<p>D declined to register for either of the two Freshman Welcome Week programs (the Freshman Service Experience and Discover DC) because her summer job obligation runs through August 21. She’s a day camp counselor. The last day of camp, when all the tips are distributed by the parents, is the 20th, and she has to return the next day to help close down the facility. Her boss has said she could be absent for any necessary college orientation activities, but missing the last day of camp will certainly affect her earnings. I know that if she’s not there, many of the tips may not happen–it’s an out of sight, out of mind situation. The pay for counselors isn’t very good, and the tips are an important component of the summer’s compensation–which she’ll use for spending money freshman year.</p>
<p>So my question is whether D is foolish to miss these activities. Will not arriving in campus until the 22nd be a mistake generally? From the AU website it appears a majority of last year’s freshmen participated in the two programs. I don’t want D to start out behind the 8-ball. But it seems any freshman working in a camp or summer recreation program could have the same conflict–August 21 is when many of this year’s summer programs end in the Northeast. I never dreamed AU would start so early.</p>
<p>You are right about jobs interfering. My H and I have been on our son’s case about getting a job for the summer, but now I realize because he gets out of school so late (June 24) and that we are going away for a week, he basically has little time to work (just a month). So, we are going to let him go on a church mission trip. Hopefully, his tutoring jobs will pick up between now and the end of the school year and he can put away some money from those for spending money.</p>
<p>FYI, my S did not participate in these programs when he started AU 2 yrs ago and he was fine. They do start very early and many people have other obligations. My vote is - don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>I recently graduated from AU and did not participate in those programs. There are enough welcome week activities going on that your daughter will be fine in meeting new people. The groups formed during the FSE programs do occasionally stay in touch, but students usually use their neighbors in the dorm to form their first social groups.</p>
<p>Mine wasn’t a part of any of the programs. Made no sense to fly from Washington State for an event she could do without. Wasn’t a problem at all.</p>
<p>I didn’t participate in these groups, either. It wasn’t a problem.</p>
<p>Is your daughter able to attend the New Student Orientation program? It, too, is over the summer, and it might also conflict with your daughter’s work schedule. It’s pretty important to attend orientation because a lot of practical issues get worked out at that time-- getting your AU ID, learning about campus policies, etc.</p>
<p>Yes, D is attending the first orientation session, which is not only before her job begins, but even before her high school graduation. We are wrestling with whether either or both H and myself will attend the associated parent orientation. I’ve already visited the campus twice, and it’s a big time and dollar commitment (travel, hotel) for us. The equivalent event we attended when my son was about to enter GW was pleasant, but not particularly valuable. I was considering stopping by the Academic Support Services office, which D will be using, but after speaking to the director I have the impression that it would be better if D made the visit and we stood back.</p>
<p>MommaJ,
I would definitely make sure your D attends, but as for you and/or your H, I personally would not make the time and dollar commitment. I went to my son’s as i was able to stay with a relative, etc. It was interesting but nothing I couldn’t have learned at a different time. For my S, however, it was a great experience and it helped to have some familiar faces when he started school in the Fall.</p>
<p>Both are helpful but not essential programs. In fact, while they are great for meeting people initially and getting to know the city better, your son or daughter has four years to accomplish the same goal. I didn’t go through Discover DC or FSE and things turned out just fine for me. I hope your daughter has a great summer and is looking forward to starting at AU in the fall!</p>
<p>Hi I’m going to AU can someone give me an opinion on which welcome week program to do? I just don’t want to choose one and be incredible bored the entire time. I was thinking about the bike tour or maybe the discover DC? Can someone who has been to welcome week give me an opinion of which are the best???</p>
<p>It’s not a big deal if you don’t do one of the 2-day Welcome Week activities. However, you should definitely get to campus before Thursday evening, when there will be a floor meeting with the RA.
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<p>My daughter did Discover DC. Apparently, the different groups visited different parts of DC and she thought other groups had better itineraries. She met a lot of people but not anyone that she kept in touch with. However, she said she was glad she did it . She arrived on campus a full week early and there was plenty to do at night but not that much during the day. She thought she would have been bored without the program. I guess it really depend on when you arrive… .</p>
<p>Yeah, but isn’t that kind of the nature of the beginning of everything? High school, college, graduate school, new job, new church or whatever? You still need some people to eat lunch with during those first few weeks, while you’re waiting to meet the people you’re really going to become friends with later on.</p>
<p>Neither we nor my d. went to any of this stuff whatsoever, and she didn’t feel like she’d missed a thing. In fact, she flew across the country by herself, was met by a family friend who helped her move stuff in, and that was it.</p>