<p>My daughter just got her acceptance into KSU's fashion design program for Fall 2012 and she's very excited. Barring any last-minute change of heart, that's where she'll go.</p>
<p>We're from Minnesota, and she'll only be coming home at TG, Christmas and Spring breaks. I've heard that KSU is a bit of a suitcase school, although our tour guide told us that there are pockets of OOS kids around every weekend, and if you're a little outgoing and resourceful you can always find things to do. But I know that if half your floor empties out at 3pm on Friday it can be pretty discouraging.</p>
<p>Interesting. That is the same thing our tour guide said this last Monday. However, she said this mostly happens starting about the November timeframe (perhaps when students start to get homesick?) and she also said that the Out-of-State students find each other. It was a little disconcerting to me, but my S was fine with the explanation that the students who are around find each other.</p>
<p>Beastman congrat to your daughters acceptance to Kent! My daughter is a current Junior in the Fashion Merchandising Program. She is from New Jersey ( 7 hour drive) and only comes home 4 times during the school year. Only during breaks, Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break and school year end. Yes kids do go home alot but yes the ones that do not tend to stick together. The big secert is to get involved…She joined a sorority and it has kept her so busy. Not only is she busy with with their social events but they do tons of volunteer and school spirit activies. If this is not her cup of tea there are plenty of other clubs and things to do and join. My daughter loves KSU. Hope this helped…</p>
<p>Thanks a lot to both of you. it is our optimistic guess that OOS kids, esp in fashion as they are more likely to be OOS than other majors, will find each other and hang out. You don’t need 20000 kids on campus to have a fun weekend, just a handful, right?</p>
<p>At this point Kent is my daughter’s top pick - and I believe she’ll go there - as it is the most true university setting combined with an excellent fashion program.</p>
<p>There’s definetly a material percentage of freshman that go home for the weekend (I’m a 1990 grad, but I doubt much has changed in this regard); however, there’s plenty of people who stay for the weekend. There’s certainly no shortage of fun things to do on the weekends. I lived in a dorm my freshman year, and joined a fraternity in the spring semester. I had a great time.</p>
<p>Hello. As a current first-year student at KSU here’s my take on this situation. First off, I am from Bowling Green, OH (2.5 hrs away from Kent) and I would say that it is somewhat a suitcase school. Personally, first semester I went home a great deal on the weekends just because there isn’t very much to do in Kent itself. </p>
<p>The bars are all 21+, so there’s no chance of going to the clubs or anything downtown. Sure, there’s things to do from time-to-time downtown and there’s activities on campus but they get old…quick! And I was also very involved on campus as well. </p>
<p>I was a broadcast journalism major and was involved with two TV shows there on campus and also a part of hall council. So, needless to say…my plate was full. So, with all that going on with my school career at Kent I STILL went home most weekends because I was just tired of being subjected to the same old things every weekend in Kent. </p>
<p>Now, this is NOT to say that my results are typical for everyone. It just depends on what you like and who you get involved with on campus. A big reason I went home so much was because I always had a three-day weekend since I had Fridays off fall semester. I will say that towards the end of the semester I really started to enjoy being with people I worked on my TV show with and I stayed the last three weekend of fall semester in Kent and didn’t even want to go home. I only went home once during those last three weeks due to a job interview I had back in BG.</p>
<p>Anyway, hope my story sort-of helps! Best of luck. KSU is a good and fun school.</p>
<p>1884, I appreciate your observations as there isn’t much activity on this forum. I suspect your situation this year is common amongst first year students at any school and may or may not be a reflection of the school’s fun factor on the weekend. My guess is that next year you will find yourself staying on campus more, and as a junior even more yet. Hopefully, anyway!</p>
<p>My daughter is coming from a long ways away and won’t be coming home until Thanksgiving. She will have to invest herself in whatever opportunities there are on campus and in town and make the best of it!</p>
<p>Hello! I’m going to Kent in the fall for the fashion program as well. I’m out of state, but I’m still only 2 hours away. I’m sure that many fashion students will be OOS considering how well-known their program is. Plus, if she’s staying in a freshman dorm, I’m sure she’ll find people to hang out with during weekends :)</p>
<p>Another thing to remember is that while plenty of kids go home on weekends, they all don’t go home on the same weekend and they don’t go home every weekend. We live in the Cleveland area and many of my friends have kids at Kent. They come home once/month at the very most. Most less than that.</p>
<p>Yes, thanks. What you describe is typical of any state school, I think. We’ve stressed to D the importance of becoming involved in clubs and activities that will give her things to do and broaden her base socially beyond her floor in the dorm. She no longer seems concerned about this and is totally pumped to start this fall.</p>
<p>I Recently got accepted to Kent I am a little nervous due to the fact I will be an out of state student. I’m conning from Texas for their fashion merchandising program</p>
<p>OK, that’s good. This will certainly get you into Honors College and will likely net you some very nice scholarships.</p>
<p>You definitely want to be in Honors College (I don’t believe any additional application is necessary), and I strongly suggest you apply for housing in Stopher-Johnson, the Honors dorm. You will see it’s (I think) the newest on campus. The rooms are large, have private baths and the dorm has numerous large, comfortable lounges. More importantly, as a student in Honors you will be in special sections of several of your classes (both fashion and non-) and you will find yourself easily and conveniently making friends in class and spending time with them studying and hanging out in the dorm. This will go a long way to helping you make a happy adjustment to Kent State.</p>
<p>The Honors College does operate as a bubble within KSU. If you live in the Honors dorm you will find yourself surrounded by smart, motivated kids (some nerdy but far from the majority) from all over the country. These kids do not go home on weekends, of course, so as an OOS student that will be nice for you. Also, Honors gives you an additional level of advising, and special sections of some classes, which are much smaller and, quite frankly, get more enthusiastic instruction. Fashion, both at KSU and elsewhere, tends to attract a lot of girls with mediocre talent but big interest in SHOPPING and making outfits. Thus you really want to be in that bubble of smart fashion students to both challenge yourself and to study with them and work together, as this is a real progam that becomes fairly difficult in short order. My daughter very strongly believes that Honors has been the key to her adjustment and success, both socially and academically.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest you do the shadow visit day (book this immediately). If you want, PM me and I’ll get you my daughter’s name. You can reach her on Facebook and she will give you advice and meet with you, if you wish. As a Minnesota resident, she had many of the same concerns you have.</p>
<p>@beastman thank you so much for your insight really appreciate how do you book the shadow visit I plan on visiting in January and I would love to talk to her and get some insight its nice to know some first hand student experience, parent too than reading brochures I would love for the chance for this information</p>
<p>here’s info on the two visit options, Prospective Day and Shadow Day. Note that the spring semester dates are not yet posted, so I’d call the Admissions phone number mentioned and ask about Jan dates. These fill up! Don’t delay.</p>