@twoinanddone His final schedule is really weird. Although he is full-time day student, he only had two of the six finals during daytime hours
Finals schedules seem totally random. Kid’s roommate had essentially a whole week extra of winter break because her finals finished on Tuesday morning. My kid had one final on a Tuesday, the other didn’t finish until 5 pm on a Friday. Really? It meant she lost almost a whole day of winter break.
@Grainraiser, that is true in all college towns. Hard to pin that on one school. :). But agree that it is annoying.
My pet peeve is the lack of a standard FERPA waiver form at D2’s school. D1’s school provided a blank one in the orientation packet for use if the student wanted to. The rending of garments and gnashing of teeth at D2’s school when we asked about it was ridiculous. Kid had to hand write her request and sign it in front of the registrar.
My daughter’s school has final exams today (Saturday), tomorrow, Monday, and ending on Tuesday. She has a Tuesday exam and must vacate the dorm by noon on Wednesday. She doesn’t have a car, so I must take time off from work, drive 350 miles each way and pick her up in the middle of the week. So frustrating.
We are lucky that the train is easily accessible. One year we moved D out on a weekend, and she stayed for a few days living out of a suitcase and took the train home.
My S was very involved in choir all four years of college. On the school’s website, the photo on the choir’s page that was there when he was admitted wasn’t updated his entire time there. They just finally updated it to a new current photo now that he’s graduated.
Where do these colleges find professors who want to proctor finals on a Saturday or Sunday??
We have had a positive experience so far with my D’s college - she is half way through. This school is very skilled at establishing a strong parent community and keeping them involved with each other through online communities. There is a community for each class year, each dorm and then a general community for all parents school wide. The forums are very active. The flow of information from more senior families has been extremely helpful. It’s a terrific group of very interesting people – more recently they started a political forum which is quite “lively.” I spend way too much time on all of those forums but enjoy every minute as we mostly are talking about our children, many of which know each other by now.
The mandatory meal plan policy is a bit annoying given it is in an urban environment and there are so many other great choices, but there are ways to work around it or at least minimize the meal plan commitment. There is also a housing shortage which has caused issues for many families-- a problem in a lot of urban schools.
Professors don’t like it either.
I knew about the small town going in, but I can’t believe how minimal the services are anywhere near the college. It may be that so many of the students have cars that a grocery store couldn’t make a go of it? Seems like the staff would like one too. I wonder if the zoning prohibits more than one coffee shop, one ice cream place and a dry cleaner (Ok, there are a few other things too) ? It’s not like it’s in the middle of the countryside.
No online course options. I understand that the school prides itself on its small, seminar style, discussion based classes. It would be nice, however, if they offered a few online options - at least over the summer. I also don’t like that there is only one 6 week summer session instead of two. If a student gets off track, it is difficult to catch up on credit hours.
One thing I hate… That people want to talk about sports when they hear the name of my daughter’s school instead of it’s exceptional academics. I despise football, and it’s a Big Ten school. Just once, I’d love for someone to want to talk about it’s groundbreaking research…instead of a sport that bores me gormless.
Summer classes - D would like to get ahead and lessen the workload next year. Her major has several summer class options - all scheduled the same half of the summer.
The high school schedules and college schedules of my kids irked me. College schedules started in the first week of September and ended in the second week of May. High school schedules started in the third week of August and ended in the second week of June. I felt colleges skimmed on my money and high schools wasted my kids’ time.
Quarter system - nuff said!
DS hasn’t even arrived and I ready don’t like forced triples in the dorms and that some don’t have A/C or elevators. Sheesh, I’m an older overheated mom with a sore knee. Give me a little break here. 
I don’t know yet; I’m sure there will be things besides the stress level.
So far, here’s one: Most of the Rate My Professor reviews are for characters on the Big Bang Theory TV show.
@TQfromtheU It’s only for 8 months, they will be fine.
Bring a fan, let the young people do most of the carrying, offer to make the bed and put things away.
Make sure to show DS where things are put away though, so he can find things.
@mommdc I know. DS will be fine - he is my mellowest child. I think the space is small enough that he really won’t lose much.
@Gigem86 as a student, I love the quarter system.