<p>Choose the college on the fit, not the orientation et al activites. Those will fit the student body. Costs will vary- publics based on the financial abilities of typical students moreso than privates.</p>
<p>UW-Madison has a 1 1/2 day (after 1/2 day for placement tests which may have been taken earlier) SOAR- summer orientation and registration for students with a parallel (separate) good parents’ program. They then have a “Wisconsin Welcome” week when classes start. Plus dorms do their own activites for incoming freshmen. A large school with many and diverse activities. The kind of school the independent student thrives at- no handholding.</p>
<p>Do not be taken in by school x’s activities compared to school y’s. Look at the overall package for fit. Schools tend to arrange their activites to fit their student body. At UW students would cringe at a mandatory freshman class for everyone. Some students are scared off by the campus and don’t apply. UW has improved its student help compared to past eras and seems to offer enough to help make a large school seem smaller without confining students.</p>
<p>Note that different schools will appeal to different people- hence the diversity in programs et al. Accomodates opposites- what one likes, another dislikes…</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone was suggesting choosing a college based on the freshman orientation. It was just interesting to hear of unique programs that some colleges do beyond the troika of pre-week programs (wilderness, service, leadership) and beyond the usual get-to-know-your-dormmates.</p>
<p>I doubt you meant it this way, but your comments about UW almost struck me as sour grapes - oh, well, UW doesn’t offer all these bells and whistles, but you know, the students THERE are so cool and independent they don’t need hand-holding. It’s true that it would be harder to do these kinds of activities and unify a class of however many thousands are at UW versus the classes of 500 - 1500 that are at the smaller universities and LAC’s; however, that’s no reason to denigrate them.</p>
<p>Roanoke college emphasizes community service starting with orientation - [R-House</a> - Roanoke College - Salem, Virginia](<a href=“http://roanoke.edu/Student_Life/Community_Service/Local_Community_Service/R-House.htm]R-House”>http://roanoke.edu/Student_Life/Community_Service/Local_Community_Service/R-House.htm) They build a habitat for humanity house! They also do the one-book thing.</p>
<p>It’s true that plenty of people would chafe having to take the year long Encounters class. Personally, I wish more people understood the roots of all our dearly held beliefs, then maybe all the ideological dogmas would have less power (OPPS I digress). It is a perfect class for a LIBERAL ARTS college and a freshman bonding experience. </p>
<p>Wis75, you’re right. I’m really happy that there’s plenty of choice in college sizes and curriculum.</p>
<p>This is also what the Autumn Term does for Eckerd students. The students select the class they want to take, and the professor for that class becomes their Mentor for their Freshman year. That same professor, and classmates, comprise the year long Western Heritage class that Freshman are required to take.</p>