Props to BC - Orientation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got back from BC's 3 day orientation and just wanted to give them a shout out for a job well done! We had 7 sessions to choose from - anytime from June thru July. You arrive Sun and it goes until Tues afternoon. There are separate parent and student programs. After the initial welcome, we didn't get to see our kiddo until Tuesday. Students get to stay in the dorms to get a taste of dorm life and were able to register for classes after meeting with an advisor and hearing recommendations from upperclassmen. The presentations were so informative and they answered every question we could possibly have. We got to hear from residential life, dining services, security, transportation, deans from all the schools, financial aid, account billing, student employment, health services, university counseling and the registrar. We had lunch/dinner with fellow parents and were able to compare notes. Great opportunity to meet other families and even met a few from the DMV. We also got to tour the dorms with res life reps so we could measure etc. before we started dorm shopping. Upperclassmen were also on hand to answer any questions we had. After orientation, DD felt much more comfortable and is excited to move-in later this month. As parents, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from so many students, staff and administrators and walked away knowing BC was the right choice for our DD.

**Our eldest child's college only had one day of orientation, so I just wanted to point out how unique and helpful this program seemed to us.

Tuition + room + board at BC is $85k. They charge a $600 summer orientation fee. Isn't it amazing what money buys!

Sheesh! You're right. I looked it up. So BC, with it's roughly 2300 freshmen, is collecting $1.3 million from this alone. Good Lord.

+1. That’s just wrong when you are already charging $85k and certainly so considering most students have travel expenses to attend!

[Anonymous]

If I recall, the last session of orientation is right before the school year starts in the fall and is reserved for students coming from far-away states.

[Anonymous]

seems obnoxious to have a separate mid-summer multi-day orientation, instead of just a couple extra days at the beginning of the school year.

It requires extra costs, travel expenses, taking time off from a summer job, etc.
what's the extra benefit from separating it from the beginning of school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:seems obnoxious to have a separate mid-summer multi-day orientation, instead of just a couple extra days at the beginning of the school year.

It requires extra costs, travel expenses, taking time off from a summer job, etc.
what's the extra benefit from separating it from the beginning of school?

Volume of people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:seems obnoxious to have a separate mid-summer multi-day orientation, instead of just a couple extra days at the beginning of the school year.

It requires extra costs, travel expenses, taking time off from a summer job, etc.
what's the extra benefit from separating it from the beginning of school?

Volume of people

BC is not a huge school.

[Anonymous]

“what's the extra benefit from separating it from the beginning of school?“

The sessions involve fewer people, so more personal attention & better advising (avoids the mob scene/assembly line atmosphere).

People can attend when it’s convenient & fits in with other summer activities.

Gives nervous kids a chance to re-assure themselves that they made the right decision so they can have a few weeks lower anxiety before the big event actually starts.

It’s a well-run school & their research apparently tells them this is an effective format.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got back from BC's 3 day orientation and just wanted to give them a shout out for a job well done! We had 7 sessions to choose from - anytime from June thru July. You arrive Sun and it goes until Tues afternoon. There are separate parent and student programs. After the initial welcome, we didn't get to see our kiddo until Tuesday. Students get to stay in the dorms to get a taste of dorm life and were able to register for classes after meeting with an advisor and hearing recommendations from upperclassmen. The presentations were so informative and they answered every question we could possibly have. We got to hear from residential life, dining services, security, transportation, deans from all the schools, financial aid, account billing, student employment, health services, university counseling and the registrar. We had lunch/dinner with fellow parents and were able to compare notes. Great opportunity to meet other families and even met a few from the DMV. We also got to tour the dorms with res life reps so we could measure etc. before we started dorm shopping. Upperclassmen were also on hand to answer any questions we had. After orientation, DD felt much more comfortable and is excited to move-in later this month. As parents, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from so many students, staff and administrators and walked away knowing BC was the right choice for our DD.

**Our eldest child's college only had one day of orientation, so I just wanted to point out how unique and helpful this program seemed to us.

Tuition + room + board at BC is $85k. They charge a $600 summer orientation fee. Isn't it amazing what money buys!

Sheesh! You're right. I looked it up. So BC, with it's roughly 2300 freshmen, is collecting $1.3 million from this alone. Good Lord.

+1. That’s just wrong when you are already charging $85k and certainly so considering most students have travel expenses to attend!

Don’t worry. Our full pay will help subsidize you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got back from BC's 3 day orientation and just wanted to give them a shout out for a job well done! We had 7 sessions to choose from - anytime from June thru July. You arrive Sun and it goes until Tues afternoon. There are separate parent and student programs. After the initial welcome, we didn't get to see our kiddo until Tuesday. Students get to stay in the dorms to get a taste of dorm life and were able to register for classes after meeting with an advisor and hearing recommendations from upperclassmen. The presentations were so informative and they answered every question we could possibly have. We got to hear from residential life, dining services, security, transportation, deans from all the schools, financial aid, account billing, student employment, health services, university counseling and the registrar. We had lunch/dinner with fellow parents and were able to compare notes. Great opportunity to meet other families and even met a few from the DMV. We also got to tour the dorms with res life reps so we could measure etc. before we started dorm shopping. Upperclassmen were also on hand to answer any questions we had. After orientation, DD felt much more comfortable and is excited to move-in later this month. As parents, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from so many students, staff and administrators and walked away knowing BC was the right choice for our DD.

