Which Admitted Student's Days were really worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did the Admitted Students' Days for VT, W&M, and UVA. Definitely helped DC to make the decision. Chose VT.

Do you mind sharing your admitted student day experiences at each of these schools and what helped you specifically choose VT amongst the choices? One thing that is kind of nice about the Admitted Student Day events is that it is nice be on the other end of the admissions process where the school is trying to get your child to choose it (rather than the other way around - which is what our kids have been doing for the last 6 months - or arguably since the beginning of high school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

Nobody thought hitchhiking was fine 30 years ago.

--Class of '85

I might be off by a decade- but wasn't there a time when people did it all the time? Personally, I never did it, but I thought people did.

30s through early 70s, I think. It was never that dangerous but there were big scare campaigns against it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

Nobody thought hitchhiking was fine 30 years ago.

--Class of '85

I might be off by a decade- but wasn't there a time when people did it all the time? Personally, I never did it, but I thought people did.

30s through early 70s, I think. It was never that dangerous but there were big scare campaigns against it.

Yep - then we started hearing about the Ted Bundy's and other serial killers. Even now, human trafficking is a huge problem. When we were driving through NC last week, we saw so many billboards warning of human trafficking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

PP here. True.
I am realizing we need to go because everyone else is.
I'm bummed because I raised a kid who could totally do this on her own at age 18.

DP. All of these kids are perfectly capable of doing this on their own. The point is, it's for both students AND parents. Not sure why you don't grasp this.

This is the point. The schools design them for families. I don't intend to spend much time with my kid at his; we will attend different events, and he has a couple of kids he knows who he will want to hang out with. But I'm excited to go and spend some time getting to know the school where my kid will be spending the next four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

PP here. True.
I am realizing we need to go because everyone else is.
I'm bummed because I raised a kid who could totally do this on her own at age 18.

DP. All of these kids are perfectly capable of doing this on their own. The point is, it's for both students AND parents. Not sure why you don't grasp this.

This is the point. The schools design them for families. I don't intend to spend much time with my kid at his; we will attend different events, and he has a couple of kids he knows who he will want to hang out with. But I'm excited to go and spend some time getting to know the school where my kid will be spending the next four years.

Perfectly said! But for whatever reason, it seems like that one parent really didn't want to go. Her kid probably can sense it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a blast at Michigan's! They brought in the marching band, answered lots of questions, showed a lived-in dorm room and offered lunch in a good cafeteria. DD was already 99% committed but left so excited and proud to go to Michigan.

you went with your student to an admitted students day?

DP. The U-M invite allows you to bring 1-2 persons and there is a small fee for each to cover lunch.

Incidentally, Michigan State had an Honors College admitted students day where parents had separate info sessions. Pitt Honors College has an admitted students dinner that can include a parent.

It doesn't seem unusual to me to include the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

Nobody thought hitchhiking was fine 30 years ago.

--Class of '85

😀 I love people’s concept of 30 years ago like it was ancient history. I went to college 30 years ago and my parents came for accepted students day as did all the other parents. There was information relevant for parents and they also were interested enough to want to know more about where I was going. It wasn’t helicoptering; it was normal parental interest. Some of you may not feel the same way but it doesn’t mean that kids who go with a parent are incapable or less independent/ competent than yours. Good grief. If you don’t want to go don’t go. If you want to go, go.

[Anonymous]

When I was in high school (mid/late '80s, rural Pennsylvania) there was a guy in my mom's church who hitchhiked to and from the local college (and work) every day for at least two years that I know of (he had severe financial issues). My parents used to pick him up all the time, but of course we knew him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went with my daughter to see Iowa - I had never been before. We’re heading to Michigan this weekend to MSU and the whole family is going (we also have friends in the area). Never occurred to me to send her alone.

My son graduated from MSU in May. He loved it. He was accepted to multiple other schools, some "better" by DCUM standards. Halfway through our tour he asked me to put in the deposit on my phone.

He's gainfully employed here in the DC area with an Econ degree, and a pretty good salary.

Go green!

We did an MSU admitted student visit last week, over spring break. Great campus (huge) and people. We couldn't get on the Engineering college tour but an admissions officer sat with us to walk through programs, resources and was willing to talk to us as long as necessary to help us with our decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I notice everyone is saying “we.” Do parents really need to go to thee? I’m not an admitted student. My kid has already made up their mind but wants to go to check out dorms and such. Taking a day off work and spending another $800 plus for me to go seems silly. Am I wrong?

