Biola hosted its annual Spring Preview Day for prospective students on Sunday, Feb. 19, and Monday, Feb. 20. Biola welcomed 269 high school juniors and seniors, and 224 parents, with a weekend full of activities such as class visits, dorm room stays and campus tours. This popular event is geared toward students who find it hard to visit during the year.

The number of students who enrolled at Biola because of attending Spring Preview Day has risen steadily from only five students in 2008 to 12 students in 2011, according to the 2011 Biola admissions report.

“The event is packed with all things Biola, and things that I think actual Biola students enjoy on a regular basis, and so [prospective students] get to see that, and I feel like that’s what brings in the crowds. It’s just kind of an all-inclusive event,” said Bethany Suhr, admissions event coordinator.

This kind of all-inclusive event is what seems to draw in more students each year, even some who have seen the campus before, but what to get a more in-depth look at student life.

“Me and my mom visited last spring, and so my dad wanted to visit after I got accepted,” said Kayla Gin, a prospective student from Illinois.

Peace of mind for parents

Visiting Biola’s campus during Spring Preview Day also provides insight for parents who are anxious to see where their children may spend the next four years of their life. Special events for parents provide helpful information; the weekend is a unique opportunity for parents to get a real look at Biola life.

“It was helpful to see the campus, it was helpful to hear from the administration, and it was helpful just to be here and see the students,” said Kayla’s father, Paul Gin.

Parents could stay at local hotels during Spring Preview Day. Several hotels in the area, including the Holiday Inn La Mirada, the Residence Inn by Marriott, the Holiday Inn Buena Park and Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel, offered a special rate to those visiting Biola. The sponsorship by these hotels, which includes the discount and special donations, benefits the Biola Fund, which helps to lower tuition costs and provide scholarships, according to the Spring Preview Day website.