To all prospective students visiting campus, welcome and we’re glad you made it here to visit. Whether you live two minutes away or two oceans away, we hope you’ll experience some of the interesting and fascinating things about our College, and we’re not just talking about the absurdly large squirrel population or the abundance of students in yellow T-shirts who seem all too cheerful for a Saturday morning.
p. Many of you are likely considering several schools. In fact, there’s a good chance that perhaps you and some of your fellow prospective students are apprehensive about the whole process. You may even be looking left and right, frantically trying to identify things that you do and don’t like about the College. Don’t worry: we’ve been there before, and we know you will make the right choice.
p. By now, you probably already know that our College is rich in tradition, history, culture, bricks and extremely attractive students. We can’t argue the importance of any of these characteristics of the College, but we encourage all of you to dig deeper and discover what really makes this place unique. Ask questions about social life, professor accessibility, weather, food and everything in between. Ask a student why President Gene Nichol is the best Santa Claus on the East Coast, or why the College is one of the only schools in the country that calls it government instead of political science — we have no idea, by the way.
p. Find out how you will get involved once you come to campus. Students here are known to be rigorously active in athletic, cultural and philanthropic pursuits outside of the classroom. Attend the activities fair and learn about campus groups, cultural organizations, student newspapers and everything in between. Learn about the athletic accomplishments of our teams and athletes, such as senior Megan Moulton-Levy and sophomore Katarina Zoricic, the no. 1 ranked women’s doubles tennis duo in the country. After all, it may not be long before you and your new friends will fill the stands at Zable Stadium, or scream through painted faces in Kaplan Arena.
p. While you’re on campus, take a stroll into Colonial Williamsburg — the most historic, interesting (though at times overpriced) area in the state of Virginia. With a deep-rooted connection to the College, CW leaves one with a sense of pride and excitement that few other places can boast. Don’t worry about all the ghosts either, as they are mostly harmless.
p. More than anything, take a few moments, perhaps away from your parents, to just relax and envision yourself as a member of the Class of 2011 at the College. With decision time rapidly approaching, you need a short time to reflect on what you see and learn about our campus.
p. While not the most selective or competitive class of admitted students in recent years, the Class of 2011 — you and your potential classmates — feature a record number of first-generation students, a sign of the College’s efforts to diversify its student body. You comprise a group of talented and unique individuals that, we hope, will become the newest chapter in a book that was opened over 300 years ago.