I will be attending Merit Weekend soon and was hoping someone who has been before could tell me a little bit about what it’s like.
What do you need to take with you? Any paperwork?
Where do you need to go to get your ID card?
What’s the student to advisor ratio when registering for classes?
Any info will be helpful. Thank You. 
I went to the first merit weekend. I brought scores from ap tests and transcripts from other colleges. Don’t need it but it helps. Student center has a room for it. Depends on college. In college of communication, we had 2 advisors and about 9 students. Have fun but here’s lots of info available at merit weekend so make sure to pay attention
Hi. Can you tell me what merit weekend is? Is it a series of interviews from which students are lat er offered scholarship money or is it designed for students who have already been offered national merit finalist scholarship s? My son has been offered the Patterson and he attends high school hundreds of miles from home so I may have missed any communication from him about this weekend. If he should be attending one I need to know.thanks so much!
@DisneyPrincess1 also is this merit weekend you speak of for students only or do parents often tag along?
@DisneyPrincess1, I believe parents are often there. I know my wife and I will accompany our daughter.
@123Monkey , Our experience with Merit weekend last year was simply a celebration of scholarship winners, a chance to take placement tests for the students, a day of registering early for the students, and a day of informational sessions for the parents. There are no additional interviews or opportunities to earn additional monies toward school as far as I know. HTH
Thanks much.now I have to get after my son…since he hasn’t yet committed to Kentucky maybe he hasn’t been invited (or hasn’t mentioned it to his dad and i)
@123Monkey…I believe Merit Weekend information went out by snail mail, but your son should be able to check his myUK account and see if the remaining Merit Weekend dates are listed as Orientation options for him. IIRC the two remaining sessions are 20-21 Mar and 27-28 Mar.
The main purpose of Merit Weekend is to try and convince a higher number of high stat students to choose UKy. Any student who attends has the option of registering for their fall classes, getting their student ID, etc. but even if they choose to do so they’re not fully committed to UKy unless they choose to be. For those that will be attending UKy Merit Weekend replaces any summer orientation session so the students don’t need to return until K Week in August, so it will free up a little time over the summer!!
@Wolverine86 We are off to Merit Weekend this weekend! This will be our and only first visit to UKy until after my kiddo makes a decision. Any suggestions on places to eat dinner or go for a cup of coffee near campus that would give us a feeling of what it is like to be a UKy student?
@Wolverine86 makes a really good point about committing to UKy – Long after my daughter was confident in going to Kentucky, the communications all came in saying “If you choose to come here…” or “Should you attend…” No pressure to commit until May, and even then an option to decline the offer of admission.
@CoMoMom, Hugh Jass Burgers. We’ll be there, too.
@CoMoMom and @AuntieFascist…Hugh Jass Burgers is a great choice!! Plus it’s right next to Kennedy’s Bookstore which has a great selection of UKy swag and provides some alternatives to the campus bookstore selections.
I’m not sure what to make of it (and I hope it’s incorrect) but Yelp has a banner stating that Hugh Jass has closed!! We didn’t get a chance to visit when we there on the 6-7 Mar Merit Weekend, but I could’ve sworn it looked open when we walked by. I’d call first to confirm. Fingers crossed that it’s just a vicious rumor!! [-O<
Not a rumor…
We just got back to Atlanta from Merit weekend and Hugh Jass Burgers was closed.
Wolverine86, please keep breathing! There are other restaurants in Lexington, though they may not be as close to campus as your favorite! Check out the Triple D website. You may be pleasantly surprised.
@NaperMom…I’ll be Ok (sigh =(( ) but I’m going to need a little time for the grieving process to run its course. I had grand plans of going up a couple of pants sizes over the next 4 years without having to go more than 100 yards off campus…but I guess I’ll manage somehow with Smashburger, or Cane’s, or Mellow Mushroom, or Chipotle, or…I think I’m good now. 
@wolverine We went to Smash Burger since Hugh Jass Burgers has closed. We enjoyed it quite a bit–the French Fries tossed in olive oil, garlic, and Rosemary were yummy! The tour guide said Cane’s Chicken Fingers are amazing.
Question: Did the students get their student ID’s at Merit Weekend? My husband took our d this weekend and she came home without one.
You could chose to get student ID if you wanted to do but not required. You needed to have valid drivers license or passport. My daughter did not bring so could not get ID. No big deal. Can do in the fall.