<p>Here is my little tip for the first time parents of college students. Go on your students school web site and see when the family weekend is. BOOK A ROOM SOON. The rooms go quickly on those big school dates (family weekend, homecoming weekend, graduation etc.). They also can be up to twice as much (if not more ) a night than they normally would be, and of course the longer you wait, the higher the price will be.</p>
<p>Also, if your student will be flying home for Thanksgiving break you should have already booked their plane ticket. Sunday after Thanksgiving is the worst day of the year for flying. I booked my college student’s freshman year Thanksgiving flights in March of her senior year in high school (she was admitted Early Decision). For her sophomore year I forgot and didn’t book until May, I was still able to get the flight times I wanted but the fare was substantially higher.</p>
<p>^^Good heavens, we haven’t even booked D’s return to school in August! But just last week I heard a story on NPR which validated my procrastinating ways. The guest talked about the “sweet spot” for booking flights:</p>
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<p>[Searching</a> For Airfares Doesn’t Have To Be A Gamble : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=137242854]Searching”>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=137242854)</p>
<p>OP, it’s too soon for me to be thinking about booking a room for D’s graduation in May '13, but thank you for the heads-up. I wouldn’t even have thought about this, but now I’ll plan to get on the phone soon after she goes back for senior year.</p>
<p>The other thing to keep in mind is that for airfares, when you make changes, you generally are hit with a penalty. 
These are often about $150 or can be higher or lower, but can add up, especially if there are several of you making changes.</p>
<p>Booking a room that can be canceled is OK, as they can be booked up to 300 days prior to when you want to stay but I’d be cautious about booking one that you can’t cancel as plans change and would hate to forfeit money if we needed to change dates or destinations.</p>
<p>As an instuctor at a state flagship university, let me stress to you the importance of having your DS or DD check exam schedules before booking flights home. I have too many students who feel entitled to set their own schedules and somehow think it becomes my problem when they are scheduled to fly out before the posted exam time. I assure you, it is not my problem.</p>
<p>mom3030 is absolutely right. Just because your mom booked your flight six months in advance, it is not okay to miss an exam, expect a prof to move an exam, create a make-up exam, etc., etc. IF you want to book a flight that far in advance, book it for a least four hours AFTER the end of the last possible exam time. You may end up sitting around for a couple days, but that’s your problem.</p>
<p>Also, know that many freshman core classes DO end up in the last exam slots – I don’t know why, but it often works out that way.</p>
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<p>For graduation, I booked the week after the one year mark (booked in June, 2010 for May 29, 2011). I had my pick of hotels and watched the prices rise after I booked. I learned my lesson after I tried to book for first child’s graduation and waited until she had started her senior year.</p>
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<p>I called the “nice” hotel in town yesterday to try to book for graduation May '12 and they are totally booked already. I was put on the waiting list. I was able to get a room at a place we have stayed before for family weekends just outside of town, but we thought for grad weekend we might want to be right there. I would say it doesn’t hurt to hold a room as early as you can, you can always cancel if plans change.</p>
<p>^^ Wow, OK. Although HImom says hotels can be only be booked up to 300 days in advance? Maybe it’s NOT too early to think about this. :eek:</p>
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<p>It depends on the hotel. I have come across some that have the 300 day mark, others are 365, and I guess there may be others that are longer than that. Just make sure you do your research well in advance so you are prepared :).</p>
<p>Regarding rooms for graduation, I would absolutely say if you have a preference of hotels where your kids are in school call and ask their policy of how far in advance you can make reservations. Mark your calendar to call on that date/week if it’s 300/365 or even longer. Obviously check the cancellation policy and mark your calendar for that as well. </p>
<p>When my son was accepted to schools this spring and was clearly going to drag out the decision process a bit, I quietly made reservations at his two top choices for move in. When he announced his choice I canceled one. At least one thing was taken care of. I tried to get a room for parents weekend over a month ago and the nicer places were booked. We are close enough to make a day trip so I wasn’t going to pay an inflated price for a so-so room. No big deal.</p>
<p>I am very glad we don’t have to worry about the airfare. Good points about pushing out departure until all exams are over. Students do add/drop classes that could alter their current schedule.</p>
<p>Most hotel rooms can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance - except possibly hotels in towns with huge universities on big weekends.</p>
<p>My D’s college gives the exam schedule at the same time the kids get their class schedule, so as soon as D picked her classes and got her schedule confirmed, she knew her exam schedule for the following semester. So, for example, we’ve known since April that her last exam in December is on Monday Dec 12 at noon. I always book flights on the assumption that the professor WILL hold class, even if she has the last scheduled class time before a break (for example the Friday afternoon before Spring break). If the professor cancels class… oh well. But I pay too much for college to book flights that require my kids to miss a class.</p>
<p>@Lafalum84 - You are correct that most need 24hrs notice for regular rate/regular days. We encountered a hotel while visiting schools that needed 2 weeks. Others required 72 hrs. Some are nonrefundable for special rates or dates. I always ask even if I have stayed there before and mark a reminder in my calendar.</p>
<p>Regarding the final exam schedule, especially for the first semester exams in December in the northeast, be aware that weather can be a factor. S had a final scheduled for a Friday and of course they got a heavy snowstorm. The exams for Friday were rescheduled to Saturday.</p>
<p>Similarly, for some majors, they may have important events that fall AFTER finals, so if you just go by the final exam schedule you may be stuck having to choose whether to pay the change fee or having the student miss the event (in the case of cinema, the screening of the movie they worked all term on). It’s best to try to get all the details before booking, even if you may have to pay a slightly higher airfare–I HATE paying change fees, which we have had to do sometimes. :(</p>
<p>@kitty #10, I will definitely do that. In fact, I think I’ll call a week or so before the class of '12 graduates just to find out what’s what. Then I’ll be ready to pounce on the first day, whatever the first day is. Thank you so much for the tip.</p>
<p>True, I have booked some reservations at hotels that allow up to 364 days in advance, so mileage DOES vary, but be SURE you have a good understanding of cancellation policies so you’re not stuck if plans change. You are looking at a long time window. I have a friend who had everyone set to go to their S’s graduation & then S called a week before & told them that he was NOT graduating and not allowed to walk in the ceremony because he was ONE COURSE shy! Everyone had already booked hotels AND air!</p>
<p>Sadly, the hotels within walking distance of our kids’ U have sold out for next year’s May graduation already! The last time I checked the rates were very high and it was > 300 days away so couldn’t book.</p>
<p>Many Boston hotels book between 330 and 365 days out. We like to stay at the Courtyard by Marriott in Brookline and they are one such hotel that only books 330 days or less in advance. I tried to book one of their (187) rooms on-line at 12:05 AM for my D’s graduation in May of 2012 a few weeks ago. They were already booked out just 5 minutes after opening up their reservations for that arrival day and this was for a departure (check-out) the same day as she was graduating. When I phoned the 800 reservations AND the hotel directly, this was confirmed.</p>
<p>They will also charge as high a rate as they can get, knowing that these rooms will sell out & sometimes have NON-CANCELLABLE reservations only for those dates. It looks like we’ll be staying with my friends and/or at airport hotel; will have to see how things evolve. If staying with friends, will have to load up on allergy meds!</p>
<p>My Ds school (or the one that I love that she is transferring from, to come back home) rented out suites in a junior dorm for graduation weekend. Three bedrooms, each with twin beds, lounge area, one bath and kitchenette. Bring your own sheets and towels – $50 a night. Why dont more colleges do this?</p>
<p>The other thing I am focusing on, is even though she wont be living at home, we will save on travel costs.</p>