Alumni children get Penn preview

Julia Rubin of Yardley, Pa., has been singing "The Red and the Blue" for as long as she can remember. Her parents taught her the words to the song shortly after she learned to speak. On Saturday, Rubin, along with with 122 other high school juniors with alumni parents, visited the University as part of the annual "Legacies: Explore Penn" program. "We just want to encourage students to come to the University," said Alumni Council on Admissions member Ricki Gerver. "They get the chance to meet other juniors and we bring all aspects of the University together -- a tour, faculty lecture and a football game," she added. Many of the high school juniors have not yet begun their college search, but came to the University to see what their parents and siblings have been raving about. "I hope to learn about Penn and see if all the wonderful things my parents and my sister Becky say are true," Rubin said. Lindsay Weisburg of New York City said she feels the same way. "I just wanted to learn something about the school and get an idea as to life here," said Weisburg, who has listened to her father's stories about his experiences at Penn. Visiting parents said they were excited to return to their undergraduate stomping grounds. Getting to share the campus with their children was an added bonus. "My husband and I are alumni, and we had a wonderful experience at Penn," said Barbara Barbour, a 1972 graduate. If Barbour's son Sam attends Penn, he will be the latest in a long line of Quaker family members, she said. As part of the legacy program, Regional Director of Admissions Bruce Chamberlin spoke with the students about the admissions process. Children of alumni have a higher rate of admissions to the University than the general population, and the difference is even more noticeable for early decision applicants. The prospective students also attended their choice of lectures by faculty and staff members. The 160 family members in attendance spent the day touring the campus, visiting museums and hearing current students describe the University. Jennifer Wollman, assistant director of the Alumni Council on Admission, said "the kids have been hearing all their life how great Penn is and trying to find out if its good for them, and that's why we separate them" from their parents. In the middle of the afternoon, Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta spoke to the parents and answered questions. The day's activities concluded with the rainy Penn-Colgate football game. Wollman called the day a success. "The parents always seem so excited to come back," she said. "They want their kids to love it." And many prospectives said they enjoyed the day and are considering Penn as an option for college. "I think the best part of the day was seeing the campus and learning about what the school expects when you apply," said high school junior Deena Rosner. By the end of the day, Julia Rubin said she thought she would enjoy Penn even more than her parents and sister -- hoping one day to sing the "Red and Blue" as a student.