Merit Weekend for Fall 2008
NOTE Merit Weekend participation is by invitation only. Invitations are mailed to the home of qualifying students once they've been admitted. For questions about eligibility for Merit Weekend, please contact us at advconf@uky.edu or (859) 257-3256.
If you have been invited to attend a Merit Weekend, please register by Saturday, March 1, 2008 to this address.
- 2008 Merit Weekend Brochure - including registration instructions (11 pages in PDF format*)
What is it?
The University invites academically talented students and their parents to attend a special two-day advising conference called Merit Weekend. In order to attend a Merit Weekend, students must have been admitted with at least a 28 composite score on the ACT Assessment or 1240 on the SAT. The Merit Weekend program replaces the summer advising conference and assures participants a higher priority in class selection.
Payment by Credit Card
There is a $60 per student fee to attend Merit Weekend. The fee for parents to attend is $20 each. Payment can be made by check or money order attached to the reply form, or payment can be made by credit card at this site: myUK. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
Which one do I attend?
There are two Merit Weekends: March 7-8 and March 14-15, 2008. You may select the weekend that best suits your schedule. If the weekend you select is filled when we get your reply, we will contact you and assign you to the other weekend.
Academic Colleges Represented
| Merit Weekend #1: March 7-8 | Merit Weekend #2: March 14-15 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture and Human Environmental Sciences | Agriculture and Human Environmental Sciences |
| Arts and Sciences | Arts and Sciences |
| Business and Economics | Business and Economics |
| Communications and Information Studies | Communications and Information Studies |
| Design (Interior Design only) | Design |
| Education | Education |
| Engineering | Engineering |
| Fine Arts | Fine Arts |
| Health Sciences | Health Sciences |
| Social Work | Nursing |
| Undergraduate Studies | Undergraduate Studies |
Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
If you have applied for a UK Academic Scholarship, you can expect to receive your notification by April 1. If you have applied for financial aid, your notification will be mailed the first week of April. If your attendance at UK depends on your scholarship and/or financial aid awards, you are welcome to attend the Merit Weekend program while you are making your decision.
Placement Exam Information
Check-in for all exams will be outside room 106 Whitehall Classroom Building. There is no charge to take the exams. Exams are for placement only; no credit is awarded. The results will be available immediately following the exam.
Math Placement Exams are now mandatory at UK for all new students. The exam consists of 12 multiple choice questions and you have 30 minutes to complete it. The exam scores will be used in conjunction with your ACT, SAT, AP, IB Math scores to determine which level of Math you should take. You are allowed to use a calculator but you should plan to bring your own. The exam will be offered on the following schedule:
- 3:15 P.M. Friday
- 7:30 P.M. Friday
- 8:00 A.M. Saturday
Foreign Language Exams (French, German, Spanish) are available during Merit Weekend. You must take the exam if you have high school credit for a language and wish to continue studying the same language. You do not need the exam if you want to start in the first level of a different language than you took in high school or if you do not plan to study a language in the fall. You will be required to take the placement exam if you decide, at a later time, to continue with the same language you took in high school. The multiple choice exam is offered on computer and takes about 30 minutes. The exam covers reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar. There are no listening or speaking portions of the exam. Please call (859) 257-1414 with any questions concerning the exam. The exams will be offered on the following schedule:
- 2:45 P.M. Friday
- 7:30 P.M. Friday
- 8:00 A.M. Saturday
Placement Exam enclosure (2 pages, PDF format*)
If you sign up for an exam and change your mind about the time you do not need to contact our office.
If you are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and have not yet taken the exams, you will be allowed to enroll in courses based on the assumption that you will pass your AP or IB exams(s). Qualifying results will be verified after you complete the exams.
Academic Majors
To investigate majors before your arrival, visit this web site. Pre-professional students (dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy) should seek advising from the advisor for their major. Students without a major should seek advising with an advisor from Undergraduate Studies.
Parking Instructions
You may park for free in Parking Structure #5. Enter from either South Upper Street or South Limestone Street (see this map).
Overnight Accommodations/Hotels
Overnight accommodations are not provided at Merit Weekend. If you are planning to stay overnight in Lexington, we strongly recommend that you make your hotel reservations as early as possible. There are many events scheduled in Lexington in the spring and hotel availability may be limited. We recommend the following web site to assist with your travel plans: Hotels, Airport, Taxicabs.
Schedule
| Friday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 2:30-4:15 p.m. | Check-in for students and parents | Lobby Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 2:45 p.m. | Foreign Language Placement Exam | Outside 106 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 3:15 p.m. | Math Placement Exam | Outside 106 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 4:15 p.m. | Welcome and Overview | 1st floor Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 4:50-7:20 p.m. | You and your guests will have the opportunity to select four 30-minute sessions covering a variety of topics including: the Honors Program, Computing Services, MathExcel, Discovery Seminar Program, Residence Halls, Student Activities, Financial Aid, Education Abroad, and others. | 102 - 122 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 7:30 p.m. | Placement Exams: Math, French, German, Spanish; (See enclosure for details; PDF format*) | Outside 106 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| Light refreshments will be served during the Interest Sessions. If you arrive early and would like to tour the UK campus, please contact the Visitor Center at (859) 257-3595. Campus tours are give at 1:00 P.M. and 2:15 P.M. Tours are available to Merit Weekend students and guests only and must be scheduled by calling (859) 257-3595. Be sure to identify yourself as a Merit Weekend student. | ||
| Saturday morning | ||
| 8:00 a.m. | Foreign Language Exam | Outside 106 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 8:00 a.m. | Math Placement Exam (See enclosure for details; PDF format*) | Outside 106 Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 8:00-9:00 a.m. | Check-in | Lobby Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 9:00 a.m. | Escort to colleges for advising | 1st floor Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch | Student Center Ballroom |
| Saturday afternoon | ||
| Student program | 106 and 110 Whitehall Classroom Building | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Dean of Students | |
| 1:30 p.m. | College Advising: After meeting with your advisor, you will proceed to register for your Fall 2008 classes | |
| 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Meet parents outside Worsham Theatre | |
| Parent program | Worsham Theatre - Student Center | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Assistant Provost Richard Greissman | |
| 1:30 p.m. | Dean of Students Victor Hazard | |
| 2:15 p.m. | University Health Service | |
| 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Meet students outside Worsham Theatre | |
Assistance Due to Disability
If you, your parents, or your guests require any assistance due to disability, please contact us at (859) 257-3256 at least one week before you arrive. We will be glad to assist you.
What If I Can't Attend Merit Weekend?
If you are unable to attend either of the Merit Weekends, plan to attend one of the Summer Advising Conferences. UK is hosting twelve Two-Day Advising Conferences during the summer. During the Two-Day Conferences, you will have many of the same opportunities as Merit Weekend students. You will meet UK faculty and staff, plus register for your fall classes. The cost for the summer two-day conferences is the same as Merit Weekend: $60 per student and $20 for parent or other person. (No payment needed at this time for summer dates.) For more information, please contact the Advising Conference Office at (859) 257-3256 or send e-mail to advconf@uky.edu
Contact Information
Because this is such an important time for you as a college student, we welcome questions, so please feel free to call us at the Advising Conference Office at (859) 257-3256 or send e-mail to advconf@uky.edu
Advising Conference Office
Room 100 Funkhouser Building
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0054
Phone: (859) 257-3256
FAX: (859) 257-3823
E-mail: advconf@uky.edu
* Note: Documents in the PDF file format require Adobe Acrobat Reader software. It can be downloaded for free at Adobe.com.