<p>My son is scheduled next week. Dad thinks his adviser will help him make a four year plan of courses. I think that is unlikely. What typically occurs during freshman orientation?</p>
<p>I planned my first semester and that was it. I saw a Kelley advisor but I don’t think it would be different for any other school. There were also placement tests and a tour, among other things. </p>
<p>Also, a piece of advice: If you are going there with him, and you have a hotel room, don’t have him stay in the dorms unless its cool out. Students stay in Wright, which has no air conditioning. It was about 95 degrees both days when I went, and it was so unbearable even at night I didn’t fall asleep until about 5 and I had to get up at like 8 the next morning.</p>
<p>This week is ridiculously hot. Too bad! My boys won’t be able to go to next week’s orientation. It will be 70-80 deg F. Hope that it will stay that way for another week since they will go to Bloomington themselves.</p>
<p>I added a LONG post last year about what happens at orientation. You can search for that. The answer is…a TON! It is a nonstop schedule. I myself got a hotel room and offered my child to stay with me (though she also had a dorm), but she declined…choosing the heat and friendship over a cool room with a parent. My daughter DID come out with a 4 year plan, but…it was pretty sketchy, as you can imagine…and changed a TON. I felt like the registration of classes was treated as just something to “get through”…though it’s THE most important thing. My child made changes after leaving campus. There definitely IS an advisor meeting, and…without a tentative 4 year plan…it’s a bit hard to even get the first year right. So…I’m sure it’s at least a GOAL to do that. Are they a direct admit? Hutton or regular advisor? Firm on their major? All those things will probably factor in.</p>
<p>Don’t schedule 8am classes.</p>
<p>S is direct admit honor’s college BS computer science prospect. Will that make a difference? I guess he could bring a box fan. Any other tips/ideas?</p>
<p>Some orientation advice I gathered after attending last year…</p>
<ul>
<li>Wear comfortable shoes because you’ll be walking around a lot (this includes parents too!)</li>
<li>Bring an umbrella, because Bloomington is unpredictable and it could start raining at any moment during the summer </li>
<li>Attend all of the orientation programs, even the optional ones, no matter how silly or cheesy they seem. You meet a LOT of people this way and they really are fun.</li>
<li>Take advantage of all the free stuff that they give you </li>
<li>Get plenty of sleep the night before… wish my mom and I had done this before taking a red-eye flight; we ended up nearly falling asleep at some of the academic sessions just because we were so tired </li>
<li>Don’t fix up your hair for your ID picture; the humidity’s going to ruin it </li>
</ul>
<p>Orientation was actually a really fun experience. Even though I didn’t talk to or see many of the people I met ever again afterward, I did manage to make some lasting friendships and the orientation team does a great job of getting you excited for IU.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. Honestly, I think Dad is just dropping S1 off and heading for home (90 minutes away). I don’t think he was intending to stick around for any parent meetings. He is rather panicky about S making good course choices, taking advantage of AP credits, etc. I can’t figure out why because when he went to college (1st generation), he and his parents had never visited, he drove 5 hours to get there - first time to drive that far - and took care of himself. Our son has had much better preparation for college, has visited twice and is brighter with more academic and practical skills than we had. I’m confident he’ll do fine. Dad is just a worrywart - especially when $$ is involved. LOL</p>