After you’ve been accepted to a university, it’s easy to think your college search is over. But for students who are accepted to multiple universities, the selection process is still underway.
One of the best ways to finalize your selection is by attending an admitted student day. You’ll have the opportunity to sit in on a class, tour campus and visit with professors to get a more detailed glimpse of the university. And nothing can match meeting potential classmates, said Sue Corner, Willamette’s dean of admission.
“You’re not just meeting people who are also trying to make the same big college choice as you — these are your potential roommates and lab partners, so you start to truly see who your people would be,” she said. “If you choose that university, you’ve already met a handful of friends in a way that’s different than through social media. It’s really reassuring for people to know they’ve already made friends in their same year.”
At Willamette, admitted student day (known as Bearcat Day) is one of the most important times of the year. It often serves as a tipping point — the visit answers questions or puts doubts to rest about the university, and by the time it’s over, students often commit.
The event is celebrated by the traditional ringing of the admission bell.
“It’s a bigger moment than if you’re at home and commit online,” said Corner. “But either way — if you commit from home or you're here in person — what I love about the ringing of the admission bell is that it means we celebrate every single student individually. That underscores the individual nature of support and the type of relationships we have here.”
Join us for a Bearcat Day this year.
