Are you trying to decide which college or university to attend? Then be sure to visit Walla Walla University and talk with faculty and students, suggests Danielle Shull, a sophomore English major.
"WWU is welcoming," she says. "Everyone has a place here."
Trevor Congleton, director for recruitment, is your contact person at WWU. "We will be more than happy to guide you through the visit process and do our absolute best to make your stay here as enjoyable as possible," he says. "We simply ask to have at least two weeks advance notice to make arrangements so your visit will go smoothly."
Every visiting student and family fills out an online registration form, which can be found at www.wallawalla.edu/visit. The form asks for contact information and details about your trip. A section near the bottom of the form asks what appointments you would like to make. This is a chance to personalize your visit by requesting anything from a campus tour to meetings with professors in your areas of interest.
"New this year is a chance to schedule an appointment, typically a lunch, with a current student," Congleton says. "In this way you can hear firsthand what it's like to attend school here."
Visits usually last up to three days. The university covers food and lodging during this time, as well as half of your travel costs up to $250. You'll most likely stay at one of the on-campus housing options, which are like mini-hotels. If these are full, the university will arrange for you and your family to stay in an area hotel.
"We strongly encourage parents to come along for the visit," Congleton says.
Within a week or two after your visit, someone from the WWU guest relations department will usually call to see if you have any questions. If you've filled out an application, someone from the university will contact you about once a month to see how you are doing and to remind you about important dates and admission requirements.
"I love my job immensely," Congleton says. "I get to meet really great people. Nothing makes me feel as good as seeing a family I've taken on a tour of campus show up again on the first day of school."
To schedule a visit, call 1-800-541-8900 and ask for the guest relations department. You can also send an e-mail to guestrelations@wallawalla.edu.
