Hi everyone!
I have a few questions about orientation. What is the difference between the honors and non-honors orientation? Is it worth picking a harder date to make work for our family to go to the honors one? Also, if not all four roommates can attend the same one (I think it will end up being 2 and 2 for my daughter), do they get randomly matched with another 2? Or can they find others and request to stay with them for orientation? Where do they stay on campus during orientation? Any one have experience staying in the dorms as a parent for orientation? Better to get a hotel? Also, is it true that the best class times/professors are taken in the earliest sessions or does any one have experience scheduling classes not in the first few sessions?
Thanks so much!
Also, is it true that both parents and students stay in Ridgecrest South during orientation?
Parents can stay in Ridgecrest (not the same suite as students), but it’s not that great for parents. Each private room has one twin bed, so a married couple wouldn’t have a shared bed…lol. There are no TVs in the suites, so if that’s an issue…
Often kids stay in the dorms, and parents stay in a hotel room or VRBO short-term rental. I own 3 VRBO condos in Tuscaloosa and usually they all get booked for Bama Bound parents/siblings (and of course for campus visits and other occasions).
Most of the time, roommates don’t attend the same Bama Bound so it can be potluck or attendees can arrange to stay together.
Parents are in one tower of RCS, kids in the other–so you aren’t anywhere near each other. Kids are paired randomly with other students of the same sex–as they check in, the next available student is paired with them. Roommates who want to stay in the same suite together have to check in at the same time in order to stay together–so coordinate that if its important. I stayed in a hotel, however, I was definitely in the minority–I’d say upwards of 75% of parents were in the dorm during our session–I was actually quite surprised. If your child is going to live in RCS, its nice, because if you are kind to those occupying their suite (parents or students) you can usually get into the suite to measure for things, look around, etc.
There are plenty of class times and professors in later sessions–they actually hold slots for the later sessions. I will say the major advantage of going to Bama Bound early is that you register at BB, then can tweak or move your schedule around all summer. When new BB sessions are through scheduling, there is about a 30 hour window each time that you can register/drop/add for classes–so it just gives you more time to “play” with the schedule to get a more “ideal” schedule. That helped our daughter move a few things around.
The only other thing about waiting is that the later in the summer, the hotter it is, and there is a good deal of walking around campus during Bama Bound. I was glad we went early, only to get it over with, and then we could focus on having fun for the summer.
Use the search feature (magnifying glass icon) and type in ‘bama bound’ and a whole bunch of old threads will pop up with helpful info. 
As a parent, I loved staying in the dorm. Yes, it is simple (and a bit chilly w/ just a sheet and a blanket), but it allowed me a taste of what their college life will be like, and allowed us to measure everything and get a feel for how things would fit into the suite. It was super handy to walk around campus and attend the meetings/sessions without having to come from a hotel and find parking, etc.
@swim4school outlined everything well, so I’m deleting what I typed (cross posted at same time). Try to do some further digging into the old posts. There is a lot of info there!
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Yes, it is simple (and a bit chilly w/ just a sheet and a blanket
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You aren’t kidding. Bama put me up in the dorm when I helped with Bama Bound one year and I froze the whole night.
If only one parent is going, then staying in the dorm can be fine. If a couple is going and/or bringing a sibling, then other options may work out better. My H would hate being w/o a TV. It’s part of his nighttime routine.
I bring my own pillow everywhere, and I did bring extra blanket for both DD and me thanks to the warning. When tired, I can sleep OK, and the short time frame and convenience were important to me. Plus you have more opportunities to be in the mix. Parents on one wing of dorm, kids on the other. I was the only parent coming.
Many times parents use these college trips as a vacation and spring for the hotel, esp when bringing the whole family.
We did Bama Bound in 2014, so maybe someone with experience from last year could add if anything new and different. We did the two day schedule, and did stay for the presentations at the end of day 2 (some parents ‘fatigued’ and cut out). I would highly recommend student and parent attend the safety session. You learn about resources, and it opens the door for parents to later discuss student behavior and consequences. Also look at misdemeanor offenses with TPD (can see on-line).
I was tired after the first day and didn’t hang around at the bar after some evening sessions at the Hotel Capstone - I do regret. I think I would have perked up, and the parents there were having a great time.
I stayed in Ridgecrest South for Bama Bound. The parents were in the south tower; students in the north tower. You’re assigned to room with whomever is checking in at the same time. I enjoyed staying in the dorms; it was convenient and gave me a leg up on measuring. It also convinced me that my daughter would need a good mattress topper! If my husband had come along we would definitely have opted for a hotel, but for me alone the dorms worked out well.
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It also convinced me that my daughter would need a good mattress topper!
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That is FOR SURE. The mattresses in dorms are NOT comfortable. I got each of my kids 3" thick memory foam Twin XL toppers. The dorm mattresses are more narrow than a regular twin bed, but they are longer.
Don’t fret too much finding an XL twin topper, parents: a normal size memory foam topper will work just fine - hangs over the edges slightly and about 3-4 inches too short, but it worked for us, especially since the cost for XL can be significant over the normal twin size. Costco and Kohls are two good sources. Shop sales!
We have memory toppers on all our beds now at home and with DDs.
@aeromom is right…a regular twin topper works fine, too. if you center it, the pillow often compensates for any shortness at the head and an inch or two at the bottom won’t matter to most.
My DS and I went to honors. Both stayed in the dorm. Yes bring a throw or blanket. Watched a movie on my iPad just know your kids MyBama sign in to access wifi. No tv wasn’t a big deal then. Even watched the news. The connections I made and my DS it was worth it to be in the dorm. Also chatting with parents and Avanti students at night, you’re going to miss out on that in a hotel. So it’s not the Shangri La. You’ll be fine and it’s less rushed and time consuming being right there.
I’d go during the time that works for you honors or not. The Honors Reception was not anything special. Some honors Avanti kids (who I’d already met), finger foods and lemonade and people just milling around. I think one honors staff member did say hello.
We went in early June and it was nice having the rest of the summer for DS to tweak his schedule. If you have a lot of AP and prerequisites done it can be difficult getting the required upper level classes as there may only be a few slots popping up each session. And don’t have an aversion to early morning and Friday late classes. Love how college students put so much effort into finding later classes.