Purdue News
Variety of programs intended to attract prospective students
The Office of Admissions conducts programs both on and off campus for prospective
students.
Most are geared toward specific audiences - high school seniors, high-ability students,
or sophomores, for example.
Admissions programs include:
- Preview Days. High school juniors and seniors visit campus to hear about admissions
requirements, financial aid opportunities and housing options. They attend academic
sessions and take a tour of campus. More than 6,000 high school students and their
parents attended Preview Days in 1995-96.
- Golden Honors Day. Admitted high-ability seniors visit campus and hear from President
Steven Beering and David Henson, vice president for student services. They enjoy
a special lunch in Purdue Memorial Union with entertainment a Purdue musical group,
and have sessions with professors, current students and advisers.
- Purdue's For Me. Admitted high school seniors attend an on-campus information fair,
where they can learn about housing and campus activities, talk with academic counselors
and students in specific schools, tour the campus, and eat in a residence hall. More than 3,000 students and parents attended in the past year.
- Admitted student receptions. Off-campus receptions in various cities allow admitted
students to meet with admissions staff, academic representatives from individual
schools, financial aid staff, current students and alumni. This year, more than 2,000
parents and students attended the five events.
- President's Council receptions. High-ability admitted students and their parents
are invited to dinner with President Steven Beering, admissions staff and current
students, and are entertained by the various groups from Purdue Musical Organizations.
Ten receptions were held last year in cities including Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cincinnati,
Chicago and San Francisco.
- Alumni club meetings. A pilot program for 1997, admitted students will be invited
to local alumni club meetings and paired with a Purdue graduate. The alum will answer
questions and help the student through the admission process.
- Individual tours. Available year-round, the tours welcome admitted and non-admitted
students. The 90-minute tours, conducted by Office of Admissions tour guides, are
for small groups and families. Coordinated by Stacey Kostell, assistant director
of admissions, the number of tours has nearly doubled in the past two years.
"We think this is a very important aspect of our recruiting," says Douglas Christiansen,
director of admissions. "Having prospective students interact with current students
is one more positive way we can show students how important they are at Purdue."
Student hosts talk with the students and take them to see what they want to see.
"Students really do want to see the facilities," Kostell says. "They want to see a
computer lab and a chemistry lab and a lecture hall. They want to see a room in a
residence hall where they might be living. They want to talk with a student to see
how he or she likes it here."
Prospective students also can set up a time to visit a class while on campus - alone
or with a current student. There, they can meet with the professor and ask questions
about the class or certain fields of study.
Packets sent to students who plan to visit campus for any of the on-campus programs
or for an individual visit include information about all the Purdue programs and
opportunities available.
"We've significantly enhanced our confirmation packets," Kostell says. "They have
information about who to call to set up academic visits and where to look for extracurricular
interests. It's been very helpful for prospective students to have as much information as possible from one source."
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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