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In August, new students across the country will move into their college dorm rooms for the first time.

They will unpack, greet their roommates and tell their parents goodbye.

At Virginia Tech, just like everywhere else, this ritual will take place.

Despite the April 16 massacre at Tech, many local high school seniors who were accepted to the Blacksburg school say they are still eager to attend.

Chris Nicholas, a senior at Patrick Henry High School and Roanoke Valley Governor's School, has already enrolled at Tech after being accepted through early decision late last year. He said he always wanted to attend Tech because of the student involvement, the community and the school spirit.

"A lot of my family has already gone there, and it is an internationally recognized school," Nicholas said.

The shooting began in the early-morning hours at the West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory, leaving one student and a resident assistant dead. The rampage continued two hours later when student Seung-Hui Cho entered classrooms in Norris Hall and began firing at students and teachers.

By morning's end, dozens of students and professors and the gunman were among the fatalities.

News of the shootings brought hordes of journalists to Blacksburg as the story was reported around the clock on cable news channels, as well as on front pages of newspapers and magazines around the world.

Classes were canceled for four days after the shooting. And while many of Tech's 25,000-plus students chose to return home for the week, others opted to stay on campus, participating in events such as candlelight vigils.

For Nicholas, none of these recent events caused him to question his college choice.

In fact, he said he was "deeply moved" by the solidarity of the Tech community in the days after the massacre.

"It showed me the ability of the student body and community to come together, which gave me a deeper respect for the school," he said.

David Ward, president of the American Council on Education -- an organization for college presidents -- told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that high school students' reaction is not out of the ordinary.

After a large-scale tragedy at a university, two things happen, he said.

"Parents probably in the short run are very concerned, and it's a very natural reaction," he explained. "Students at the school tend to rally around the school."

Ward doubts Tech will have a drop in enrollment because of the shooting.

Photos from Tech show many students wearing the college's trademark maroon and orange shirts. He explained that the solidarity at the school has a tendency to rub off on incoming freshmen.

"Your affection ... tends to overcome these doubts," Ward said.

Locally, many future Hokies agreed that even after the shootings, safety at Tech was not a concern.

"If anything, Virginia Tech will become a safer community," said Victoria Elmore, another Patrick Henry senior who enrolled at Tech after being accepted early decision.

North Cross High School senior Danielle Lacy has also enrolled in the Tech class of 2011. She admits she was scared when she heard about the incident, but her dad helped reassure her, saying the shootings should not affect her college decision.

Todd McMillan, another Patrick Henry senior, said although he was worried about his friends at Tech when he heard about the shooting, the news didn't have an impact on his decision to attend the school.

"I want to go there for a good education," he said. "The events that occurred could have happened anywhere."

-- Claiborne Fletcher from North Cross School contributed to this report.