<p>Hi all,
I would like some input of what most people do for the soar program. As we are coming from OOS we need to stay at least 2 nights. Do most of the students stay in the offered dorm space? Do the parents stay at a hotel? Also, I am interested in the 2nd day of advising. How is it done in terms of meeting with your advisor? Any input on getting the most out of this program would be appreciated.
Thanks.....</p>
<p>Good questions. We will be attending SOAR in June. Getting the most out of advising will be our primary focus.</p>
<p>My husband, myself, and our daughter went to SOAR together. (We are also OOS.) We did get a room on campus for our daughter for the one night of SOAR, we stayed at the Campus Inn. (The Doubletree is another option…right downtown.) We spent two nights in Madison, got in late the first night and then she started SOAR first thing the next day. If I remember correctly she took the entrance tests that morning and then SOAR started in the afternoon. We needed a room with two queen sized beds due to the three of us staying together the first night, I figured she could make up her mind to stay on campus or stay with us once she got there. (The sessions were really split up - parents separate from students - we did end up eating dinner together as one large group - and then the students went and spent the evening together.) We all thought SOAR was a great experience. She ended up staying with us the second night as well, I don’t remember what we spent on the room on campus…it wasn’t too expensive and it gave her the option. I think she wanted to come back to the room and look at class options etc,because they registered the next morning. We really didn’t have any say in the classes she took (we weren’t looking for that either) there was a little discussion, but it was her decision.<br>
I think for her, having to make decisions about SOAR as far in advance as she did, having the option of staying either on campus - or back with us took some of the nervousness out of the situation.<br>
Staying at The Campus Inn was great, my husband and I spent the night walking around State Street and visiting some of the local establishments!!
It really wasn’t a big deal once it came down to it, many kids stayed on campus and some stayed with their parents. Just a note, we went to one of the early sessions in June. I think most Wisconsin students are not out of high school yet - our HS graduation is late May. So most of the kids that were at SOAR when we went were from OOS.<br>
Good luck, Madison is a great place!</p>
<p>Was the resgistration done with an adviser? Or was the advising done seperately?</p>
<p>Parent/alumnus here. We stayed in Liz- the dorms. It was convenient for the Parents’ program and gave an insight to dorm life and good dorm food. The students are housed in a totally different wing and have a different schedule so it is unlikely you cross paths in Liz, even for breakfast. Staying in Liz meant only parking the car once, not worrying about meals and was a refresher in dorm life. Spending two nights in the dorm is worthwhile. Some OOS families make the Madison trip part of a vacation- they can accomodate more than just the parents in the SOAR housing I believe. Sleeping in an extra long twin bed with your spouse in the same room but not bed and using the down the hall bathrooms with other parents is roughing it compared to hotels in some ways, but the breakfast and quick walk next door for the sessions was worth it.</p>
<p>Wisconsin schools can’t start until September (a goofy law passed several years ago) so the instate students are likely to still be in school the first two weeks of June. Technically SOAR starts after the morning placement tests taken by those who didn’t take them earlier. </p>
<p>The SOAR program is split for students and parents. The Parents’ program is good, even for locals/alumni. The students’ program is separate- parents are not part of their student’s advising or course selection sessions. There will be a few mixed events (see schedules for events) but do not plan on seeing each other much. The students get separate meal and entertainment so they do not have to worry about parents being in their way. Parents need to remember to “cut the cord”, this is their child’s show. Attending the parent sessions is a good way of getting answers to all sorts of questions without having to ask your child- who may or may not know the answers or want/bother to tell you. When we went they had tours of dorms- public and private- for the dorm a student will be in, they separated the students from the parents at the dorm so each could ask questions without embarrassing each other.</p>
<p>Suggestions for parents- visit the Union terrace, walk the length of the Lakeshore path, see State St- including University Bookstore (a private business), see the Computer Science building’s DoIT tech center. Walking some of the hills reminds you of your age.</p>
<p>The students did their registration with computers after talking with their advisor. Son’s Honors advisor told him how to get into a full class that fall- he ultimately chose not to add the 1 credit seminar. Although students leave SOAR with a schedule of classes they registered for they can change it at any time later. Word of caution to students- before you change the schedule you chose at SOAR be sure you are improving it. Remember why certain classes were chosen for first semester- that can impact future smesters.</p>
