From across the country, prospective members of the class of 2004 have begun to arrive on campus for the first of this year's "Dimensions of Dartmouth" weekends, hopefully taking away something of what it is like to be a Dartmouth student.
Upwards of 400 students are expected to visit the College over the four day weekend, many of whom will be spending a night with an undergraduate host, Director of Admissions Maria Laskaris said.
A variety of events will introduce prospectives to Dartmouth life, beginning last night with a welcome BBQ in Leede Arena and concluding tomorrow night with a poetry slam at the Top of the Hop.
The visitors will have the opportunity to attend classes, talk with professors, participate in interactive programs and panel sessions, among other events.
Several departments are holding open houses today, welcoming the '04s and introducing them to the different fields of study at Dartmouth.
In addition, many student-run organizations, such as the Afro-American Society, Dartmouth Broadcasting, Native Americans at Dartmouth and Swing Kids, are hosting interactive programs to show off the College's extracurricular opportunities.
This weekend's program is longer and involves more visiting students than the second weekend, on April 27 and 28, due to scheduling, Laskaris said.
Dartmouth aids students coming to campus by providing busses from the Boston and New York areas for only 20 dollars. Additionally, the College considers financial aid requests for students who need assistance who are coming from afar.
"The most important thing is the opinions the students form about the campus" as a whole, Laskaris said.
In addition to relying on many undergraduate hosts, the Admissions department hopes for interaction among prospective and current students. "While the programs are geared for the '04s, we would be happy to have other undergraduates attend to support their organizations," Laskaris said.
