Enthusiastic crowds throng Open Day
Open Day attracted unprecedented numbers
NUS Open Day on 14 March saw the highest ever turnout in recent years, drawing a huge crowd of 25,600 to both Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah campuses. University Town (UTown) at Kent Ridge Campus was a hive of activity'faculty and staff gave talks and were kept busy throughout the day attending to never-ending queries while students put on energetic performances, entertaining an enthusiastic crowd.
Visitors waited patiently in snaking lines for the ever popular programme talks, which provided them with macro- and micro-level views of the NUS curricula. They checked their phones and pored over Open Day guides, choosing from a smorgasbord of almost 90 talks, ranging from the Global Engineering Programme to admissions. More airtime was devoted to specific programmes such as Food Science and Technology, and Information Security this year.
NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan speaking to students at Open Day
Making an appearance at Open Day for the first time was the Centre for Future-ready Graduates, formerly known as the NUS Career Centre. The Centre offered prospective students a peek into its resources and how it could help students develop their potential and take charge of their personal and career development.
The Residential Experience segment featured the brand-new Residential College 4, which will be a full-fledged residential college in Academic Year 2015/2016.
The Student Village showcased a host of student activities and featured 12 University clubs including the NUS Students' Union, University Scholars Club and many other interest groups. Performers from the six Halls of Residence and NUS Students' Cultural Activities Club (CAC) crooned and grooved on the Town Plaza stage. Cheerleaders from the King Edward VII (KEVII) Hall Titans and salsa dancers from the CAC were among the groups that provided visitors a snapshot of campus vibrancy when students were not hitting the books.
Flash mob by KEVII Hall
The lively atmosphere impressed many prospective students, who felt that NUS offered an exciting campus life and cohesive experience.
James Quah, who will be matriculating into NUS Faculty of Law, was checking out housing options at Open Day. What he saw reinforced what he had heard from his friends on campus. "NUS is more wholistic. There's everything that a university campus can offer' from curriculum, accommodation and excellent activities, he said.
Serangoon Junior College student Samantha Ong, who was soaking in the atmosphere while lounging on Town Green, said: "I think it's just the vibe, the whole atmosphere. It's something you can't put in words. I just felt very ‘wow'.
While visitors could also shuttle between UTown and Bukit Timah Campus for Law's Open Day, they could also hop onto two tours across Kent Ridge Campus, which orientated prospective students to campus facilities and landmarks. The tours made stops at University Cultural Centre and Central Library, as well as some Schools and Halls of Residence.
Visitors packed the halls to find out more about different courses
