<p>I am the mom of a freshman at Scripps and would be happy to answer any questions/concerns that you might have as a new Scripps parent. Scripps is a truly special place. Welcome to the community!</p>
<p>My daughter will be attending in the fall! I’d like to know if you are from CA or further away (we live in NYC), if your daughter attended the optional overnight orientation, and if you have an opinion about participating. Also, I’m not clear if you just drop your child off after convocation and that is “it” – or, if we are planning on staying in the area to visit friends if it’s appropriate to come meet her for lunch or dinner one day between the 26th and the 31st when school begins. Anything else you think I should know as a new parent of a college student (she’s my first to go), or things I probably don’t know about Scripps but should would be gratefully appreciated as well. Thanks.</p>
<p>Welcome, NEMONYC! We live the Boston area so we had a long tip as well. We came a few days ealy and stayed with friends who live in Claremont. Compared to my older son’s school Scripps had a very laid back policy for prent departure. We had shipped most of her things in advance, so move in day consisted of picking up her boxes from the school post office (which they neatly labeled and put in alphabetical order), going to Target and attending the various activities planned for new families. There was no cut off time that we had to leave by, and in fact, it is fine to visit the next day or so. We found that the peer mentor system and general welcoming attitude of the staff and students made it an easy transition. Congratulations to your daughter!</p>
<p>I forgot to add that Scripps not only does an amazing job of welcoming new students during orientation but is a very supportive community in all aspects. Each dorm has its own identity and serves as a way to make instant friends and really the women who attend are are by and large so nice. My D has made many close friends from Scripps as well as from the other four C’s and the profs have been wonderful and most importantly, I think, available. There are many small personal touches at Scripps (such as Valentine making in the dorms, and the french teacher bringing baguette, cheese and sparkling cider to class) that some might consider corny. For my D, it made her feel at home and a part of a caring community. I really can’t say enough good things about Scripps. I hope your D loves it as much as mine does!</p>
<p>D is just finishing her freshman year. We are from Illinois and drove out last August so we could leave her with a car (she was to play on the golf team and would need it to get to the course - alas she discovered rugby and didn’t golf afterall. She did enjoy having the car!). I am looking at the Orientation Program which shows that check-in was 8am Thursday, Convocation at 11am, and “Family and Friends Say Goodbye” at 5pm. I do remember the day being very exciting and busy; the quick “goodbye” was too abrupt for me but I know they wanted to get the students moving into their college life without teary mothers like me hanging on. We spent a few days in San Diego before flying home and that did help me make the transition. Parents get a copy of the student orientation book that shows the hour-by-hour schedule for the first several days of orientation and then highlights of activities over the next couple weeks. I remember clinging to that book and checking it often to see what D was doing.</p>
<p>D has had a great year and is excited about her class schedule and dorm draw for next year. She just sent us an itinerary of her drive home(her older sister is flying out to drive back with her). Seems like only yesterday…</p>
<p>This is all very helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>Since you all went out together I am assuming your daughters did NOT participate in the pre-orientation trip? (for us that means her being there the 20th, instead of the 26th; we don’t want to miss the 26th so logistics become more complicated). Because plane tickets are involved, we want to figure this out ASAP.</p>
<p>Do your daughters fly home out of LAX (my preference b/c it means non-stop)? Either way, how do they get to the airport?</p>
<p>If either of you have the time, I’d love to know more about what went into the decision to partake or not partake in pre-orientation… and what you think of the choice she made in retrospect now that you see how the year / adjustment period went.</p>
<p>It sounds wonderful… we are very excited.</p>
<p>D did not participate in the preorientation trip due to our driving plans, but one of her roommates did. That roommate flew out by herself from Michigan - parents did not come out for orientation. We and D use Ontario airport which is nearby. D often drives classmates to and from the airport. Cabs can also be called. There may be a shuttle at certain times of the year, but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>If LAX is really the bext choice for you - you can take a flyaway bus from LAX to Union Station, and then the metro Link to Claremont.
