<p>Parents, can you tell me about the CPW schedule, please? The acceptance materials give April 6-9 dates. Would activities begin the morning, evening of April 6? Would we need to come in to Boston on April 5? Any advice would be most welcome. So excited!</p>
<p>Isn't it exciting?!! :)</p>
<p>I'm a parent of a first-year, and a "Parent Connector". First off, CONGRATULATIONS on your child's acceptance! :) (I think I remember you have a daughter, right?) Feel free to PM or email me any time with questions and I'll be happy to try to help.</p>
<p>Now, about CPW. I went last year, and was SO GLAD I did! I don't know where you're coming from, but if you can get there, you'll learn a lot and feel very knowledgeable and comfortable afterwards. You won't see your D very much during the weekend ;) but you'll both have plenty to do.</p>
<p>Official information about CPW scheduling, etc. won't be available until late Jan., and different families make different plans. We live in CA, and my S and I flew to Boston on Wed. night, then checked in on Thurs. and he took off for his host's room and I went off to my own activities. While we passed several times during the weekend, we didn't do anything together: this was his chance to get the feel of MIT, and my chance to visit every dorm and talk to Security staff and poke my nose in anywhere I thought I could learn something without being obnoxious.</p>
<p>Activities did not really begin until Thurs. afternoon, but there were people who didn't arrive until Thurs. night/Fri. morning and they still got a lot out of the visit. It's fairly free-form for students (with a few "must sees" which they'll all want to do), and for parents there are far too many concurrent things. I thought I'd have some down-time that weekend: HA!! I was busy every minute of every day, and it was all worthwhile. (Plus I met a lot of CC people, too. :) ) </p>
<p>My advice, for someone like me, would be to come as early as possible to be at the check-in sometime on Thurs. and plan leave on Sun. afternoon. If you already know the dates you'll be there, you might want to reserve a hotel room early. There will be special CPW rates at one or two local hotels at minimum (I like the hotel@MIT but there are other nices ones also). The details of special rates aren't likely to be announced for another month or more.</p>
<p>Drop me a line if I can offer any advice or answer any questions!</p>
<p>Have a great time!!!</p>
<p>I also went last year (and met Mootmom!). They definitely do a great job of getting the parents just as enthusiastic about MIT as the kids. I was glad I went, and I had a great time. If you or your child are not yet decided about MIT, I encourage you to try to go. </p>
<p>On the other hand, don't mortgage the farm to go, especially if your child has already decided on MIT. A lot of the activities for parents were repeated at Orientation and/or Family Week-end, so you'll have other opportunities. </p>
<p>Like Mootmom, we had a very long travel time, so we went on Wed. People on the east coast would want to arrive on Thurs. We've stayed at both Hotel@MIT and at the Marriott, both of which were great (especially at the reduced rate). Both are very close to campus, but on different sides.</p>
<p>I'll be in Russia then w/my school orchestra! >_<</p>
<p>ARGH! T.T</p>
<p>Wufei, wow, Russia with your school orchestra?! What an opportunity! You're sure to have an amazing experience.</p>
<p>While CPW is a great time (I know my son really bonded with friends and found his "home" while there), a lot of admits don't go. It's useful for learning about the feel of the various dorms... but you'll also get the I3 dvd (Interactive Introduction to the Institute, I think) made by all the dorms to introduce themselves to prefrosh over the summer -- quite quirky. And the pre-Orientation trips and Orientation just before classes start are good for getting the feel of a lot of other things. If you're really on the fence and don't know if you want to go to MIT or not, CPW, while not actually indicative of the daily life around there, will give you a good sense of the energy and creativity and drive you'd be surrounded with for four years. If you already know you'll be matriculating, it's more a good time then an eye-opener.</p>
<p>Thanks mootmom! My school's orchestra is pretty serious, we're supposedly one of the top 10 in the country but who knows. Russia should be pretty awesome, though it takes our whole spring break.</p>
<p>Makes me sad that I can't come to CPW :(</p>
<p>w00t post #100 :D</p>
<p>Wufei - is your name from Gundam Wing, by chance? =P</p>
<p>For the original poster - come whenever you can. =] Activities will officially begin on the Thursday of CPW, but nothing is "required". CPW is basically for you to explore MIT and see what MIT has to offer. The students get really into it and set up a lot of activities along with the admin for the prefrosh, and it's just in general a very fun event.</p>
<p>shikari, definitely is ;)</p>