NIU likely will see more than 1,500 potential students today at the open house, Director of Admissions Bob Burk said.

There have been an average of 200 to 300 more people at each open house, he said, so NIU is gearing up for a larger crowd this time.

Students interested in attending NIU will explore the DeKalb campus from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Events start at the Holmes Student Center.

No reservations are needed. Visitors can park free of charge in the Convocation Center parking lot and will be shuttled by bus to the student center.

“The open house encourages students and their families to visit NIU and see what it has to offer,” Burk said.

Prospective students, whether they are transferring from other colleges or graduating from high school, will meet with representatives from a variety of departments, including admissions, financial aid, undergraduate colleges, housing, health services and academic programs, Burk said.

Many of NIU’s colleges and departments are having individual open houses throughout the day as well, he said. Prospective students are free to visit any college or department at any time during the course of the event.

Burk said about 40 bus tours are scheduled to explore the campus. The tours will be led by current NIU students and will visit residence halls and many other sites, he said.

Visitors can attend the open house at their convenience during the day, Burk said. However, he suggests coming in as early as possible to see all there is to offer.

NIU hosts four open houses each year, Burk said. They fall on President’s Day, Good Friday, Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

“It works out well,” he said, “because high school students are off those days even though NIU is in session.”

Each open house NIU hosts takes a lot of planning, Burk said. The entire university has to work together for the open house to be successful, he said.

Burk said about 75 percent of students who attend NIU open houses will apply to NIU.

A complete schedule of specific colleges and times is available at www.admissions.niu.edu under the “Visit NIU” link.