Texas A&M University is hosting its annual Aggieland Saturday event on Feb. 8, offering an all-day open house for prospective students and visitors.
Aggieland Saturday will include official campus walking tours hosted by the Visitor Center, as well as residence hall tours led by the Office of Residence Life. The Corps of Cadets, the Office of Admissions, and Financial Aid will showcase a variety of presentations to prospective undergraduate students.
The event is free for all visitors to attend, and Admissions is currently working with Transportation and Dining Services to meet accomodations for the increased visitor population expected this weekend, Ramirez said.
According to Associate Director of Recruitment in the Office of Admissions and Class of 2002 Meredith Ramirez, there will be opportunities for visitors to interact with academic colleges and departments throughout the day.
“The great thing about Aggieland Saturday is that all the colleges and departments open their doors for all visitors,” Ramirez said. “Pretty much anybody associated with the university is out and about on Aggieland Saturday just showing off what they have to offer.”
Ramirez, who is in charge of Aggieland Saturday, said the Office of Admissions has estimated anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 prospective students will visit campus this weekend. The event mainly attracts high school juniors and younger, along with students currently attending community colleges who may be looking to transfer to A&M, Ramirez said.
Hannah Pierdolla, psychology sophomore and a tour guide with the Howdy Crew in partnership with the Visitor Center, said Aggieland Saturday is different from just visiting campus for a day and scheduling a tour. She said the event is an entire day with scheduled activities, which gives prospective students a chance to see what life at A&M can be.
“Rather than just reading about it … they can actually see for themselves and they can talk to [current students], which gives them a first-hand perspective, Pierdolla said.
Tour Coordinator for Residence Life and second year Bush School graduate student Ellie Hooper said a large part of Aggieland Saturday will consist of residence hall tours provided by the 15 undergraduate students who make up the Residence Hall Tour Program. Hooper said Residence Life will be giving tours of Hullabaloo Hall, commons style dorms, and White Creek Apartments on their biggest visit day of the year.
“Aggieland Saturday is a large opportunity for prospective Aggies to check out all of our living options on campus, as well as a chance to interact with all of our live-in staff and people who they would actually be interacting with should they choose to live on campus,” Hooper said. “A big part of the day is highlighting the benefits of living on campus, such as our Academic Support Initiatives, our Living Learning Programs and the wonderful proximity to their academic classes.”
The Office of Admissions will also be hosting its first canned food drive in coordination with Aggieland Saturday called Aggies Give Back, Ramirez said. In the invitations visitors receive for the event, they are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items with them that will be put towards a campus initiative to help eliminate hunger in the Brazos Valley. Ramirez said there will be collection zones throughout campus on Saturday, including all parking garages and Rudder Fountain, and all visitors are encouraged to come to campus for the day, rain or shine.
“The most important thing a prospective student can do is actually put their feet in Bryan-College Station on campus,” Ramirez said. “Everybody wants to know ‘Am I going to fit there?’ ‘Is it a good match?’ and the only way to really know that is to actually come and experience campus in person. Aggieland Saturday is a great opportunity to do that.”