Summer Pre-freshman Orientation - how common?

Parents Forum
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<p>Does your child's school have this type of program? How good is it?</p>

<p>We just came back from the Summer Orientation program at the school where our son will start in August as a freshman. I have to say - it was an EXCEEDINGLY well-run, well-conceived program. We got to see him do a "dry run" of things like checking into living overnight in a dorm (with a one-night roommate) completely without us hanging over his shoulder, back and forth with joint parent-student info sessions (academic and non-), meet with deans/counselors on the programs, then the kids broke into upper-classmen-led discussion groups, then they went for academic counseling, signing up (prelim) for classes, navigating food service, large and small group discussions about things like drug and alcohol abuse issues, safety, etc. The parents stayed in one dorm - they do a dozen sessions so the whole freshman class doesn't show up at once - and the kids were all in another dorm, eah with a roommate for the night.</p>

<p>He came away with a prelim schedule (which will move around once he gets his AP scores next month, which will mean he'll change things) but he did it himself, working with three(!) counselors, and he did it after we learned the lay of the land together earlier and we could discuss classes and options before he went off to hear from his Division advisor before sitting in front of the computer to register. Best of both worlds.</p>

<p>I had nothing like this back in the coal-fired days. Mom, Dad and Sis dropped me off, kiss kiss, tear tear, then...on my own. Figuring out classes, first night in a dorm with room/suite mates, where's the dining hall, etc.; tossed in the pool. I have to admit, as a parent, I liked this "training wheels" version two months in advance to be a great thing on many levels.</p>

<p>So...how prevalent are these? Do all schools have them now? How good was the one for your school? What have you heard about others'?</p>

<p>One parent I spoke with said that their 3 prior kids going through all had this sort of thing - but at least one other had gone to the same school. Is this just Better Service responding to their market (the parents paying the way) or just that it's better to go through at least some of the break-in with Mom and/or Dad around, so that it's less traumatic and the RA's can actually get some sleep during the first two weeks?</p>

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<p>Yes, this is completely normal. Even our local CC has a required orientation.</p>

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<p>^OP is talking about an orientation BEFORE the regular orientation. D will be attending her 2-day event in July (earliest she can get there). They do have things for parents as well, however that’s optional and I’m not sticking around for it.</p>

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<p>Our S1 had a pre-orientation weekend in June last year at his small LAC. It was wonderful… both for him and for parents. The kids stayed in the dorms and met for course advising with a team including a professor, a college staff member and an upperclassman. When we left the weekend, he was all pumped up to go back in the fall. S2 starts at a different LAC this fall, and they don’t have this type of program. I’m wishing they did!</p>

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<p>Oldest had one - middle didn’t, but still had regular orientation before classes started. Both did fine adjusting to college. Of course, even having an orientation beat what we had in the “old” days. I do think colleges have evolved to help kids adjust more easily - and that’s a positive thing.</p>

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<p>Almost all of the students I know attend these so I am guessing that they are very common now. D’s school had one for the students, but not for the parents.</p>

<p>I don’t remember this at all back in the “old days”. Seemed like everyone did OK anyway…</p>

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<p>^ To me, a summer pre-freshman orientation is the orientation that schools have during the summer before freshman year begins. My daughter’s school has a summer orientation for both students and parents that lasts for almost 3 full days. There are different sessions throughout the summer to choose from. There are also a few days at the beginning before classes start where the kids are invited to a bunch of social events ie bbqs etc. My daughter’s friend did not have an orientation in the summer- in her school the freshmen have one a week before classes begin and parents are not invited.</p>

<p>I found the orientation at my daughter’s school to be amazing. The parents were offered a room at the dorm ( most chose to stay at a hotel). There were two programs going: one for parents and one for kids. Sometimes the two were combined. Everything was discussed- safety, scheduling, roommate problems, dating, drinking, etc. The upper classmen performed little skits to get their point across and it was quite entertaining as well as informative. They fed us well and at the end the school had a giant dessert buffet along with a DJ. They " worked" us for 11 hours each day- it was exhausting! My daughter did her schedule during this orientation. The only thing that bothered me was that they gave her two geography classes- why 2?
I was quite impressed with the orientation. I was even more impressed that this was a SUNY school ( where I live people tend to dismiss the SUNYs - I think they are great).</p>

<p>I am a little confused as to what a pre- orientation weekend is. Is there an orientation that takes place during the summer to discuss what will happen at the regular orientation? My daughter’s school does not have a pre- orientation weekend- only one orientation during the summer, followed by welcome activities for the kids in the days leading up to school.</p>

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<p>Our sons school has summer orientation for a couple of days in July (several dates offered). There are programs for parents but its more to keep you out of your kids way and ensure they are doing things independently. Kids stay in dorms, parents in local hotels. Some kids come sans parents and are fine. If it is a hardship to make the trip (you’re in HI or AL) there is a final orientation just prior to the start of fall term for international students you can petition to attend.</p>

