Q. What is the Ambassador Program?
A. During the spring semester, Drew University’s Ambassador Program allows admitted high school seniors the opportunity to spend an overnight visit with a Drew student host.
Q. When can I come for an overnight visit to Drew?
A. During the spring semester we offer eight Ambassador Days for our admitted students to visit campus. Please refer to the Admitted Student Homepage or your admit pack to review those dates.
Q. If I were to request a Monday overnight visit for example, does that mean I spend the night Sunday or Monday?
A. Students who request a Monday overnight visit would arrive on campus Monday evening. They will have the opportunity to eat dinner with their host that evening, attend campus events, and sleep in their host’s dorm room. Students can observe classes during the day on Tuesday, eat breakfast in the Commons or snack bar, and meet their parents Tuesday at noon for our Ambassador Luncheon event.
Q. Why are most of the spring overnight visits on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays?
A. These days are some of the most active on campus academically. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings have a wide array of courses available for potential students to sit in on. We feel it is important for a student to experience dorm life, student activities, and the classroom environment. These days tend to work best for both our student hosts and admitted high school seniors who are interested in visiting the campus for an overnight.
Q. How do I request an overnight visit?
A. Admitted high school seniors interested in requesting an overnight visit to Drew should fill out our on-line request form in its entirety. We ask that students please allow at least 5 days advanced notice when selecting an overnight date. Simply go to the online request form.
Q. How do I know my online request form went through successfully?
A. Upon the successful completion and submission of our online request form, you will be directed to a page that begins with:
Ambassador Program Request Form
Thank you for your submission.
You should also receive a copy of the form that you completed sent to your inbox.
If you are not forwarded to this page after you have completed the form in its entirety and clicked the submit form button, or you experience technical difficulties while attempting to do so, please consider resubmitting the form. If you continue to experience technical difficulties, or you do not have access to the internet, please contact the front desk of our Admissions Office at 973/408-3739. Please note: You are not officially registered for an Ambassador Day event until we receive your online request form.
Q. How is my student host chosen?
A. Our Ambassador Student Coordinators refer to the on-line request form when pairing a student with their host. First, they refer to academic interests, and then look to your extracurricular activities to help find the best match. If you are undecided in regards to a potential major or minor, we recommend that you still list a favorite subject to help us in the pairing process.
Q. Will my host share my academic interest/anticipated major?
A. While we certainly will make every effort to pair you with a Drew Student Ambassador who shares your academic interest/anticipated major, we cannot promise that this will always be the case. Numerous factors including student schedules and availability must all be considered for an overnight visit. It is important to note that Drew is a close knit community with diverse interests. While your host may not be a Political Science or Biology Major themselves for example, it is quite likely that they will have a friend, hall mate, or team mate who is.
Q. I am a student athlete who is considering playing a sport at Drew, can I stay overnight with a member of the team?
A. While we do have student athletes involved in the Drew Ambassador Program, athletic overnights are generally set up independently by our coaches. If you are interested specifically in staying overnight with one of our student athletes, it is best to contact the coach.
Q. When will I know who my host is?
A. Upon successful completion of the on-line request form, you will be redirected to a confirmation website. Provided you have allowed at least 5 days advanced notice of your intended visit, you should receive an e-mail from a member of our admissions staff confirming your visit. This will usually arrive within 2-4 days of completing the on-line request form. 2-3 days before your scheduled visit, you will be contacted by one of our three Ambassador Student Coordinators. At that time, they will share your hosts e-mail address and cell phone number.
Q. Why must I wait until 2-3 days before my visit to learn who my host is? Why can’t I hear sooner?
A. One common thread amongst our student Ambassadors is how busy they are. Our Ambassadors double as writers for the Acorn (newspaper), chamber orchestra performers, interns, members of the ultimate frisbee club team, and part time job employees. They have meetings and practices, papers to write, and classes to attend. Juggling a busy college schedule makes committing to an overnight visit 2-3 weeks in advance difficult for our Ambassadors.
Q. Should I contact my host or will they contact me?
A. After you have received your host's contact information, it is the high school students’ responsibility to contact their host to finalize the details of their overnight visit. This includes touching base to set up an arrival time, a place to meet on campus, and discuss what items should be packed for the overnight. A call to their cell phone is usually the best way to reach them. If you have difficulty getting in touch with your host, it is best to follow your call up with an e-mail.
Q. What should I bring for my visit?
A. Generally, we recommend students bring a sleeping bag, pillow, towel, toiletries, some spending money, and a change of clothes. Some other items students have brought in the past include a small air mattress, a notebook, etc.
Q. Will a tour be available during my overnight visit?
A. Tours of the campus will be available during your visit through the Drew Admissions Office. We offer a campus tour at 10:00, 12:00, 2:45, & 3:45 PM. It is not necessary to schedule an appointment, but it is helpful to arrive 10-15 minutes before your tour is scheduled to depart. See our Campus Tour Schedule.
Q. Will I be able to meet with a coach or faculty member?
A. At Drew, we pride ourselves on the accessibility of our faculty and coaches. The best way to ensure an opportunity to meet with a faculty member or coach is to contact them directly in advance of your visit. Courses, practice, research, meetings, and games are just a few of the things that keep them busy throughout the semester. If you have trouble scheduling a meeting with a faculty member in your academic area of interest, consider staying a few minutes after class to speak with the professor. They are always more than happy to hear from a student who has an interest in their sport/field of expertise. Contact information for our faculty and staff can be found at www.drew.edu.
