Boston University is bringing back the Overnight Host Program for their prospective students. The program is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27 to Friday, Oct. 28 and is held in combination with the University’s Fall Visit Day program.
The Overnight Host Program is for high school seniors who might be prospective applicants to the University. They will go through an evening of programming followed by a night spent on the BU campus with current students.
Sarah Thomson, senior assistant director for Multicultural Recruitment, said while the itinerary for the program is not yet finalized, there are several things planned for the visiting students.
“Students will come and check in with us at 5:30. They will have dinner with us at six. And then for the rest of the evening, we’ll have a bunch of other things going on,” said Thomson.
Students will check in at the George Sherman Union and participate in a variety of activities that introduce students to life at BU including a financial aid presentation, meetings with current student organizations, a discussion with the Newbury Center and a dance workshop.
The official program is scheduled to end around 9:30 p.m. when hosts will come to the GSU to pick up their assigned student and bring them back to the dorms. Students will then spend the night in the host’s residence until the next morning when they will return to the GSU for the Fall Visit Day program.
“Students will also get to have a really candid conversation without professional staff looming over or observing or being part of the conversation so they’ll really get a chance to see what it’s like to be a BU student,” Thomson said. “They’ll also get some information about really how to apply and kind of what admissions is looking for.”
The program has been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now that the University has reduced its public health restrictions, the event is set to return this year and continue into the foreseeable future.
Ella Hain, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she “definitely” would have wanted to utilize this program as a prospective student to “get more of an understanding of university life.”
“I think it’s an interesting program that allows high school students to really experience what college is like, more than necessarily just coming and taking the tour,” Hain said. “This really allows them to know what college might be like.”
Hain added she was considering being a host after learning about the program.
“I was looking into it and I was considering maybe doing it,” she said. “It’s interesting to hear about.”
Bella Moreno, a freshman in CAS, said this program allows prospective students to get to know student life on campus and make connections.
“Even if you don’t end up coming to BU, you already have that community there,” Moreno said.
The host application is still open for applicants according to Thomson. Current students can apply to be hosts on the BU Admissions website, and they will need to provide basic information about themselves.
“We have a website where the host can sign up,” said Thomson. “Give us some more information about themselves, and then I will be running a couple of host training sessions.”
Mandatory trainings will be held throughout the month of October, leading up to the Overnight Host program.
“I will walk students through what makes a good host,” said Thomson. “What they should and should not be doing with their guests while they’re here, and making sure that they’re signing off some paperwork to make sure that they’ve agreed to be responsible hosts for the students that are joining them.”
Prospective high school students interested in the BU Overnight Host Program must be high school seniors and reside within the greater Boston area or be a part of a partnership program in Philadelphia or New York City. The deadline for the application is Sept. 30, and more information can be found on their website.
