<p>D fell in love with UA all over again. We had previously visited last year during University Days.</p>
<p>The day involved a presentation to both parents ad students (we calculated about 128 students attended - based on the number of interview groups and the size of each group.)
Then a split between kids and parents. Dr Hornsby stayed with parents to answer any questions the kids were plit up into two sections, one section went to tour the dorm (in groups of 10 or so), while the other section went to interview in groups of 8. </p>
<p>Based on what my D said the interviews cwere done by a professor and a grad student, and consisted of questions about themselves, their views (not sure on what exactly) and then a group process where they were asked to decide, by consensus, the three people they would like to invite to a dinner party and why. Interviews lasted 45 minutes. My D said it felt like 2 minutes.</p>
<p>The first presentations were by Dr Horsby, the grad student in charge of the residence hall, an english professor discussing the foundations courses, a philosophy professor on majors and the Blount minor and the professor in residece for next year (who happens to be the Director of Dance Alabama presented by the dance department-so wonderful!)</p>
<p>Dr Horsby told us in the parent Q and A that receiving an invitation to interview meant that you had already been vetted on the application and that the interview was for confirmation that you would indeed contribute to the program. It was to insure that you were comfortable with challeging ideas and being challenged and were open to new ideas/perspectives. Basically the only way to blow the interview was to be too shy/introspective to talk or too dogmatic to listen.</p>
<p>Parents also received a tour of the Blount residence hall but after the kids had been through. The dorm is a more traditional double room set up with two double rooms sharing a bathroom. The dorm is designed so that students interact. There is a large lobby/living room, a TV room, a billard room (very ratty table), a rec room with a ping pong table in “the Tower” (which we didn’t get to see but the kids did) and a kitchen with communal area. There are also study rooms on each floor where 1-3 people could study.</p>
<p>When parents were done with the tour we went back to Oliver Barnard (one of 2 Blount academic “houses”) and a terrific reception was in full swing. It was wonderful! It did alot to make me more comfortable with UA. I have to back up here to when we first arrived on campus. While my D loves the campus, I find it a bit too Steppford Wives and while there were lots of studets around as we walked the campus, it was eerily quiet. Even in the Ferg any conversation was kept to a low hum. Well, except when Delta Signa Theta busted out in chants, which made me smile. But this reception was exactly what I had hoped to see. There were vibrant conversations happening all over the room with animated students talking about everything under the sun. I didn’t see a student texting anywhere! There were lovely hor d’ouvres - in fact it was like the best of the best cocktail parties without the cocktails (there was lemonade and water.) </p>
<p>If you have any questions about the event I’d be happy to share.</p>