Parents and college orientation

[AGDee]

So in the recruitment forum a mini hijack has occurred about parents and orientation. Since my daughter is starting high school, I'm suddenly realizing that things have changed a lot since I started college and apparently I need to be more educated!

So, do most schools involve parents in orientation somehow? In my day, orientation was for students. We went to orientation for a few days (a weekend, I think) and parents didn't have anything to do with it. I drove myself, went to orientation, stayed in a dorm with a bunch of other new students and drove myself home. I registered for classes before orientation even happened but now it sounds like kids register during orientation. Of course, we had nothing online back then and registering meant standing in lines for several hours after meeting with an academic advisor.

So, how have things changed? It sounds like parents go to orientation too and even stay in the dorms sometimes? Class registration occurs during orientation? Is this all pretty standard at various schools?

Thanks for info

[Senusret I]

Ten years ago at my alma mater, New Student Orientation was everything from move-in to the first day of classes. From what I remember, we moved in on one day, the next day was freshman convocation, followed by a cookout. Parents were encouraged to leave after the cookout. Then we got into our academic advising groups. There were other activities, like opening day at the cafe, parties, etc. (G rated parties thrown by the school)

Registration had started online over the summer. If you weren't finished, you'd go to "Completion" which only took me ten minutes with no waiting.

I don't remember heavy parent involvement during New Student Orientation. I know that NSO has changed at my school since then and is more summer camp-y in feeling, so parents are probably even less welcome.

[PANTHERTEKE]

At my school some parents come to the orientation, some don't. Those that do choose to attend orientation have their own orientation-of-sorts for parents when their kids are taken off to tour the school, attend presentations, register for classes, and etc. Then everyone eats lunch at the same time and the parents and new students go off on their own thing again.

But its not a mandatory thing to bring parents, most of the students that bring their parents are out-of-state or people from different parts of the state.

[Munchkin03]

Our orientation was from move-in to first day of classes. We registered before orientation, and during O-week, we met our advisors and advising groups. After new student move-in, parents weren't exactly welcome--in fact, the orientation handbook recommended that parents go home after move-in was completed. Before, however, parents were more than welcome, and several campus groups had special receptions for the parents as well.

This could be a small private vs. large public school difference too.

[alum]

The big thing @ my D's school is pre-orientation. This is the week before the actual freshmen orientation. The freshmen who opt for pre-o have a choice between various outward bound themes or community service themes. If the freshman is on an intercollegiate fall season team, that preempts Pre-O.

Some parents do attend the real orientation but not many. Because D's school draws intls & students from all 50 states and the administration was well aware that parents who dropped off their kids for pre-o one week would not want to make a return visit 7 days later, they had a mini-orientation geared for the parents on the first day of pre-o.

In terms of my school back in the days of the dinosaur: I don't recall a true orientation. My parents dropped me off and went on their merry way. I don't remember orientation meetings at all. There was some kind of pre-o thing but I did not opt to partake. I was trying to work as many hours as I could that rising college freshman summer (and every subsequent collegiate summer).

[BigRedBeta]

My alma mater has a 1 day orientation called New Student Enrollment, with multiple dates throughout the summer. There is a specific parents program for the day, geared at answering questions the adults want to know. Students do things like take math and language placement tests, meet with an advisor, and get a tutorial on how to register for classes online (with NSE Leaders around to help out).

So since NSE dates are mainly in June and early July, move-in day doesn't have a whole lot of programming surrounding it. There's Big Red Welcome (which includes New Student Convocation, a street fair, and a number of free activities on campus) during that weekend before the first day of class, but it's geared for students, not parents.

[SWTXBelle]

I'm taking Gypsyboots to orientation in early June. Since she's attending my alma mater, I don't feel like I need to be attend, and don't know if they even offer anything for parents. I don't think so - and I'm sworn to just dropping off my daughter. Hope to meet up with some of my sisters while she is busy with her programs.

[ComradesTrue]

So a former co-worker of mine has a son at an SEC school. She attended orientation with him, and they had seminars for the parents while the college kids were doing their thing. I remember one of the seminars was on "How Not to Helicopter..." Seems like a good idea, right?

Apparantly that seminar did not do much good. Her son would call during the day upset about a grade and ask her to call the professor for him. She would of course oblige, while I (and other co-workers) would stand by wanting to hurl. Yes, you read correctly- she was negotiating her son's grade, via telephone, from 2 states away. This happened on multiple occaisions.

Cell phones are a wonderful invention, but they sure have allowed "The Cord" to remain attached for far too many years.

If college kids don't even have the most basic problem solving skills to sit down with a professor to discuss a grade, then the diploma that they receive is worth absolutely nothing.

End of rant.

[Senusret I]

OMG that makes me want to become a professor JUST so I can tell off a helicopter parent!

I WISH A MOFO WOULD!!!!

[alum]

Have you met a helicopter spouse yet? I work with grad students and you would be surprised how many spouses try to advocate for their h/w.

[SWTXBelle]

Those professors should NOT talk to the parents. I have had parents call about their children's grades, and I tell them that Federal privacy law prohibits me from discussing their children's grade with them. They may squawk because they pay the bills, but the fact of the matter is that as far as the college is concerned their children are ADULTS.

[KSigkid]

There were almost no parents co-mingled with prospective students at my college summer orientation, at least from what I noticed. There were events scheduled for the whole weekend, and separate events for parents if they wished to attend.

When we arrived on campus, there were orientation activities that were just for students. I don't know if parents were specifically discouraged from attending, but I don't remember seeing parents at any of the events.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Those professors should NOT talk to the parents. I have had parents call about their children's grades, and I tell them that Federal privacy law prohibits me from discussing their children's grade with them. They may squawk because they pay the bills, but the fact of the matter is that as far as the college is concerned their children are ADULTS.

College Profesors should keep their mouths shut!

They are in one position only, teach the books that are assigned to them!

Self importantce of ego is not their place unless they have been in a GLO! Then, they may be able to speak of it!

[alum]

I agree that the student is an adult if said student is over 18 and paying the tuition. What about that parent coughing up the $45K a year for their child? Shouldn't there be some parental rights as there are parental financial obligations?

[SWTXBelle]

I understand the argument, but the fact is that if they are over 18, they are considered adults. As a professor I have no idea who is paying for what, come to that.