Friday, Jan. 19, the five-day new student orientation began at the College of William and Mary for Spring 2024 new students, including 70 from the 2024 Spring Pathway program. The program began in 2020, granting spring admission to waitlisted freshman students. Following the recipients of freshman regular decision admission offers in early April, any first-year or freshmen applicant who received a waitlist decision is able to pursue the Pathway program after May 1.
For students on the waitlist with continued interest in the College, official admission requires submitting a non-binding intent form between May and June, as well as documentation of academic standing via transcript. Final grades for a student’s senior year of high school that fall below a C disqualify them from pursuing the Pathway program.
“William & Mary annually attracts immensely talented applicants, each of whom is drawn to our learning community,” vice president for strategy and innovation Jeremy Martin said in a W&M News article. “The Spring Pathway program has allowed us to welcome even more of these students, who add to the vitality of our campus following their time abroad or in a local setting.”
After completing the intent form and submitting the transcript, prospective Pathway students are contacted by the College in August, allowing them to access their application and choose between a full-time semester at a local two-year community college or a semester of studying abroad with Verto Education.
“Verto Education was founded to make travel the path of least resistance to a college education,” the Verto Website states. “We believe in inclusion, transparency, access, equity, and, above all, the power of travel to foster empathy and kindness across cultures.”
Implementation of Verto in 2020 and its partnership with the program are designed as part of the College’s efforts to increase enrollment and mitigate forecasted enrollment fluctuations as a result of decreased rates of high school graduation between 2024 and 2032.
To achieve guaranteed admission to the College, students must complete 12-16 credits while maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA and individual letter grades above a C-. Students can submit their grade progress via the CommonApp Mid-Term Report or through a screenshot of their respective learning portal in October. Official offers to students with sufficient standing receive offers of admission to the College.
“I love that we are able to offer this unique opportunity to students,” senior assistant dean of admission Monica Pinier said in a W&M News article. “We know these students plan to enroll in the spring, so I enjoy working with them during the fall semester to help make it a seamless transition as possible to William & Mary. I am personally in touch with nearly all our pathway students to be sure that everything is lined up between their fall academic program and the university. One of the most exciting days of the year for me is January orientation when we finally meet on campus and are able to celebrate as they officially join the W&M community.”
