Prospective Freshman (PF) Overnight Visit Process

Webb Institute

Each year, Webb selects approximately 60 finalists (20 in the Early Decision Pool and 40 in the Regular Decision Pool) from our extraordinarily accomplished and academically talented pool of applicants to take part in Webb’s Prospective Freshman (PF) Overnight Visit. The goal of this process is for the Admissions Committee to learn more about each finalist beyond what is written in an application, while the finalist learns more about Webb in order to enroll 28 students in the Freshman Class (approximately 1/3 in the Early Decision pool and 2/3 in the Regular Decision Pool)! Applicants who wish to remain in consideration in the admissions process must take part in this PF process.

When does the PF Overnight Visit Occur? 

In the Early Decision Process, those selected as finalists are notified by early November. Visits to campus are booked throughout the month of November and into early December. Final admissions decisions are released in mid-December. 

In the Regular Decision Process, those selected as finalists are notified by early March and visits to campus are booked throughout the month of March. Final admissions decisions are released by April 1 and accepted students are given until May 1 to accept or decline the offer of admission. 


Date/Time Requests for the PF Overnight Visit: 

All finalists are given a list of dates to select from for their PF Overnight Visit. Students typically arrive on a selected day between Sunday and Thursday at around 3PM and depart from campus approximately 24-hours later. Finalists are hosted during the week to allow for students to experience a typical day at Webb.


Making Travel Plans for your Overnight PF Visit: 

Finalists typically choose to either drive, fly, or take a train to get to campus. 

If you are planning to fly, there are three airports that can be used: 

  • John F Kennedy International Airport. (approximately 26 miles from Webb) – From this airport, finalists can rent a car, order a car service to campus, or take the AirTrain to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) – Oyster Bay Branch, which stops at the Glen Cove or Glen Street Stations. Webb can arrange pickup from the stations.
  • LaGuardia Airport (approximately 26 miles from Webb) – From this airport, finalists can rent a car or order a car service to campus. There are no trains from this airport.
  • Long Island MacArthur Airport (approximately 36 miles from Webb) – From this airport, finalists can order a car service to campus. There are no rental car services or trains from this airport.

If taking a train service to Penn Station in New York City, finalists can take the Long Island Railroad (LIRR)-Oyster Bay Branch to the Glen Cove or Glen Street Stations. Webb can arrange pickup from the stations. 

If any family members/guests are traveling with you and are looking for a place to stay overnight, accommodation recommendations can be found on our Visit Webb page. To assist with this, Webb has also partnered with the Glen Cove Mansion, which is located 1.5 miles from campus and has agreed to provide a 15% discount to any family visiting Webb. To request a room at this rate, please contact moc.noisnamevocnelg@upc with the following information: 

Please put “Webb Student Prospect Rate” in the email subject, and provide below information.
Check in Date:
Check out Date:
Guest Name:
Email Address:
Phone Number:
Preferred Room Type: (King Or Double-Bed, No Guarantee, Depends on Our Availability)


Arrival on Campus: 

All finalists are asked to arrive at Stevenson Taylor Hall at their assigned date/time as confirmed by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. To get to Stevenson Taylor Hall, use the following address: 

298 Crescent Beach Road
Glen Cove, NY 11542

Finalists are asked to follow signs to the Guest Parking Lot, where they can park your car, and to enter through the central door of Stevenson Taylor Hall (the large brick building in front of the parking lot.) A Member of the Office of Admissions or the Student Host will meet the finalists and their family in Lenfest Gallery to welcome them to campus.. 

If finalists are running late, they are asked to call Webb’s On-Call Phone at 516.776.7278 or Alyssa Caliguri at (516)-403-5950 (work) so that the Office can best plan for the finalist’s arrival.


The Student Host: 

Each finalist is assigned a student host, typically from the current freshman class. While the host will be responsible for the finalist throughout their visit, the finalist will have the opportunity to meet most of the student body throughout their visit. Finalists are encouraged to speak to several students about their Webb experience. 


