High school students spend hot day on campus, not in pool
By Beth Novacek, Schieffer School of Journalism
The popularity of TCU rises as more visitors attend summer programs.
Many students begin their college search early in their high school career, and with a summer program called Destination TCU, students are choosing to spend time on campus, away from the pool.
At the first Destination TCU in 2006, only 178 guests attended. This year, TCU offered four sessions and almost 1,000 visitors attended.
More than ever before, high school students are interested in using their summer break to learn about TCU academics and campus life. The Office of Admission knows exactly how to take advantage of the break by offering Destination TCU. This summer visitation program gives interested high school students and their families an early opportunity to get the inside scoop about the university.
“When we decided to institute Destination TCU, we wondered whether anybody would come. It appears that question has been answered most convincingly,” said Ray Brown, dean of admissions.
Destination TCU and other university programs have contributed to the 37 percent increase in freshmen applications since last year. High school students in the Destination TCU programs are aware of the increased interest in TCU. The competition for acceptance is also widespread among today’s high school students.
Destination TCU includes a student-led campus tour, a group discussion with an admission counselor, a private financial aid session and an open discussion where families can ask TCU students about college life.
Through The CollegeBoard Network Web site, Brown informs students about college acceptance in his article, “Admission Myths you Should Know Before You Apply.”
“Colleges want to admit students who are serious in their interest,” he says about the myths. “If you're applying to a college, know about that school. Read its literature. Visit. Call your admission counselor. Interview either on site or with an alum. Do something to show the college you're serious about the school.”
Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin also have programs that are designed for high school students such as the Seniors Experiencing Aggie Life (S.E.A.L.) conference and the UT Rise and Shine program that gives students opportunities similar to Destination TCU. Brown was quoted in the article “Making the Grade” by Rick Waters in the TCU Magazine as saying:
“We lose so many students to Texas and Texas A&M who never even apply to us. They think, 'I can't afford TCU' or 'I can't afford that type of education.' But once we get them to apply, we hold our own. We lose an awful lot more to UT than I like, but we're starting to beat A&M more consistently.”
Waters wrote that “more often than not, TCU dukes it out with those two [Texas A&M and Texas] for high-achieving Texas high school students.”
TCU has remained a competitor among other Texas schools because students and faculty continuously display their appreciation to their guests.
“We’ve long known that we have among the finest facilities one can find on any campus in America,” Brown said. “But what truly sets us apart from the crowd is the friendly, welcoming attitude our guests receive when they visit campus.”
In January, TCU celebrated its 10,000th application for fall 2007, the largest number of applications the admission office has ever received. The excitement in the office is at an all-time high as TCU has now received more than 11,000 applications for the 2007-2008 academic year.
“At the beginning of last year, if I had been told that we’d receive 9,000 applications for admission this year, I’d have been thrilled,” Brown said. “To receive nearly 12,000 leaves us mostly stunned.”
As the figures for the 2007 academic year come to a close, the Office of Admissions will focus on goals for next year, waiting to greet those who choose school instead of the pool.
