Red carpet rolled out for April Welcome visitors

Blooming flowers and green grass can only mean one thing — spring is in the air.

And while spring can mean many things to many people, to about 1,000 high-school students, it means April Welcome at the University.

The annual month-long event will bring close to that many prospective students from the Class of 2009 to the Hilltop Campus for a sampling of Washington University life.

The admitted students, who received an open invitation to visit campus any time in late March or April, were chosen from almost 22,000 undergraduate applications. Last year, these student guests, plus younger high-school student visitors who were just beginning their college searches, numbered more than 2,000 in March and April.

In its 13th year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions’ April Welcome event gives students an opportunity to experience the University and the St. Louis area.

“Many students have said that April Welcome made the difference in their decision to attend Washington University, so having our visitors experience campus life is very important,” said Nanette H. Tarbouni, director of admissions. “The involvement and enthusiasm of our current students and the entire University community is quite impressive — and crucial to making the month successful.”

About half the students who participate in April Welcome end up enrolling here, Tarbouni said.

The high-school seniors can take part in activities both on and off campus during their visit. They can room with a current student in a residence hall, sit in on classes, talk with faculty, attend meetings and social activities sponsored by numerous student organizations and sample the area’s entertainment and cultural attractions.

The schools of Art, Architecture, Engineering & Applied Science and the Olin School of Business will offer special tours of their facilities.

The Multicultural Celebration Weekend April 14-17 will draw many prospective students from all over the country. This annual event is co-sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and by many of the University’s multicultural student organizations, which work together to plan the activities.

“In fact, the opportunity to interact with our current students is one of the major factors that influences a high-school student to attend Washington University,” Tarbouni said. “All of our students, including the members of our great Student Admissions Committee, do a wonderful job representing our University.”

Throughout April, the undergraduate admissions office will extend its hours for prospective students and their parents. In addition to its regular 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekday hours, the office will be open from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays.

The student financial services office will have drop-in hours from 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and from 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Additional campus tours will be added for April Welcome. Tours will leave from the undergraduate admissions office in South Brookings Hall at 10 and 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays; at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; at 10:30 a.m. and noon on Saturdays; and at noon on Sundays.