Open house visitors go into the University Center to attend information sessions on Oct. 27, 2018. Photo by Hallie West.
Western Carolina University welcomed prospective students at the first open house of the year on Saturday, Oct. 27, with a campus-wide information fair.
Open house allows interested students and family members to get a taste of everything that campus has to offer and see what it is like to be a Catamount.
They were able to meet with 75 academic departments, tour some of the residence halls, dine at the café, and interact with fellow students to get a feeling of what they could call home for the next four years. According to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, there were around 830 students signed up to attend the event.
“This is not a classroom and we do not want to lecture you the whole time, but students need to get out there and experience all that WCU has to offer,” Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Sam Miller, said at the welcome session where he spoke to interested students and parents.
WCU representatives were highlighting some of the advantages that Western offers compared to bigger schools. In addition, students are getting more of an educational experience here because they have one-on-one time with professors allowing for more engaged learning.
“We have small classrooms where professors are able to put a name to a face and they are not just a number along with 150 other students,” Director of Student Recruitment and Retention, Phil Cauley, said.
Moreover, there are several factors that bring students to WCU other than the education and the location. Fall of 2018 was the first year of the North Carolina Promise that was implemented to make tuition more affordable to everyone. Students from all over the state are taking advantage of the $500 tuition a semester.
“Western is one of my top choices because of the location and the low tuition being offered. It is the best of both worlds to have no student debt and all these mountains surrounding you,” prospective student, Jake Houston, said. In addition, Houston, is from Charlotte, NC and is interested in studying construction management at Western or at Eastern Carolina University. However, it is still early in the decision making process and he plans on keeping his options open right now, according to Houston.
Come and check out the next available open house Saturday, Nov. 17 to see everything that campus has to offer.
