<p>My family is pretty conformist and would like to know whether parents typically attend, and if so, whether they stay the whole time. Thank you!</p>
<p>Also, do most parents attend the Family Weekend in October?</p>
<p>Most parents did attend the family orientation. I urge parents of freshman to go to convocation. It was so much fun. The parents sat up in the upper levels of the gym and the various freshmen dorms, which are divided into residential colleges, came in together with their colleges, cheering and wearing the T-shirt of their college. There was so much energy and spirit in the room. After the ceremony was over, the parents made 2 huge lines along the walkway to Brookings, as the students walked through. It was well worth attending!</p>
<p>As to family weekend in October, a number of freshman parents, but not all, attended that. We enjoyed it very much, going on tours of St. Louis and the beer factory, sitting in on classes, attending student performances etc. Since we live far away, it gave us a chance to get to know the school and the city. We didn’t go after freshman year.</p>
<p>We have a freshman son and went to both the freshman orientation and the parent/family week-end. I highly recommend both.</p>
<p>If your parents want to visit you, coming a week earlier or after parents weekend is often better. Hotel prices triple, etc. during that time.</p>
<p>We’re WashU parents of a WashU student '11…Absolutely! Loved them all!</p>
<p>When my son started at WashU last year, my husband attended the full parent & family orientation. I had a work emergency and couldn’t go. He definitely thought it was worth going, but in hindsight probably wouldn’t have stayed for the entire length, and would have left a day earlier.</p>
<p>We might have attend parents weekend freshman year, but son was not on campus due to an EC activity that weekend.</p>