Admissions Resources During New York State on PAUSE

SUNY Geneseo’s Admissions Office has adjusted its recruitment and enrollment activities to accommodate stay-at-home directives, pivoting to expanded online resources and responding to the urgent and changing needs of students and families.

Here are some initiatives the College offers to support families during their college search process:

Undergraduate Admissions

The Admissions Office has extended several deadlines in response to concerns about affordability and distance from home:

• A new enrollment deadline of June 1 allows incoming students more time to make their college decision.
• The deadline for students to choose to admit to Spring 2021 is extended to July 1.

Students who have been accepted for the Fall 2020 semester, as well as other prospective students, are encouraged to attend an expanded array of virtual tours and online programs, all intended to substitute for the traditional spring campus visits.

• Virtual Accepted Knights Day for the Class of 2024 gives students the opportunity to dive deeper into campus facilities, talk directly with faculty and staff, learn about student organizations, and explore the village around the College.
• Online campus tours and information sessions let students visit and explore the campus from home.
• Students with questions are encouraged to connect directly with their Admissions Counselor, who are scheduling 1:1 phone or Zoom appointments. Counselors are also leading online live chats every Tuesday and Thursday with current students, where admitted students can ask questions in real-time.
• Our YouVisit virtual experience lets students take a virtual tour of campus.
• Our webinar series covers topics of interest to high school students, from life as a Geneseo student to choosing a college in a time of social distancing.

Students just beginning their college search can now find online resources as well.

• All general information sessions and admission interviews have moved online.  
• The College is making plans for academic departments to host live chat webinars this summer.
• Prospective students who are interested in a particular major, club, or organization can be connected with a current student or professor via the Admissions Office.
• The College is also exploring ways to support current high school students who have been affected by the cancellation of ACT/SAT testing.

Financial Aid

The COVID-19 crisis is changing the financial situations for many families around the country, and Geneseo’s Office of Financial Aid is addressing that as quickly as possible.

• Financial aid packages are being reconsidered based on students’ and families’ changing financial circumstances. To streamline the process, families may complete a Special Conditions Request Due to COVID-19 form.
• Geneseo’s need-based financial aid budget has also been significantly increased to give optimal support to those students who need additional assistance.
• The One Knight Student Aid Fund, launched by the Office of Advancement and supported with donations from Geneseo’s broad alumni network, is helping to meet current students’ emergency financial needs. “Every dollar we raise goes directly toward our students’ needs, period,” said Molly Costello ‘15, director of annual giving.
• While the Office of Financial Aid is closed for in-person visits, all services are available virtually and representatives are available to answer questions at financialaid@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5731.

“None of us can predict what our world will be like in the coming months. But our prospective students can know that we will remain here for them and their needs,” said Costas Solomou, vice president for enrollment management. “We hope that their online experience will give them a small taste of what it means to be a Geneseo Knight.”