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<p>I didn’t read that it was pre- regular orientation, but pre- the freshman year, given in the summer with multiple sessions. The type of activities OP is describing are typical, in general, to any orientation I’ve seen.</p>

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<p>Forty years ago … I had freshman orientation before I actually graduated from high school. I went to the state flagship, and they ran orientation sessions all summer, starting in late May or early June.</p>

<p>I would guess this is more common for state universities where the kids are relatively local with no more than a few hours travel time.</p>

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<p>It is common here, especially at the state schools. The students register for classes early (so the school will know how many adjuncts to hire) and they can meet friends, get materials. Most do it over one day.
DS school does not do it. They are very small and don’t want students that come from across the country to make the expensive trip twice. Instead the first week of school is orientation.</p>

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<p>cnp55 brings up a good point about state U’s and traveling for orientation. My kids all went to OOS small colleges quite a distance from home. I think the way colleges respect the OOS kids and their parents pocketbook makes a difference in attendance. Two of my kids colleges had optional pre-orientation programs. One was the week before college, which worked out pretty well - he drove himself down with whatever he could fit in the car and then we came down the next weekend. The other was two or three weeks before college was to start and was pretty awkward. My third child, where a majority of the students were OOS, just had a week long mandatory orientation for everyone the week before college started.</p>

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<p>Yep, common for the state schools. StepD will attend her next month - D went private and they had theirs the week before classes begin.</p>

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<p>D3 will have a 2 day orientation in July, a fish camp of sorts, right before the dorms open, and then a Welcome Week, the whole week prior to school starting.</p>

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<p>I think it is very common. At the University of Texas the program is very well run and the kids stay over two nights in the dorms and have moderate oversight by University staff. Parents do not attend. This is not a hand holding exercise. I am sure it makes some parents nervous, but what a wonderful transitional step for these students who parents have typically led the way. The kids register for their classes, they walk their schedules, they socialize, they go to a student activities fair, etc. If they want to expand their experience, the Texas Exes offer an additional experience called Camp Texas where the kids go to a local ranch by bus and stay for three days for team building and they learn all the traditions of UT. My daughter did this camp and she still has friends from her group, years later.</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.texasexes.org/camptexas/[/url]”>https://www.texasexes.org/camptexas/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I had this back in the day at UWis. I see it at our state schools. D’s OOS private had orientation right before classes started, as noted above, with an optional pre-orientation outdoors trip (I guess so students don’t move in early).</p>

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<p>^D will have BOTH the summer 2-day orientation AND a 5-6 day freshman orientation before classes start in August. Is that uncommon then?</p>

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<p>Kids had this. One was just a day, the other was an overnighter. It may also be something to ensure that the student attends for those families that are still on the financial fence.</p>

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<p>Sylvan,</p>

<p>The schools we’ve been to and/or are familiar with have various programs, but usually only one program called “Orientation”. </p>

<p>Both of my D’s schools have:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Orientation - usually a 2 day overnight where kids and parents attend, but stay in separate quarters, eat separately about half the time, attend some common sessions and some separate. This is usually REQUIRED for incoming freshmen. Here they get departmental advisement, find out about programs, organizations, dorms, meals, resources, etc. and register for classes.</p></li>
<li><p>Fish Camp - usually about a 4 day camp done off-site, away from campus at a camp facility, with cabins, etc. Team building, discussing topics that new students are often faced with: drugs, sex, alcohol, trying to manage school work and classes without parents right there, establishing independence, managing their own finances, etc. It’s more students discussing with students - just making their own plans, forming their own opinions, etc. and getting to know other incoming students, making friends and developing school spirit, etc. Usually team games, usually pretty physical.</p></li>
<li><p>Welcome Week - at one school it’s a week prior to classes beginning, at the other school, it’s the first week of class. Organizations do most of their recruiting during this time. There are a lot of free activities, usually a lot of free food, the rec center is open to family at the one that is prior to class beginning. There are voluntary seminars all day every day that recap a lot of information that was given during orientation. There are bus trips to Walmart or Target, pep rallies, etc. It’s meant to be a time just to familiarize with the setting.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>S1 who attends a private school did not have a separate summer orientation. They moved into the dorms the Thursday before classes started and had orientation activities throughout the weekend. Parents orientation was held just on that Thursday. He had completed registration online earlier in the summer. This worked out fine for us since the school was across the country and saved us an extra plane trip (we had previously visited for the first time in April during an accepted students event).</p>

<p>S2 will be attending an instate public. He will attend a one day orientation during July. During this time he will register for classes. Parents Orientation will also be held that day. He will move into the dorms on the Friday before classes start and there will be special welcome events that will last throughout that first week.</p>