<p>londonb- Yes, it is NYU. I plan to take you up on your offer to PM and you will hear from me with questions. Thanks! Also, we didn’t know about the picnic on move in day, we will be sure to attend.</p>
<p>milk&sugar- you mention NYU Arts & Science having a parent program on the first day of orientation last year. This is exactly what H & I thought we saw on the CAS website a few months back, so this reassures me that we haven’t lost our minds (yet).</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for posting, I enjoy your feedback and am reassured that it sounds like in most cases it won’t be vital that we won’t have one. </p>
<p>Just as an aside, the college I attended in the 70’s had a parent orientation (I had friends who worked on it), but it was for parents of freshman students only. I was a transfer from cc and so my orientation didn’t include the parents. I was a junior and the 3rd child in my family to go away to college (within 3 years), so neither my parents nor I needed it at that point!</p>
<p>Can’t remember a parent orientation on move-in day for any of my Ds or stepkids. All went to small LACs two of the schools had a convocation ceremony, the other two did not. It was pretty much move them in, say good bye, and go!</p>
<p>Lots of communications via mail and also at the accepted students weekend.</p>
<p>As for accepted students events, we got an email 5 days before an event to be held on campus. Not enough notice to take off from work and other schedule arrangements. Also was invited to accepted student’s event in our area (again with less than a week notice), D was in a dance competition that day so we missed that too.</p>
<p>Interesting perspectives! I was going to fly down for parent orientation (held in May, same time as son’s 2-day orientation). Now I’m thinking that maybe it’s not that essential, if it is basically just programming to generally inform us & get us out of our kids’ way! Plus son will go back (another flight) for actual move-in, in Aug, which we’ll definitely be at (to help him unload, set up, etc.).</p>
<p>I went to some orientation with S in May, when they came to his HS campus. It was over-priced @ $80/person & not very helpful other than being able to sign up for a checking & savings account at their U. S was able to take placement exams & register, so it was valuable for him. When we helped S move in in August, we attended an orientation with our S where the dorm staff assured us that they’d take good care of our kids & fielded any Qs folks had as well as providing contact info. The orientations were definitely not needed, other than allowing S to take placement exams & register–I definitely was not needed there & didn’t make any long-lasting contacts from these events. Parents’ Weekend is another opportunity for families to go on campus & find out what their student does there–another fund-raiser for the school.</p>
<p>I liked attending the orientations, especially since the schools were OOS in areas that were unfamiliar to us. We have had both the early summer one (2 day) and the ones that coincide with dropoff (one 1 day, one 2 day). Parents attended mostly different events than the students, so my kids didn’t feel we were in their way. We were able to figure out a lot of the logistics of dorm shopping and move-in, banking issues, billing issues, health center and insurance policies and what resources are available to students and parents. My kids were too excited to be on campus to pay close attention to many of these details. All the orientations we went to were well attended by parents.</p>
<p>It definitely would have been fine had we not gone, but I’m glad we did. Attending orientations was just one more opportunity for us to familiarize ourselves with our kids’ new schools and the areas, and went a long way toward making us feel more comfortable leaving them halfway across the country. Like Bethie, by the time we left, I felt that my kids were in great places for them and separating was easier. Think of it as “Back to School” night, not mandatory but informative and helpful.</p>
<p>It was a service to parents and probably prevented a lot of parental panic in the future. The minute the president said I could call him, I knew I’d never need to. I did write him a nice letter though and he wrote right back. But if we hadn’t been able to go or they hadn’t had an orientation, it still would have been fine.</p>
<p>Just thinking…parent orientation is an expensive event to hold. I’m wondering if schools are evaluating the efficacy of the event given the percentage of parents who attend. At both of my kids’ schools, parent orientation was a two day long event involving a number of speakers, meals, and such. Each person paid about $50 to attend, but that didn’t cover all the costs I would guess. Most of the information could have been given out in writing, although I will say that I found the presentations to be excellent in both cases.</p>
<p>D’s is also going OOS (we have to fly). She and I are leaving on a Tuesday night. On Wednesday we’re going to make a quick stop at Bed Bath & Beyond then head over to her Summer dorm to spruce it up. On Thursday and Friday (both days) there are Orientation sessions for students and another for Parents. On Saturday, I booked a flight home.</p>
<p>I don’t think NYU CAS has Parent Orientation anymore. </p>
<p>This is from the CAS Freshman Orientation FAQs…</p>
<p>"Can my parents attend Orientation with me?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, they cannot. While we strongly encourage your parents to take an active interest in your college career, Orientation is a three-day session designed to introduce you to your new life as a CAS student. Once your Summer Orientation has concluded, we encourage you to return home and share your experience with your parents."</p>