McNab Admission Program
The McNab Lottery is now closed.
Placement notifications will be emailed by Monday, Feb. 9. Good luck!
The McNab Admission Program for rising 11th and 12th grade children and grandchildren of alums, and children of faculty and staff will take place Thursday - Friday, June 4 - 5, 2026.
The purpose of the McNab Admission Program is to provide invaluable insights and strategies for families to successfully navigate the college admissions and application process. Note that the program is best suited for students entering their junior year.
One of the main benefits of the program is its one-to-one personal advising. Deans and directors of admission from other colleges and universities and several seasoned college counselors from high schools and community-based organizations around the country will join us for the program.
Important Dates & Deadlines
January 16: Lottery Opens for Applications
January 23: Lottery Closes for Applications
February 9: Notifications Emailed
February 20: RSVP Deadline
Cost
Each student and family member attending the program contributes a fee to support the program's costs, including meals, materials, and visiting counselors. This subsidized fee aims to defray these expenses. Additionally, families are responsible for covering their own travel and lodging expenses.
We don't want cost to impact participation in the program. Once the acceptance notifications have been sent, families will have the opportunity to discuss financial options with a staff member.
Lottery and Registration
The lottery application will be available here on Jan. 16 and will be live through Jan. 23. With limited spots available, participant selection is determined by a computer-generated lottery, regardless of the time of entry. A waitlist will be generated for those not initially selected. We will notify those on the waitlist of any available spots on a rolling basis.
Participation is exclusively for rising 11th and 12th-grade students. Attendance is limited to one session. If your student participated in the McNab Admission Program in a previous year, they are not eligible to participate in 2026.
If you have questions about the lottery process, please contact alumni@davidson.edu. If you have questions about the program, please contact admission@davidson.edu.
Notification of Program Acceptance
Those accepted into the program will receive a notification email. Confirmation of acceptance via registration and payment of $100 per participant is required to hold a student's spot. If the completed registration form and payment are not submitted during the given period, the participant forfeits their place in the program. Those placed on the waitlist will also receive an email indicating their status and will receive further correspondence if a spot opens and they are offered a place in the program.
McNab is primarily for students, but an adult must accompany the participating student to campus. Family members should not attend without a student. If a student is accepted and has one or more eligible siblings who also registered for McNab the same year, each sibling will be admitted.
Program Schedule
The program will begin at noon on Thursday, June 4 and conclude by 5 p.m., Friday, June 5. Details for the 2026 program are still being confirmed, but you can explore the 2025 schedule to see what the two days offer.
Hotel and Travel
A hotel block has been reserved at the Homewood Suites in Davidson. Hotel charges will be the responsibility of the participants, and booking details will be shared in email communications once the student has been confirmed for the program.
No on-campus residence hall lodging is offered for the McNab Admission Program.
Please visit our maps and directions page for directions to campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parents and grandparents who are Davidson alumni can submit a lottery application for a student. Applications from other family members will not be considered. A Davidson College faculty and staff member with an eligible child may also submit at application.
No, only one parent or grandparent may enter a student’s name.
You will submit one application for your family, but the form will prompt you to add each sibling separately. Each sibling will be entered into the lottery separately.
Each sibling will receive a lottery number and will be entered into the lottery separately.
Yes, twins/siblings will be accepted into the program or waitlisted together.
Unfortunately, we can not defer admission to the McNab Program, but rising juniors may reapply the next year.
The sponsor does not have to attend McNab, but each student participating in the program must have an adult on campus.
Only the accepted student may attend the program, as space is very limited.
Unfortunately, we can only offer the program on the scheduled dates. There will be conflicts for some students no matter what time frame we choose. The college has limited dates available because of graduation, reunion weekend, summer camps and other programs that require space on campus.
For questions about the application process and lottery, email the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement at alumni@davidson.edu. For questions about the program itself, contact the Office of Admission at admission@davidson.edu.
Once the lottery notifications have been sent, families will have the opportunity to discuss any financial concerns confidentially with a staff member.