For us, attending admitted student day is putting the ball into the school's court to convince us they are worth dropping tens of thousands to 90K a year on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

PP here. True.
I am realizing we need to go because everyone else is.
I'm bummed because I raised a kid who could totally do this on her own at age 18.

DP. All of these kids are perfectly capable of doing this on their own. The point is, it's for both students AND parents. Not sure why you don't grasp this.

Of course **I** grasp this, but there are people upthread saying it would be irresponsible to send a student on a plane by themselves. I think it's really paranoid and time to cut the cord, at least in our case it would be paranoid.

But I also think there's a reason it's good for kids to go alone that is beyond just travel. I get that parents now spend so mucn more $ on education, but...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

PP here. True.
I am realizing we need to go because everyone else is.
I'm bummed because I raised a kid who could totally do this on her own at age 18.

DP. All of these kids are perfectly capable of doing this on their own. The point is, it's for both students AND parents. Not sure why you don't grasp this.

Of course **I** grasp this, but there are people upthread saying it would be irresponsible to send a student on a plane by themselves. I think it's really paranoid and time to cut the cord, at least in our case it would be paranoid.

But I also think there's a reason it's good for kids to go alone that is beyond just travel. I get that parents now spend so mucn more $ on education, but...

This has been addressed multiple times and you must be the same poster who for some reason doesn't understand this is a family event. We're not paranoid and in fact my kid (like most) has flown alone multiple times. But no, at 17 he hasn't (and legally can't) stay alone in a hotel in another city. The events are largely designed for parents and their kids about to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a major life decision. We get it, you don't want to take the day off work, but this isn't about paranoia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

PP here. True.
I am realizing we need to go because everyone else is.
I'm bummed because I raised a kid who could totally do this on her own at age 18.

DP. All of these kids are perfectly capable of doing this on their own. The point is, it's for both students AND parents. Not sure why you don't grasp this.

Of course **I** grasp this, but there are people upthread saying it would be irresponsible to send a student on a plane by themselves. I think it's really paranoid and time to cut the cord, at least in our case it would be paranoid.

But I also think there's a reason it's good for kids to go alone that is beyond just travel. I get that parents now spend so mucn more $ on education, but...

This has been addressed multiple times and you must be the same poster who for some reason doesn't understand this is a family event. We're not paranoid and in fact my kid (like most) has flown alone multiple times. But no, at 17 he hasn't (and legally can't) stay alone in a hotel in another city. The events are largely designed for parents and their kids about to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a major life decision. We get it, you don't want to take the day off work, but this isn't about paranoia.

No, I’m the original bad parent poster and that was a different poster. I’m not blaming anyone that wants to go - that’s totally fine if it seems like a fun way to spend a day or if there is relevant info to be learned. My kid did ED so we are already contractually locked in. We’ll go for family weekend and get the school’s song and dance then, but this just seems silly to me to spend another thousand and take a day off work to go with her when she will not be spending any time with me. I’d rather take the day off to do something fun with her before she leaves for school. For the amount I’d pay on my plane tickets, I could take her to NyC for the day to see a show.

Honestly, it just never occurred to me that I would even go, so interesting to hear the different perspectives! I’ll take her for move in day and go to family day. In general she’s very independent and wants to just do everything herself. I was not involved at all in her college applications, although I did insist she tell me where she was applying and why. She’s always been like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was 30 years ago when people thought hitchhiking was fine too.

Nobody thought hitchhiking was fine 30 years ago.

--Class of '85

😀 I love people’s concept of 30 years ago like it was ancient history. I went to college 30 years ago and my parents came for accepted students day as did all the other parents. There was information relevant for parents and they also were interested enough to want to know more about where I was going. It wasn’t helicoptering; it was normal parental interest. Some of you may not feel the same way but it doesn’t mean that kids who go with a parent are incapable or less independent/ competent than yours. Good grief. If you don’t want to go don’t go. If you want to go, go.

+1
My parents also accompanied me 30 years ago - as did everyone else's. I imagine the poster who insists this is just *so bizarre!* has a child who desperately doesn't want her and her negative energy to accompany him, so he's pretending it's not for families. He'll probably be more welcome with the parents of strangers he'll meet on that day. I feel bad for him.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is already committed, then there isn't much reason for either your kid or you to go. I think the Admitted Student Days are more for schools to convince students to attend their school. However, if your kid wanted to go, I wouldn't send them alone - unless its within a commuting distance (and even then, it might be weird to be there alone without parents/family). However, even if your kid is already committed to the school, the admitted student's day can be a great way to feel more excited about the school (and possibly even meet their future roommate).