<p>im thinking of visiting before preview, just to get a feel for how it "really" is. anyone else?</p>
<p>just come during preview. it's a really good time. sure, we're putting on a party for you guys, but it's cause we love you, not cause we want to trick you.</p>
<p>I'm going back to visit sometime... Maybe February Break... But I live in NH, so it's not such a trek. I'll probably go prom dress shopping in Boston (yay!!) at the same time. :) <3 Boston.</p>
<p>Pebbles is right, CPW is a fabulous experience, tons of fun, and well worth attending. That said, if you could have an extra visit at a more typical time, that would give you important information also. If you are from a warm state and haven't had much experience with real winters, you might also want to visit while the weather is cold and see how you feel about that.</p>
<p>I'm all for visiting at a non-"we're putting on our best face" time -- after all, MIT isn't Disneyland all the time -- but just as an FYI, CPW has become something of a pre-Rush as the yield rate has been rising over the past few years. Many people end up choosing their dorm/fraternity over CPW, and many more end up choosing their roommate.</p>
<p>I didn't go to CPW my senior year, and when I got to MIT I kind of felt like a lot of people already knew each other.</p>
<p>My son had the same experience as Mollie. No CPW and he felt a little behind the 8 ball. However, he already knew which dorm he wanted and wanted a single so that didn't really matter as much. But I think it's a good idea to go twice if possible.</p>
<p>My also chose to work another week at his summer job and skip the pre-orientation programs (sorry, I forget what they're called). He sort of wishes he had done one of those too as some of them looked like fun.</p>
<p>However, he's made friends and is happier than a clam. So don't feel bad if you can't do any of these things - you'll still find a place to live and make many friends.</p>
<p>"the pre-orientation programs (sorry, I forget what they're called)"</p>
<p>That's what they're called. heh. Stick a 'freshman' in front and acronym-ize it and voila, FPOP.</p>
<p>Choosing your roommate!</p>
<p>Preposterous!</p>
<p>OK, this might sound a little weird, but here it goes.</p>
<p>I live in MA, fairly close to MIT. I would like to go to CPW, since I feel like I should give MIT the same opportunity to wow me as I got from Olin. The thing is, that Friday I was supposed to go see my friend perform in Rocky Horror at Brandeis for the first time. (Usually we just go to Church Street) It means a lot to him, plus it's my birthday weekend and I was going to get to go to the cast party and such after. I looked on the schedule and it seemed fairly empty in that window of time. Do you think I'd be able to go to CPW but leave long enough to see my friend be Riff Raff?</p>
<p>Hey if it's your birthday weekend all the better. They may have some surprises for you :o</p>
<p>Does anyone know the cost of attending CPW? I mean registration fees, of course...not travel expenses, food, etc. I can't find this information anywhere on the website.</p>
<p>MIT is a cool place, i live in mass so i drive by it in Boston, its right on a river and about 5 minutes away from Cambridge, so its a great place to be</p>
<p>Hamster, there are no fees associated with CPW except whatever it costs you to get there. You'll stay with a student host and eat tons of FREE FOOD and go to all sorts of fun stuff.</p>
<p>(If a family member attends CPW also, they'll have to pay for a hotel room, and last year they got a guest card with some dollar amount on it to pay for food, but even they can get free food if they check out enough receptions at enough dorms etc. ;) )</p>
<p>Thanks for the response, mootmom. That's awesome. At U Florida, it seems like there is a fee associated with everything.</p>
<p>Hey spiraloflife, do whatever gets you psyched.</p>
<p>There's an agenda for CPW, of course, but mostly it's pretty free-form and you can do whatever you want. I mean, you don't have to check in and be in your host's room by 9 PM or whatever -- you're a big kid now, and you can go do whatever you want. Just let your host know what you're doing so he or she doesn't worry! :)</p>
<p>Thanks molliebatmit :) I am glad that it seems like I can do both; I really didn't want to miss either!</p>