We’re headed to Hokie Focus on April 6th. DS is trying to make a decision between VT and UD for Chemical Engineering. UD is in-state for us which means it wins for cost but he’s not thrilled with campus life at UD. Any recommendations for things to focus on at VT and Blacksburg during our visit to aid in his decision?
For the most part, VT pretty much sells itself. Do they offer a presentation from the CoE? If so I’m sure you would definitely want to catch that. Does he like sports? Try to get inside both gyms and walk over by Lane and the other athletic fields. Take a walk around the Duck Pond. If you’re not planning on eating at D2 and he likes fish tacos, go to Cabo.
Whatever you do, don’t go over to the Math Empo, lol. (You’ll learn why in the Fall if he decides to go to VT).
@ShenVal18 Yes, CoE is having both an Information session and an Engineering Showcase. Visiting the gyms and athletic fields would be a good plan and I think he should definitely eat on campus. He’s hoping to find an Ultimate Frisbee team and I’ve seen that VT has that. Thankfully his required math classes wouldn’t be at the Math Empo.
I forgot about CoE math classes being exempt from the Empo experience - lucky him.
Would he be interested in the Engineering LLC? If so then use Lee Hall as a reference point re: proximity to other things, since that would be his dorm if he was in the LLC. There’s new basketball courts and an outdoor fitness “playground” beside Pritchard - you should pass right by those if you walk from War Mem Gym over to Cassel and Lane.
If the presenters for the two CoE sessions are any good at all (and I’ve got to guess they would be), and you get decent weather, I’d wager it’s a 90% chance his decision will be made before you get in the car to go home.
He’s on the fence about the Engineering LLC. I think he’d like being surrounded by peers that he can study with and help him adjust to college life so it would be worth seeing if they are doing Lee Hall tours that day. We’ll be sure to check out the basketball court and fitness “playground” too. Great weather would be a bonus.
Last year the dorm tour for Hokie Focus was of the new Cadet Dorm. I’m not quite sure why. I would also recommend seriously considering an LLC as they really can make for a smaller community within a big school.
I don’t think you’ll get a tour of Lee, since classes are in session. We didn’t do Hokie Focus last year because we had the in-depth presentations over an open house weekend and our son had already decided he was going to attend VT. The kids stayed in one of the new cadet dorms during orientation. That said, Lee isn’t anything to get excited about re: living conditions. The LLC experience can be really helpful though.