<p>D2 received an invitation to "The Sisters" event in NYC to see Bryn Mawr, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley and Barnard. She's very interested in the first three so would like to go. Two questions: Is this a good time to go (end of soph) or should she wait till next year? I sort of hoped to have most visits done by the end of school next year, so that might be too late, but maybe I'm being ridiculous. Also, this event is being held on a Sunday afternoon in a nice hotel. What does one wear, and do you think there will be working class people like us or will we stick out?</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I know that the Barnard people will be very happy to see "working class" people show up at their events and I am reasonably sure the reps from the other schools will feel the same. In any case, I assume that you do not plan to show up wearing overalls and a hard hat. ;) </p>
<p>I do understand your concern. I am a person who buys most of my day-to-day wear at Target and I remember feeling a little intimidates at a reception for newly enrolled students that I attended with my daughter -- it was in a very posh home and all of the other girls seemed to attend the most prestigious and expensive private schools in our area. But as I recall, it ended up that my daughter was one of the best dressed there --I think she was the only one who showed up wearing a skirt, while all the other girls were in slacks or jeans. (D. shops at Forever 21 -- which is classy enough for her tastes and our income.)</p>
<p>Anyway, I think you are always safe as a parent to wear "business casual" - the only one there who really cares is your daughter, anyway. (Since she is a high school sophomore she will probably be mortified by anything you wear, in any case -- you can't please 'em at that age).</p>
<p>"(Since she is a high school sophomore she will probably be mortified by anything you wear, in any case -- you can't please 'em at that age)."</p>
<p>Thanks Calmom, I'm ridiculously intimidated by this (as you can tell). In the last couple of weeks she has decided to retire the black eye liner and has gotten a lovely, feminine hairstyle. So she will not attend this event looking like Marilyn Manson's younger sister.</p>
<p>Go! My daughter went on a college trip at the end of freshman year and it meant that, when the time to apply came, she really knew what she liked and what she didn't. I wouldn't worry about clothes. I would just avoid jeans, tshirts and sneakers.</p>
<p>I think jeans, tshirts and sneakers would be just fine.</p>
<p>zoosermom, D and I went to one of these last fall here in Seattle. We are talking Seattle - everyone was wearing Northface fleece and hoodies, nevermind it was held at a posh downtown hotel. Here in Seattle it is really hard to tell who is working class and who is bill gates, but both families sitting around me were your normal working kind, just like us. I wore a sweater and casual slacks and a Northface :), D was dressed in her nicest hoodie and jeans without holes and, of course, a Northface completing her wardrobe. Bottom line - do not sweat it. Nice casual clothes will do. The presentations we saw were geared towards seniors, but I suspect at your event the information will be taylored towards sophmores/juniors. D and I both found the event very interesting, and a few alums in the audience were all were given a chance to tell about their experiences at the Sister colleges as well as where those experinces have taken them in their lives.</p>
<p>We got that invite; I'm pretty sure due to the "F" on the SAT cover and not the scores therein. If my daughter had wanted to go I don't think I would have even thought about what to wear. Some girls think the advantage of womens colleges is that you don't have to go to class looking pretty since there are no boys around anyway.</p>
<p>How do you think your daughters got invited to this event?</p>
<p>It is the kind of thing I'd like D2 to attend -- she is currently a HS freshman.</p>
<p>Sorry, I threw mine out since D isn't thinking of applying to sisters except maybe MH since they don't take SAT scores. I guess just call any sister's admission office or look on their website.</p>
<p>Ah, yes, the enrolled are all girls, but boys are present in class and on campus at Smith and Mt. Holyoke. There is the 5-College Consortium in which students from Amherst, UMass and Northampton can attend classes at the other schools. That said, I would let her go and not worry about the clothes. The school wants to shine for you at this point. No need to shine for them. They are marketing, you aren't.</p>
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In the last couple of weeks she has decided to retire the black eye liner and has gotten a lovely, feminine hairstyle. So she will not attend this event looking like Marilyn Manson's younger sister.
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LOL zoos! At some of these events she would fit right in with the "alternative" look!
