Follow up to Visitas post (basically do i have to attend with dd). FYI-I went, dh did not. It was

[Anonymous]

nice to meet some other parents and the programming was informative and well done but it was ABSOLUTELY not necessary for any parent to be there (who couldn't/didn't want to). The kids don't care if their parent s are alive or dead, hardly see them the entire 3 days, and don't really want to. I could have put my dd on an acela or bus and it would not have made an iota of a difference to her. Just another reminder that they don't need us as much as we think they do, and frankly it's my opinion that the schools would prefer to only have the kids on campus but the parents want to be there so the college is forced to accommodate.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for letting us know OP! But just so you don't think it was a wasted trip, having that security of arriving with someone may have helped your daughter feel secure and supported and ready to dive in. It probably depends on the kid but I know if my DC had to navigate getting there on his own it might add some anxiety to the whole event that might start him off off-kilter--but every kid is different.

[Anonymous]

I went with my son to his. Wasn't necessary as they kept us separate the whole time. I did learn some things and it helped me make peace with his college choice (which wasn't my first choice for him, but that's ok).

We did get in some good bonding time hanging out on campus together after the event. I enjoyed seeing him walk by from time to time as we passed by each other on our way to our events. I enjoyed meeting other parents.

If it is a financial hardship or any other kind of hardship, it wasn't necessary. And it definitely didn't need two parents.

[Anonymous]

I have taken off work to attend orientation (student and family) for incoming first year student later this summer. I am excited about it because DD attended all the admitted students days at colleges (prior to picking and committing) solo. She says it was very awkward for her to be the only kid without parents in attendance at these events. She also said they split into parent/student groups only for a few hours of their programming. I could not take that much time off work but made sure to get the days for this orientation event. Now I read that at the orientation the incoming students will stay in a dorm and I suddenly expect to get to experience the awkward feelings my daughter went through earlier this spring as I sit solo in the parent group.
Either way, just sharing to say a kid going solo may not feel ideal to them but (barring pre-existing extreme social anxiety issues) will ultimately be no more than a momentary inconvenience/awkwardness and they will survive and go on to thrive.