Admit Weekend returns to campus

Stanford is welcoming prospective first-year students to Admit Weekend 2022, marking the annual event’s return to campus after two years online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the Stanford Parents’ Club greet visitors in front of the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center during Family Weekend. (Image credit: Andrew Brodhead)

On Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30, Stanford will host 1,150 admitted students of the Class of 2026, and at least 1,500 guests, including parents and other relatives. The event will give prospective students the chance to explore life on the Farm through programming designed to showcase the academic and social opportunities available to students who enroll.

To keep the campus community and visitors safe, Admit Weekend will look slightly different than in past years. Many programs and events will be held outside or in open spaces. Attendees are also being asked to follow health and safety guidelines.

Notably, this year admitted students will not be allowed to sleep over in the dorms. However, they will be invited to eat in the dining halls with current students, many of whom will serve as “neighborhood hosts.”

Because Stanford is not offering on-campus lodging this year, Admit Weekend has been shortened to two days of programming, instead of the typical three. Organizers have offered significant travel assistance to ensure the event is accessible to all admitted students. While attendees will have the option to check in on Thursday, there will be no programming that day.

Admit Weekend will officially open Friday. After checking in at the Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation, students and their guests can attend panel talks to learn about various campus opportunities.

Prospective students will then be invited to eat lunch in the dining halls. Afterward, they are encouraged to attend academic and departmental open houses across campus to meet faculty and learn about the classroom experience. They will also be encouraged to stop by Stanford’s many community centers, including El Centro Chicano y Latino, The Markaz Resource Center, the Women’s Community Center, the Queer Student Resources center, and the Black Community Services Center.

Admit Weekend will include some new events, such as Dinner on the Main Quad, where students and parents will dine with their admission officers in front of Memorial Church.

Following dinner, students will head to Frost Amphitheater for the ProFroMance Showcase, a new two-hour concert featuring live performances from groups including Stanford Taiko, Stanford Raagapella, The Stanford Medicants, the Cardinal Ballet Company, and the K-Pop competition dance team Stanford XTRM. Meanwhile, their parents will attend a gathering hosted by the Stanford Parents’ Club to learn about how they can support their student while they’re at Stanford.

On Saturday, attendees will be provided breakfast and a list of events and fun activities designed to help them explore campus, including a hike to The Dish and several campus tours. They’ll also be invited to the Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Public Service at Arguello Field. Hosted by Undergraduate Research and the Haas Center for Public Service, the event will feature current undergraduate students presenting their research, art, senior synthesis, and public service projects to the broader university community.

Stanford Athletics will host the first-ever Stanford Stadium Fun Fest for prospective students and their families to learn about Cardinal football and the fan experience. The event will include fun on-field activities with scholar-athletes, as well as music, giveaways, photos with championship trophies, and more.

In addition to the in-person Admit Weekend activities, event organizers have introduced Cardinal Days, a new four-week virtual program for families of admitted students to learn about Stanford. Cardinal Days kicked off at the beginning of the month with a livestreamed University Welcome address and Q&A session with President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell, as well as speeches from Richard H. Shaw, dean of undergraduate admission and financial aid, and student Jessica Arellano-Cruz, ’22, an Admit Weekend coordinator.

“This is a special place,” said President Tessier-Lavigne. “Every time I walk across campus, I’m reminded how lucky I am to work in such a remarkable environment, surrounded by creative and accomplished people from all over the country, all over the world, and from all walks of life. I can’t wait for you to find the parts of our campus that inspire you and that make this place your home.”

The Cardinal Days virtual events include webinars, one-on-one virtual chats with current students and financial aid counselors, a virtual networking space called Cardinal Quad, virtual masterclasses hosted by Stanford faculty, and other programs hosted by various academic departments and community centers.

Students admitted to the Stanford Class of 2026 have until May 2 to accept the university’s offer.

Throughout the weekend, prospective students are encouraged to follow @engagestanford and @stanford, and use #Stanford2026 to share their Admit Weekend experience with the Stanford community.