Q. What time should I arrive on campus for my visit?
A. Students coming for an overnight visit should try to arrive between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM for our registration period. We recommend contacting your host again the day before your overnight to ensure you are clear on your estimated time of arrival and meeting point. If you will be arriving before 5:00 PM, we suggest dropping by the Drew Admissions Office (Wesley House) so you can be directed to our registration table. If you will be arriving to campus after 6:00 PM because of traffic, flight delays, or work schedules, please contact your student hosts’ cell phone to let them know so they can pick up your Ambassador Day folder for you ahead of time.
Q. Can I have a car on campus overnight?
A. Yes, if you are driving to campus for your overnight visit. Your host will show you to the Public Safety Office (Pepin) to register your car for a temporary parking pass. Please bring your drivers license, registration, and insurance information.
Q. Can I get to Drew University via train or plane easily?
A. Drew’s campus is located approximately 16 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). It generally is a half an hour drive.
| Drew University | Newark Liberty International Airport |
| 36 Madison Avenue | 10 Toler Place |
| Madison, NJ 07940 | Newark, NJ 07114 |
We are conveniently located within a 10 minute walk from the Madison train station which offers our students direct transportation into Penn Station (NYC). The Madison train stop is located on the M & E Morristown Line. You can refer to www.njtransit.com to plan a trip to Drew via train.
Q. Should I eat dinner before arriving for my overnight visit?
A. All students who attend an overnight visit at Drew will receive a folder of information at registration which includes a dinner meal ticket. It is recommended that you discuss your schedule with your host so you can establish if you will be eating dinner together on campus in the Commons (dining hall) or the snack bar. If you will have already eaten before arriving to campus, or you will be arriving late, please let your host know ahead of time.
Q. Is there a place for parents to stay on campus?
A. Unfortunately, there are not additional rooms available for parents on Drew’s campus. Parents will usually spend the night at one of several local hotels. Click here for travel information, including hotel accommodations in the area.
Q. What is there for parents to do while their son/daughter attends an Ambassador Day overnight?
A. Our location provides a number of opportunities for families while their student attends an Ambassador Day overnight. Those who do not live within close proximity of Drew will often stay in one of the hotels in the area. During the first evening of the overnight, many parents take a trip into the town of Madison or nearby Morristown to sample the many different restaurants in the area. A trip into NYC via the Madison train station (a short 5-10 minute walk from campus) is also not uncommon. Express trains run frequently into Penn Station, which takes approximately 45 minutes. During the morning/early afternoon of the second day, parents will often times join our 10:00 AM campus tour which departs from the Admissions Office (Wesley House). Registration is not required, though we do recommend you arrive 5-10 minutes before the time of departure. Family are also encouraged to join us for our Ambassador Luncheon event from 12:00 - 1:00 PM.
Q. Is Drew’s campus safe?
A. Drew is a very safe campus located in the town of Madison, a community of 16,700 people with a vital downtown, an excellent police force, and a low crime rate. Members of the campus community are protected 24 hours a day by Drew's Public Safety office. Highly professional and responsive, the office is directed by a former New Jersey State Police lieutenant. He supervises a staff of 18 full and part-time officers who provide service to the campus community around the clock, including escort service for students, as requested.
The officers are trained in CPR, First Responder, and advanced first aid techniques including defibrillation. Nine officers are also trained fire fighters. Public Safety patrols campus by car, bicycle, and on foot around the clock. They work closely with local law enforcement and fire department officials. Safety and crime prevention are an important part of orientation for new students and the subjects are also reinforced each semester with returning students. For more information, see the department's web site.
Q. Where will I sleep during my overnight visit?
A. All high school seniors spending the night at Drew will be sleeping in their hosts’ dorm room. Accommodations will vary depending on the room setup and dormitory. For this reason, be sure to ask your host what you might need to bring for sleeping arrangements. Some Ambassadors may have a futon, full size couch, or extra bed in their dorm room. More commonly, visiting students may need to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag.
Q. What will I be doing during the first night of my visit?
A. Each overnight visit will be different, but students will get the opportunity to meet a number of different Drew students, eat dinner in the Commons (dining hall) or the snack bar, take an informal walk around campus, attend student activities around campus including sports events, musical performances, and theatre productions, and take in the dormitory atmosphere.
Q. What time should I expect to wake up in the morning to start my day?
A. This will depend a lot on the schedule of your host and what you hope to gain from your overnight visit to Drew University. Classes generally begin around 8:30 – 9:00 AM. You can also plan on stopping by the Commons (dining hall) or the snack bar for breakfast before class.
Q. How does sitting in on a class work?
A. You should take some time during your first night to talk about the classes your student host is currently taking this semester. If one or more of them is of interest to you, you are welcome to attend those classes with your host. If one of your hosts’ friends has a particular course that is of interest to you and they are okay with it, you may accompany them to one of their classes. You will also be provided with a list of recommended courses to attend in your Ambassador folder. Look them over carefully and map out your morning so you can make the most of your visit! If you are comfortable with the idea, you may go and sit in on a course on your own. In any circumstance, we recommend you arrive 5-10 minutes early to introduce yourself to the professor before class begins. This is proper etiquette, and it ensures that you are not sitting in on a course that may have an exam that day.
Q. When should my family come back to campus?
A. Families should look to coordinate their schedule with their student. This will depend upon course schedules, lunch plans, and if a tour and/or interview are incorporated. Family members are welcome to attend a campus tour while their student attends classes and are encouraged to join us for our Ambassador Luncheon from 12:00 - 1:00 PM.
Q. What time does the overnight visit officially end?
A. While there is no formal end time for an overnight visit, most students will usually leave campus between 1:00 – 4:00 PM the second day. This is usually dependent on the students’ class and tour schedule. Most commonly, families tend to wrap up their day following the conclusion of our Ambassador Luncheon event.
Thank you for taking the time to read our Ambassador Program Frequently Asked Questions Section. We hope you find this information helpful in planning an overnight visit to Drew in the near future!
