Owl Days 2011

By Ellen Liu     3/31/11 7:00pm

WHAT A two-day program including tours of the campus, sitting in on classes, information sessions and panels, student-led activities and staying overnight in one of the residential colleges.

WHEN April 7–8 (next Thursday and Friday)

WHO Over 1,000 current high school seniors who have been admitted into Rice.

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WHY So admitted students and their families can get a closer look of life on campus.

 

Three different perspectives on Owl Days

Associate Director of Admission Fitima Jackson

Who: A member of the Admission Office who works with the Student Admission Council to plan Owl Days.

Biggest challenge: "Owl Days is a very large event, so it's very difficult to find space for everyone. Once you start getting into the 500-to-700-people range for one event, [...] only a few rooms can hold that number of people, like the Shepherd School of Music, Tudor Field house and the Faculty Club."

Martel College sophomore Ginny Johnson

Who: A member of the Student Admission Council's Executive Board who helps plan the activities for Owl Days.

Favorite part: "Meeting new and interesting people. It is always cool to see familiar faces matriculate the following fall, sometimes even prospies you hosted!"

Least favorite part: "It is absolutely exhausting in combination with school work! I am sure I will be catching up on some much needed rest the weekend following Owl Days. It's exhausting because the SAC wants each and every prospective student to walk away with a realistic, accurate picture of Rice and how they can fit in here."

Biggest challenge: "Having a little something for every type of personality. That is why we are trying to offer more evening activities than in previous years."

Martel College sophomore Ben Chou

Who: Current student who attended Owl Days before coming to Rice.

Favorite part: "The socials at night. There was a pizza social at Lovett and ice cream in the RMC. I thought, ‘Wow, there's lots of free food. This is going to be awesome.'"

Least favorite part: "The tours. Walking around in the heat was unbearable."

Suggested improvements: "I'd make it more formalized in that we should incorporate more current student involvement

with the prospies, like having college governments or some large SA event to welcome them. Then, they'll think we really care because we're pulling the big guys out just to greet them, and we'll get a higher matriculation rate."

 

Planned Activities

Prospective students will be allowed to sit in on classes, and a group of residential college liaisons are planning various college-specific activities.

The Rice Philharmonics co-ed a cappella group and improv comedy troupe Spontaneous Combustion will perform Thursday night, and a Club & Activities Fair will be held on Friday.

For those who cannot attend: An alternate, similar program called Admit Days is offered on three dates: April 13, 15 and 18.

Needed: As many volunteers and hosts as possible. Sign up at http://goo.gl/CRhfL or contact your Owl Days College Liaison to find out how else you can help.

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