DeKALB | About 400 new freshmen enrolled for the 2011 fall semester during the first ever NIU Admitted Student Day.

About 65 to 70 percent of the high school seniors had enrolled before coming to campus Monday, said Megan Woodruff, assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions. She said she expected to have most of the 400 enrolled by the end of the day.

“I’m taking confirmation sheets left and right from [students],” Woodruff said. “And a large majority have already said, ‘NIU is for me.’”

Jarrett Wolske, a senior at Jacobs High School in Algonquin, said he found the NIU campus inviting and was fairly confident he was going to enroll. Wolske said he was waiting for the FAFSA workshop and scholarship informational session to see how NIU could help finance his education before making a decision.

Tiera Jones, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School in Rockford, said Monday was her first time on campus, but she learned a lot and got a good impression of NIU. She said she still wasn’t sure if she would enroll.

“I’m still kind of deciding, but it’s definitely a possibility,” Jones said. “It’s a 75 percent shot that I’ll be coming here.”

Woodruff said the Admitted Student Day helped students through the first step of the college enrollment process.

In the past, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has held open houses, which are less structured and offered to high school students of all ages, Woodruff said. She said Admissions chose to host Admitted Student Day this year to give students a more personalized, in-depth experience.

“It’s a great way to move forward and really start treating students, before they’re even here, like they’re part of…the Huskie family,” Woodruff said.

Admitted Student Day events were held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. mostly in rooms of the Holmes Student Center.

Admitted high school seniors and their parents had the opportunity throughout the day to fill out the FAFSA with financial aid counselors, to receive scholarship information, register for summer orientation, take residence hall tours and hear from current NIU students.

In the morning, students heard a welcome speech from NIU President John Peters and had the opportunity to get their picture taken with Victor E. Huskie, which they could find later on the NIU Incoming Class of Fall 2011 Facebook page.

The students split up in the afternoon to attend presentations from their specific college of interest and hear from faculty and staff in that department.

Including guests of students like parents or siblings, about 1,100 people attended the day’s activities, Woodruff said. The event was mainly for newly admitted freshmen because NIU hosts specific events for transfer students later in the semester.

Woodruff said she felt the first student day was a success. The Office of Admissions plans to host more in the future because of high interest.

Another Admitted Student Day will be held March 7.