A Message from the Director of Admissions
Greetings from the University of Rochester. I hope this finds you, your families, and communities safe and healthy. During such a time of uncertainty, I am conscious now, more than ever, how important personal connections are within our profession. College admissions has always been cyclical and while it constantly evolves over time, in many instances it is, in the wise immortal words of the late Dr. William Elliott, “finding new ways to do old jobs”. However, the core of what we do remains a pseudo-comfortable constant. A constant within the profession has always been the importance of connecting with students, parents and school counselors, community based organization counselors and independent counselors in a face-to-face experience, whether that be on campus or off, and we lost that important opportunity throughout the spring semester and in the foreseeable future.
An additional constant that I am reminded of is the thoughtfulness that is associated with making the right college choice. I had the opportunity recently to take part in a virtual conference and someone offered up the “types” of questions that were asked as students were making their final college selection. There was less emphasis on where a particular institution fell on the “list” and more about the ethos of the place, the community feeling, and the care of handling very difficult unprecedented decisions across every level of the institution. It gave me pause and hope that if there is a silver lining that perhaps this whole thing will have forced us to move closer to what really matters when it comes to making a real and important decision, like where to call home after secondary school. The process maybe, just maybe, became more human.
Like many of our peers, we are still working on our class and suspect that our enrolling size will be 5% smaller than last year. We had planned for an increase in summer melt factoring that we would not be immune from changes to NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices (CEPP), and this of course was before COVID-19. Currently our defer numbers are up minimally and we await to see how that plays out, especially for our non-US citizen students who are navigating the challenges of arriving on campus this fall. We anticipate a better understanding of what our fall semester will look like in late June; however, the University is actively working to have an on campus experience this fall that includes the necessary precautions mandated by the state of New York, while still maintaining the quality of educational and meta-curricular experiences that define the University of Rochester experience.
I’ll close by sharing that despite all of the challenges and uncertainty that have surrounded us this year within our office, our wonderful staff has welcomed multiple babies, bought houses, gotten married, completed advanced degrees, homeschooled their children and welcomed new dogs and cats to the family. Life has progressed and it has been a joy. My sincere hope is that we can again soon renew those human connections with you and your students and continue the important partnership that we value and take joy in as well.
Meliora,
Jason B. Nevinger
Director of Admissions
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Expanded Offerings for Virtual Events and Workshops this Summer
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The Office of Admissions will be expanding our offerings of virtual admissions workshops this summer to help your students navigate the college application process. Encourage your students and families to explore a variety of sessions covering topics such as interviewing, financial aid, and selective admissions. We’ll also give families an in-depth look at the University of Rochester experience and application process during Q+A sessions, application workshops, and virtual tours. Our usual information session will also continue to be available, with additional offerings in Spanish this year. Visit our Virtual Events page to learn more and register for an event. |
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Request a Virtual College Visit or Workshop for your School
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Do you have a workshop or panel you would usually hold for your students over the summer in conjunction with visiting college representatives? Would you like to get a head start on planning and request a college visit from Rochester for later this summer or even the fall? We want to work together with you on your ideas and continue giving your students the information they need to conduct their college search and prepare their applications. Share your ideas and submit a request for a virtual visit or workshop from the University of Rochester. |
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Duolingo English Test now Accepted for English Proficiency
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As of this spring, the University of Rochester now accepts the Duolingo English Test as an option for applicants to fulfill our English language proficiency requirement. We are excited to provide applicants with the ease of access associated with the Duolingo English Test and reduce application barriers for those unable to travel to physical testing sites. Visit our website for more information on our requirements around English language exams. |
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Summer 2020 Online Courses Still Available for High School Students
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Want to help your students get a head start on their college career? Let them know University of Rochester’s Pre-College Programs for high school students offers credit bearing courses online! They can earn college credit alongside Rochester undergrads and transfer the credits to almost any college or university of their choosing. Registration is still open for our B1 (June 29-July 24) and B2 (June 29- August 7) Sessions. Students will get a true sense of college coursework, explore career possibilities, and learn in a rigorous environment. Contact our Pre-College Program team at precollege@rochester.edu. |
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2019-2020 High School Award Mailings Delayed
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The University of Rochester sponsors four prestigious awards to recognize your high school juniors’ outstanding achievements in leadership and academics. School counselors are our partners in submitting nominations to help us identify these students and deliver their awards. We have not changed our plans to continue honoring High School Award nominations received prior to the June 15 deadline. However, with the temporary closings of high schools throughout the country, we are postponing the mailing of physical awards until schools have re-opened and awards can be safely received by a faculty or staff member. Interested in nominating your students for an award? There’s still time! Learn more about the program and submit a nomination by June 15 on our High School Awards page. |
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Tips for Supporting Students Exploring Transfer Options
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While much is uncertain this year, you may be working with students who were unable to enroll at their top-choice destination, either because of the admissions decision they received or challenges due to the ongoing pandemic. Other students may be looking to move closer to home. Regardless of the reason, our Transfer Team has the following reminders for transfer applicants:
- For first-year students planning ahead, connect with transfer advisors at the 4-year institution you would like to attend to discuss academic plans and how to prepare a successful application.
- If a student already applied to Rochester and plans on reapplying as a transfer applicant, we recommend completing at least one year of college coursework before reapplying.
- Understand that on-campus housing options may be different for transfer students or not guaranteed.
- Opportunities for merit scholarships and financial aid are also likely to be different for transfer applicants, and many institutions may be more need-aware when reviewing applications.
To learn more about the transfer application process at Rochester, visit our Apply page. |
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Yellow Ribbon Agreement Expanded to Include all Academic Programs
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The University of Rochester has been a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans since 2009. The Yellow Ribbon Program covers the cost of full tuition and fees for veterans or eligible spouses and children qualifying for 100% Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. In addition, we have no limit to the number of student veterans who may enroll at Rochester through Yellow Ribbon. We are excited this year to announce the addition of graduate students at the School of Nursing as eligible for Yellow Ribbon benefits. With this addition, all our undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Rochester are now covered by the Yellow Ribbon Agreement. Visit our Veteran and Military Family Resources page or email us at veteranservices@ur.rochester.edu to learn more.
 University of Rochester NROTC students in an early morning lecture.
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Spotlight on Alumni Networking for Veterans
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Support for our veterans has constantly been a university-wide effort. The Veterans Alliance Resource Group is open to all students, staff, and faculty meeting frequently to discuss current issues, outreach in the community and networking events. The group’s latest event was a collaboration with our Meliora Collective of Rochester alumni. Guest speakers for the event included a retired naval captain who shared his experiences and now leads a successful business. He credited veterans who bring invaluable leadership experiences that carry over to civilian life, and most importantly to companies. |
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University of Rochester | Office of Admissions
PO Box 270251 | Rochester, NY 14627-0251
(585) 275-3221 |
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