Hi, I’m an incoming first year and just registered for summer orientation. Both of my parents want to come to summer orientation with me, but (looking at the schedules online) it just seems like a bunch of information sessions and Q and A’s. My parents are fine with taking off of work, paying the guest fee, and booking a hotel in C-ville, but I just wanted to get another parent’s opinion/review of summer orientation. Is it worth it for one or both of my parents to go? I have an older brother in college (not at UVA), but I feel like the general college and safety information would still be the same for UVA.
Just to reiterate my question again, do you think it is worthwhile for parents to attend summer orientation? If you’re a parent, I would appreciate your feedback/opinion. Otherwise, if you’re a student, did your parents go with you to orientation?
As a parent, it’s not so much that we need to attend the info sessions, etc. It’s more about sharing this big step with you. If they want to go, it would be nice for all of you. You are fortunate that they want to enjoy it with you, especially since they’ve already done it once for your older sibling. Don’t worry, though, you’ll get plenty of “alone time” over the course of the two days.
I agree with robertr. This is more about parents wanting to be a part of things:). I’ve been through 2 UVA orientations, but I am signed up to do it a third (and final) time. I imagine I will hear President Sullivan once again remind us how although ~94% of our students were in the top 10% of their high school classes, they are not all going to be top 10% of their UVA class:). I’m not going because I think I will learn anything. I’m going because it’s part of my process of letting go.
I agree with the parents in the above posts in that it’s more about the experience for parents than them actually needing to attend. My parents did not come with me, and I myself didn’t even need to go, aside from registering for fall courses. Everything they do at orientation can be easily picked up in the first week of classes, so don’t worry about your parents or even yourself missing anything by not going to orientation. I hope this helps answer your question!
I would STRONGLY advise against skipping orientation.