<p>Anyone going to one of the College and Careers Weekends? Any feedback to if it is worthwhile?</p>
<p>It's extremely worthwhile. At the time he attended College and Careers, my son had RIT on his list of colleges to consider, but it wasn't at the top of the list. We went because it sounded like a fun way to find out a lot about the school in a short time. The weekend gave him a taste for what it would be like to be in RIT's art program and live on campus. They also had a nice program for parents, with tours and presentations and a bus trip to downtown Rochester. My son just completed his second year at RIT, and he's a satisfied customer.</p>
<p>Ditto jdsmom! My daughter also just completed her second year( in the Physician's Assistant program). College and Careers was the deciding factor in her decision to even apply to RIT. What major are you (your child, etc) considering?</p>
<p>My son is interested in Computer Science.</p>
<p>We visited the school in March and he really liked it, so I thought we would follow up with the College and Careers program.</p>
<p>jdsmopm and dlbarber - what do your children like, dislike about RIT? How is the food, housing, activities, etc.? What do you (or they) wish you had known before starting the application process?</p>
<p>I hope you don't mind if I pick your brains - hopefully, I can learn from what you have gone through and not have to "reinvent the wheel."</p>
<p>dadinator - We went into the application process blind. For the PA program they pretty much have to go early decision, and then get interviewed, so you know if you are accepted before Christmas. That was great. The bad part - we got an early estimate of financial aid in which they overestimated our TAP award. When the TAP came through for less, they would not increase her RIT Grant money to make up for it...not much I could do at that point.</p>
<p>My D was in a dorm her first year. She liked her floor mates. The room was HOT all of the time, they even had the window open in the winter. The food was good, but she seemed to get bored with it quickly. Second year she was in on-campus apartments, where parking was atrocious and the complex she was in was very suitably nicknamed "the ghetto". Pretty rundown, but gave her the freedom from the dorms that she wanted. Next year she will be in an off-campus apartment. Hopefully a step up. I don't know what the other on-campus apartments are like. Hers was older, and it looked it!</p>
<p>Socially, there is something for everyone. MY D, unfortunately is a party-type, and made many off-campus friends. However, there seems to be plenty to do if they don't seek that type of a social life. The good news is that she had to LOOK for the party people. They are there, but not necessarily abundant. </p>
<p>She likes her program. It is small, so the kids get to know each other. She has had the usual range of teachers, from a few bad to many good. She loves the fitness facilities. ON-campus job was next to impossible to find her first year. This past year she found one she loves that has very flexible hours.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>dlbarber - Thanks for the input. What was the apartment complex that your D lived in the second year?</p>
<p>Also, do most students have cars? We are from a suburb of a large city and most of the high school seniors here do not have cars. I hope I do not have to get another one.</p>
<p>Sorry I've taken so long to respond. I haven't checked this forum lately. My son is happy at RIT. He's an art student, so there's no way to compare his academic experience with what your son might experience in Computer Science. But he's mostly liked his classes and teachers a lot. He's happy there socially and keeps busy, but apparently the students who have the best time there are the ones who know how to make their own fun. There's probably not as much happening on campus as at many schools of comparable size. There are a lot of student organizations, though, so there's lots of opportunity to find like-minded people. </p>
<p>My son lived in the dorms for two years - first year in the regular dorms and the second year in Art House, one of the special interest "houses" (actually a floor in a dorm). He's moving off campus for his third year. Nearly all the dorms are standard double-(or triple)-rooms-on-a-hall arrangements, with no opportunity to live in a suite. The on-campus apartments are supposed to be terrific, but competition for them is fierce and you can't really depend on being able to get into one. </p>
<p>I don't know if most students have cars, but having one, or having friends who will drive you places, can be a big help. The campus is in an outer suburb of Rochester, mostly surrounded by malls and shopping plazas. The school runs a shuttle to the nearby large mall. There are also public buses, but I get the impression that they don't run often enough to really bridge the gap between on-campus and off. It's a shame, because Rochester itself seems like an interesting city. It's also hard to live off campus if you don't have a car. The campus shuttle goes to one or two nearby apartment complexes and to the RIT Inn (a hotel owned by the school which houses some students a few miles from campus). It will also go to Park Point, a new apartment and retail complex opening this fall right next to campus, which could add some spark to the student social life (new cafes and restaurants, a Barnes and Noble, etc.) and which offers a very attractive (but also expensive) new housing option. </p>
<p>As for the food: my kid doesn't like the food at the main dining hall, called Gracie's, which is where freshmen mostly eat. Depending on the meal plan, they can have a few meals a week at other on-campus eating places, which my son says are fine. After freshman year, you can go on an all-debit plan and use your meal card for food sold anywhere on campus.</p>
<p>jdsmom - thanks, this is great information. I am looking forward to visiting the campus again in July.</p>
<p>How did your son like the Art House?</p>
<p>My daughter's on-campus apartment was Colony. We live about an hour from Rochester, and were not going to let her take the car her Freshman year, but she had no luck finding an on-campus job, but found an off-campus job (pretty close, but not walking distance), so we let her take the car.</p>
<p>Mixed reviews on Art House. He loved the community at first, and I'm sure the concept of having students with similar interests live together and plan activities together is a good one. I just think by the middle of his second year the charms of dorm life in general had started to wear off.</p>
<p>Anyone with recent experience at College & Careers? Pros and cons? What were the most important aspects of it?</p>
<p>bump 10 char</p>
<p>My D attended last year and really enjoyed it. She found her major, and will be attending this year! Bring a fan – the dorm was unairconditioned and HOT.</p>
<p>Thanks, mamaduck! Fan is ready to go!!</p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>Well, I’m the OP and we went 5 years ago and thought it was very worthwhile (if that helps).</p>
<p>My daughter just finished the second College and Careers program at RIT this summer. She had a great time, and I enjoyed the parents’ program as well. We both learned a lot about the school and it’s now pretty high on our list, despite the fact that she didn’t like the dorms or food very much.</p>
<p>I thought it was well run, especially considering that they had 700 students!</p>
<p>Not liking the food was the reason my S went off campus sophomore year! There are a lot of available apartments close by that don’t cost more than the dorm (except they are a 11.5 month lease) but they will save on food costs.</p>
<p>Mamabear, did your S go to one of the university owned apartments or find something else? D is already hoping she’ll get Global Village for her sophomore year, and our tour guide told us that GV is mostly sophomores. She’s in Kate Gleason Hall for this coming year.</p>
<p>No, he was in a privately owned complex right across the street from campus, and will be in Park Point (around the bookstore area) this year.</p>