**Our eldest child's college only had one day of orientation, so I just wanted to point out how unique and helpful this program seemed to us.

Tuition + room + board at BC is $85k. They charge a $600 summer orientation fee. Isn't it amazing what money buys!

Sheesh! You're right. I looked it up. So BC, with it's roughly 2300 freshmen, is collecting $1.3 million from this alone. Good Lord.

+1. That’s just wrong when you are already charging $85k and certainly so considering most students have travel expenses to attend!

Don’t worry. Our full pay will help subsidize you.

Snort. Narcissism at its finest!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got back from BC's 3 day orientation and just wanted to give them a shout out for a job well done! We had 7 sessions to choose from - anytime from June thru July. You arrive Sun and it goes until Tues afternoon. There are separate parent and student programs. After the initial welcome, we didn't get to see our kiddo until Tuesday. Students get to stay in the dorms to get a taste of dorm life and were able to register for classes after meeting with an advisor and hearing recommendations from upperclassmen. The presentations were so informative and they answered every question we could possibly have. We got to hear from residential life, dining services, security, transportation, deans from all the schools, financial aid, account billing, student employment, health services, university counseling and the registrar. We had lunch/dinner with fellow parents and were able to compare notes. Great opportunity to meet other families and even met a few from the DMV. We also got to tour the dorms with res life reps so we could measure etc. before we started dorm shopping. Upperclassmen were also on hand to answer any questions we had. After orientation, DD felt much more comfortable and is excited to move-in later this month. As parents, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from so many students, staff and administrators and walked away knowing BC was the right choice for our DD.

**Our eldest child's college only had one day of orientation, so I just wanted to point out how unique and helpful this program seemed to us.

Tuition + room + board at BC is $85k. They charge a $600 summer orientation fee. Isn't it amazing what money buys!

Sheesh! You're right. I looked it up. So BC, with it's roughly 2300 freshmen, is collecting $1.3 million from this alone. Good Lord.

+1. That’s just wrong when you are already charging $85k and certainly so considering most students have travel expenses to attend!

Don’t worry. Our full pay will help subsidize you.

Snort. Narcissism at its finest!

That’s not narcissistic.

[Anonymous]

+1 on not narcissistic. Maybe a tad snarky, but he was just trying to calm down someone who felt it was necessary to use an exclamation point on a post about students paying for travel to an optional orientation at a school known to attract more than the usual percentage of well-heeled students. There are plenty of things in this world to get agitated about. If this makes it into your top 500, maybe it’s time for a few deep breaths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to be contrary, but why not just do a couple of days of orientation, etc. as ‘new student week’ rather than require a separate trip in the summer? Of course info should arrive over the summer, but this seems like helicopter parent 101.

As a parent, I have zero interest in staying in a dorm. And do I really need days of programming?

Lol you def meant to be contrary

+1 Agreed. And I appreciate hearing the good news about the OP's experience with the BC orientation. I think BC gets trashed here a lot and the OP's post is appreciated. We have a son there. Rising Senior. He is loving every minute of it and we feel he is getting an outstanding education.

Same here. Have a rising senior kid there who is very happy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 on not narcissistic. Maybe a tad snarky, but he was just trying to calm down someone who felt it was necessary to use an exclamation point on a post about students paying for travel to an optional orientation at a school known to attract more than the usual percentage of well-heeled students. There are plenty of things in this world to get agitated about. If this makes it into your top 500, maybe it’s time for a few deep breaths.

That wasn’t the point and you know it. The point was the propriety of charging $600 on top of $85k PLUS the costs of travel to attend the “optional” - as you call it - orientation. Do you think that is right? I certainly don’t

[Anonymous]

If failure to attend meant your offer of admission was rescinded, I’d agree with you. But I’m quite sure it was optional, & those who didn’t attend were likely given the option of getting course advice & registering virtually. Alas, they will probably have to endure the indignity of not having had the opportunity to measure their dorm room prior to move-in day. And for that, I’m sure, heads will roll!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If failure to attend meant your offer of admission was rescinded, I’d agree with you. But I’m quite sure it was optional, & those who didn’t attend were likely given the option of getting course advice & registering virtually. Alas, they will probably have to endure the indignity of not having had the opportunity to measure their dorm room prior to move-in day. And for that, I’m sure, heads will roll!

Students living beyond New England typically have the option of the final orientation session that occurs immediately prior to the school year starting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 on not narcissistic. Maybe a tad snarky, but he was just trying to calm down someone who felt it was necessary to use an exclamation point on a post about students paying for travel to an optional orientation at a school known to attract more than the usual percentage of well-heeled students. There are plenty of things in this world to get agitated about. If this makes it into your top 500, maybe it’s time for a few deep breaths.

That wasn’t the point and you know it. The point was the propriety of charging $600 on top of $85k PLUS the costs of travel to attend the “optional” - as you call it - orientation. Do you think that is right? I certainly don’t

Your kid can choose to attend the orientation immediately preceding the start of school in August. But I feel certain your kid is not going to BC. So what's the faux umbrage? Who is it "not right" for? Those of us with kids who want to go to BC are not complaining about the optional orientation offered throughout the summer. No complaints.