The Official Campus Visit

We went to an "official KU Campus Visit." Sure we knew our way around the campus as we had been coming up to KU/Lawrence ever since S was in a stroller.

When we arrived at the Vistor's Center, there were other students from Texas, Florida, and Missouri. They all looked to be either juniors or seniors in high school. Although I could have been wrong, there could have been sophomores there too. S received her folder of information and filled out a sheet telling the admissions people about who recommended her to go to KU. S looked at us because she knows that we've been influencing her about KU ever since she was little. So I told her to say that her uncle (who is a KU alumnus) got her interested in the school. Yep, in a round about way! ;) Also they wanted to know what her major would be. Coincidentally it was the same major as her uncle (37 years before).

S got a name tag and we sat in a little theater room off of the main visitor's area. Joy Maxwell, an admissions counselor, presented a power point presentation about KU. There were a lot of students from Kansas and there were some from Minnesota, Florida, Texas, and as far away as Washington. She talked about the traditions and had everyone waving their arms "waving the wheat." We, as life long Kansans/KU fans knew of this tradition, some of these other people didn't know this at all.

She wondered how many parents had sent their students to KU, or other colleges. Many of us didn't raise our hands. She commented saying "we have new KU parents here." :)

She talked about profs, class size, the dorms, and the cost of tuition. She totaled it along with dorm cost and I heard gasp. I looked at it and compared to a small private school this is a "bargain." I have been looking to getting scholarships and aide for quite a while. I wasn't too shocked. I check the web for information like this. No big deal.

Then after her talk she showed us a video about students going to KU. By the time it was all over it I was ready to apply myself!

We met out in the lobby ready to take a campus tour. They divided the students up. I think that they must of did this by major, as some of the students in our group were interested in Journalism.

We got in our bus and was taken to the middle of the campus. Our campus tour guide walked completely (or pretty near that) backwards!! I would be tripping and probably falling all over the sidewalk. This was just natural for her and the other tour guides. The campus is HUGE!! She talked about transporation and getting around by bikes or buses. The tour guide was knowledgable in scholarships, admissions, traditions, everything and anything KU!! We walked around the complete campus with the tour guide. It was my first time for a "walking tour." I was impressed!!

The campus guides would field questions from the group and we were amazed at how little this people knew about KU. We nearly live and breathe KU, yet they didn't know the traditions or about the basketball's trophy, or anything. One kid from Florida asked if they had a bowling alley on campus. The answer was yes. He was impressed by THAT! I wanted to whisper to him and say, "so does Sterling College," or at least it DID (back in my years). But not as cool as J-bowl in the KU union.

Later on in the day we took a visit at one of the dorm rooms. They were small. Smaller than what we had at my college; smaller than the college that L went to. But I think that these room varies depending on what dorm you live in.

We were going to eat on campus, but didn't like the prices and left to eat off campus.

S and J were probably the youngest taking the tour.

Well, this was our first campus visit. S may go on more but I am pretty sure it's a done deal where she is planning to attend college.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!