Anonymous wrote:My DS is like this. Harvard. Just got back from Freshman Outdoor Program with 1/3 of the Freshman class. I haven't heard from him at all; just Life360ed him and looks like he is out in Cambridge. Their orientation events have been amazing. Heart happy.

Yep. Just do Harvard.

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary has been doing a 5 day orientation for decades. It's very well done.

Most schools have week-long orientations.

Orientation is so lame and cheesy. All the stupid icebreakers and summer camp games. Torture. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does it right. Freshmen who are rushing (which is all of them if they're smart) come to campus a week early, and the ones who accept bids can move right into their fraternity house instead of living in a dorm.

William & Mary has been doing a 5 day orientation for decades. It's very well done.

Anonymous wrote:Look at Rice.

+1. The residential college system makes everything feel smaller, more personalized. The orientation crew studies up to recognize your kid's face ahead of time, so they can call him by name. It's a very welcoming community.

Look at Rice.

Highly suggest your kid do one of the orientation trips the week before move-in if allowed.

My DS is like this. Harvard. Just got back from Freshman Outdoor Program with 1/3 of the Freshman class. I haven't heard from him at all; just Life360ed him and looks like he is out in Cambridge. Their orientation events have been amazing. Heart happy.

OP, what do you mean by "needs social support"? Is he willing to put himself out there at least somewhat to make friends, i.e. not stay in his dorm room until someone makes him participate in orientation activities? Some of this has to come from him.

Don’t go to Cornell.

Go to a SLAC.
Or a school like Duke; Vanderbilt; Wake.
I hear northwestern new student orientation is good too.

Is your son already a senior? If not I'd recommend he try a residential summer programs at a college, doesn't have to be one of the really expensive ones, the publics offer them too. It will give him experience but with a bit more supervision, the students are under 18 so they have curfews/limits in terms of leaving campus etc.

I'm looking for schools for my kid. He's a math/science kid---currently has 4.0 U/W, 1580 SAT, MCPS. Takes a mix of honors and AP courses. Academically, I have a good list for him for safety/target/reach. He needs social support at the school, no learning disabilities. I know he'll need a school that takes the big number of kids and creates smaller groups. There are schools with honor colleges and living communities on the list.

For this crowd sourcing exercise, tell me about your kids freshman orientation. Were there hall activities? Freshman class team building? How did your kids school make them feel that they weren't the only one?