<p>My daughter will start Carnegie Mellon in the fall of 2012. She plans to major in science/pre-med and will play for the volleyball team. Any insights, advice, or suggestions for dorms, shopping, food plans, what to bring, where parents should stay, etc? This is our first child to go to college and we need all the help we can get.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/82285-z-what-bring-college.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/82285-z-what-bring-college.html</a></p>
<p>Here’s a place to start with what to bring. You should also check the Residential Life page for stuff you’re not allowed to bring.</p>
<p>Carnegie-Mellon is likely to send you or your student lots of information, and they may also have information online for prospective students.</p>
<p>Some of the information may be available only to admitted students who have established a user account and e-mail with the school, so your daughter will want to do this as soon as she is given the opportunity.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about places to stay. Carnegie-Mellon is in a major city, so the impact of incoming freshmen’s families on total available hotel rooms is much less than at small-town colleges, where the early birds are the only ones who get to sleep within 30 miles of the place.</p>
<p>Wait, they sent out the results already?</p>
<p>I would assume this is a recruited athlete.</p>
<p>Hi cmumom1- My D attends Pitt and we have really enjoyed the Holiday Inn University Center. It should be convenient for a visit to CMU as well. Apart from that, I have heard that the Marriott Courtyard in Shadyside is very nice.</p>
<p>For shopping, there is a huge complex called the Waterfront- and also a newer Target store in East Liberty; and for groceries the Giant Eagle Market District on Centr Ave in Shadyside. Pittsburgh has a convenient bus system so your student should be able to get to these places by city bus. </p>
<p>PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>You can probably get more specific advice at the Carnegie Mellon Board: [Carnegie</a> Mellon University - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/]Carnegie”>Carnegie Mellon University - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>My son just graduated from CMU.</p>
<p>I like the Holiday Inn at University Center best of the places we’ve stayed, but the Marriott Courtyard is nice if you want to do your own cooking. Generally speaking CMU food is not great and the general recommendation is to get the smallest meal plan possible and have as many flex dollars (or whatever they are calling them now.) Even at graduation we found rooms though we never book very early.</p>
<p>pamom has covered the shopping. :)</p>
<p>My son loved his freshman/sophomore room which was a one bedroom apartment (Shirley Apts), but it’s not designated freshman housing any more.</p>
<p>My son is a junior at CMU. We have stayed at the Hampton which includes breakfast. But, then you would not have an excuse to go to Pamela’s to eat :)</p>
<p>I second mathmom’s recommendation on the food plan.</p>