Virginia Private College Week takes place July 22-27 at Sweet Briar College, area schools

It’s almost time for Virginia Private College Week, an admissions event hosted each year by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia. Sweet Briar College will again participate in the weeklong campus visit marathon that begins Monday, July 22, and ends Saturday, July 27. Rising high school juniors and seniors and their parents are invited to tour Sweet Briar’s stunning 3,250 acres, along with 22 other private institutions in Virginia.

At each college, visitors can expect a campus tour and information sessions about admissions, financial aid and academic programs. College officials will also address some common myths about the cost of a private college education. Sessions at Sweet Briar and most other colleges will begin at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 9 a.m. on Saturday. To visit Sweet Briar, please register in advance on the Sweet Briar College website.

“Visiting campuses in person is one of the most important steps in the college search process,” says CICV president Robert Lambeth. “I encourage parents to explore which college will be the best fit for their son or daughter, and I want to reassure them that a quality education at a Virginia private college is affordable and within reach.”

At Sweet Briar, a private college education is especially affordable with tuition, room and board totaling just over $35,000. More than 250 scholarships are available to eligible students, making the cost of a Sweet Briar education comparable to flagship public universities. The College offers a unique academic program: Its new academic calendar begins and ends with three intensive weeks of interdisciplinary study, and a core curriculum focused on women’s leadership in the 21st century has replaced traditional “gen ed” requirements. Among the CORE classes: Design Thinking, Women and Gender in the World and Decisions in a Data-driven World.

In addition to offering stellar academics, there is, of course, the College’s picturesque campus, frequently ranked among the country’s most beautiful. “We often have students who visit Sweet Briar a half dozen times before the school term starts because they fall in love with the campus and the people,” says Beth Clarke, senior executive director of admissions strategy and counseling.

Students who visit at least three institutions during Virginia Private College Week will receive three college application fee waivers. They may use the waivers to apply to any participating CICV colleges for free. CICV is also giving out a $250 Amazon gift card through a social media contest. To be considered for the prize, students must post a photo of their visit on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, tag CICV’s account plus an institution’s account and use either one or both event hashtags (#VaPrivateCollegeWeek and #VPCW).

For more information about CICV and Virginia Private College Week, including a list of participating colleges, visit www.vaprivatecolleges.org.

To learn more about admission to Sweet Briar, visit sbc.edu/admissions.