ISU expects an increase in tour numbers amongst Presidents Day weekend

Image courtesy of Illinois State University 

NORMAL, Ill. – With many high schools across the country closed over Presidents Day, many students and their families take advantage of the long weekend by visiting Illinois State University on a campus tour. 

“Today for one of our sessions we had about 50 seats taken. All three of those sessions over Presidents Day on Monday are full with 100 folks,” said ISU Director of Admissions Jeff Mavros. “That’s the kind of demand that happens when students and parents have a little bit more availability. We’re ready for it, we expect that sort of thing at these breaks that happen at the high schools.” 

ISU campus tours are offered at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and visitors can be seen walking around campus during those times.

While there is an increase of visitors within the local area and Illinois, out of state students tend to show up during holiday breaks year-round, as they get more time for traveling. 

As graduating seniors and transfer students decide where they will attend this fall, ISU is hosting events for admitted students to give them a closer look at campus life.

“Just about every Friday from the first Friday in March through the end of April, we do large recruitment events which are mostly geared towards admitted students,” Mavros said. 

ISU will host four Redbird Days this spring, beginning March 3, and expects to welcome hundreds of students. The events allow prospective students to meet with potential advisers, tour campus, dine in the residence halls and participate in breakout sessions with their peers.

Since 2022, ISU has received more than 20,000 first-year applications annually, with totals increasing each year.

“That was the first time we eclipsed 20,000 applications. Prior to that, we were closer to 15,000 or 16,000 applications,” Mavros said. “We’ve just seen this incremental growth, and it’s only increased since that time.” 

Prospective students can visit Illinois State University’s Admissions page to learn more, schedule a visit and apply.