All kidding aside, you and she will be JUST FINE no matter what you wear. Especially if you are in a large metro area, this event will probably be attended by a good number of folks, and no one person will stick out. I am guessing that most of the girls will be dressed casually. These presentations usually have the opportunity for some individual chit-chat, Q and A before and after the presentation, but I don't really think you need to worry about sticking out. Besides, think of it positively, maybe sticking out can be a GOOD thing! Going at the end of soph yr gives your dau a chance to begin to get a feel for the process and the choices. We know she'll probably change her mind a million times between now and then, but IMO, it is not too early to start. (Besides, since she is only a soph, you can go back again, when she may have more info, questions and yet another new look :) ). Also, worst case scenario, even if she <em>does</em> stick out in some fashion, these adcomms have lots of cities to visit and probably won't remember. Besides, there could easily be s different adcom stafff in a year or 2. Really, don't worry at all about this. If you see anyone wearing white gloves, pumps, pearls and patent leather purses, let us know!!!</p>
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If you see anyone wearing white gloves, pumps, pearls and patent leather purses, let us know!!!
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<p>Jym, that was what I wore my entire freshman year!! (1966)</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I think you are too concerned about "working class people like us." It's not like 40 years ago, when everyone who went to one of these schools was American royalty. Nowadays, gobs of people who go to these schools are "working class people like [you]." You will both fit in with the crowd just fine.</p>
<p>Next year, when the time for her apps draws closer, ask us how she can stand out!!</p>
<p>LOL VeryHappy!! We want pictures!
Did you have to take posture pictures too?? They stopped that (and the swimming requirement) just before I started. My how times have changed....</p>
<p>Zoos-- We all agree-- standing out is in many ways a GOOD thing!! Let us know how it goes!</p>
<p>Zoosermom, half the upperclass is pretending to be working class. You'll be fine. At a college event you'll see a wide variety of clothing. She'll be fine. If it were me I'd wear pants and a nice blouse. Something a step above t-shirts, but definitely not as dressed up as church. Comfortable and neat. But if she reverts to a more goth look, I'm sure she won't be alone. Besides what admissions officer could resist a goth classics major? ;)</p>
<p>Zoosermom, you are lucky your D is considering those schools. My D will not. </p>
<p>I agree with everyone else - you will be fine, no matter what you wear. In NY, you will most likely see the full range of dress - everything from jeans and ts, to dresses/suits (maybe no white gloves though..........lol). Enjoy, and please let us know how it went. I'm not sure if my D got the invite to that - I stopped looking at her college mail because she wasn't bothering to look at it herself.</p>
<p>Z-mom, this is a great time to go! I think the key to keeping the whole visiting/touring thing from getting stressful is to start early and space out the sessions. H, DD, and I actually enjoyed all (err, most) of these adventures. If you start early, then you can narrow down choices and re-visit some of necessary.</p>
<p>When DD was home for spring break we were on a local college campus for an event. DD turned to me and said how much she missed visiting colleges and going for our debriefings over lunch. We then rated best lunches we had on visits, best and worst hotels, best bookstores, etc., and realized what a truly great time it was in our lives.</p>
<p>zooser: With your petite figure I bet you look great in a pair of jeans too! I am the mom of a Barnard girl and I don't often see anyone dressed up on B's campus, parents included.</p>
<p>fendrock: I don't think you need an invite. I think you can just show up. These are basically marketing tools, a college fair.</p>
<p>We never got one but D is enrolled at Barnard so I don't think it's a pre-selection process. Perhaps the names come from PSAT which D never took. Oops! There went her National Merit scholarship! (Just kidding.)</p>
<p>Zooser, you and ZD should definitely attend (and no it is not too early). I took my D to her first sisters event as a sophomore because I wanted to dispel the myth of attending an "All Girls School" and show her the value in attending a "Womens College."</p>
<p>I have been to a number of these events professionally and personally for ZD a pair of jeans/slacks/skirt and a nice top (not all of your goodies hanging out) would be ok. As working class people, you definitely are not going to stick out.</p>
<p>Barnard will also have an open house Columbus Day (where ZD will have the opportunity to sit in on a class) and you should definitely go to their college planning weekend (in January).</p>
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If you see anyone wearing white gloves, pumps, pearls and patent leather purses, let us know!!!
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jym, when I was a young alum (which I no longer am, being of VeryHappy's vintage) of one of the Sisters, transplanted from East to West Coast, I spent all of my time speaking to high school students trying to disabuse them of the notion that this is what they would find!</p>
<p>Laid back Californians of that era seemed to think that the entirety of the East Coast would be wearing little black dresses, dainty pumps and - bien sur - pearls all day every day!</p>
<p>VH and I might have been at different sisters, as I did NOT wear this ensemble even then. BUT... Harvard football games. Yes indeed. Suit, delicate pumps. What the heck? Do they still do that?!?</p>
<p>^^ LOL jmmom!! Did you wear skirts to the football games?? I want to know how many "gentlemen" were walking around under the stands looking up!! :D</p>