On select days every fall, the pace quickens at Whitman College when prospective students, accompanied by their families, swarm campus, searching for a new place to call home.
On November 7, a scheduled Fall Visitors’ Day, prospective students got a sense of the academic life and learned about the co-curricular programs available at Whitman. Prospective students are encouraged to attend Fall Visitors’ Days in
order to assess whether Whitman College is the right fit for them.
According to Admission’s officer Devin Yamanaka, “activities [on Fall Visitors’ Day] include but are not limited to class visits, presentations on ResLife and Study Abroad, campus tours, lunch in the dining halls and a current student panel.”
Prospective students are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions in Antiquity and Modernity –– a unique trademark of Whitman College. They also can choose to sit in on other classes that are of interest to them.
“Fall Visitors’ Day gave me a realistic glimpse into the atmosphere on campus. I was able to interact with Whitman students and professors –– it was such a great experience that really influenced my decision to come here,” said first-year Monica Paulson, who visited campus as a prospective student prior to attending Whitman.
Many prospective students find that their experience on campus greatly influences their attitude toward Whitman College as Web sites and campus review journals cannot provide the same kind of inside look into student life.
“I really enjoyed visiting campus and interacting with Whitman students. I like the energy on campus and that I was able to live here for a day – like a college student,” said prospective student Richael Best, a current student at University High School in San Francisco.
Fall Visitors’ Days provide a structured experience for prospective students, for they are encouraged to attend classes and special forums established for this specific purpose. In order to acquaint themselves with Whitman College, many choose to go on campus tours that provide insight into the campus and its history.
As a member of the Admissions Team, or the A-Team, tour guide Thanh Vo has acquired much of her knowledge about Whitman by addressing the questions of prospective students and their parents.
“I have not only learned more about my school on the surface (by means of what buildings offer what and such) but I have learned valuable information about its inner workings as well,” she said in an e-mail.
While leading tours, Vo has observed that, more often than not, “prospective students are the ones who accompany their parents. Parents generally ask more questions than the students. The best questions come from the parents because they care about the well being of their child so they are more concerned about all the aspects of college.”
Parents are understandably concerned for their children, for the process of selecting a school marks the advent of a new chapter in their lives — the college experience. Although parents may ask the most questions, students still express interest in academics, social life, the quality of dining hall food, varsity and intramural teams and outdoor opportunities.
“I have found that most students are interested in the types and forms of recreation on campus because they are concerned about Whitman’s remote location,” remarked Vo.
Over the years, Whitman College has attracted students of a certain caliber.
“Whitman has always been a self-selective and self-sustaining community because of our location, size, passionate student body, and rigorous academics. Students who visit Whitman are often focused on finding a school with these attributes.  These characteristics have persisted throughout generations of Whitman students,” said Yamanaka.
When the activities on Fall Visitors’ Day come to a close, prospective students are better equipped to make that crucial college decision — whether Whitman is the right fit for them.
“Now I feel more prepared to make my decision. My campus visit was a great experience,” said Best. “I got a real taste of Whitman life.”
