For about 20 years, Washington University and other top-ranked U.S. universities have set aside money to provide travel grants for high school students who cannot afford college visits.

As the University becomes more popular each year, high school students have also increased their visitation to campus. The University offers travel grants to aid students who are unable to afford trips to multiple institutions.

All admitted students are provided with a plane ticket and cab fare with their acceptance letters in the spring.

Students who prefer to visit in the fall, before applying to school, may also request a grant by completing an application to determine if they are eligible to receive travel funds.

“There is no specific financial need cut-off point. The admissions office and the office of Student Financial Services work with each student and family on an individual basis. Each family situation is different,” said Julie Shimabukuro, director of undergraduate admissions. “We try to help as many students as possible.”

The University has offered travel grants through student acceptances, scholarship programs and financial aid needs for about 20 years.

“My first visit to campus was when I was flown out for the scholarship finalist weekend at the end of March,” freshman Megan Conn said. “Wash. U. was the only school that offered this to me, and it certainly made a big impression on me that they would do this for me.”

This policy has been implemented because the admissions office feels that a visit to the Danforth Campus is an integral part of the college decision-making process.

“We feel that the visit is very important for the students to see the actual campus and see the community better, to go to classes, if they can, and to meet current students,” Shimabukuro said.

Over the course of each academic year, roughly 17,400 high school students make visits to campus. Summer, fall and mid-winter seasons tend to be very busy, and the admissions office usually remains open six days of the week.

“You are going to be spending four years in a new place—you need to know the atmosphere in which you are going to live,” freshman Jeremy Davis said. “I visited Wash. U. once and wasn’t really sure where I wanted to go. I ended up visiting [the] campus again in the spring and decided then that it was the place for me.”