<p>Is there a specific site that has the dates for the incoming Class of 2012?</p>
<p>In-processing day
BCT time frame
Parents weekend
Thanksgiving & Christmas break</p>
<p>Go to USAFA's website. On the left side under "Academic" there is an "Academic Calendar" at the bottom of the drop down list. It covers through the summer of 2008.</p>
<p>28 June 2008 - Class of 2012 enters
2 August - BCT ends
Parent's weekend is usually over Labor Day weekend
Thanksgiving and Christmas dates are disclosed later</p>
<p>Is Parents' Weekend the first opportunity to visit after BCT?</p>
<p>No, we went up for Acceptance Day and saw our cadet for about 2 hrs. It was well worth it. But then again, we only live about 6 hrs. away.</p>
<p>our I-day is June 26..</p>
<p>Thanks Darla,</p>
<p>When is Acceptance Day? I don't see that on the calendar. ... According to the parent letter in the Appointment package, it sounds like they don't want you there until Parents' Weekend. In fact, it discourages you from attending "I" day. Also, just an FYI, hotels are getting booked up for Parents' Weekend.</p>
<p>I-day
June 26 or June 28th? I imagine this is the date you report to the Academy for inprocessing so you really need to be there by the 24th to get acclimated to the altitude.</p>
<p>Do you go to I-day or do you send your cadet off from home?</p>
<p>june 26th is I day, no doubt about that. i'll probably do the AoG's bed and breakfast gettin there june 25... my parents are sending me off (mostly by my request, varies by family)</p>
<p>Definitely go with the dates that the powers that be tell you. I was just repeating what is on the academic calendar that is on the AFA website. But things are known to change. . . So, please, don't rely on me as the official word. :-)</p>
<p>We took our cadet to Inprocessing. But, parents, please follow your Appointee's lead. We just happen to live relatively close and have good friends in CS. Our cadet was happy to have us take him.</p>
<p>As far as Acceptance Day goes, up until the last minute it was kind of "iffy" whether or not we would get to spend time with our cadet. As it turned out, we were allowed two hours.</p>
<p>Acceptance Day is the first time you can come and see your Cadet. Between Acceptance and Parent's Weekend, you can come and visit them on Base (on Weekends), but they cannot sign out and leave base. </p>
<p>Parent's weekend is typically Labor Day weekend (from that Friday night till Monday night).</p>
<p>Thanksgiving Leave is (currently) from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving till the following Monday (6 days)</p>
<p>Winter Leave is from their last Final until near the end of the first week of January (Jan. 6th this past winter leave). They are given a few choices on how they want to arange their Finals, and some classes don't have Finals. I know some 4-degrees here who left on the night of Dec. 15, the second day of Finals. I flew home on the 18.</p>
<p>As to whether or not to go with your Appointee to I-day, that will probably be heavily discussed (like last year) a little closer to I-day.</p>
<p>For the parents of the incoming class:
Parent's Weekend is always Labor Day Weekend according to the USAFA individual who so chastized me last year for not knowing that tidbit of information. LOL</p>
<p>Also, PW this year is a football weekend. This means crowded and booked hotels - especially after the season we just had with Calhoun and Company. Start early booking your room. And, keep in mind for this coming PWeekend, the Democratic National Convention is just barely over and people heading out of Denver within several days before OUR PW weekend so it may look really crowded coming up to that PW weekend for bookings and airline tickets. My hope is that all the Dems (not for political reasons but for all of us USAFA parents) that they all go home! We need the space in and around COS. :)</p>
<p>What exactly goes on between when BCT ends and the academic year begins?</p>
<p>The Basics run around for a few days, getting stuff, but its much more relaxed. After Acceptance day, you are responsible for yourself and you will usually prepare yourself for classes (buying books mainly).</p>
<p>As for I-day, I did the B&B program and loved it. I am still in contact with the family I stayed with and it was nice to have 2 other classmates to walk in with rather than family and emotions. I left my parents at the Houston airport with PLENTY of other parents. I think the plane was almost completely full with incoming 2010ers.</p>
<p>How horrible is it for the cadets if their families live too far away to come to I-Day AND Parents Weekend? </p>
<p>OH! I think I am going to miss my little boy!</p>
<p>If BCT ends 2 August then I assume the AY begins sometime in mid august? I'm only asking because I know USCGA's BCT equivalent goes from 29ish June to around 17 August and the AY starts 20 Aug.</p>
<p>I think Acceptance Day was on August 8th with the academic year starting August 9th this year. If your choice is to travel for either I-day or Parent's Weekend - then definitely Parent's Weekend. You'll get to spend a lot more time. Remember your C4C may not be released for the weekend until after the football game on Sat. but you do get to see them on Friday and attend classes if you so desire. We elected not to stay in Colorado Springs and instead headed into the mountains. Parent's Weekend was our main family trip...we split other trips usually one parent going out with other interested family members (including grandparents) who wanted to "scope things out." Whether to attend I-day is a Basic's and family decision. No right or wrong answer. FM - keep the tissues handy...but in the end our experience has been that things couldn't have worked out any better.</p>
<p>If you have to choose between I-day and Parents Weekend - do Parents Weekend. I-day 2007 we were not certain D would have time with us. A few days ahead we found out that D would have 2 hours free. A dear friend came with me. Although we were allowed 2 hours with D, the "rest of the story" is that D had chores/errands to do. We ended up trotting behind D as she completed these various errands. My friend counted - we went up/down 16 flights of stairs plus all the running around (apparently 4 degree's can only use certain stairwells-all the farthest away) In the end she could not finish all she had to do & thankfully 2 squad-mates who didn't have visitors finished her tasks thereby giving us 8 minutes of uninterrupted time. It was the BEST 8 minutes of the past decade - but that 8 minutes cost $1100! Of course, I LOVED. My D really was thankful that I was there and for that I am glad too. All that being said, if I had to choose - I would do Parents Weekend. On a scale of 1-10 I-Day is a 7 and Parents Weekend is a 12.</p>
<p>Um, MomofHopeful2011, do you mean Acceptance Day when you say I-day? Because Acceptance Day is the last day of Basic, whereas I-day is Improcessing Day (June 28th for 2011).</p>
<p>you're right - it was A-Day - - - I get those mixed up!!!! ha ha
I did not go to I-Day and think that was best (though what a difficult decision that was for us!).</p>
<p>Please don't come to USAFA 2 days early just to get acclimated. The process will take weeks and an extra 2 days will do nothing but cut your summer break short.</p>