<p>When is the best time to visit UVirginia? I'm a high school junior from Illinois and I'm really interested in UVa and want to visit within the next year. Could I get a true feeling of the campus/university if i came during the summer or would I miss part of the atmosphere? Also, as far as staying over night with a current student, would it be best to come on a weekday or a weekend?</p>
<p>I would not recommend visiting during the summer if you can avoid it. I visited UVA in July with my daughter and she didn’t get a very good impression of the school. There were a few students around, but the grounds (as they call them) were very quiet. It’s very hard to evaluate a school without seeing more students.</p>
<p>My daughter took a visit with her grandfather in June 2006 between her freshman and sophomore years of high school. She came away with a great impression of the campus after taking the official tour and session.</p>
<p>She made a quick trip back to C’Ville this January with her Mother (her senior year in high school) and thought even more of the campus after seeing students doing their things. She did not take in any classes, visit the dorms, or take the official tour this time around.</p>
<p>Not sure if it helps much but she thought both visits were very beneficial. If you can swing it try to make both. If not, go while students are there.</p>
<p>I think April is a good time to visit or maybe May. The students are out and about so you get a good look at the student body and the campus is absolutely gorgeous at that time (as it is all year round!)</p>
<p>Just be aware that throughout the entire month of April, info sessions are huge, as large as 400-500 people because so many schools are on Spring Break.</p>
<p>In addition, we have our admitted student open houses, which are terrible days to visit. Grounds are crowded, there is limited parking, and our staff is preoccupied. Each year, we put a note on our website asking juniors not to visit on those days, but they still come. I think we might make that message a little clearer this year.</p>
<p>If at all possible I recommend an overnight visit through the Monroe Society so that you may sample dorm life w/ a current first year, try a meal at a dining hall and even attend a class. Treat your host at the Corner to a sandwich or frozen yogurt as a thank you. This visit will afford you the most honest and true representation of student life at UVa. </p>
<p>You and your family should also plan to attend one of the admissions information sessions / tours while you are there. </p>
<p>Whether you join the crowds of a spring or schedule around the football schedule of fall, please avoid a summer visit. Visiting in summer is just not the same as when grounds are alive with students.</p>
<p>Thank you for all your responses! I agree that visiting in the summer doesn’t always offer the best impression because this past summer I visited Northwestern and I was a bit dissapointed because it felt so dreary and I just got the sense that I wouldn’t enjoy going there. My Dad travels to the Washington D.C./Virginia area a lot for business so I think I will try to plan a trip for early fall.</p>
<p>Dean J is there any particular day of the week that is less crowded than others as far as tours and information sessions? </p>
<p>thank you for the advice about the Munroe society! I will definitely look into that when i go</p>
<p>Is it possible to have the info sessions in a better room than the dark and depressing theater in the basement of Newcomb? How about the Cabell Auditorium? While we were impressed with the UVA grounds, the UVA info session was one of the worst.</p>
<p>
In April, every day is crowded. Be sure to read the updated info on the visit page for a list of days when you should not come.</p>
<p>[U.Va</a>. Office of Admission > Plan a Visit > Admission Sessions and Tours](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/schedule.html]U.Va”>http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/schedule.html)</p>
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We don’t like the theater either because of the poor lighting and acoustics, but it’s what we’ve been given. We can use Cabell for very specific events, but not for info sessions. We get The Rotunda once in a while during “low season” (it doesn’t fit many people) and we get the Newcomb Ballroom once in a while, but no one can book that space for the bulk of each day, which is what we would need.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, there’s one room that we are given that’s even darker than the theater…the chapel. The chapel has no sound system, so when we have to give sessions there, we have to yell and pace up and down the main aisle for the hour to make sure everyone hears us.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that our final exam season starts at the end of April and then we’re out of school by May 8th. Visiting then wouldn’t be such a great idea; during finals, everyone is in one of the libraries studying for finals and there’s less going on in terms of social activity. If you can, see if you can visit sometime this month. You could also visit in September and stay overnight for the weekend. It’ll be the beginning of the year and more activities will be going on. Think about scheduling your visit in time for a football game; I love football Saturdays and even if you’re not into football, you’ll enjoy the school spirit.</p>
<p>The one weekend D has off of sports happens to be Easter weekend, so that’s when we’re travelling east to see colleges. Would it be crazy to visit the Saturday or Sunday of Easter? I was surprised to see that there actually is a tour/info session, but is anyone going to be around?</p>
<p>I think you should wait until the fall to visit. April and May are bad because of so many people plus exams. Good luck and enjoy your visit!</p>
<p>As previously mentioned, summer is not the best time to visit because students are on vacation. I recommend visiting UVA in the fall when school is in session; the campus is also beautiful at that time of the year.</p>