A perfect fit: Students discover Dal at Open House 2012

Picking out a new T-shirt can be stressful enough, but picking a university?

Actually, in some ways, it’s not that different: it helps to try it on first.

A record number of students and parents — more than 1,400 total — got to explore Dal first-hand at the ninth annual Open House last Friday. Students from across Canada and even from the United States had the chance to sit in on lectures, see labs in progress, eat dining hall food, meet world-class professors and experience residence life — all in one day.

A warm welcome

Following the morning registration, the students and parents all gathered into the Dalplex fieldhouse, where Dal Dance hyped up the crowd with a flash mob performance. As well, musical group Jackson Jha of “See You In September” fame performed, encouraging students to join the Dalhousie community next September.  

Flash mob! (Danny Abriel photo)

Dal President Tom Traves reinforced that message.

“This is a very warm and inviting place,” he told the crowd. “You’re going to find it a great home for the next number of years while you study with us.”

Dr. Traves emphasized “the ability to study almost anything that interests you,” referring to the more than 180 program options offered at “Canada’s best university,” as he put it.

Taylor Quinn, a second-year Dalhousie student and a volunteer leader for the Open House, agrees with that sentiment.

“I could talk anyone’s ear off about Dal,” said Quinn during the opening ceremony. He was one of more than 100 current students who volunteered their time to give tours and answer questions about life at Dalhousie.

Starting out on their campus tours – this group's headed to the Chase Building. (Danny Abriel photo)

Exploring Dal

Following the opening ceremonies, leaders took their groups around campus so students could explore different academic programs. When registering for Open House, students had signed up for specialized sessions to suit their interests: some attended labs, others sat in on lectures, while others toured Studley, Carleton and Sexton campuses.

One of the best ways to quickly explore all Dal has to offer was to drop into the Academic Expo in the SUB McInnes Room. It showcased the diverse program offerings, new courses such as “History of Sexuality,” and Dal’s extensive services for students.

Sitting at the Russian Studies booth, current student Nicole Marcoux said that Open House attendees stopped by to look at the cultural artefacts on display, including a large silver teapot called a Samovar, a traditional pot for brewing and dispensing tea.

Those looking to study at Dal's Faculty of Agriculture in Truro also found what they were looking for at the Expo: an exhibit complete with fresh sod, a 12-foot fig tree, a GIS helicopter and more.

<Green space in the SUB, thanks to the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture. (Danny Abriel photo)

Accepted!

After seeing all Dal had to offer, Jordan Wright, a grade 12 student from Lower Sackville, was ready to apply.

Not only could she do so right at Open House: she could learn if she was accepted right there, on the spot.

The Registrar’s Office offered on-site admissions in the Studley Gym on Friday afternoon. With current high school transcripts and a registration fee in hand, 258 students total sat down across from admissions officers with the possibility of hearing “you’re in!” just a few minutes away.

“I don’t have any expectations right now,” Wright said, nervously waiting in line. She got good news: she was accepted to pursue a Bachelor of Science at Dal.

Jordan Wright – accepted! (Nick Pearce photo)

The Open House was a chance for students to try out being a Dalhousie student for a day, but some students didn’t need to do any more shopping around. Charlotte Nauss certainly fit that bill: her mother, Marice Nauss, said that her acceptance to Dalhousie was four years in the making.

Here’s hoping the next four years are every bit as successful for her and the rest of Dal’s Class of 2017.

Charlotte Nauss – accepted! (Nick Pearce photo)

Many of our newly-accepted students posed with the Dal Tiger and Rocky the Ram at our Admissions Photo Booth. To see all of the photos, visit Dalhousie’s Facebook Page.