the university community. Whether the student is 100% set on a university to which they’ve been admitted, or undecided between one or more campuses, I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity and either visiting or revisiting that one campus of choice or visiting/revisiting 2-3 campuses even though the timing is just before AP and IB exams.
Here are some reasons why attending April Admit Days can be beneficial to students:
- Attending April Admit Days can help students make a more informed decision about whether to accept the offer of admission. They can learn more about the university, its programs, and its campus culture, attend campus tours, visit or stay in residence halls, and attend social events, all of which can help them decide if the campus is the right fit for them.
- Admitted Student Days are a great opportunity to meet other students who have been accepted to the university. Students can make connections, find potential roommates/friends and explore the campus together with them, and get a sense of the student community. These will be friends they can stay in touch with over the summer who will be there in the fall to help reduce the anxiety inherent in starting life in a new and unfamiliar place.
- Students will have the opportunity to meet with professors and staff members from the university, who can answer any questions they may have about academic programs, research opportunities, and campus resources.
- Attending April Admit Days allows students to experience the campus firsthand, which can help them get a better sense of what it’s like to live and study there. They can experience campus life, explore facilities, and get a feel for the surrounding community.
At many universities, Admitted Student Days include one or two days of overnight stay, where a student can take a sleeping bag and stay with a current student at the university for a more immersive experience. I highly recommend for the student to take advantage of this opportunity to experience dorm life, even if parents are accompanying their son or daughter to the university and staying at a nearby hotel!
Some universities also have organized events for parents who are accompanying students on visits. If this is the case and parents opt to attend, they will be unlikely to see much of their son or daughter as students will be kept busy socializing and getting a truly immersive experience.
Overall, attending April Admit Days can help students make a more informed decision about which university to attend, give them a better sense of what it’s like to be a student on that particular campus, and make for a more comfortable transition to university the next fall.