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College admissions office makes a 'cybervisit' to Fredericksburg Academy Date published: 10/6/2009
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
An admissions officer from the University of North Carolina recently appeared at Fredericksburg Academy without leaving her Chapel Hill office. Fifteen juniors and seniors at the private school in Spotsylvania County visited with her via a webcam. Erin Breese, senior assistant director of admissions at UNC at Chapel Hill, thanked them for taking part in what she called an "experiment." "This is kind of crazy, huh?" asked Breese, whose image appeared on a projection screen in an auditorium. She could hear and see the students. UNC at Chapel Hill admissions officers aren't traveling to the area this year because of budget cuts. So, a Fredericksburg Academy employee suggested they use Skype, which provides software for making video-teleconference calls over the Internet. Nationwide, college admissions offices have reduced or eliminated out-of-state travel because of the economy. Virtual visits don't seem to have caught on just yet, but that may change. For instance, Wake Forest University last year announced it would be offering virtual interviews to some applicants. Also, Dartmouth College's admissions office communicated with students in South Africa this year using Skype, according to the campus newspaper. Marty Wilder, the University of Mary Washington's dean of enrollment and student services, said his office will make out-of-state stops this year. "We try to do more of the one-on-one personal interaction with guidance counselors and students," he said. But who knows how colleges will respond if the economy doesn't improve, Wilder said. "We might be looking at all kinds of things." During last week's cybervisit to Fredericksburg Academy, Breese explained the admissions process. "What do you think is the most-important part of an application?" she asked. "Grades!" someone responded. The correct answer is the high school transcript. One student asked Breese a question after the presentation. "The newness of it kept them from asking more questions," said Susanne Nobles, Fredericksburg Academy's director of college counseling. Fredericksburg Academy 11th-grader Tony Washington said he thought the cybervisit went well. "It works," he said. "But I prefer an actual person." Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
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