I can also add, if you can, have your kid go to the kid only “mixer” session and you go to the parent’s session. My daughter met some really nice kids and we got lots of good info during the parent session. It was basically a Q&A with a panel, but I learned quite a bit I didn’t know.
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The parent panel session (runs concurrent with kids only session) is informative, but much of the same info is repeated at the Orientation session in the summer if you prefer to go then.
The tour is nice, but it is run as an “Admitted Students” tour, not a “Prospective Student” tour or the U-Guides “Historic Tour”…each of these has its own flavor…Admitted Students tours tend to focus on classes, dining and dorms, etc.
Dorms are not open to tours right now, but you will get a sense of what each type is like just by driving around.
Being an alum and having had one other kid go as well, I think it’s helpful to meet up with someone who really knows the area if you’re not familiar…the Grounds can seem quite large, but the actual portion that most undergrads go to on any regular basis is not…In fact, since I was in the E-School, I was able to see a few CLAS academic buildings on this trip with my daughter that I had only visited once before, even though I went there for 4 years, just because most of my classes were in a very different area!
Unlike years ago, there’s no real choice for students on where they live as First Years…and very little choice on dining plans either…Dorms are assigned (with roommate choices being honored where possible) and dining plans for First Years are very “all inclusive” in nature with little choice.
We had fun on the trip, since it’s my alma mater for undergrad, and we used it as a way to get my daughter excited…but it was a long trip from CA for us, and if you’re sure about the commitment, much of the same stuff will be an option at Orientation/Move-In.