<p>I know it is really early to be asking about things in August, but I was wondering if most parents stay for convocation? I believe move in is August 22 (for those not in Birnkrant- which I think is 2 days earlier). Does anyone know when convocation is? Do most parents stay? We have to take the time off of work now for the days we need in August- thus the early question. And to complicate matters, we are from the East Coast-so travel days have to be tacked on each end of the trip.</p>
<p>Convocation is sort of a new thing. I don’t know how many parents stay, but in my personal opinion if you are still around by then you are a helicopter parent who needs to be shot down.</p>
<p>Many parents help freshman students to move in on move in day. There are rolling carts to help carry things and helpful people from the residential life staff. Some students actually move in on their own. There are a few activities for parents (ie, meet the resident faculty member in Parkside Arts & Humanities) but most parents are gone after move in. Welcome Week is for students and it’s a lot of fun for freshman. Sophomores and upperclassmen show up closer to the first day of classes. No need to hang out on move in day… come back for parent weekend!</p>
<p>I would not stay for convocation. I heard somewhere that it is ok at USC to help move in but then parents are expected to move on. D who is a jr back east had convocation and it was for students not parents. Double check on move in date too- some schools have freshman move in early.</p>
<p>Few parents go to convocation at USC. It is primarily a student thing. We moved our son out from MD last fall. We flew into LA on Day One, shopped on Day Two at Walmart for misc stuff we didn’t want to pack and just chilled on the beach, moved him into USC first thing on Day Three (move-in day), did some last minute shopping that afternoon and had dinner with him and left. Even the dinner felt like we had stuck around for too long. Since we had come all the way from the east coast, we spent a few days up the coast, and did see him again briefly when we left LA.</p>
<p>Hope your son/daughter likes USC as much as our son.</p>
<p>Most of the residential halls hold a first group meeting for their new freshmen residents early evening on move-in day–I believe pizza is involved. It can be awkward if parents are hanging around, hoping to take the student out to eat and say goodbye. Parents should plan to be gone by then. So you may want to plan to separate before then. </p>
<p>Students often move into their rooms that morning (usually goes very fast–lots of carts and helpful older students running the show), and connect with friends after that. Some go to lunch with parents, if you like, or off to Target to get last minute supplies. However, even that is not completely necessary as USC has shuttles to Target the next couple of days and sometimes roommates or new friends will take care of those sorts of purchases together. </p>
<p>Some of the individual Schools, like SCA, hold an outdoor parents welcome event in the early afternoon (my memory is foggy–but I believe this is right) so parents can meet staff, professors, and other parents! before leaving campus. This is parents only in order to let students go off and do their own thing. Later in the afternoon, it’s possible to meet back up with your student, but by this point, maybe they really need to be left to hang with new friends, etc.</p>
<p>I fondly recall going through this with 2 sons.</p>
<p>Thanks all! This all all very different from son #1 who is at Wash U in St Louis where parents are expected to stay for convocation and in fact are a big part of it: they form a chain from the place where the convocation takes place across the campus to a large area and the kids walk through it to get to a large outdoor party on the other side. A symbolic chain of support as you let them go: then the parents leave as the party for the kids gets into swing. Good to know we are not expected here: we’ll book a flight out late on move in day- no plans to helicopter for us! The reason I wondered was I saw a copy of last years convocation speech which started something like: welcome students and parents…</p>
<p>Wash U has a very warm send off and convocation. U Chicago is another school with a very traditional and beautiful parent/student convocation. Not sure why USC never had such a tradition, but could be the size of the class or the number of international students who may arrive without parents or? Really, I don’t know. But they do give parents a very nice reception at the individual Schools, and sort of treat the new freshmen as adults right off the bat. I can see the advantage of both, but my kids really like the less sentimental way USC did it. 
Men.</p>
<p>USC does now invite parents to the convocation, which I believe is held many days later on the morning the entire university is back and classes begin.</p>
<p>Each university has their own traditions. President and Mrs. Nikias visit the freshmen dorms on move-in day to greet the busy parents and students. There is a YouTube video you can access about move-in day at USC.</p>
<p>During the summer your student will receive a “Welcome Week” schedule. There are all sorts of events, mixers, concerts, etc. that take place before classes begin. </p>
<p>If you live near an area that has an alumni club your family will receive an invitation to a SCendoff before the students leave for Los Angeles. The Atlanta SCendoff had students come from South Carolina and Tennessee. A highlight was the announcement of the alumni club scholarship recipients. </p>
<p>The South Lake Tahoe SCendoff has the Trojan Marching Band as special guests.</p>
<p>I’m going to differ from some of the earlier posts. Last year, we arrived 1 day early, bought a ton of dorm room stuff at the somewhat nearby Bed Bath & Beyond (and met several other new USC students/parents there). Next day we helped move items into dorm room and then made ourselves scarce while our son met roommates & new friends. We came back the next morning for Convocation and were so glad we did. USC President Max Nikias is an AMAZING speaker, and we left knowing our son had made the right decision to attend USC. Fight on!</p>
<p>I agree with Buddha. We arrived on Move-In Day. Helped DS get settled, then left him alone. We enjoyed a very nice parent reception/cocktail hour at Viterbi. We then joined our DS the next morning for the pancake b-fast, stayed for convocation… many, many parents were there. We found the formal convocation ceremony to be the icing on the cake and felt that the decision for him to attend SC was so right. I felt that parents were very welcome over those 2 days… we just made sure to give our student his space.</p>
<p>It sounds like the convocation event has significantly changed in the last two years. Parents had moved along early on move in day with my two recent grads. President Nikias seems to be in the process of starting new traditions!</p>
<p>How do new freshmen dress for convocation?</p>
<p>USC provides robes. Just wear something cool underneath.</p>
<p>Birnkrant move in is Monday, August 20th. Tuesday is a retreat for those students and Wednesday is regular move-in day for all other Freshman. Several events are scheduled Wednesday including receptions in the various schools and a general reception.</p>
<p>This leaves two options, leave Monday after move-in or if your schedule permits entertain yourself Tuesday and go to the Wednesday events before departing. What have honors dorm parents done in the past?</p>
<p>docfree, on Monday @ 3.30 there is a parents reception in the area behind Leavey Library for those who have children living in Birnkrant.</p>
<p>Docfree, last year I moved him in on Monday, had scheduled other plans for Tuesday, and went back Wednesday morning to visit while the rest of the campus was moving in. My flight back to NC was Wednesday afternoon so I missed the Viterbi reception and convocation, but would have gone if I didn’t have my flight out already.</p>
<p>Thank you DadinNeb and NC Mom,</p>
<p>I will stay through Wednesday afternoon. There is plenty to do in L.A. to entertain myself, as well as touring around USC. My daughter asked me to attend the Wednesday activities with her, which is enough for me to decide. Also, I’d like to meet her roommate and parents who will not be there until Wednesday.</p>
<p>After receiving the letter to parents that invited us to convocation, we decided to stay through the ceremony. Living on the East coast, we couldn’t get a flight out Wed night anyway- so might was well have dinner with friends on Wed, attend convocation and leave right after on Thursday. It sounds like things have changed since the days of some of the prior posters: the letter specifically urged parents to attend.</p>