I've gone to all but two of my SLAC reunions and have loved them because:
1) I get to see some old friends
2) there's dancing
3) I always have at least one terrific conversation with a person whom I barely knew
4) there's dancing
5) the chapel service is lovely and moving, especially as a remembrance of classmates who have died
6) the campus is beautiful
7) did I mention there's dancing?

DH went to Princeton. He's not as fanatically pro-Tigers as most Princeton alums, but he had enjoyed the reunions he's attended. I went to one with him shortly after we were married. It was fun, but one was enough.

Like many others, my SLAC has reunions every 5 years. I've been to all of mine so far, except for my 10th when I was at a trial. (And no reunion in 2020 thanks to Covid). Just attended my 35th. Almost 40% of the class was there. I really enjoyed myself. As noted above, its a great chance to see people I knew back in the day, but don't get together with very often, and also see closer friends, now that we are scattered all over the country (and the world). For our 35th, we added a small ceremony/event where we honored and remembered those from our class who have passed away. It was really a moving event. I was stunned at how many classmates have already died, and of course its only going to get bigger going forward.

Went to a mid-sized state school and do not go back for reunions. However, I did a semester abroad in college and frequently go to reunions with the group from that.

I went to Cornell and have been to most of the reunions (they are for the graduating class in 5-year increments, so classes celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th etc. all on the same weekend). They are in the late spring, often well-attended and with a lot of programming, and alumni (and their families) can be housed in the dorms since college is not in session.

There is a homecoming in the fall which yes, centers around a football game, and it's definitely the most well-attended tailgating of the year (which is otherwise lame) and a lot of young alumni--1-2 years out of college--come to that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to one and have no desire. (UVA)

My BIL goes to every UVA reunion, and has informal mini ones with his college friends every summer. He was in the honors program. Maybe that creates the sense of a smaller school within the big school that results in LAC-style alumni attendance?

UVA doesn’t have an honors program. Do you mean being an Echols Scholar?

I went to a tiny LAC and have never been to a reunion. No desire.

Duke reunions were better when they had the big tents on west campus near football stadium. But agree school does good job scheduling basketball games all over the country for our national alumni base

I went to a mid sized Catholic college - about 1500 in my class. When I first graduated, reunions were always at Homecoming. I went the first couple of years after I graduated but I didn't do any formal events, it was just going to bars with friends. I don't remember when they changed the format, but at least 25 years ago the college went to a reunion weekend in June. It's for any classes celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, etc reunion. They have class specific gatherings and a couple of all class gatherings. I've gone to my 10th, 20th and 25th. Most of my close friend group from college goes and it's a lot of fun to reconnect with them. I'm planning on going to the next one, which will be next June in 2026.

My step-father graduated from a northeast SLAC. He went to his reunion every single year.

Anonymous wrote:I went to an LAC and have attended most of mine. Friends who went to bigger schools are surprised that so many of us attend and that it’s a big deal. Your experiences? I have to admit that my positive experience at my college has made me prioritize college-fit for my kid.

If you graduated with 10K other people, you probably wouldn't want to go. Obviously it's a different thing.

Not sure what we're discussing here.

I stopped attending reunions when they went coed.

Anonymous wrote:Went to one, but only because a friend who passed was being recognized/acknowledged (graduated in 91). No interest in attending again

I went to an SLAC and I’ve gone to a few. I find that there is a ‘type’ who likes to see and be seen at reunions, at least those of us who didn’t go to sports focused schools. A little Tracey Flick ish, especially the ones who volunteer to organize them

I went to a SLAC. I attended a few reunions because my best friend from college was going, but overall I find the people there insufferable with major sticks up their asses (boarding school athlete types).

I picked the wrong college for me, wish I went somewhere bigger.

Went to one, but only because a friend who passed was being recognized/acknowledged (graduated in 91). No interest in attending again

Anonymous wrote:I'm a SLAC grad, and reunions are a big deal and well-attended despite the school's remote location and lack of ample comfortable lodging nearby.

Mine too. Just attended my 30th in June. At my 25th, we had something like 75% of the class attend.
The reunions are so much fun, it’s my chance to feel and act 21 again. I tend to pay for that for the entire week afterwards!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to an LAC and have attended most of mine. Friends who went to bigger schools are surprised that so many of us attend and that it’s a big deal. Your experiences? I have to admit that my positive experience at my college has made me prioritize college-fit for my kid.

If your graduating class had only 800 students, you likely knew most of them. If your graduating class had 6-8K+ students, you likely didn't. Neither is right or wrong

This is a good point. I went to a small school so when I go back I know or at least recognize enough to know something about most people. I probably wouldn’t go otherwise?