<p>(Forgive me if there’s already a thread for this. I looked through the first 3 pages of threads and didn’t see one.)</p>
<p>My son doesn’t want to attend Capstone Scholars Weekend. He doesn’t like missing school. He’s already had two excellent Bama visits. He anticipates that he may need to make a few more college visits in the future (and therefore miss more days later). And, in the past, my kids (this one included) and I have much preferred the more personalized/individualized visits over the huge master-planned visits.</p>
<p>As far as I’m concerned, it’s totally his decision. I’m certainly not going to make him go.</p>
<p>But, I’m curious about what he’ll be missing and how valuable this weekend has been for others in the past.</p>
<p>Your thoughts? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Capstone Weekend was a benefit for us in that it was a Saturday and son would not have to miss school. We live 5 hours away, so we arrived late Friday evening. </p>
<p>If you have already visited the campus and the Capstone event would require you to miss school, it would probably be a good idea to skip it.</p>
<p>If you are invited to attend CBH or Fellows Weekend, you will probably have to miss school for that, and it would be better to save your days for that weekend.</p>
<p>Since he’s already had two campus visits, it is not necessary that he attend Capstone Scholars Day. My only campus visit was during that weekend, so I learned a lot about campus, but those that had already visited campus multiple times had already head much of the information. If your son has the time and is having a tough time deciding which school to attend, then I would have him attend.</p>
<p>My son did not attend Capstone Weekend, as his HS academic team was competing that Saturday for a district championship. We had visited UA about three weeks earlier, during his Christmas break. Never saw a class or dorm. Just various buildings on campus. About a month later, he went down for the computer-based honors finalist weekend. He missed two days of school for that event.</p>
<p>D has visited twice and decide not to attend either. We are fine with her decision. We hope to be invited back for CBHP and/or UFE interviews later in Feb.</p>
<p>We’ve been down for two campus visits already, and D isn’t sure she wants to go back. We’re only 2.5 hours away, so we can leave it until nearly the last minute to decide.</p>
<p>We did return the postcard that we plan to be there, mainly because I’m pretty sure she’ll change her mind by January. Especially if her boyfriend wants to go. He hasn’t been down for a campus visit yet, so it will be important for him to go then if he hasn’t arranged another visit by that time.</p>
<p>She has a lot of band friends who may be going down that day. If they all go, I know she’ll want to be part of the crowd.</p>
<p>Even if she misses it, she’ll be on campus Th-Sun for the first two weekends in February, so she’ll still be getting plenty of campus time.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback. It sounds like he won’t really be missing much, since he already saw so much on the two previous visits.</p>
<p>Forgive my ignorance, but what’s going on the first 2 weekends of February? BAMAMom, you’re the third or fourth reference I’ve seen or heard to those two weekends.</p>
<p>The first weekend in February is UA Honor Band. To attend, you have to apply, be recommended by your band director, then actually be invited to attend. You can also knock out a bunch of auditions that weekend: music school (for majors and minors), Million Dollar Marching Band, and wind ensembles/orchestra.</p>
<p>The second weekend is All-State Orchestra weekend. Students around the state auditioned several weeks ago. There are 7 or 8 districts. Auditions are all recorded in the various district, then sent to one place for judging. They have 2 string orchestras and one full orchestra.</p>
<p>^Ah. I see. That’s why all the references. (My son is also All-State Orchestra – in another state. Won’t be majoring in music, though.) Good luck to your D, and have FUN!!</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to major in music to be a part of Bama’s orchestras and other musical groups. I think those who minor or just have an interest can audition and participate.</p>
<p>^You’re right, m2ck. I wasn’t implying that one had to be a music major to partake in Bama’s music programs. My son’s on top of that whole thing and will definitely be involved in the music school, as a non-major, if (when?) he attends Alabama. </p>
<p>But it sounds like the first two weekends in February that I was asking about are for Alabama high school kids. After reading BAMAMom’s post, I read a little more about it. The UA Honors Band weekend is called the Annual Alabama High School Honor Festival. We have something similar in our state.</p>
<p>And the second weekend, All-State Orchestra, is definitely for Alabama high schoolers. (Also something similar in our state.)</p>
<p>That’s all I was saying. :)</p>
<p>I just wanted to clarify in case your son thought that he couldn’t participate unless he majors in music. :)</p>
<p>I think they would probably let out-of-state students come to the Honor Band weekend, but it’s doubtful many students would want to pay the expense of coming that far. Especially if they have similar programs at colleges in their own state that are much closer to home.</p>
<p>Although, Tuscaloosa’s a fairly easy drive from some places in MS, TN, and GA, and I guess even the FL Panhandle, so a student from those areas who was really intent on coming to Bama might want to participate.</p>
<p>Since school is in session, they can’t really put these students up in dorms or anything, so we have to find hotel rooms for a total of 6 nights. Thank goodness we have someone to split the cost of the room with each weekend! Music is definitely not a cheap extracurricular activity!</p>
<p>Oh, and D is only going to minor in music. But you don’t have to be either a major or a minor to participate in the bands and various wind ensembles. </p>
<p>D really wants to make it into the Huxford Symphony Orchestra.</p>