A Glimpse of APU Life
About 400 high school students and parents attended Preview Days, a weekend presented by APU's [Office of Undergraduate Admissions]((/admissions/undergraduate/) that invited prospective students and parents to get to know APU.
From Thursday, February 2, to Saturday, February 4, high school students and their parents from across the country visited the APU campus. The weekend included an opening night of games and competitions, followed by the traditional “student mugging.”
On Friday morning, parents attended informational meetings and Q&A sessions with faculty and staff, while students spent time with current APU students. In the afternoon, all attendees visited classrooms, took tours, listened to various groups in APU’s School of Music and got an idea of what college life is like at APU.
“My daughter is totally excited about coming here,” said Vicki Gobbler '81. Her daughter was particularly interested in The School of Nursing.
Brendan Cross of Grass Valley, California, was impressed with how much “zeal and commitment” the faculty and leaders had for faith and education. His son Tim is currently a high school senior, and APU was the first college he visited. Brendan was pleasantly surprised by the friendly atmosphere at APU.
Teagan Picciano, Katie Pistoresi, and Jamie Swenson, from Merced, California, came to visit APU together. The three friends were helping each other decide on a college, and all three said they want to go to a Christian university with good education programs.
Picciano, a senior, was thinking about applying to Biola University as well as APU. She was interested in the Cinema Broadcast Arts Major. Overall, she thought that everyone she met at APU were kind and helpful.
Pistoresi, also a senior, was not sure what she will study in college. “I have a passion for people,” she said, and wants to find a major that will allow her to work closely with them. She was pleased with APU: “I’ve really liked it so far. Everyone has been so nice!”
Swenson, a junior, was excited about leaving her public high school and going to a university that will encourage her faith and challenge her and her fellow students to act like Christ.
About 20 staff members and 45 ambassadors organized the event, said Lori McVay, an Admissions Counselor/Visitation Coordinator in The Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The ambassadors, current freshmen at APU, were responsible for finding housing for the students, leading games, and being available to help any of the visiting students and parents during the weekend.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has organized Preview Days for more than 15 years. Their goal is to provide a weekend full of information for the parents, and great college experiences for the students.
Posted: February 6, 2006