Visitas-this weekend!

[CrimSon2019]

Visitas is coming up this weekend! Was wondering if there are any upperclass parents and/or students who would be willing to answer a few questions? Do parents attend only the “parent” events or can they attend anything? (We were planning on just attending the parent events). What can students expect? I have read the schedule (and it looks amazing) but it would be great to hear from enrolled students who have participated in Visitas. Thank you in advance for any information you can share.

[gibby]

This from 5 years ago in the Crimson: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/4/24/prefrosh-host-around-weekend/?page=single

While your host is more than likely excited to have you (after all, he or she volunteered!), remember that he or she may have other stuff going on this weekend. As the end of the term is quickly approaching, your host will probably have more on his or her plate this weekend than showing you around.

Attend advising events, meet other prefrosh, and talk to current students. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to random students around campus—everyone loves to talk to prefrosh! The best way to get a feel for campus is to explore it—don’t think that if your host is busy, you have to sit around in his or her room reading College Confidential.

This from 4 years ago on College Confidential: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1130311-visitas-an-accurate-reflection-of-life-at-harvard-p1.html

I don’t think ANY school’s admitted students special show is a very accurate reflection of the actually attending the school. Those things are planned, highly-staged events.

You can get a truer picture by doing an overnight stay and going to class with a host student during some time that is NOT part of the special program.

This from 7 days ago on Harvard’s website: https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/hear-our-students/student-blog/commonly-asked-questions-visitas-edition

Plan to be busy. As I mentioned earlier, it can be difficult to coordinate times with your host to let you into their dorm room so it’s best to take all that you need at the beginning of the day to plan ahead. If you’re already interested in a particular department, use Monday to visit some of the classes that they are offering!

[CrimSon2019]

Thank you @gibby for taking the time to reply! I have read many of your posts and have found them to be very informative. S accepted to Harvard in December- SCEA. We are so excited for him (nervous too!) Looking forward to Visitas!

[gibby]

Congratulations! Five years ago, my daughter went to Visitas and didn’t want us to attend any of the student events. She wanted her independence and we gladly gave it to her. So, she went her way, and we attended the parents-only events, which were informative, but not quite as exciting as all the events the school plans for the kids.

[DrC88888]

Thanks for the links. I have been looking for information on visitas too. I will be going to visitas with my daughter and will have a hotel room close to Harvard. Do you think it will be crucial for my daughter to stay with her host at night? Do you think it will be rude If she only spends one night with the host? Sleeping on the floor just does not sound that comfortable and we have a very early flight on Monday. Thought?

[gibby]

@DrC8888: Part of the fun of Visitas is getting a taste of what it would be like to be a Harvard student. And that includes sleeping in a dorm, even if it’s on the floor (some dorm rooms have couches – I know my daughter’s did). So, I would play it by ear. Let your daughter decide what she wants to after the first night and give her the option of sleeping in the hotel the 2nd night if she has a miserable first night.

[fauve]

When my DD did Visitas, she was up late doing all the social activities, but opted to sleep in the nearby hotel. (Her host had only a dirty floor to offer and D hadn’t lugged her sleeping bag cross country.) No one cared that she spent her seven sleeping hours in a nice hotel room- she was back with the prefrosh at the crack of dawn. Since she was in the middle of her main athletic season, it was crucial she stay healthy and rested.