<p>Well, I attended with a few other parents of Echols Scholars last April, so I will comment on the experience if you are thinking of coming. It was perhaps one of the prettiest days of the year so the University was sort of stunning to see, and we left UVa with an even higher opinion of the social atmosphere which is decidedly upbeat for a selective university. There will be a formal sit down lecture with a panel of Scholars for questions and answers…mostly parents were quiet…the kids were the ones asking and talking. I was impressed with the support Echols Scholars get in advising and in seeking unique internships/other learning experiences and on our day at least one of the panelists was also a Rhodes Scholar. My impressions were that Echols Scholars tend to take up a large range of interests on campus and to have a lot of initiative. Since less than half of Echols Scholars choose UVa, it was a pretty large group of parents and seniors, but somehow the administrators and Echols Scholars were so gracious that it felt very personal and warm. I “hung back” with a cluster of parents, and we generally saw the Echols Scholars socializing and meeting and greeting from a distance, so I have to say that if you are already sold on UVa, your S would be quite OK on Echols Day solo. As parents, you can pick up paperwork on financial aide or foreign study but it was totally unnecessary to be there from a parental point of view. The students seemed to make good use of the chance to talk with each other and with current Echols students at a reception on the lawn, but again, parents tended to bunch together and stay apart. My son learned a lot about what to expect in labs, clubs and foreign study options from these contacts. You will see the dorms that Echols students are assigned to as well. Prepare to walk a lot…no wonder the kids at UVa seem upbeat…they have to cover some ground every day and get their exercise. I had not seen some facilities at UVa until that day and was blown away with their beautiful new gym/pool exercise center which is world class.</p>