A Day for Admitted Students

This past weekend, prospective students and their families flocked to William & Mary to attend Day for Admitted Students. This annual event allows potential new students to explore campus, meet current students and faculty, and learn more about what the college has to offer.

As a freshman, I volunteered during DFAS and helped direct families to various academic buildings and events. Ironically, I was stationed in the exact location where I had gotten lost on my first day of classes in the fall. I was right outside of the Integrated Science Center when I panicked and actually pulled out a campus map. (Learn from my mistakes, and download the map on your phone for the first day!) Thankfully, a helpful upperclassman took pity on me and directed me to Andrews Hall for my first class. On DFAS, it was fun to be the one giving directions for a change! This year, I wasn’t able to volunteer, but I had a great time just taking in all of the excitement of the day. There was so much energy on campus as students shared what life at W&M can look like; the Sunken Garden was filled with tables showcasing different clubs and student organizations, and a wide variety of programs were held throughout the afternoon.

When I attended DFAS in high school, I already knew that I wanted to go to William & Mary, but the event really helped me picture myself living on campus. Listening to faculty panels, touring academic buildings, and talking with current students made me more excited about the future and all of its possibilities. (Of course, I was also pretty excited to receive some free W&M swag!)

An awkward photo of me posing in front of the Wren Building on Day for Admitted Students in 2014!

While I’m obviously a little biased towards William & Mary, I also realize that there are a lot of other awesome colleges out there; finances, academics, campus life, and location all play a huge role in the decision making process. Day For Admitted Students is just one of many great ways to get to know W&M better as you narrow down your choices. For me, visiting campus and listening to current students share their experiences helped solidify my choice. Although I liked some of the other schools I toured, William & Mary felt like home.