<p>My son has been there since last night and I've heard from him a couple of times, already. Sounds like he's enjoying the visit alot. He's been able to sit in on freshmen biology and math classes already and he thinks they're pretty tame. I wonder if they picked the easy classes for them so as not to scare them away :). He's staying at a frat house and they've got tons of activities lined up. Looks like MIT really has put alot into preparing for this. A good trip so far, I'd say.</p>
<p>Are you form Colorado? I am too, a junior from Aurora and Overland High School.</p>
<p>My son is at CPW and I'm here, too. I thought it would be a relaxing time for me, I'd just have a couple-few parent presentations and just sort of saunter around the rest of the time... NOT! I fall into bed exhausted every night after visiting keynote speeches and panels and receptions and classes and departmental presentations. I've talked with my son briefly twice through the weekend; I'm avoiding him on purpose, but I know he's attended several classes and lots of other activities. There is a 50-page booklet of available classes and events (and hundreds of classes, NOT all easy!), and you can even attend events (mostly at the dorms or frats) at 11:17pm or 3:47am, if you so choose. (If anyone knows the significance of those times, I'd love to be clued in.)</p>
<p>I'd say MIT has put a significant effort into preparing for CPW, and I have learned a vast amount of highly useful things, objective and subjective. Definitely worth the trip. I'll find out on Sunday morning when I meet up with my son again whether he feels it was as worthwhile for him.</p>
<p>(PS: Fantastic and uncharacteristically warm weather hasn't hurt things at all, I'd have to say! :) )</p>
<p>You might want to check Matt's blog for some CPW pictures:
<a href="http://blogs.mit.edu/madmatt/%5B/url%5D">http://blogs.mit.edu/madmatt/</a></p>
<p>Yeah, I just found my kid in the background of the boffing pic! (Three cheers for Photoshop.)</p>
<p>(over30: are you here at CPW also? If so, PM me. Your PM-box is full, my msg to you was rejected.)</p>
<p>mootmom,</p>
<p>Anything in particular stand out from your parent presentations? My son is at CPW, but we couldn't make the trip.</p>
<p>There's been a LOT! How about if I post a review on the Parents board when we get back?</p>
<p>I am here at CPW, staying at my daughters house ten minutes away. I have only seen my son once (from a distance) since we dropped him off at the frat house where he is staying. We have been on Campus all day Thurs/Fri and so far today (Sat). Very well organized weekend. I am amazed at the level of student involvement in pulling this off. Everyone seems to be having a very good time and the MIT folks are wondeerful, they could not be more helpful. I like the stated values of the school and I am impressed with the "esprit de corps" evident everywhere. Oh, when I saw my son he was wearing an MIT sweatshirt which he must have just bought, so I guess that means he has decided. I feel very good about what I have seen. I can't wait to talk to my son tomorrow on the ride home to Vermont.</p>
<p>56forceout, I got you some of those little shampoos from the hotel, drop me a PM and let me know how I can get them to you! I'll be around in the morning Sun. anyway.</p>
<p>Parental Unit, we didn't make it to CPW either last year, but did go to orientation. If you can make it I recommend going. It was organized and informative, but the best part for me was being able to visualize where my son is. It helps me when I'm really missing him. </p>
<p>He just IM'ed me and even he is enjoying CPW, with lots of free food.</p>
<p>Probably a good idea, over30. I had visited campus with my son in August and was blown away. I think son wanted to go to CPW to see how he fit in with the student body before making everything final, so he wasn't pushing too hard for us to go along. Between airfare from Texas and a hotel, his mother and I saved another $1,000 or more toward tuition. Does MIT hold its freshman orientation right before the semester begins? That would be convenient if we have to help move him up there and can hit orientation too.</p>
<p>Freshman orientation begins on Mon. Aug. 29 this year. Classes begin on Wed. Sept. 7, so orientation does just preceed the start of classes.</p>
<p>the events held at 1117 and 347 (or anything either 17 or 47 minutes after the hour) are put on by random hall, which holds the number 17 among its many symbols and injokes; a house survey once upon a time came up with 17 as the most random number. the brothers of tEp have a similar fascination with the time 22:22, tho i don't think it's v. evident during cpw.</p>
<p>i'm glad your sons and daughters enjoyed their weekend. it was grand, having them around. now back to tooling :)</p>