<p>Thanks, Momsdream.</p>
<p>You're Welcome Twinmom. I hope you enjoy Brown as much as we did. It was high on my son's list. </p>
<p>I can't say what we thought of the info session becuase we had lots of distraction from the family in front of us. There was a mom, son (applicant) and a grandmom - really old grandmom - like 90s. The son sat between the mom and grandmom. The grandmom kept falling sleep. Every 1-2 minutes the mom would reach across, behind the son, and pop the gandmom in the head to wake her. Sometimes it would work. Other times, the grandmom would sleep through it. At that point, the mom would use a pen to poke the grandmom - digging the pen into her arm and wiggling it. The grandmom would barely stir. Sometimes the mom would just tap the son and tell him to wake the grandmom, at which point he would give her a good nudge. When grandmom did wake up, she was mad and would tell them to stop and say that she was trying to hear the program (pointing her finger to the front of the room). This went on the ENTIRE time. It really was like watching the Three Stooges. That is what I'll always remember about Brown.</p>
<p>That is too funny, Momsdream!</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, your son is going to Penn in September. (Hope I have that right!) If so, congratulations.</p>
<p>That is on our list to visit too, though I'm not sure when yet.</p>
<p>"Parking is almost always a problem on College Hill but almost always you can find something, even if you have to walk a few blocks and up and down the hill. And with a little experience in the city, you learn where to go."</p>
<p>If they don't even let you park easily when you visit with your parents for the admissionstour, how well are they going to treat you once you go there?</p>
<p>I can only imagine that it's akin to parking near NYU, BU, or Columbia. There are some things that are just out of one's control.</p>
<p>"I can only imagine that it's akin to parking near NYU, BU, or Columbia. There are some things that are just out of one's control."</p>
<p>My point exactly. Those schools treat undergrads terribly/</p>
<p>,</p>
<p>If I judged Brown or any school on that small of a thing, I would be missing out on a whole lot. My daughter goes to Brown and so far, I have only seen positive things and she has been treated very well. As a parent, I have felt treated well at any events I have attended on campus and any mailings and so forth. I only have happy things to say so far. </p>
<p>But if I was quick to judge from a small thing at an info. session or a parking thing like you say, I would be missing out....cause when we visited Brown in junior year, while waiting for our info. session to start, I noticed that some kids/parents who were waiting were perusing the college brochure and we asked if we could get one when we signed in for the session (reserved in advance) too but they said they only gave those to high school seniors in attendance, not juniors, and I thought that was very strange and a poor choice of action. I mean not only had juniors and their families traveled a long way to get there, but junior year is the appropriate time to gather such kind of information about a college. This was in November. While I thought that was not too reasonable, I thought the info. session was very good and all I can say is the school has been GREAT and my daughter LOVES it. So, don't be too quick to judge an entire school or how they treat you from some minor thing like this or parking.
Susan</p>
<p>Yes, Twinmom, he's in ED at Penn, so that's that. It says a lot that he liked Brown too. We visited many, many schools and he hardly liked any of them. As a matter of fact, Brown and Penn were the only two that he liked right away and never waivered on. I'm curious to see what impression you get from Brown. They did show their liberal attitude while we were there....even making a few jokes during the info session about the political climate. I recall the adcom saying "yes, we're diverse in politics, we have democrats and even a COUPLE of republicans".....she was a women who looked black, but had a Hispanic name....though I forget her name now. I remember them telling the story of how there's a tradition on the opening convocation day (I think I am recalling this correctly. Someone might correct me) where the parents are escorted out through the gates, led by the marching band.....leaving their children on the green, waving farewell...and the gates close, which signifies that the students are now under the care of the university. If I recall correctly, the gates don't re-open until graduation, when the students walk out through them.</p>
<p>What's all this about parking? True, it's tough, but it's possible to find it. You just have to be patient and be willing to walk a bit. I parked all over College Hill when my daughter attended RISD. Brown IS a terrific school and parking has nothing to do with that -- one way or the other.</p>
<p>Mackinaw, I have always found a spot as well by driving around the streets on Brown's campus. Never would call it easy but it is certainly possible and I have gotten one every time I have driven onto campus. </p>
<p>Momsdream, that is almost correct. From what I could tell this year, the gate tradition happens at convocation. On the first day of classes for freshmen (parents are not there any longer), at noon, the entire freshmen class lines up to march through the Van Wickle gate and then there are some ceremonies on the green. The gates do not reopen or they do not walk through them again until graduation.</p>