Your brain on campus visits

The title to this entry is an homage to the new book out at the University of Chicago Press (the largest academic press in the woooorrrrllldd! I made that up. It's the largest in the country.), Your Brain on Cubs, about the ups and downs of Cubs fandom (largely downs.) We're White Sox fans down here, so we don't care if they suffer, but I thought it was a clever title, and some Chicago professors are contributing writers.

Also, while I was browsing the press, I found this book: Succeeding as an International Student in the United States and Canada, which addresses the myriad issues inside and outside the classroom that international students face.

And now onto the actual subject at hand. We had an extremely successful April 5 Dorm Preview Day, where 15 students walked up to us and handed in their enrollment forms, and 100 more enrolled over the weekend online! Hooray! The Dorm Preview Day is only a half-day program, and the two upcoming overnights are much more complicated, so here is an overview of the incredibly cool stuff that goes on, and a few hints on how to make the most of your two-day visit.

1. Dress appropriately. The weather is still pretty finicky here in Chicago, so bring an extra sweater, jacket, and umbrella. It's not supposed to rain, but it is supposed to be cloudy, and apparently those sometimes generate rain. Also, wear comfortable but appropriate clothing. Every year there's one girl who has on five-inch heels, or an incredibly short skirt, or a boy who is wearing a t-shirt with an offensive slogan he suddenly wishes he weren't wearing because he's meeting the vice president of the university. There's no need to wear a suit and tie, unless that's your normal wardrobe, but you also want to make sure you can transition from classroom to meeting with highly-ranked administrators to party to late-night Monopoly.

2. Get here early for primo class visits. We have more classes available than ever before, and you are only allowed to visit one on Thursday and one on Friday so that we can have more classes for more people. But all classes only allow four prospective students, and some only allow one or two. If you want the pick of things, come early and sign up for your class visit right after you check in. You will sign up for Thursday and Friday classes on Thursday morning, unless of course you arrive late on Thursday or on Friday, in which case we'll have the classes that are left available for signing up on Friday. The class visit booklet does not have room numbers this year! That means you will have to officially sign up to even know where it is. The top three complaints from professors are that 1) parents are showing up (not allowed!), 2) students are coming late and leaving early, and 3) more than four students show up. Don't ruin things for future admitted classes!

For your convenience, here is an unofficial list of the classes available this Thursday and Friday. This is just for you to browse through so that you can march into the room and know what you want. Don't be surprised, though, if your class was canceled, moved, or is already full. I don't want any tears in my class visit sign up room. I run it like a machine!

If you weren't sure about doing class visits, I have to say that they are extremely valuable. I sat in on two classes when I was a senior, and those classes... along with a million other things... really clinched my decision. They were fascinating - I did a Big Problems class called Science and Religion, and I did Western Civ, which I later took as a fourth-year. Make time to do one, and send parents and siblings to the other sessions that are available.

3. Know where to go. When you arrive in Ida Noyes, you will first check in and get your overnight assignment. Share your host's name and phone number with your parents. Then you will drop off your luggage, so bring it into the program! Parents can also bring luggage and store it with us. Then you will sign up for class visits. Then you are free to enjoy the program.

Here is the tentative schedule of events.

Parents, when they first arrive, might want to buy meal tickets to eat with you for lunch today and lunch tomorrow. Everyone is assigned to a dining hall, so parents, make sure to check which dining hall your student is in before buying a meal ticket. Bartlett does not require a meal ticket, but Pierce and Burton-Judson do. Parents can and should also buy parking validation during check-in, and sign up for the parent bus tour (check the schedule for more information on that.)

4. Know what the awesomest sessions are. There are three or four sessions per hour, and here are the ones I recommend, or that are the most popular.

9:30 Financial aid. The financial aid office will be available for walk-in appointments, but first they want you to come to this session to get an overview. Have your financial aid letter with you--the appointments aren't really helpful unless you've already gotten your decision and you're prepared to discuss it. If you haven't gotten a decision, call the aid office at 773-702-8655 to make sure your application is complete... or apply!

10:30 Religion. We really spruced up the religion session this year, with representatives from five campus ministries and student organizations. Not to be missed, and it's in Rockefeller, a really beautiful space.

11:30 Study Abroad. One of the areas people are most consistently asking about, and Martha Merritt is really great.

12:30 Community Service. I like listening to Wallace Goode because he just knows so much about Chicago... community service is wonderful, but ask him about his childhood growing up near the university and the community's relationship with the university. He has a lot to say, and if you choose to come, these are issues you'll be thinking about all four years.

1:30 Your Dorm, Your Campus, Your City. Katie Callow-Wright and Ana Campos, the nicest ladies in the world and the directors of housing, and JoCathy Roberts from the UCPD will give a session on our unique housing system and safety in the neighborhood. People usually come out of this session saying they really feel comfortable letting their student live in Chicago for four years. Not always an easy feat!

2:30 Aims of Education. Important! Larry McEnerney is very excited to give this session for the first time in a few years. He told me to set up a flip chart and that he'll be handing out copies of the Gettysburg Address, so expect a little bit of doodling and an interesting speech.

3:30 Student Panel! The student panel is always funny and wonderful. At 4:30 we kick out the parents and admissions staff and continue with just students until you're dismissed to your dorms. Ask anything!

4:30 Parent Bus Tour. A free ride for parents to go downtown and listen to some Chicago history from our admissions staff.

6:30-10:00 Evening activities. I know that you were all invited to Alpha Delt on Facebook. But I really don't feel like peeling you off the floor of a frat (and it will be me, and you will be really embarrassed.) So come to our squeaky clean evening activities, including some new events this year. First the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs throws an ice cream social in their new building. Then we have the organization fair, where you can get lots of free knickknacks and food, and talk to representatives from over 100 clubs (we have over 400 total.) Then we're having an all-new performance night for an hour. If you don't feel like lots of improvisational comedy, come play Frisbee with me in the gym, basketball with Sallie, or kickball or soccer with Jeffrey. Then go to bed!

Friday

Dorm tours! Facilities tours! Check the schedule. Friday is a more laid-back day, when you maybe go to a Friday class, take some tours, and don't do anything too taxing. We'll offer the financial aid session again and more walk-in appointments. But the most important thing to do is to wake up and meet with your parents so they know you're alive. Set an alarm.

That's all the advice I have. Registration for April 10-11 is closed, but if you just want to walk-in and not have an overnight in the dorms, you're welcome to do all of our Thursday and Friday activities. See you then!