What does the PF Overnight Visit entail?

The following is included in a typical PF Overnight Visit: 

Admissions-Led Tour (optional) and/or Student-Led Informal Tour: Finalists and their families can request a formal tour of campus. This is provided by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs or upperclassmen. Regardless of whether or not a student elects to take a formal tour of campus, finalists will be provided with a more informal tour of campus, which includes spaces not typically included on the formal tour, when they first arrive.

Interviews with the President, a Faculty Member, and the Office of Admissions: Each finalist interviews with the President and a Faculty member and checks in with a member of the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs during their visit. The interviews are intended to help Webb assess each finalist as a potential member of the Webb community. The interviewer speaks with the student, takes notes, and reports their impressions to the Admissions Committee. This evaluation becomes part of the student’s application file. 

Webb Assessments: All finalists take a short math assessment (45 minutes) and respond to a writing prompt (45 minutes). Note that students are not expected to study for the assessments. The math assessment includes questions that allow the Admissions Committee to gauge a student’s foundational skills in math and creative thought process. This mainly includes work in Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Precalculus. The English assessment includes a short article and asks the prospective student to respond to the article, as well as a short assessment in grammar.

Day in the Life of a Webbie: All finalists will have the opportunity to see what a “Day in the Life of a Webbie” is like. This includes sitting in on classes, eating meals with the student body, and spending time in various facilities around campus.

An example of a typical PF schedule is included below: 

3PM – Arrival to Campus
3:30PM – Tour of Campus
5PM – Meet with Host / Bring Belongings to Host’s Room
5:30PM – Dinner
6:30PM – Webb Assessments in English and Math
8PM – 11PM – Activities with the Class of 2028
8:30AM – Breakfast
9AM – Interview with the President
9:40AM – Check-In with Admissions
10AM – 12:00PM – Sit in on Classes
12PM – Lunch
12:30PM – Interview with a Faculty Member
1 – 3PM – Sit in on Classes
3 – 4PM – Depart from campus 

All students will be required to submit an Overnight Visitation Form to the Office of Admissions, which outlines the behavioral expectations of the finalist during their visit as well as requests Emergency Contact Information in case of an Emergency. 


What to Pack for the PF Overnight Visit? 

PF Overnight Visit Packing List:

  • A copy of your passport, birth certificate or green card in order to qualify for Webb’s full-tuition scholarship 
  • Proper attire for your interviews is strongly encouraged
  • Casual Wear and Athletic Clothing
  • Sleeping Attire 
  • Toiletries 
  • Towel
  • Sleeping Bag (optional), Blanket, and Pillow – a bed will be provided to you with linens 
  • Cell Phone and Charger
  • Shower Shoes/Flip Flops
  • Snacks
  • Homework / Book / Laptop (your host will most likely have homework to do during your visit)
  • Common Sense …


Letter of Absence

All students are provided with a letter regarding their PF Overnight Visit for their high school’s attendance official.


Financial Aid for Travel?

All applicated are to submit their FAFSAs within two weeks of the application deadline so that financial information can be used to provide financial aid to those who need it for their travel to and from campus as part of Webb’s PF Overnight Visit Process. Families with Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) as determined by the FAFSA under $20,000 may qualify for between 25% and 75% of travel costs to Webb. Webb’s Office of Admissions and Student Affairs will reach out to those families directly with their aid package within 24 hours of being notified that they were selected as a finalist. Those who do not qualify for financial aid, but are unable to afford travel to campus, can reach out to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs at ude.bbew@snoissimda. 


How is the PF Overnight used by Admissions?

The goal of the PF Overnight Visit Process is to learn more about the finalist in the context of Webb’s unique experience so that the Admissions Committee can craft a cohort of incoming students that will be cohesive and diverse. Each finalist will be evaluated by multiple members of the Admissions Committee and that information will be used by the Committee to make final admission decisions.