Dear Incoming First Years,

We are so excited you are joining our community! UVA is an incredible place with lots of opportunities for you to learn and grow. Having so many options can be overwhelming, so the Batten Admissions Team has put together a step-by-step plan to help you get to know us a bit better. 

      1. Explore Our Programs! 

Our website is a great place to start, where you can learn more about our Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Leadership, Accelerated Master of Public Policy, or our two minors: Public Policy and Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship. The web is also where you can find our admissions blog, Becoming Batten, where we highlight opportunities for prospective students, give application advice and debrief on events, and feature our student voices and success stories! 

      2. Sign-up for our newsletter, Batten Beginnings, here. 

Our weekly Monday newsletter will keep you informed about important dates and deadlines; Batten admissions events where you can learn more about our programs, receive application assistance, and meet with our Batten Ambassadors; School events open to the entire UVA community such as Batten Hours, where policy experts come and speak to UVA students in Garrett Hall; and faculty and student features to learn more about the great work happening at the Batten School! 

      3. Come to a Batten Event. 

Batten Admissions hosts many events throughout the year for you to engage with members of our community and learn more about the School. Some fall highlights include Frank-a-Palooza, an annual fall carnival with treats, Batten swag and inflatables; Chattin’ with Batten, an informal meet and greet with Batten Ambassadors; regular,  monthly information sessions on all of our programs; and pop-up visits across grounds, including the annual UVA Majors Fair on October 22. 

      4. Attend Open Ambassador-led Office Hours

Ambassadors lead walk-in, open office hours every Friday (starting September 6) during the academic year from 2:00-4:00 PM in Garrett 203. This is the perfect setting to ask questions, hear more about the student experience, and learn about resources to help you determine whether our School and programs are the right fit for you!   

      5. Make an appointment with a member of our team 

Once you’ve explored these other Batten resources, if you still have any questions, we’d be happy to meet with you! Anne Carter Mulligan is available to chat with you about the Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Leadership and the Accelerated MPP. Estrella Burks-Parra can answer questions about any of our programs, including our two minors. 

You can also always email us at battenadmissions@virginia.edu.  

We hope you have a wonderful first semester at UVA and we look forward to getting to know you over the next four years!