<p>was it interesting and fun or a disappointment?</p>
<p>We used “Parent’s Weekend” as an excuse to visit our freshman, take him out for a good meal, take him on shopping trip for snacks and stuff, and to get a face to face feel for how he was adjusting. I think it’s a good idea to go if your kid is a freshman. After that,
skip it.</p>
<p>It probably depends a lot on the school. We’ve really enjoyed Family Weekend and plan to go again this year. Last year we took the grandparents. The school has a ton of tours, lectures, etc. My father-in-law found it extremely stimulating.</p>
<p>Interesting and fun weekends for us. Besides seeing kids, meeting roommates, re-meeting other parents, the school had musical programs and guest speakers. H went to Freshman weekend and we both went to Junior weekend. JUnior weekend included programs put on by the Career Center, which was a nice touch.</p>
<p>can’t decide. Son is a junior but wife took him out as a freshman and I have not seen the campus. He now has an apartment with 7 new roommates I would not mind seeing and meeting.</p>
<p>There is a Steve Miller concert, some classical music, football game, breakfast with the deans, campus tours, and the engineering department is giving a class on being an engineer for a day. Among other things.</p>
<p>I have been to his twin brothers campus multiple times and too several football games. I think son 1 is feeling a bit left out. He jokingly accused me of rooting for his brothers universities football team (which I do and they play each other that weekend as part of the parents weekend. Could be tricky LOL)</p>
<p>I second nysmile’s reason - to get a face to face. We weren’t quite sure how our son was adjusting and Parent’s Weekend provided some huge relief. The rest are just bonuses as far as I’m concerned, although I am looking forward to Junior Weekend.</p>
<p>We went first and fourth years. Skipped almost all of the formal agenda and scheduled events, had a blast. Was intensely aware that this was one of those moments that would not come again and savored the experience accordingly.</p>
<p>First year was as nysmile says. Fourth year had a looming valedictory sense that a really great experience was entering its final phase.</p>
<p>Can’t decide? Re-read your post #5. Sounds like you really ought to go for twin 2’s sake, plus there’s lots going on…you’ll probably have a great time. If you plan to attend graduation, then this is the logical year for parents’ weekend. I assume getting to S2’s school involves significant travel vs his brother’s school.</p>
<p>Freshman year PW was such a relief for me. I had no idea how much anxiety (that word’s a little strong) I was carrying about his adjustment, health, etc. until it was lifted. We had a great time. I think it was the beginning of the adult-to-adult relationship we are building.</p>
<p>Loved parents weekend. I went every year of seven, but one. I’m only two hours away, so sometimes just popped down for a day. Sometimes spent only one night. It seemed more important to D than to S. Kids’ school has high presence of parents during these weekends and even upperclassmen seemed to appreciate the parental presence.</p>
<p>Never went to Parent’s weekend. DH’s job doesn’t allow for weekend travel in the Fall.<br>
Both S’s go to big instate publics w/ lots of friends fr. home.<br>
Freshman yr., one friends parents showed up and took them all out to eat.
After that, the guys preferred to tailgate in the student section on their on.<br>
We have visited at other times during the year.</p>
<p>We went last year. We’ll visit this fall, too, but maybe not on that particular weekend. We’ll probably choose the best football game. In my opinion, S’s freshman year family weekend was too soon after we took him to school (four weeks). I’m not sure he was ready to have us, and it was too emotional for us afterwards because it felt a little like leaving him all over again.</p>
<p>We went to DS’s freshman year and then not after. He was only two hours from home and we saw him not infrequently. DD is going to be 8 hours away and we are definitely going this year to see how she’s adjusting. Don’t know how much of the formal activities we’ll do. We know we’ll be delivering cooler weather clothing and possibly doing some restocking but main objective is to be able to visit. This will be 7 weeks after we drop her off.</p>
<p>We went to DS’s parent’s weekend freshman year only. It was fun seeing him. We never went to PW again…but did visit him frequently to see concerts and such. He was close enough to make a drive for an evening.</p>
<p>DD goes to school across the country. We have never been to Parent’s weekend which is actually in February at her school. In fact, we have never been back to the school since dropping her off. We just made our plans to go for graduation though:)</p>
<p>Went to Freshman PW and loved it, meeting the parents of the friends DD had made. We took everyone out for a great meal, and took the girls whose parents didn’t come. They were thrilled to not have to eat in the cafeteria. Did a few activities, just those in which I had an interest. The bonding was the most important. Just realize that even though it was PW, that DD still had school work to do, so we worked around her schedule. DD worked PW her sophomore year, so she asked me not to come, then she did Semester Abroad Junior Year, and then I went again Sr. year, mainly to bring back a couple suitcases for her and only took a carry-on. But we had a lovely time. Less parents came, since they were coming for graduation but it was still fun, although the kids were busy doing Honors’ Thesis and working. Still, took her and her friends out for one dinner, and had a great time.</p>
<p>For D, (an '06 college grad) we went to three of the four (skipped the one when she was abroad). They were highlights for us and we did attend many of the scheduled functions – panels with fascinating speakers, a talk with the president after which parents could ask questions all of which were answered, etc. We enjoyed meeting D’s friends and their parents, and got to know some pretty well, spending time with them year after year.</p>
<p>For son, class of ‘12, we are fortunate not to have to travel as far (two hours for him vs. over five for D’s school), but even so, Parents’ Weekend is special to us. We still only see the kid on official school breaks (or briefly if he is in a perfomance we attend). Again, we choose from the presentation options by interest (sometimes H and I split up) and enjoy meeting his buds. Son is in pep band so we go to the early evening football game at least through halftime to see the show. It is the only game we attend but the scene is fun for us. </p>
<p>IMO such events as Parents’ Weekend are the little bit of reward for parents for what we are doing for our kids. H and I have always come away feeling very positive about the schools our kids attend. (And I am certain that is precisely the goal, from the school administration’s perspective!)</p>
<p>We just spent time with our D., we did not care for any organized events.</p>