Merit Weekend for Fall 2009
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: 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 on myUK by Friday, March 6, 2009. See instructions on how to register here (PDF).
Tentative Schedule
FRIDAY
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. | Check-in for students and parents | Lobby, Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 2:30 p.m. | Math Placement Exam | Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 3:30 p.m. | Foreign Language Placement Exam | Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 4:15 p.m. | Welcome and Overview | 1st floor Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 4:50 p.m. - 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*) | 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
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Foreign Language Exam | Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 8:00 a.m. | Math Placement Exam (See enclosure for details; PDF format*) | Whitehall Classroom Building |
| 8:00 a.m. - 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 – myUK Presentation |
| 1:45 p.m. | College Advising: After meeting with your advisor, you will proceed to register for your Fall 2009 classes |
| 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Meet parents outside Worsham Theatre |
| Parent program | Student Center |
|---|---|
| 1:00 p.m. | Academic Expectations and Transitions |
| 1:30 p.m. | Dean of Students |
| 2:15 p.m. | University Health Service |
| 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Meet students outside Worsham Theatre |
* Note: Documents in the PDF file format require Adobe Acrobat Reader software. It can be downloaded for free at Adobe.com.
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 1250 on the SAT. The Merit Weekend program replaces the summer advising conference and assures participants a higher priority in class selection.
Payment
Payment must be made by March 6 to confirm your attendance at Merit Weekend. There is a $75 Advising Conference fee for each student. There is a $25 Advising Conference fee per guest. The fees cover the student registration fee, materials, parking, refreshments on Friday evening and Saturday morning, and lunch on Saturday.
Payment must be made at the time of registration by credit card or electronic check.
Payment must be made at the time of registration – please have your information ready. Follow the Click here to pay conference fee link to the Financials area of myUK and follow the instructions for entering your credit card or electronic check information to make your payment.
Note Regarding Refunds/Credits for Overcharges: Refunds will only be made for cancellations requested prior to March 6. If you are requesting a refund or credit for a cancellation of attendance for a student or parent/guest, please submit your request in writing via email to: advconf@uky.edu. Refunds and credits will only be processed after the request is received via email. When paying for your conference at Merit Weekend, please only pay for the amount that you expect to attend ($75/student and $25/parent or guest). (Please remember – do not include yourself in the number of guests that you submit when registering.)
Which one do I attend?
There are two Merit Weekends: March 13-14 and March 20-21, 2009. Using myUK, you may select the weekend that best suits your schedule. If the weekend you prefer is not available on myUK, then it has reached capacity. In that case, please select either the other Merit Weekend or a Summer Advising Conference. NOTE: Summer Advising Conferences (June, July, or August) do not require or allow prepayment.
Academic Colleges Represented
| Merit Weekend #1: March 13-14 | Merit Weekend #2: March 20-21 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Education | Design |
| Engineering | Education |
| Fine Arts | Engineering |
| Nursing | Fine Arts |
| Social Work | Health Sciences |
| Undergraduate Studies | Nursing |
| 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. All students in the College of Engineering are required to take the Math Placement Exam (PDF).
Math Placement Exams (PDF) are now mandatory at UK for all new students unless they have a 27 ACT math subscore or a 620 SAT math subscore on file at UK. The exam consists of 20 multiple choice questions, and you have 45 minutes to complete it. The exam scores will be used in conjunction with your ACT, SAT, AP, and 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:
- 2:30 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. However, if you have been accepted into a major offered by the College of Arts and Sciences and took either French, German, or Spanish in high school, you are required to take the placement exam in the appropriate language. 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) 257-2766 with any questions concerning the exam. The exams will be offered on the following schedule:
- 3:30 p.m. Friday
- 7:30 p.m. Friday
- 8:00 a.m. Saturday
Placement Exam enclosure (2 pages, PDF format*)
You do not need to sign up to take this exam. Please check in at the Classroom Building at the time of your choice.
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). However, you are strongly encouraged to also take the UK placement exam as an additional assessment of your language level. 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.
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: $75 per student and $25 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.