More than 4,000 prospective students visited for the Spring Open House Friday, the largest open house in NIU history.

The Department of Undergraduate Admissions organized an open house to relay information about financial aid, the University Honors Program, Huskies Get Hired!, transfer student information and Housing and Dining, among other topics. Groups of 50 people entered the Holmes Student Center every five to 10 minutes 9 a.m. to noon.

Brad Hoey, director of University Marketing, said the fall will have two open house events.

“This is the largest admission Open House in the history of NIU,” Hoey said.

The Open House began with a welcome session. More than 50 academic departments and campus resources were represented as prospective students and parents walked around the Duke Ellington Ballroom and asked questions.

“The spring Open House at NIU is an exclusive opportunity for both the freshmen and the transfer students to learn about services NIU has to offer to students,” said Andrew Hlubek, associate director of the Transfer Center. “It’s a great way to learn these many components of NIU all at one spot.”

Northern Ambassadors, a group of undergraduate students who help the Office of Undergraduate Admissions welcome and receive visitors, managed the tours for students and their parents.

Megan Kozenczak, graduate assistant at the Academic Advising Center, volunteered at the Welcome Session in the Duke Ellington Ballroom. Kozenczak said prospective students were interested in everything NIU had to offer.

“Usually I get a little worried for undecided students and try to encourage that it’s OK to be undecided as it’s an advantage to see and explore everything,” Kozenczak said.

Mikel Wyckoff, assistant to the chair of the Political Science Department and volunteer at the event, said the open house was a great chance for students to learn about NIU and the majors they might be interested in when they go to college.

“Response is very good,” Wyckoff said. “Several dozens of students have come up to ask me about my program. It’s a great one-stop shop approach to looking at a school we want to go to.”

Prospective student Breanna Ware, junior at Rockford Christian School, said her family became aware of the university’s open house when they saw a billboard promoting the event.

“I was told that if you go to a lot of different schools it makes it easier for students to narrow down what they wanna do,” Ware said.