<p>My sbw was funny
my hosts were busy doing work and i think i had a physics test the next day so i was in the library till 3 a.m
although when i was walking back from the library to e tower i got the sense that i could really see myself going to cmu. The library started to clear out a little bit around 1:30 although there were kids who were still there till the closing time.
my hosts were nice girls, it wasn't exactly a fun experience since I was doing my work, and I think I kind of bored the one other girl who was interested in the tepper school of business from my sbw. (She was sleeping over in the same room as me) I got to sit in on Dr. Cofield's intro to business class the next day bc I talked to him after the Tepper info session... which was cool. Met some Tepper and Comp sci kids. Pretty cool.. I highly recommend the sbw. It was probably my fourth or fifth time at cmu, but it the first time that I actually got to see classes. It really made me want to come here and marked it as my clear first choice. It was also the first time I could truly envision myself as a CMU student.</p>
<p>You cannot beat the SBW that my son hit last spring-The Steelers were in the Super Bowl and the entire city was having a party. He had a great time. Got to watch the madness in the streets down by Pitt after the Steelers won.</p>
<p>My son was also at the Superbowl SBW - enjoyed getting a terrible towel, watching the game in the UC in the auditorium, and seeing the excitement in the streets - right outside the dorms; he didn't even venture down Forbes. Also he never did make it to a class the next morning! He did have an interview and went to some of the info sessions, and enjoyed the dorm experience. It cemented his desire to go to CMU.</p>
<p>Caution for parents - the school doesn't really check out the hosts unless there are police reports. There were some freshman this year that got put in a suite with a kitchen and lounge in Morewood (that's another story) - they'd been having some drinking parties - and they had volunteered to host at each SBW. My S is out of the situation now so don't know what's currently happening. I recognize that some high school students are seeking out this kind of experience but wanted parents to be aware of the potential.</p>
<p>As Marilyn said, SBW hosts just fill out a form on a website saying how many people they're willing to host and when, and they get an email if they've been assigned someone (sometimes the baggers are still no shows). However, if your son/daughter is unhappy with his/her host, they can leave (there's nothing saying hosts have to make sure baggers do anything). It's fairly likely that if a bagger showed up in E-Tower unhappy with their host assignment, someone would offer to let them sleep on on their floor. Last year a bunch of people on my floor were sad because they signed up for baggers and didn't get any.</p>
<p>Marilyn: I'm glad the your son is settling in. 1st term roommates is a mixed bag but once you know what is bad, anything else looks real good and can be made even better. Our son is finished CMU last year and I would like to know if you had similiar angst that we had. If you would be so kind; if your DS recieved any financial assistence and if he has joined clubs or done other extra currilcular activities to date?</p>
<p>Thanks, itstoomuch - until a month ago the angst factor was about as high as it could get! He had really enjoyed the dorm (New House) at SBW and was assigned there until a week before orientation when he got switched. DS did get a little FA - NMF scholarship and a little more from CMU as a match to another school's offer. He has been involved in a few EC's - some working out better than others. Please feel free to PM me for any details. Without the huge housing stress we're looking forward to a fresh start next semester. (His actual roommate was not a problem.) He thought the new dorm would only be marginally better but it turns out to be great including the new rooomie. Now if he could only solve the 4:00 am bedtime issue.......</p>
<p>Marilyn. Same happened to our son, NMF + nice scholarship to another tech school. Appealed by showing competing offer and CMU came back with a take-or-leave it merit offer that was still much less than the other school's. But enough for us to bite. </p>
<p>Son's first year roomates (triple) because its cheaper and he likes people noise around him, were from NY-NJ feeder schools. They had their HS clicks. We are from OR. He settled in 2nd term with his ME lab partners and with THE FRINGE. </p>
<p>Get used to the 4am bed calls. Never call on Sat until 3pm, and not until 9pm on Sunday's.
Goodluck of semester grades.</p>
<p>Calling home at 4 am seems a little inconsiderate. <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>Fortunately he never called at 4:00 am - did occasionally call the next day at noon (or so) to say he just woke up and missed breakfast, class, etc. I was never sure what I was supposed to do about it! Just sympathize, I suppose.</p>
<p>Super Bowl or no, SBW participants will probably not get much sleep but will have a chance to get the feel of the campus, see the neighborhood, visit classes, eat the food, and meet the great staff.</p>
<p>Honestly I think the sleeping bag weekend works pretty well. It is the real college experience if you want it, or just another guided tour if that is what you want. </p>
<p>My advice to kids is the former, make friends with your host, go out with them to dinner, to parties, to their studio or classes or whatever else. How will you know what the college is really like if you don't really experience it? </p>
<p>The conferences and meetings etc explaining how great cmu is are pretty vanilla. Don't even bother, instead explore campus or sleep, which you won't have done the night before "homework night" or no.</p>
<p>My first bagger (one of three we had that night in a double already shared by 3 people) decided without a doubt it was the place for him, and instead of applying ED to a competing school, chose CMU. He'll attend next year.</p>
<p>The SBW (which i didn't do myself) is pretty cool, take advantage of it if you have the time, but be aware that if you aren't really the same personality of the host you're with you'll be ignored, and worse comes to worse you'll just hang out with other SBW kids and make friends possibly for the year to come, and if you click with your host you'll make friends who already attend. </p>
<p>Don't hesitate to add your host afterward on facebook or something, i'm sure they'll love to see that you got in etc etc</p>