Rising high school juniors and seniors and their families are invited to visit Hampden-Sydney College and other participating private colleges during Virginia Private College Week – Monday, July 30, through Saturday, August 4. Students who visit three colleges during the week receive special application fee waivers, making it possible to apply to any three institutions for free.

A private college education is more affordable than many families think. Many students need and receive help to pay for college expenses. In fact, 72% of full-time undergraduates at private institutions receive grant aid from institutional, federal, state, or private sources. In-state students attending a Virginia private college are eligible to receive a state grant – Tuition As-sistance Grant (TAG) – for a maximum of four years. This year's grant is $2,800.

Private colleges are different from many state universities because of the small classes and the personal attention students re-ceive from faculty. Students are engaged in the classroom, involved on campus, mentored by their professors, and prepared for a career or graduate school.

Campus tours during Private College Week include informational sessions on how to apply for admission and financial aid. Sessions at Hampden-Sydney College will be offered at 9 AM and 2 PM, Monday through Friday, and at 9 AM only on Satur-day. For more information, call the Hampden-Sydney Admissions Office at 434-223-6120.

Sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV), more information is available at www.vaprivatecolleges.org.