<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>My son is starting out UCD as a freshman. How valuable or helpful is the 3 day orientation for parents? Does anyone know if it was worth it for the parent(s) to attend the session and got value that they wouldn’t been able to get from just online? </p>
<p>[Orientation:</a> Sample First-Year Family Schedule](<a href=“http://orientation.ucdavis.edu/first-year/schedule-family.html]Orientation:”>http://orientation.ucdavis.edu/first-year/schedule-family.html)</p>
<p>We decided to give it a miss. Didn’t seem much point in spending the money to spend a couple of nights in a dorm, see my kid only at meals, and learn nothing that isn’t on the web pages. The only thing that doesn’t seem to be on their web pages is the “how not to be a helicopter parent” session. I’m not worried about that, since I’m already perfectly willing to back off and let my daughter have her own adventure without me trying to live vicariously through her.</p>
<p>A caveat is that I’ve been on a campus tour, to Davis preview, and Decision Day with my daughter, and so I’m somewhat familiar with the campus. We’ve also poked around a lot on the web pages, and have gotten comfortable with how to find info there (or as comfortable as you can on any of the abysmally laid-out UC campus web sites). If you, on the other hand, haven’t had a chance to see the campus yet, then the parent orientation might well be of use to help you get a feel for where your kid will be going.</p>
<p>Some other people argue in favor of going in order to make contacts with other parents. Maybe that’s important for you? For me, that wouldn’t be of much value. I’m not much for networking, and I can’t imagine making long-term contacts with complete strangers over the course of two days, or even what value such contacts would provide.</p>
<p>Thanks for your insight… </p>
<p>Yup, we’ve been on the campus tour, and our son was at Davis a few years ago during the summer, so we’re also familiar with Davis campus, and the town. We’ve also have contacts already going to Davis. Also thinking that our being there, would prevent our son from interacting with other students… wondering, would love to hear from any parents who did attend and what they thought…</p>
<p>I’m not a parent, but I’m currently at orientation. I’ve talked to a few people whose parents are here, and according to them it’s largely unnecessary for the parents to be there. Take that as you will.</p>
<p>This is good for us to know. Hubbie and daughter are going at end of July. Mom has already been to orientation, which is why Mom is not going now. Hubbie was very uncomfortable paying for a tiny room, using dorm bathroom and sleeping on uncomfortable twin bed while sharing area with an unknown person. Just yesterday, he made reservations at the Hyatt which was less expensive than the “program”. Feels a lot better and deadline for changes is today. Mom went to a very tiring and hot Decision Day, our name is at end of alphabet so our family was assigned to cuarto, quite a walk to cuarto. Historically, if your name begins with a letter at the End of the Alphabet, you always get shafted! It’s always a “last minute” thought. Always at the ends of lines, with leftovers.</p>
<p>Just returned from D’s Orientation (July 29-31). My wife and I stayed at the Residence Hall and I must say UC Davis, its Staff, Faculty and Student volunteers did an amazing job on all the days.</p>
<p>The sessions were informative. I know I see some on CC feel the material was something that a person could gather from the WEB. While I agree, that is to an extent true, but is isn’t quite the same. There is no substitute for going there, listening to people, interacting with other parents. We really did get a sense of the school culture and the type of people we will be dealing with over then next 4 years and that unfortunately the WEB doesn’t quite convey.</p>
<p>It was a well run program and I would highly recommend it for Parents.</p>
<p>I went in late July. While I may have been able to find all the information on the web, I thought it was useful. I have not had a campus tour before, although I’m familiar with the town. </p>
<p>My wild guess was that about 50-70% of the kids had parents attend. My attendance didn’t have any affect on my DD interacting with other students, but that might just be our relationship. I knew I’d have plenty of time to debrief with her after orientation, so I didn’t need to have time at meals with her. I checked in with her quickly and let her lunch with the new friends she was making. </p>
<p>I found it particularly useful to talk to existing students, including a few in her specific major, to find out what I could do to make her transition smooth. I also found it useful to have an in-person review of various topics: GE and major requirements, billing, housing, safety, activities, etc. I’ll bet I could have spent 3X the time trying to figure out these items from the web vs. having a person summarize them. </p>
<p>There is also a chance to talk to faculty. I was very excited that a superstar in brewing science was there. Not that it matters for my DD’s academic career, but I had a few brewing questions for him.</p>
<p>BTW, at least for my session, I couldn’t find anyone who had a roommate, including me. My only real complaint was that WiFi coverage wasn’t provided for family. The kids could get all setup, but as a non-student, you have to use your kid’s Davis login (frowned upon by the school) in order to be able to use the WiFi. Lucky for me, there was an open WiFi from another group that I was able to use.</p>
<p>Just a quick note that I mentioned in the other thread. We are very conscientious of calling it the FAMILY PROGRAM. Not everyone brings parents, not everyone has parents. Please be aware of this for others.</p>