High School Students Tour University in Record Numbers

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A student ambassador conducts a campus tour of the University of Arkansas for high school students and family members.

 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Over the course of one week, March 15-19, 500 high school students visited the University of Arkansas and toured the campus, guided by student ambassadors from the admissions office. Many of the students came from Texas, where public schools were on spring break, and most of them brought family members with them. The majority of the students were high school seniors; all were potential University of Arkansas students.

Enrollment services officials understand the importance of these visits.

“Research shows that the campus visit is most often the deciding factor in a student’s choice to attend a particular institution,” said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment. “The students come to get a sense of the school and to determine whether it is a good fit for them. To provide the best possible experience for these students we revamped our campus tour this year and renovated our facility. Everything we do is intended to reinforce the chancellor’s message that this is a ‘Student’s First’ university.”

Matt Hargis, associate director of admissions, manages campus visits.

 “This was the busiest week we have seen all year,” he said. “But, honestly, every week has been busy this year, and with the combined impact of the lottery scholarships and increased out- of-state interest, we really don’t expect to see any drop-off in student visits.”

Enrollment services expected more students to visit the campus during the 2009-10 academic year, but Hargis said the size of the increase has been “phenomenal.” Between July 1, 2009, and Feb. 15, 2010, nearly 4,000 high school students came to Fayetteville for the two-hour campus tour. That’s an increase of more than 1,000 students over the previous year, a 37 percent jump. In the first three weeks of March the increase in visitors was 89 percent.

“Applications to the university are up by 26 percent this year, which is one reason we could tell there would be more visits,” said McCray. “The economy is a factor, of course. Students are increasingly aware that a top university education is important to their futures, both economically and professionally. Students are looking for high quality, special educational opportunities, as well as affordability. We have been very intent on getting the word out to students throughout the state and across the country that the University of Arkansas provides research, study abroad, service, and diverse classroom opportunities usually found at much more expensive institutions. And, as students learn when they visit, the community is friendly and incredibly supportive.

“We also want to support faculty and the academic mission by admitting students who will engage and who will succeed, and we are doing that in record numbers. All indicators point to the freshman class of 2010 being the largest in our history. We are ready, and we are excited.”