<p>What plan would you all recommend for a typical, average-sized boy for freshman year? At home he eats 3 regular meals, though of course that could change at college. He's active and will maybe do recreational sports, but won't be an intercollegiate athlete. I'm used to seeing meal plans that specify the number of meals one receives per week, and don't know quite how to judge Dartmouth's dollar-based ones.</p>
<p>Dartmouth meal plans are DBAs (declining balance accounts), however this year there has been a change to the meal plan as in the past there was a minimum meal plan that had to be purchased for all freshmen (around the equivalent of the green plan). I see this may not be the case this year. </p>
<p>Also in the past the DBA was use it or lose it where if you did not spend down by the end of the term the money was lost. Now, any monies not spent can be rolled over to the next term and you have until the end of the school year to spend down.</p>
<p>Hopefully sjmom, or isacc will chime in as to about how much their sons spend. </p>
<p>Wisconsin Guy wrote :</p>
<p>I often find myself with over $100 left on the smallest (on-campus) meal plan</p>
<p>I know that my D usually has a few hundred $ left over each term and she buys meals for her friends at finals, but she also has friends who end up being a couple of hundred $$ over (if he goes over the school will still feed him, they will just bill you). </p>
<p>The worse scase scenario is if you by the largest plan and there is money left over, he will have it for next term and you can purchase a smaller plan in the winter.</p>
<p>TheCFG:</p>
<p>According to a brochure we received from DDS (Dartmouth Dining Services): </p>
<p>"First-year students are automatically enrolled in teh Green Dining Plan at a cost of $1200......For those students that desire a larger plan, the Big Green Dining Plan may better address their needs. This plan carries a $1500 costs. If you wish to carry this plan, it is necessary to...request this plan within the first 5 business days of the term."</p>
<p>TheGFG,
My son ('09) started out with the Green Dining Plan last year, which was the default for all incoming freshman. He is about 6' tall, and weighs around 165. I told him to eat normally, so that we could establish a baseline. So, for fall quarter he went over by about $200.</p>
<p>Winter quarter we moved him to the Big Green plan. He STILL went over by about $150! He is responsible for his own spending money, so I told him that if he went over again in the spring, he'd have to pay the difference. He went over by about $2.00 (and, yes, they did send a bill!) By the way, we visit at least once a month, bring food, and take him and several friends out to eat. So it's not as if we aren't feeding the boy. For the coming year, I expect him to stay on the Big Green plan.</p>
<p>I read somewhere that the BigGreen Plan gives a 10% discount? I think that's what we'll get our tall, skinny and always hungry boy. I assume they can eat ten times a day if they want to?</p>
<p>The nice thing about the Dartmouth meal plan is that it's pay-as-you-eat. As long as a kid can find an open eating hall, they can eat. It's not limited to the number of meals per day or week.</p>
<p>Can anyone confirm that Big Green plan has a 10% discount? </p>
<p>Also, can they use their meal plan to feed their visiting friends? That could be trouble.</p>
<p>According the Dartmouth website:</p>
<p>
[quote]
BIG GREEN PLAN </p>
<p>Students selecting the Big Green Plan will receive a 10% discount on food purchases made at any DDS dining facility. No discount will apply to purchases at Topside. </p>
<p>Ø The 10% discount will be taken at the cash register and will be applied to food purchases made with Dining DBA, Da$h Discretionary dollars, by charging, and with Topside DBA, provided that the purchase was for food in a DDS dining facility.</p>
<p>Ø The 10% discount will apply to all food purchases made during the academic term for which the student customer purchased a Big Green Plan. The academic term will begin at noon on the first business day before classes begin and will end at 4:00 pm on the last day of exams. </p>
<p>Ø While all rolled over Dining DBA dollars will be active for purchases between academic terms has ended, Big Green Plan holders will not receive a 10% discount on food purchases during these interim periods.</p>
<p>Ø Any Big Green Plan customer wishing to change to a different dining plan must do so before the academic term has started and discounting has begun. Any customer wishing to move to the Big Green Plan may do so within the first 5 business days of any term, but the 10% discount will apply only to purchases made after the plan change has been processed.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If I am doing my math correctly, the Big Green Plan allows the student to consume $1650 worth of food for $1500. That represents approximately 37% more food than the regular plan for approximately 25% upcharge. Not a bad deal, if your student consumes it all.</p>
<p>Also, can they use their meal plan to feed their visiting friends? That could be trouble.</p>
<p>Technically, I believe they are only supposed to feed themselves. But that's not how it works in reality. D had so much money left the first term she was feeding everyone she knew who ran out of money. They figure out how to do it. I think she said after she went through she handed the card behind her to her friends.</p>
<p>Second term we bought a smaller meal plan and she was still feeding everyone at the end who ran out. </p>
<p>What meal plan is best depends not only on how much your student eats, but how many meals a day and what types of food. My D NEVER eats breakfast which is why she always has money left. She also doesn't eat salad which I think tends to be more expensive.</p>