My daughter just received an invite to participate in the Grinnell Science Project, which has her arrive on the 13th, one week early. Wondering if you or your child participated in the in the past and what your thoughts are on the program. Also, a few questions: how does the lodging work? Should we still come for orientation the following week?
PM’ed you some info. Short answer: I’ve heard good things about it.
@ChicagoMom62 – I don’t know much about it but PMed you with what I do know!!! Good Luck!!
There was discussion via the parents listserv last week about how someone’s child did this last year and thought it was great.
My daughter did it last year, and I think it helped her meet people with similar interests. The way the housing worked was the students were divided into 3 or 4 dorms, depending on what they had asked for (area of campus, gender neutral, etc.) These were their permanent dorm rooms, and they moved into them at the start of GSP. (Most had roommates who were not in the program.) There was a short orientation for the parents that covered all essential information.
We had a hard time getting a sense of what we should do regarding the regular move-in and orientation, so my husband and I went to both. We dropped our daughter off at the start of GSP, took a week-long vacation in a neighboring state, and then came back through Grinnell on our way home. I really don’t think doing both was necessary, but she’s an only child and it was hard to let go. 
Our daughter says that with multiple programs going on that week, most of the students she knows were on campus a week early. There was a lot about the program she liked, but I know she really appreciated getting a chance to make a few friends before orientation officially started.
Thanks for the information. We’ve decided to go to both, it may not be necessary, but we live in Chicago so the trip isn’t too long, and I like the idea of seeing her a week after the initial drop off (though I’m not sure she’d agree . . .). We also think we can bring her with minimal items for the pre-orientation week and then bring anything else she wants the following week. I have to say, between two visits in August, parents weekend in September, and then Fall break in October, it feels like we’ll be seeing quite a bit of her. Parents of her high-school classmates seem quite surprised by all the opportunities we’re going to have to see her and questioned the “wisdom” of doing that, that perhaps it makes it harder for the student to adjust to being away - but I’m starting to be more concerned about my adjustment than hers 
By the time we got the GSP invitation, I had already booked non-refundable return airfare for myself for regular move-in weekend. So kiddo is going to fly out alone for GSP and I’ll arrive as planned the next week. Thank goodness I’d booked our original outbound flight on Southwest so there was no hassle about changing that.
ChicagoMom62 - I would say not to pay attention to other people’s “wisdom”. My daughter was an athlete and I went to every Grinnell home game so I saw her a lot during the fall. It had no impact on her adjusting being away. Your daughter will likely be busy at least part of the times you visit, will love a good meal outside of the D Hall (Make reservations for Prairie Canary for Parent’s Weekend early!) and a Walmart run, may end up with some fun things to do fall break.
I just love this community. Always such helpful and thoughtful responses to questions. Thanks for all the tips. I am now curious about Parent’s Weekend, are there a lot of planned activities and/or is there time for spending offcampus with your child? Can siblings attend as well, would they want to?
ChicagoMom62- I think going to both is good for the reasons you mentioned. During GSP week, our daughter was able to let us know what additional items she needed, and we shopped in the “big city” (Omaha) for things she wouldn’t have been able to find in Grinnell and brought them to her at regular orientation. I really liked the convocation that officially sent the parents one way and the students another, and am glad we were there for that. Since we live a 12 hour drive away, we decided not to come back for Parents’ Weekend, which I regret.
Family Weekend: There’s enough to do or not, depending on what you and your student want to do. Soccer games, music concerts, ice cream socials…Siblings are welcome and depending on their age, might have a chance to hang out with the sibling as well. There isn’t a ton to do off campus - but shopping and dinner were definitely on our list. One of the best events for me was sitting in on classes. I never sat in on my daughter’s class, but getting a take on another class in her major, or meeting a prof was fun and enlightening.