Preview Day offers peek at college life

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA - If University of North Alabama senior Bethany Oliver had her college life to do over again, she would have taken a Saturday away from her senior year at Muscle Shoals and attended Preview Day at the university.

"I thought I knew all there was to know about UNA because I'm from here, but once I came and visited campus as a student, I fell in love with it," she said. "I didn't take the time beforehand to see what UNA had to offer.

"I've learned that it's big enough to have a university feel to it but small enough so your professors know your name and your interests. That's what I love about it."

UNA Preview Day offers prospective students and their parents an opportunity to see the campus before applying for admissions or enrolling in classes.

Fall is the traditional recruiting season for colleges and universities, according to Preview Day organizer Julie Yates. She said the event often helps seal the deal for students who might not have made up their minds about where to attend college.

"It's the first point when students are actually at UNA, and if they come to Preview Day, it becomes a stepping stone to applying for college," she said. "A good percentage of those who come to Preview Day end up applying for and coming to UNA."

After more than a decade as a regular campus event, Preview Day has undergone some changes that Yates said should make the process more effective for those who have yet to decide on a college. She said more than 1,000 students and their families typically attend the event.

This year's event will be Nov. 7.

"We've added four sessions to the day," Yates said. "We'll have one on financial aid, one on career planning and development, so if a student doesn't know what they want to major in they can go to that and get an idea. We'll also have one on the honors program and one on studying abroad."

She said these topics come up often while admissions counselors are on the road recruiting students, so the decision was made to add sessions during Preview Day to give parents as well as students an opportunity to ask questions and get pertinent information before registering for classes.

"We're also trying to cater to parents with the sessions, and we think this will be a way to get them more involved."

In addition to the sessions, students and parents may take campus tours and visit UNA's eight residence halls. The majority of the activities for Preview Day will be in the Guillot University Center, where student clubs and organizations will be gathered to talk about what they do on campus.

"That will allow parents and students to speak to folks in a certain major, which will give them a good idea of what they might be doing once they come to campus," Yates said.

After the campus activities, she said families will be bused to Braly Stadium in Florence for the UNA football game against West Alabama.

Oliver, who will be guiding some of the campus tours, said the game is one of the most popular aspects of Preview Day.

"That's when we give a one-year, full-tuition scholarship," she said. "All you have to do to be entered is to register for the day and stay through halftime of the football game, which is when we do the drawing."

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@TimesDaily.com.