<p>First of all, I think orientation should be just before the term begins. It is a shame that we're being asked to spend another $1500 on airfare/travel expenses to attend a 1-day orientation at D's prospective school 3000 miles away.</p>
<p>Secondly, the two choices for orientation days are both the first week of June, during finals week and graduation. Of course not every high school wraps it up that week, but many do. What is the college thinking??!</p>
<p>Is it a small school? If it is I'm not surprised that they only have a couple orientation days. I go to a big school (24K undergrads) and there were 2 day orientation sessions spread throughout the months of June and July with usually one or 2 days between each session and sometimes they overlapped.</p>
<p>But my friend from Oregon (who I met the first day of classes), didn't even attend orientation because it was so far away and was able to schedule for her classes the same time (June-July) as the rest of us by keeping in contact with her academic advisor. Perhaps they'll work with you on this? Unless it's a private school where there are a lot of OOS kids, then you'll probably get the "well everybody else is making the time, why dont you" story. I think my friend got lucky in that we're at a state school where the OOS kids are the exception (especially from far away) and it's not unusual for them to skip orientation. The kids from our surrounding states--Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, etc all attend but generally west of Coloardo and east of Ohio people tend to not come to our orientation because the schools are flexible with them.</p>
<p>Good luck and hopefully you can work something out.</p>
<p>Like during senior week? :/.</p>
<p>YES, it's a problem...a BIG one.</p>
<p>How much can you really get out of a one-day orientation? My school's orientation was a week long and happened right before classes started, and I got a lot out of it. But I don't know if I would bother going to a one-day orientation.</p>
<p>l0l, end of august here. Best time I think.</p>
<p>Usually those one day orientation things are very optional. If you can't go, call and inquire about course registration - that's likely to be the only important thing that gets done, and they will certainly have an alternative plan because lots of kids won't make it.</p>
<p>My D's is next Wednesday, May 16th...luckily it's a scheduled day off from her h.s. :)...the only problem is, we have to be there @7:30 a.m., and we already had plans the night before, so we have to leave home @3:30 a.m. in order to make it there on time.</p>
<p>PSU does spread orientation days over May, June and July, and everyone has the option of re-scheduling their appointed day.</p>
<p>A couple of the schools that D got into had June orientations, but there were generally 3 or 4 spread over a couple of weeks. Luckily, the one she chose has their week-long orientation immediately following freshman move-in day in late August, so there's no conflict for anyone - everyone planned to be there around that time anyway! (And they have parent's orientation the day after move-in. Win-win for everyone.)</p>
<p>Before taking this journey with D, I had never heard of "June orientations." I wonder why schools are doing this?</p>
<p>My daughters mandatory orientation is the last week of May, the Thursday before the Memorial Day weekend, which is finals week at her school. I'm going to have to write and beg the principal to allow a makeup of the test on that day. Very frustrating.</p>
<p>She has to go because they are having a meeting of the students in her program, advisory sessions and class registration. Not to mention placement exams.</p>
<p>zoosermom: not really starting off on the right foot in getting students and their parents involved and encouraged eh? I guess they don't want any alumni donations afterwards. You should really contact the college administration and tell them what you think of that program's management of incoming freshmen. It's pretty preposterous if you ask me.</p>
<p>My gosh: top graduate programs don't expect this much.</p>
<p>Even though the paperwork says mandatory in bold several times throughout, D called the school this morning to say that is finals week and are they offering any other orientation dates. She was told for long distance students they're happy to send her everything she would receive at orientation day and I think said they'll mail her the placement tests. She can "meet" her advisor by phone or email.</p>
<p>Well now, why didn't they say that in the first place?! ;-)</p>
<p>"Well now, why didn't they say that in the first place?! ;-)"</p>
<p>Uhhhh. Yeah. I'm calling ZG's school. Mailing placement exams? How would that work?</p>
<p>I'm not sure. I may have imagined the exams part ;-) (I don't think so, but it was early a.m. Pacific time!) I think this is one of the schools that prides themselves on using the honor system, so maybe this would be her first exposure to it?</p>
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I think this is one of the schools that prides themselves on using the honor system, so maybe this would be her first exposure to it?
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<p>Would a smart kid really want to cheat on a placement exam? Why? To get into a class that's too advanced so they'll have to work harder & possibly not do as well? Doesn't make sense to me!</p>
<p>That's true.</p>
<p>It's a shame they don't offer placement exams online...DD already took her placement exams online in March! Next week's visit is just orientation and registration (and decal and sweatshirt buying...)</p>
<p>Going back to the original rant, if you think your kid considers himself already in college, then colleges and universities must also, since they don't seem to have any consideration for h.s. obligations...</p>