Have you signed up for a campus tour? Don’t know what to expect? Do not worry, I have you covered! As a senior and fourth-year student employee in the Office of Admissions, I have a plethora of knowledge to share with you to best prepare you for your visit to the University of Rochester’s River Campus.
First things first, if you are coming to campus in person and have the time, make sure to sign up for the information session AND the campus tour. The information session is hosted by an Admissions counselor. For over an hour, they will go over the application process, describe our scholarship opportunities, and provide a general overview of our programs. This is a lot of content packed into an hour, so come ready with a notebook and pen. Didn’t bring one? Not a problem! In your welcome folder when you check in, you will receive a University of Rochester pen and notepad!
Up next, before coming to your campus visit, be sure to sign up for an interview! Interviews are a great way to tell the admissions team more about you beyond what you will incorporate in your application. The interview will either be with an alumni, an admissions counselor or a current student. You can also sign up for virtual interviews, but if you are coming in person for a visit, you might as well add the interview to your schedule! This is not as stressful as it sounds, I promise! Think of it as a 20-minute get-to-know-me conversation, now that’s pretty easy!
Third, even though you will be learning a lot about the University during your visit, it is important to do a general research of the university prior to your arrival. Our Undergraduate Admissions website provides a great overview of our application processes, student stories, and you can even find our admissions blogs! All of the Admissions blogs (such as this one) are great to flip through before visiting, to get to know our students and university life better. Additionally, look through our student life pages to see if any involvement strikes your interest, this will be a great talking point during your interview or, when you go ahead and choose your tour guide.
Check out the admissions website
Fourth, one of the most important things to know about the University of Rochester, is the meaning of our motto Meliora. When you come to campus you will hear this being referenced very frequently and you will even find out that there is a building named Meliora Hall. So what does it mean? Meliora is Latin for “ever better.” At the University of Rochester, we strive to make our students, patients, and the world ever better. This a huge part of who we are as a University community and is a big part of our brand. Understanding Meliora before coming to visit campus makes you “ever better!”
Lastly, our campus tours begin in the Wilson Commons building. This is located in the center of our River Campus. The Wilson Commons building – referred to our students as “WilCo” – is the hub of student life and home to 275 clubs and organizations. When you enter the building, you will be greeted at the Campus Information Center (CIC) Desk and pick up your welcome packet. Then, you will be greeted by our lovely Meridians (fancy word for tour guide!) who will explain each floor of the Wilson Commons building with you during their tour. Feel free to visit our award winning campus Starbucks on the third floor to grab a refreshing drink as well!
These above items are just a few things you need to know before coming to tour; coming to campus for the first time is exciting but might seem overwhelming. Our Meridians have been selected by the Admissions team to represent the university and provide you with A LOT of information in order to allow you to get to know the campus in the best way possible. With that being said, a few things to note as honorable mentions here so to speak:
- Take lots of pictures of the campus to refer back to after the tour!
- Prepare any questions you may have about the campus so your meridian can be sure to answer for you.
- Explore our programs and departments to see what you might be interested in. If you do not know what you want to do, do not panic! We will review our open curriculum with you!
- A reminder to open all of your emails, the admissions office sees this interaction in the application portal and it demonstrates interest in URochester!
This is truly an exciting time for you as you embark on your visit of the University of Rochester. Take advantage of your entire time on campus as there is so much to soak in.
Meliora!