Any student available to give an informal tour of UTD in the afternoon of Sunday July 9th? We’ll treat you to dinner in return.
My son is a PA (RA in other circles). He’ll be on campus this Summer. He loves UTD and likes to gives tours. He won’t need anything in return. He’s in JSOM and would be glad to give a tour if your S/D is also in JSOM. I don’t think he can give much guidance on other departments.
@getoveritnow Thank You! I’ve been to UTD once before but DH and DS20 haven’t been on campus before. DS20 tells me he plans to go to UTD because that’s where DS18 says he’s going. Anyway DS20 will be going to a three week cyber security camp and staying in the dorms there. Our current plans are for the three of us to take the train up from Austin, rent a car, he can check into the dorm Sunday evening and we’ll stay in a hotel and catch the train home on Monday.
We should get there mid afternoon Sunday I’m really looking for someone to just show us around campus and basic info about the school nothing really department specific, very informal like here’s where the library is that sort of thing. I don’t think there are many highschool residential campers at this program and from what I’ve read, the kids are pretty much on their own evenings and weekends so I’d feel better knowing DS20 has some idea what’s around campus.
Yeh… my son will be glad to show you around if he’s available. He’s a CA this summer (kids who work at UTD who take care of summer campers). I have to check with him about rules and regulations (for example, a PA can’t drive a residence, so there might be some rule against personal tours for liability reasons).
Please have him check, there shouldn’t be any driving involved. Maybe you son will be my son’s CA:-) We’d like to tour the school before my son checks in so that might make it better since he’ll still be under our care and not a camper yet.
My son will be on campus this summer for the pre-freshman option. He will be very new to the campus as his move in date is only a couple weeks before that but I’m sure he’d be happy to help as well.
Thanks @delilahxc, can you tell me more about the “pre-freshman option” I’m not familiar with that.
McDermott scholars are offered the opportunity to pair with a mentor professor to do research prior to freshman year. Unlike subsequent summers, participation is not mandatory and I think the percentage pursuing PFO this summer is not particularly large. DS will be working with a professor in abstract mathematics. This was an especially exciting opportunity for him because while, for the longest time, he had this very specific idea of what he wanted to do with his life, since getting the scholarship he’s suddenly considering other possible directions and mathematics was one of those. When a mentor was not available in his original field of interest, he jumped at the opportunity to immerse himself in this field. He’s really very excited about the opportunity and has already started reading an introductory textbook 
What a great opportunity for your DS! My DS has decided to apply for McDermott in the fall not sure he’ll make the cut but it’s too good of a scholarship not to try for. I’ll likely you be asking you for tips in the near future!
Okay. So it looks like there are rules against a CA giving personal tours to campers. I presume because if something happens to the camper, a lawyer can argue that the CA was performing his job for UTD and UTD would be liable. However, son did say that if you go to the RHW dorm, you cam get a tour of the dorm. Or if you call the visitor center, you can request a tour of the campus.