Anonymous wrote:I only attended my DC's summer orientation (not UVA) at the last minute and it turned out to be very helpful. Kids stayed in the dorms and parents at hotels. We mostly had completely separate programming. Most, but not all kids, had a parent there.

Move in was a separate event with 2 hours assigned for the physical move in. We then went to Target with DC and then left.

This was basically our experience and what we expect at actual move in at my daughter’s little school in Mass

I actually found the family sessions very helpful at the 2 day new student orientation. The only sessions that were shared were the opening and closing sessions.

For move in at the end of August, they told us to get the crap in and leave. Which sounds all well and good, but it is the Friday of Labor Day weekend-we will stick around at least that night nearby so as not to join everyone between Boston and DC on the road at the exact same time! We figure we can help her get some extra dorm things around town while she is doing whatever welcome sessions they have planned before class starts.

I only attended my DC's summer orientation (not UVA) at the last minute and it turned out to be very helpful. Kids stayed in the dorms and parents at hotels. We mostly had completely separate programming. Most, but not all kids, had a parent there.

Move in was a separate event with 2 hours assigned for the physical move in. We then went to Target with DC and then left.

My kid will be attending UVA this fall. 2-day orientations start next week. Parents are welcome to attend the parent and/or student/parent activities but not required.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most college want you to gtf off campus as quickly as possible and leave the child alone. Id be surprised if uva expected you to stay longer than an hour or so

It looks the UVA orientations are all through the summer, not drop off. And yes they want parents to attend.

This is surprising. Dc’s college gave us two hours last year and then I called him the next day and he was on a backpacking trip

Anonymous wrote:Most college want you to gtf off campus as quickly as possible and leave the child alone. Id be surprised if uva expected you to stay longer than an hour or so

It looks the UVA orientations are all through the summer, not drop off. And yes they want parents to attend.

Anonymous wrote:
I'm a mother hen so I love all that stuff. Feel free to do your own thing, OP.

Me again. My kid is not at UVA. Orientation for parents was one day.

I'm a mother hen so I love all that stuff. Feel free to do your own thing, OP.

I was also skeptical about the 2-day parent 'orientation' at my kids' school but I actually found it enjoyable and helpful.

In fact UVA in particular is pretty clear about the need for parents NOT to hang out after move in. I calll BS.

UVa had a "meet the deans" optional event for both parents and students on drop off day when I went off to school. After that parents left. As it happens, it was helpful that we all met the dean together. He answered questions and was helpful.

My kid goes to UVA and this was not our experience. They do very little if any programming for parents. I did not attend anything. My kids move in date was not during orientation, who moves in during orientation? Maybe internationals?

Most college want you to gtf off campus as quickly as possible and leave the child alone. Id be surprised if uva expected you to stay longer than an hour or so

Are you sure the orientation for parents for 3 days? Sounds like student orientation. For parents it's usually like an hour, if it exists at all.

Most schools have students move in, parents leave, then orientation activities begin. Is this not what the schedule is?

UVA is expecting us to helicopter our child for 3 days of orientation.
One of the days is devoted to moving in. That's it. No other activities scheduled.

In my day, my parents simply dropped me off. My husband, who is an alumn of UVA, shooed his parents away pronto.
Is this orientation thing a ploy to pump money into the Charlottesville hospitality industry? We were given a list of hotels to book our stay.