Alumni/Volunteers
OVAL Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Registration
3. I already volunteer for the Office of Undergraduate Admission - am I a member of OVAL?
4. I signed up but haven't heard from you.
5. I have moved since I signed up to volunteer. How can I update my information for OVAL?
Alumni Interviews
6. Will Stanford alumni be conducting interviews of applicants?
Attending College Fairs and Other Events
7. I heard about a college fair in my area. May I attend it on behalf of Stanford?
1. Who can participate?
OVAL members must be Stanford alumni or parents of Stanford undergraduates. Although not required, we encourage volunteers to be undergraduate alumni themselves. A strong understanding of/identification with Stanford’s unique undergraduate experience is essential.
You are not eligible to participate if you are a professional college counselor or work in a related field, if you have a child applying to college (Stanford or other) in the next two years, and/or if you participate in Admission work (as a volunteer or otherwise) for any other undergraduate institution. (Please inquire if you are unsure of your eligibility.)
In general Stanford faculty and staff who are also Stanford alumni may serve as OVAL volunteers. Employees of the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Financial Aid, and Visitor Information Services are not eligible to participate.
Note: Using contact with prospective applicants and/or admits and their parents for business other than Stanford Admission outreach is expressly prohibited.
2. How do I sign up?
Alumni may sign up via the Stanford Volunteer Clearinghouse by creating a short volunteer profile and selecting “Admissions” from the category drop down menu. To do this you need to have a Stanford Alumni Association username and password. Visit the OVAL registration page for instructions. Non-alumni parents, visit the parents’ page to register.
3. I already volunteer for the Office of Undergraduate Admission - am I a member of OVAL?
OVAL is a formal name and expanded structure for our existing volunteer program. We hope OVAL will bring together new and veteran volunteers for a stronger, more cohesive, more global alumni volunteer presence.
We are currently asking ALL potential OVAL volunteers, regardless of past service, to sign up anew via the Stanford Volunteer Clearinghouse. Visit the registration page for instructions. Non-alumni parents, visit the parents’ page to register.
4. I signed up but haven't heard from you.
The Admission process is dynamic and ever-changing. Our needs vary greatly depending upon time of year, geographic locations and our applicant pool. We will contact you on an as-needed basis.
Much of the success of OVAL depends on having a reliable group of volunteers at the ready. We ask for your patience as our network grows and evolves. We appreciate your enthusiasm and willingness to be on board.
Also, we expect to expand over the next several years, during which time more opportunities are likely to become available.
5. I have moved since I signed up to volunteer. How can I update my information for OVAL?
No matter where you move, you can still be an admission volunteer through OVAL! Updating your information completely is a two-step process.
- Update your University record. You can do this either by sending an email with your new contact information to alumni.information@stanford.edu; or visit the Stanford Alumni Web site, log in with your SAA username and password, click on “My Profile” and click on the “Edit” buttons to update your contact information.
- Update your Stanford Volunteer Clearinghouse Profile (this will update our OVAL database). Access your SVC profile and log in using your SAA username and password. Click on the grey profile box on the right side of the page and update your SVC profile.
Please remember you must complete both steps in order to be fully up to date in our system. Also please note there is some lag-time in processing these requests. We appreciate your patience.
6. Will Stanford alumni be conducting interviews of applicants?
For the 2008-09 admission season the Office of Undergraduate Admission will offer an optional alumni interview to applicants attending high school in Atlanta, Denver, London, New York City, Philadelphia and Portland.
In the spring of 2009 we will evaluate this one-year pilot for future expansion.
For more information see Alumni Interview Program FAQs.
7. I heard about a college fair in my area. May I attend it on behalf of Stanford?
Thank you for your initiative! College fair attendance must be approved by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. If you are interested in attending a college fair for Stanford, please email alumniadmission@stanford.edu with as much notice as possible so we may put you in touch with the Admission Officer who covers that area.
The same procedure applies to other college information sessions, panels and events that may come up in your area.
Our resources do not extend to every informational opportunity, but we appreciate knowing about these events in your area.
