Should I go to the Accepted Student Day?

<p>Okay so I got into AU and I got a pretty good amount of FA from them. </p>

<p>I basically got rejected and wait listed by my other top colleges. I’m still waiting on Syracuse, but I’m still pretty sure I’m going to end up going to AU even if I got into Syracuse</p>

<p>I really want to go to the Accepted Student Day on APril 20, but the thing is I live in California. My parents don’t really want to pay $1,000 for me to visit a school all the way in DC that I already know I’m going to go to. </p>

<p>Plus, I really wouldn’t be visiting any other colleges during that time. I might visit University of Richmond since I was wiatlisted but I most likely won’t. </p>

<p>American is the perfect school for me and I love every aspect of it, but it’s just a lot of money to go there to visit AU just for a day. If I was visiting other colleges in the east coast, I would go, but since I’m not I don’t really see the point. </p>

<p>I know that some colleges will pay for the airline ticket or something or help pay the funds to visit the school, does anyone know if AU does that?</p>

<p>Where in CA do you live? AU is having an admitted student event on April 21st in SF.</p>

<p>We found the on-campus Admitted Students’ Day to be very useful for making a decision about American, but I don’t know if you’d need to go if you’ve already decided. It seemed to me that it was pitched as much to parents as to students, although there are some parts of the day where the kids go to separate sessions from the parents, so I can’t comment on the content of the student-only sessions. But it’s not like it was a time to meet your future classmates and bond. Most of the kids did seem to be there with parents in tow.</p>

<p>any thoughts on the Admitted Day 4/20 vs the overnight/school specific dates offered? It seems the overnights would offer something you don’t typically see from schools
thank you</p>

<p>I’m from California and I didn’t go to the Admitted Students’ Day. I’ll be honest when I say I sort of regret not going, but if you can’t afford it I just wouldn’t go. I did the makeup Eagle Summit at AU and it was HORRIBLE compared to the regular Eagle Summits. So the one experience I had when I came to AU sort of sucked. If I was in your position 1 year ago back in California, I honestly wouldn’t go. It seems like you know enough about AU and have already made your decision so… that would be the choice I would make.</p>

<p>And to clarify – it is definitely not $1000 to come here. If you book in advance, the right day, have airfare trackers to notify you when deals come around, etc (and I know this is still in prime time when prices rise) you can get tickets anywhere from $400-600. </p>

<p>Any choice you make will be fine!</p>

<p>P.S. One trick: If you don’t want to pay for Discover DC/Freshman Service Experience, contact New Student Programs when they e-mail you about it and write a letter saying “I don’t have enough money” and they’ll sign you up for free. I was bored, tried it, and it worked.</p>

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That’s just for airfare (which is rising slightly in correlation to gas prices), but what about other expenses on a visit? Like a 1-2 (or more) days stay at a hotel, food, transportation once arrived, etc? For the Accepted Student Day do you get to stay on campus, or do you need to find living accomodations off-site? Do they provide meals? Are the visitors bussed around, take taxi, or maybe rent a car? I think the OP was meaning that the entire trip, not just a plane ride, would estimate their costs at $1,000.</p>

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<p>Really? Can you say why? My daughter is going to be working as a camp counselor all summer and can’t go to Eagle Summit.</p>

<p>Students stay on campus. If parents come, they can stay on campus or stay in a hotel. I stayed on campus and it was fine - and less money. Meals were included.</p>

<p>@turtlerock - I didn’t think of that, but I still don’t think it would come out to $1000. I guess either way it will still be quite a bit of money.</p>

<p>@DeskPotato - Makeup Eagle Summit was really boring because both of my roommates (I live in a triple) had already gone to Eagle Summit and were just relaxing and doing other welcome week activities. Initially I had thought, “Great! I get to do makeup and it’ll be just as good as the regular ones” but the students were less enthusiastic because we had already arrived on campus. The agenda might have been the same but it wasn’t the same experience because everyone’s mindset was that we were the last of the bunch. Nearly half of my starting group left in between lunches because we were so bored and right after lunch was another person talking at us. Woo! I left when they brought out another person to talk to us about financial aid halfway in as well. I’m all for AU but makeup eagle summit last year was not so great and hopefully this year it improves. If anything, if your D hates it, tell her to skip out soon! Haha.</p>

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<p>Great to know, NJM.</p>

<p>bk, I wasn’t trying to refute your reasoning of a cheaper trip, just wanted to make sure the OP stays as informed as possible in case THEY were not thinking about it.</p>

<p>New Jersey Mom- Really? The informational packet didn’t say anything about students and parents being allowed to stay on campus, but if its allowed then i would definitely reconsider it. </p>

<p>Because I really want to go to the University of Richmond too if I get accepted from the waitlist- and I feel like If i got in i would have to visit and see which school I like out of the two.</p>

<p>redscarlett11 - so sorry. I gave you poor information. I was thinking about orientation. We stayed in a hotel for the accepted students day. Yes, I can see how that would get expensive. However, accepted student day is a good way to determine if a school is right for you.</p>