A great start to the 2023-24 season!

Happy fall!  We’ve had a great start to the APAP season.  To date, 684 applicants have been matched for APAP interviews, 57 college fairs are being staffed by APAP volunteers, and Kick-Offs and Recruitment Happy Hours are in full swing.  

Please read these monthly chair updates, as they are the best way to stay up-to-date regarding what’s happening in APAP and at WashU. All APAP members—including chairs—will receive a separate member update email each month. 

Big news from campus

WashU students cheering during Make Way announcement

In case you missed it, WashU recently announced that beginning in fall 2024, we will adopt a “no-loan” financial aid policy for all undergraduates. Need-based loans for undergraduate students will be removed from all financial aid packages and replaced with scholarships and university grants.

Chair checklist

Below is a recap of what we have sent to you over the past month (all are available in the Chair Resources section of the APAP website):

  • Please complete a brief online training for chairs. We require that new chairs complete the training; returning chairs are encouraged to review it as a refresher.  It should take about 15 minutes to complete.
  • Season timeline for chairs (PDF): This timeline details your role as an APAP chair throughout the year.
  • August Chair Update Email: We send regular email updates to chairs and members throughout the season.  Please read these, as they are the best way to stay up-to-date regarding what’s happening in APAP and at WashU.  You can access all past issues on the APAP website. 

Interviews

a student is being interviewed by an alum
  • All APAP interviews may be conducted virtually or in person.  Please review How to Conduct an APAP Interview (PDF) for details.
  • Applicants have already begun to appear for some of you! Please log in to the Volunteer Portal to find out if any students have matched to your committee. 
  • We will send weekly emails (on Wednesdays) to chairs who have applicants to assign. The email will ask you to log in to the Volunteer Portal to assign applicants to your interviewing members.  Interviews are added to the Portal on a rolling basis, but we will only notify you if you have students to assign or reassign. 
  • Please be sure to review instructions for navigating the Portal and instructions for assigning interviews through the Portal so that you are ready when students are assigned to your committee.   
  • Please prioritize your assignments in this order: Early Decision I (EDI), Early Decision II (EDII), Regular Decision (RD). 
  • In order for alumni volunteers to conduct interviews, they must log in to the Volunteer Portal.  We have encouraged them to log in by sending an email and a postcard. A nudge from you can be helpful if they have not already logged in.   You can determine if a member has logged in by looking at the Last Log in column in the “My Committee Members” tab.  Anyone who has a blank or a date prior to 8/1/23 has NOT logged in for this season. 
  • Alumni interviewers may choose to conduct additional interviews with applicants in the eastern US, western US, and/or with international applicants.  As chair, you will have access to assign interviews to the additional interviewers who have signed up in your area, which will allow you to match more students for interviews.
  • Again, please remember that the APAP staff is here for you!  Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time with questions or if you need help.  We like to hear from you!
Two WashU stdents hold up school pride gear

Upcoming events

We are hosting many APAP Kick-Offs and Recruitment Happy Hours this fall in cities around the world.  If an event is taking place in your area, the APAP staff has already been in contact with you. Thanks to those of you who have already led and planned an event.   

Information about leading a Kick-Off (PDF) and a Recruitment Happy Hour (PDF) are available on the APAP website.  You may also find the What’s New at WashU helpful, as it covers the newest developments on campus. 

All APAP chairs and members are invited to a virtual Kick-Off on Tuesday, November 7 at 7pm CT.  Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions Grace Chapin James and Assistant Vice Provost & Director of Student Financial Services Mike Runiewicz will present updates about the WashU admissions and financial assistance process, as well as other current issues in undergraduate admissions.  You will receive an invitation soon. 

Your Committee Members

You can access a current list of your committee members at any time on the Volunteer Portal. Your Committee List includes detailed information about your members, including their email addresses. 

If you have not already done so, please send your members a welcome email within the next couple weeks.  Please utilize the template in the “My Committee Members” tab in the Portal. 

If you’d like to recruit additional members for your committee (which is always helpful!), please let us know and we can send you a list of alumni who live in your area who are not current APAP volunteers.