LeTourneau Homeschool Preview

[choirfarm]

I wanted to write a review of LeTourneau homeschool preview day. We went yesterday. I only live 15 minutes from the university and it has a good reputation especially for engineering, math and flight fields. I thought it would make a good benchmark for future college visits and a nonthreatening one for my son who hates to do anything new.

We checked in and they divided us into two groups and gave us a tour of the campus. He was informative, but didn’t speak loud enough for those in the back to hear all of the time. We then went to a presentation about campus life. The students could attend a class during this time. Most parents stayed, but a few went with their child to the class. They said it was fine either way. They had a representative lead each group away for each building. There were about 20 possible classes you caould attend. My son went to a computer programming class and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Mom, I could do this!!! It was hard, but not impossibly so!)

One interesting facet is that their dorms are intergenerational, meaning that you will find seniors and freshman on the same floor. Unless you live fewer than 50 miles away, you must live on campus until you are a senior, but most choose to stay at the dorm even then. As a freshman, your roommate would be a freshman, but across the hall could be an upperclassman. All activities of the school are built around dorm hall so Thomas Hall 2B will play intramural against Penn 3A. This is where the feeling of family and closeness comes from. The older students can mentor the younger ones and they automatically fit in.

Each hall has a RA and a chaplain. They have a Bible study on Wednesday evenings on the each floor that is student led. They are also required to do chapel each semester which is three days a week. They have to attend 38 of them, but there are extra opportunities like missions week and things for your major that can count as well. You must take 4 Bible classes as a student. Biblical foundations and Biblical literature and then 2 of your choice.

Another interesting fact I really liked was the tutoring available. You get 4 hours of tutoring a week available for each class you take. Some of it is private. IT doesn’t cost extra. They also have TI sessions for some of the particularly hard classes. An upperclassman who has done well in let us say Organic Chemistry, will attend the class again and then have tutoring sessions twice a week for anyone that wishes. This is a paid position for them and those that attend typically make a grade higher than they would have. I liked that. They said that especially since 20 percent of the school has a homeschool background, some of them are too prideful to admit they aren’t doing well and don’t take advantage of it like they should until after first semester’s grades come out.

We then went to chapel. It was an Alaskan String Band and was enjoyable.

We were treated to lunch in the Corner Café and it was good.

Then we went to the financial aid session while my son went to another class. ( He chose another computer class.)

We then met with the department chair of our choice. We met with the computer science chair. He was very informative. The other boy there was a senior and knew exactly what he wanted to do. My son likes computers, but had no idea what you did with it really. He went through the various degree plans and differences among them. They do quite well in a couple of different competitions. Their students aren’t required but are strongly suggested to do internships during the summer and they help place many of them. He said they always have some they have trouble filling because someone may not want to spend a summer away from home in California or such. But those that take advantage of the internships often have jobs ready for them and it helps them decide on their specialization. They have all kinds of career fairs and counseling and the university as a whole places 93 percent of their graduates, I think.

We got our free t-shirt and left. I was very impressed with the personal attention and how they have set the student up to succeed, yet they are a very rigorous institution as well. The biggest drawback for us is that it is too close to home. I really wanted him to be a least a few hours away, but we’ll see. He definitely wants to do his computer dual credit classes there rather than at KC.

I hope that helps someone. All of the students who took us around were from other places: Oregon, North Carolina and California. We had some California students in our group as well as many from other states.

Christine

[SonshineLearner]

Funny about LeTourneau, I think my kids should be offered scholarships there... or something!! We had to leave due to my parents homeschooling!! My dad taught there, and my parents had a meeting about us being homeschooled.. and it not looking good for the school... and so... my dad left and went to Law School. Funny thing that they are so welcoming now!!

 

Hmmmm

[choirfarm]

How funny. The chair of the engineering dept.'s wife is the president of our homeschool group. The chaplain's wife is another member and neat lady as well as about 5 other professors I can think of. I guess it has changed!!!

 

Christine

[April in CA]

Hi Christine!

I am glad you had a great experience at LeTU! My son is a freshman mech eng student there - I wonder if he participated yesterday?! I will have to ask him. He is really loving his time there and enjoying his studies. I certainly appreciate that LeTU is so welcoming to homeschooled students. I have seen the campus twice myself, but we didn't have the opportunity to attend a homeschool preview day; thanks for sharing your experience! I had forgotten about the classes open to high school students - I will have to see if there is anything my younger son might be interested in. Thanks again!

Blessings,

April