<p>Well, S2 is very happy to finally be at Chapman. At least, I assume he's happy; he's not really calling home very much. :) I am anxious to hear about the first day of school!</p>
<p>Were any of you guys at orientation?</p>
<p>Also took S2 to Chapman last week and attended orientation, which I thought was very well done. It was a great opportunity for kids to meet each other. He likes his roommates and is making friends. He said he understood everything his German 201 teacher said in class yesterday, so that was a good start.</p>
<p>Went to orientation. Son is enjoying everything so far. I wish there had been more activities on day 1, and less on day 2. Also wish they didn't charge quite so much for family orientation. Thought that cost a bit much...</p>
<p>Hi again, littlegreenmom...they charged you for orientation?? Just got back from taking son #2 to Whitman and it costs nothing (but airfare and hotel)..they fed us and entertained us for two full days and we paid nothing..?</p>
<p>yes - $15 for each family member for the first day, and an additional $60 the next day PER PERSON for the whole day of activities for the whole family.</p>
<p>In hindsight (if your daughter gets in!), I would have done it differently. They didn't check armbands to get into the sessions, just the meals. For the price it would have been for my whole family to attend the second day, we would have just gone out for lunch and dinner - to a really, really nice place with money left over.</p>
<p>Instead, I went to the second day sessions and the family stayed home. </p>
<p>My older son goes to Univ of San Diego and they only charged the family for the welcome bbq - which was maybe $10 a head. No other fees for family orientation. </p>
<p>This is the only part that I didn't like about Chapman. Other than that, a terrific school. Excellent financial aid, merit and need scholarships and a warm, welcoming and safe campus.</p>
<p>I agree about orientation. I think they should have done the evening candle lighting thing on Tuesday evening. Some of the kids' parents had to leave on Wednesday, so they weren't there. Others had to stay over an extra night so they could be there for the ceremony.</p>
<p>I didn't remember that it was that expensive. I just told S to sign us up for orientation and gave him the credit card number....probably a mistake! :) If we paid $60 each for Saturday, then that was a <em>big</em> mistake! Other than the meals, there should have been no reason to pay for any of the rest of it. It was just sessions with speakers from the school. Oh, and that 2 hour session on Wednesday morning was way too long. I enjoyed the convocation, though.</p>
<p>We thought there would be more things for the parents and kids together. I mean, they have the kids alone the whole rest of the week. Even just some entertainment things would have been nice. Because of the large numbers, they would have had to divide everyone up, but that would have been doable. H and I ended up skipping out after lunch on Wednesday and going to Newport Beach for a walk and some gelato. We came back for supper and the evening things.</p>
<p>I just talked to S on Skype for the first time, so that was fun. He carried his laptop with camera around the dorm room to show me how it was all laid out. He had even made his bed before making the call. :)</p>
<p>S helped plan a beach party that they had on Saturday night, and he said that was fun (except for that the beach was packed because he had not remembered when he made the plan that it was Labor Day weekend). He is also running for senator in associated students. He told me that he has an advertising/PR major who is going to be his campaign manager. LOL! </p>
<p>Oh! And the funny thing about all that is that when he met with his Inside Track coach, she told him that he should pledge a fraternity so that he can be more involved on campus. What?! He's a film major (time consuming), is on ROTC scholarship so he has to spend all day Fridays at Cal State Fullerton doing that (as well as going over there Mon & Wed mornings at 6 for PT), running for associated students, and planning beach parties. He needs to be more involved??? I thought Inside Track was supposed to help them with time management!</p>
<p>Anyway, so far so good. He told me he has to read 5 chapters about quantum physics tonight for his Freshman Foundations course. I buttoned my lip and did not even ask why he had waited until the last night to do the reading. :)</p>
<p>Yup. You might want to check your credit card statement!</p>
<p>It sounds like your son will be plenty involved with ROTC. Older son is on ROTC scholarship at another school and he didn't have time for much else besides that and studying his first semester, until he got time management figured out. </p>
<p>I liked the Convocation with Dr. Doti and the Nobel Laureate prof - didn't love the session that ended with the singing. It got a bit redundant - we know as parents we have to let go, but stop reminding me, okay?!!!</p>
<p>I missed the candelighting ceremony, unfortunately. My son was exhausted - and after 12 hours of driving to the morning sessions and spending the whole day there, couldn't think of another 3 hours before the candlelighting. My son decided to hang out with some new friends, instead and I headed home (I live in the LA area.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I liked the Convocation with Dr. Doti and the Nobel Laureate prof - didn't love the session that ended with the singing. It got a bit redundant - we know as parents we have to let go, but stop reminding me, okay?!!!
[/quote]
lol! During that parent student panel session, when the parents were repeating the mantras about letting go, I leaned over to H and whispered, "The parents have been drinking the kool-aid!"</p>
<p>No kidding. Way too much kool aid!</p>
<p>Every parent I talked with felt that it was overkill...</p>