Each year thousands of prospective students and their family members visit the ISU campus. Advisers play a major role in recruiting students and are often asked by the Admissions Office to participate in group visitation programs like Experience Iowa State or to meet with students and their parents individually. The campus visit is promoted by the Office of Campus Visits and Orientation because students and parents often are impressed with their visit to ISU, and many of the students who visit campus ultimately enroll.
Academic advisers play an important role in recruitment.
The largest campus visitation program sponsored by the Office of Campus Visits and Orientation is the Experience Iowa State program. Eighteen such programs are held throughout the school year. Topics covered during the one-day presentations include application information, financial aid, housing, student activities, and a meeting with an academic adviser. Advisers are also asked to assist with many other visitation programs. Some of them are the Legacy Program, High School Days, the National Merit Scholar recruitment program, the Science Bound program, and student-athlete recruitment.