<p>My son is entering MIT this fall. We live in Washington state, and airfare is expensive. He didn't attend CPW due to other commitments. I was wondering when my husband and/or I should go out to Cambridge with him. Is it important that one of us comes with him in August to help get him settled? How about parent's weekend in October? I don't think we can afford both of us to come out both times, so should one of us come in August and the other in October? What are some MIT people's thoughts on this?</p>
<p>It's definitely not imperative that somebody comes with him in August to get settled -- lots of the west coast/international parents don't come for orientation. As for moving stuff in, there are lots of upperclassmen (about 10-15% of each dorm) who come back early specifically to help freshmen move in and get adjusted.</p>
<p>It will be more fun and informative for you to come on parents' weekend, because your son will be more settled and you'll be able to meet some of the new important people in his life.</p>
<p>We're from California. We stuck our son on the plane to Boston with a couple giant duffel bags and his camera and laptop, and waved him into his future. Several days later, we Airborned out to him a couple more boxes of stuff, and used campuscomfort.com to buy linens etc. to have delivered to campus for him.</p>
<p>ESPECIALLY since he will NOT be settling into his actual dorm room during orientation, there's no great reason for you to go out at that time. In my personal experience, you should make arrangements now to go out in Oct. for Family Weekend. That's what I did, and it was both reassuring to see him in his element, and the right time to actually get some time with him (during orientation he was sure to be too wrapped up in his own activities to give me any time at all -- in Oct. I went to some classes with him, took him out to buy winter clothing, had some leisurely meals with him and his friends, helped organize his room and clean his hall kitchen, and generally enjoyed a nice long weekend).</p>
<p>That's my recommendation from experience anyway. :)</p>