More Than 2000 High School Students Visit the Campus
© 2013 Alain Herzog
The annual open house for high school students drew 2,300 potential future students to the EPFL campus. They came to get a better idea of coursework they plan to pursue.
On March 7-8 and 14-15, the campus was crowded. During these four days, 2,300 high school students, mostly from western Switzerland, came to get a clearer picture of courses offered at EPFL.
While the first day focused on fields of study, the second gave the opportunity to young people to immerse themselves in the heart of chosen departments. Two days, indeed, were not too much to make this important decision. According to Maya Fruehauf, who was responsible for organizing this open house for the Department for the Promotion of Education: “The goal is to attract new students who have consciously chosen and who will then begin their studies with strong motivation.”
The number of students attending the sessions generally reflects the proportion entering these sections in the first year: architecture and life sciences are the most popular. The number of visitors during these days has been relatively stable for the past three years, consistently exceeding 2,000 visitors, and with a significant percentage of girls (35%).
One of the highlights of the day, apparently much appreciated by students, remains the reception in the Rolex Learning Center. The information stands for each department, now gathered in the hall of the SG building, give the chance to create bridges to facilitate discussions between the visitors and students or scientists. EPFL students lead guided tours of small groups to discover the campus.
The second day allows the more motivated, which comprise more than 80% of the participants, to become immersed in the atmosphere of a class session, to attend workshops, and meets specialists. Experimenting, seeing the laboratories, asking questions about the material being taught – the second day is all about giving these potential students a “hands on” experience.
“Statistics of previous years show that half of new students feel that this campus visit determined their choice,” says Maya Fruehauf. This is a direct reward for the 200 people from EPFL (administration, teachers, students) who actively participate in organizing the open house, the discussion, and workshops that