<p>While Wisconsin public schools can’t start until September, Wisconsin private schools can start in August. From what I could tell last June, there were plenty of in-state people at SOAR in early June both from private Wisconsin schools and from public Wisconsin schools who may have felt there was some advantage to coming to SOAR early.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info. We are trying to take a flight out at 5:15 from Madison after advising. They say you have to stay until 4pm. Did it really last until 4pm?</p>
<p>Do anyone know if SOAR requires both parents or will just one of either suffice?</p>
<p>You may need to stay until 4, it just depends on how quickly you gelt through the actual registration process.</p>
<p>SOAR does not require both parents.</p>
<p>No parents are required- it is up to them to decide if one or both should attend. I felt it was the best way to get my husband to learn about the campus. It was our chance to ask questions and go around the area without being in the way later when son was a student. We knew first hand what the hills were like, the dorm cafeteria food, libraries, bookstores, State St… Later trips were usually just dropping off and picking up ones with no real time outside the car.</p>
<p>Couple tips for students attending SOAR:</p>
<p>1) Before arriving, spend significant time on the UW-Madison website. With your Student ID & password, you can access & compile a wish list of classes after studying requirements, generally & for your major.</p>
<p>2) Bring a laptop/notebook with wireless to SOAR. You probably won’t need it at SOAR itself, but it’s a good idea to have it the night before to check & see which classes on your wish list have filled up and if so, determine alternatives.</p>
<p>Learn to work the system. It’s basically all there online. Amazing volume of classes available, many very interesting titles that fill requirements.</p>
<p>We are scheduled for SOAR towards the end of July. I was just talking to another mom who has one son who just finished his first year at UW and another one who will be a Freshman next year. She said they did SOAR last year towards the end of July and her son had a lot of trouble finding classes that still had openings. I thought I read somewhere that UW keeps sections open for popular Freshman classes so that they are available for those who are doing SOAR later rather than earlier. They are going in early June this time to hopefully allow for more options in class selection/schedules. </p>
<p>Should we be trying to reschedule for some time in June? Can you reschedule?</p>
<p>Thank you -</p>
<p>I have a question, Attending soar determines your classess?</p>
<p>There are seats that are held and the UW opens them up throughout Soar all summer for incoming freshman. Honestly my son as a second semester freshman, sophmore in the fall, had many classes he “wished” for that he couldn’t get into for fall 2010. But he made some different choices and some of those classes opened up as people change their schedules around. Students are constantly making changes. Staying opened minded about classes to take, persistence and creative scheduling is what makes it all happen. I think you have to keep in mind this is a very large school. Honestly usually if you have the tenacity, there oftentimes is a way to get yourself into the classes you need/want.</p>
<p>On the second day of SOAR, at 1pm you will register for your classes online at wisc.edu (My UW link, then the Student Center link, via classes you’ve selected and put into your ‘wishlist’).</p>
<p>Computers don’t allow overfilling of classes. Your SOAR advisor should be helpful in how to get needed classes tricks if you have a major in mind- such as showing up the first day and then being able to get in as people drop without missing anything. Then, in September, you can also talk to the professor.</p>
<p>Is it alright if I go without parents cause I’m not sure if they can get off work? Plus I think it would be a fun road trip to go down to Madison by myself.</p>
<p>Nice but not essential for parents.</p>
<p>Eastsider, my parents didn’t come because they couldn’t get off of work. I *really *wish they had come. wis75 has it right; it’s nice, but not essential for parents, but I recommend they come. At least one. If they don’t come your experience won’t be ruined, but it also won’t hurt it for them to come. </p>
<p>And it might be fun coming down, but finding a place to park and driving in Madison with all the construction right now is a different story. ;P</p>
<p>The solution to the driving/parking hassles is to book the rooms at Res Halls and park in the designated west end of campus lot. Roughing it in the dorm for one or two nights is one way of appreciating the student lifestyle and the location outweighs the luxury of a hotel room. Parents and students are kept separate, meals included (students started earlier than parents and so parents weren’t even in the way then), easy walk to meetings and events. A chance for parents to experience a taste of campus life. </p>
<p>The parents’ session will answer so many questions they would otherwise bug their child about. No need for students to describe campus, dorms, food service, finances, security- all sorts of things parents want to know about. It is worth taking the time and travel for parents. A better time for them to see the campus than on your move in day.</p>