[LAX</a> FlyAway Bus](<a href=“LAX Official Site | Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport”>LAX Official Site | Traffic and Ground Transportation - FlyAway Bus)
[Metrolink</a> :: Claremont](<a href=“http://www.metrolinktrains.com/stations/detail.php?id=90]Metrolink”>http://www.metrolinktrains.com/stations/detail.php?id=90)</p>
<p>nemonyc,</p>
<p>Has your daughter received any info on the pre-orientation trip? We haven’t seen anything yet. Our daughter will also be a freshman this next fall and has expressed an interest in the trip. If she decides to go early, we will probably send her on her own (flying into Ontario), and then I will probably fly out the Wednesday before official drop-off to gather supplies and get her settled in. We’re from North Carolina, so it will be a long trip for us as well!</p>
<p>Many thanks to the parents who are posting - this is very helpful!</p>
<p>All I know about the trip at this point is the start date (August 20). The admissions officer I spoke with when we were deciding between several options said that the trip is usually someplace such as Catalina Island or Joshua Tree… decided by the current students who plan it. It’s a camping trip and she thought about 50% of the freshman usually go. My daughter is not a camper (we live in Vermont for several years and she has done quite a bit) but I think she is leaning toward going. </p>
<p>I’m happy to learn there are so many out-of-state students! I got the impression it would seem more heavily California (not that that’s a bad thing; though I’ve lived on the East Coast for years, I grew up in Los Angeles).</p>
<p>Good info about the trip! My daughter is also not a camper - but has really been trying to “stretch” herself recently - she also likes the option of bonding with a group of students before orientation.</p>
<p>We’re also very happy about Scripps’ geographic diversity - one of the many reasons my daughter chose Scripps! So many of her classmates stay close to home here in North Carolina - she was looking for a new experience. She has also lived in many different parts of the country - Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina - with some heavy doses of Colorado thrown into the mix (I grew up there, and we try to get back often). Her older sister went to school in PA and brother is currently in MN, so she is being very adventurous!</p>
<p>Here is a link to the Outdoor Orientation page from 2009: [Scripps</a> College : Outdoor Orientation Program](<a href=“http://www.scrippscollege.edu/students/orientation/orientation-outdoor.php]Scripps”>Campus Life | Scripps College in Claremont, California)</p>
<p>Please keep in mind that the dates (definitely) and the location, cost, and other specific details may change. However, it gives some good general information about the program, and you may find the PDF FAQ at the bottom of the page helpful. Even if your daughters don’t consider themselves outdoors-y or campers, I think it would still be a good experience (they certainly won’t be the only ones). Also- 50% participation seems like a high estimate to me. Most people I know did not go to Outdoor O.</p>
<p>The 2010 coordinators begin work in the next couple of weeks, so you may not have all the information about it for awhile.</p>
<p>Thank you for the link - great info - look forward to hearing more about this year’s trip!</p>
<p>My D did not particiapte in the pre-orientation, due to money and interest, but she knows others who loved it! Since Southwest flies out of ONT to Boston with one stop in LAS Vegas, we find that much eaiser for D than LAX. She can usually get a ride or take the super shuttle which I think is $25.</p>
<p>From LAX to Scripps can be an hour (or more in traffic), whereas ONT is only 15 minutes away. I really wouldn’t recommend LAX, even without a layover.</p>
<p>A third option might be to fly from John Wayne Airport in Orange County. It’s about the same distance away as LAX but is a much nicer airport. There isn’t really any public transportation there, but you can take a shuttle. I used to regularly fly nonstop from John Wayne to Chicago O’Hare airport.</p>
<p>Thanks. FYI: Someone also mentioned that Jet Blue flies direct out of Burbank, which seems to be slightly closer and less overwhelming than LAX. </p>
<p>I’ve done some research via the school. There are shuttle services to these airports for between $40 and $50. OR $90 for a private van that holds up to 5 if a group of students managed to get it together to share a trip. </p>
<p>As for layovers, my niece was flying from Colorado College to NYC this year, via Dallas (smartly trying to avoid Chicago in December) and while the Dallas area had no weather, she got stuck in Dallas overnight (with no place to go) because of weather on the East Coast… this is my concern with layovers during winter.</p>
<p>nemonyc - if you fly into burbank in the afternoon, midweek, you will hit some pretty bad traffic going out to Claremont. Of course, LAX will almost always have bad traffic, too.</p>
<p>Can any current Scripps students weight in on bedding? Should we be purchasing x-long fitted sheets or regular length? I waited too long to purchase this stuff with my last child - so thought I’d start earlier this time. :)</p>
<p>get regular length. I got x-long and my sheets have been really loose on all the regular sized beds (which I think are ALL the beds here)</p>