<p>Do profs really hold classes the Wed before Thanksgiving? It's a regular class day according to the academic calendar. I'm trying to make travel plans for my son who has 2 afernoon classes on MWF. I hate to make reservations for Wed. evening and then have it turn out he could have left on Tues (or at least earlier on Wed). I'm pretty sure I didn't go to classes on the Wed before Thanksgiving when I was in college, but that may just be because I skipped class.</p>
<p>Mostly people just don't go to classes the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and even classes with mandatory attendance will usually make an exception. Significantly less than half the people who usually attend class are there on that day. It's a ghost town!</p>
<p>Just have your son double-check that he doesn't have any tests that day -- they usually don't do that in freshman classes, though. (Sophomore year, I had a test on that Wednesday. I was not pleased.)</p>
<p>mollie - well, he's not actually taking any freshman classes. Is that likely to make a difference? I think one of them is a grad level class. He emailed the prof for that one and just got something along the lines of "that day does not appear to be a school holiday", which doesn't actually address the issue of when he can really leave for Thanksgiving. I'll have him check for exams.</p>
<p>Another, related question. Assuming he has to leave pretty late on Wed. before Thanksgiving (his last class ends at 4)what the best way to get from Boston to NYC? I've heard about the Chinatown bus, but you can't reserve a seat, right? I'm guessing that might make the scramble for a but difficult the the evening before Thanksgiving. Which Amtrak station is the closest to MIT?</p>
<p>Actually, I've found that my non-freshman classes are more likely to just cancel class the day before Thanksgiving ;) Professors are usually quite understanding; just double-check that there are no tests or major assignments due that day.</p>
<p>I've taken the Chinatown bus a few times, and I've never had a problem with seats -- although I've always gotten there way too early, so maybe that's why. And Thanksgiving might be a little crazy. (Info is [url=<a href="http://www.fungwahbus.com/ticket/%5Dhere%5B/url">http://www.fungwahbus.com/ticket/]here[/url</a>], if you'd like to peruse.)</p>
<p>The easiest Amtrak station is South Station, since it's right on the Red Line.</p>
<p>Hi, Texas, when I saw your post's subject line, I was startled, because I thought you were announcing that your first-year son was getting married. ;) </p>
<p>Here at our humble abode, the latest news is that our oldest is campaigning to keep doing pure-play homeschooling for two more years. He seems uninterested in such exotic choices as boarding school.</p>
<p>no, no wedding, although I can see now how the subject line could have that meaning. Considering how challenged we are simply by making plans for Thanksgiving week-end, I don't think any of us could manage a wedding.</p>
<p>Good luck with the homeschooling (although I don't think the term "pure play" does either of you justice). :)</p>
<p>Amtrak is the best way to get from Boston to NYC to avoid the Thanksgiving traffic. It costs more than Chinatown bus, but it's worthy IMO. It took more than 8 hours for my D to get to NYC by bus last year because of the Thanksgiving traffic and bad weather.</p>