Getting Ready for the Class of 2017

Although the weather did not cooperate on Sunday, May 19th, the showers did not dampen the enthusiasm of Quinnipiac's graduating class of 2013.  It was a special day for all of the families of the graduates.  When I started writing for the admissions blog, I introduced myself as the mother of two Quinnipiac students.  Fast forward through eight semesters and I am now the mother of two Quinnipiac alumni.

Now we are getting ready to welcome our next class of freshmen students.  Orientation is here and this year's experience has been designed to give the Class of 2017 members a great head start on their academic careers.

The energy and enthusiasm of our Orientation Leaders is contagious and these student leaders will play an important role in preparing this year's freshman to begin their academic careers.  When the students arrive on campus they will begin work on their Personal Success Plans.

The PSP's will be a living document that students will reflect on throughout their Quinnipiac education. The exercises that they will participate in will ask them to develop goals for their college education and consider what strengths they already possess that will help them to achieve these goals.

 The Orientation Leaders and faculty and staff will lead the students through writing exercises designed to introduce the students to the concepts and ideas that will be part of their first semester learning experience in QU 101and will prepare them to get the most out of their advising meetings as well as to get involved outside the classroom in experiences that will enhance their academic experience.

So it is time for big dreams and numerous opportunities for this new group of Quinnipiac students.
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Spring Open House

Although the admissions office is in the process of finalizing who will be joining Quinnipiac University as part of the Class of 2017, we are looking forward to welcoming the next group of high school students beginning their college search.

The Undergraduate Admissions office will be holding a Spring Open House on Monday May 13th.  There will be representatives from all of the academic offices and student life organizations ready to meet the students and their families.

The spring open house is designed to help high school students who are getting ready to apply for colleges in the fall.  Students and their families can tour our Mt. Carmel and North Haven campuses as well as visit the York Hill campus with its spectacular views from the Rocky Top Student Center.  The York Hill campus is also home to the High Point Solutions arena, home to the Quinnipiac Men's Hockey team and the host site for the NCAA Women's Frozen Four tournament in 2014.

Families visiting our North Haven campus will see our state of the art facilities for students in nursing, diagnostic imaging, occupational therapy, physican assistant and physical therapy programs.  The Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine is also located on the North Haven campus and will welcome its first class of medical students this fall.

So come join us on May 13.  You can still register for the Open House using this link, https://app.timetrade.com/tc/login.do?url=quinnipiac. 

It's that time again

It is hard to believe that next Wednesday is May 1.  Before I began working in higher education that day held little meaning.  But, in the admissions office at Quinnipiac as well as admission's offices throughout the United States, May 1 is D Day- Decision Day, Deposit Day. 

It is coming down to the wire for students and their families.  The admissions office has been very busy with students and their families visiting just one more time to get every question answered and reassure themselves that they are making the right decision about where they will be studying in August.

There are some important questions to ask any institution if you are still undecided.

1.  Is the institution adding new programs and faculty? Growth is good.  It is important to ask how many new faculty have been added to the institution.  New programs, new majors and minors also indicate that an institution is growing and improving academic offerings for students.

2.  How easy is it to change your major?  How will this affect my ability to graduate in 4 years?  It is very common for freshmen to change their major during their first year or two in college.  Make sure that whatever institution you decide to attend has enough choices and flexibility to allow you to make a change and still stay on track to graduate in four years.

3.  What kind of advising can I expect?  How often can I meet with my advisor?  The role of the academic advisor is very important for all students.  Your advisor should be accessible and available.  Ask current students how their relationship is with their advisor.

4.  How far away can I actually be from my family?  Think long and hard about how long you can go without seeing mom and dad.  Some students wouldn't mind coming home only on the long breaks.  But if you are someone who needs to connect in person with your family on a regular basis attending a school that is a four or five hour car ride or a plane ride away might become overwhelming.

It is hard to imagine exactly what college life will be like.  Your experience will be different from every other person you know.  So trust your instincts and your research to bring you to the right place for you.