mom958

Can some of you talk about the meal plans?
Silly me, I thought this was included in room and board.


Thank you.

banditmag

Not sure what you are looking for, below are the meal plans. Do not know cost for 2008-2009 as they were not on the website yet but I am sure the cost is going up I am confused by your post because room and board does include the price of the meal plan but here is the breakdown:

Each resident is charged the same flat fee for a meal plan, $3886.
The meal plans are:
Plan A - 19 meals/week
Plan B - 14 meals/week with $125.00 flex dollars for the semester
Plan C - 10 meals/week with $200.00 flex dollars for the semester

Plan D - $1200 All-Flex points for the sememster

Flex can be used at the Cafe Mac Grille to purchase a latte on the way to class, food to go, or some late night snack food during those long study sessions! Unused flex dollars do not roll over from fall to spring semester.
Students may change their meal plan during the first two-weeks of classes each semester by completing a short form in the Department of Residential Life Office. (NOTE: All first-year students are assigned the 19-meal plan for their first semester and do not have the option of changing this option.)

mom958

Thanks for the information.
Sorry that I confused you with my question.
So the meal costs ARE included with the Room and Board fee and are not an additional cost?
Which plan is most appropriate for a freshman?

banditmag

No problem, the board part of "room and board" refers to the meal plan. As far as what plan is most appropriate for first year students it really depends on the student. Keep in mind that all first year students have to take the full meal plan (19 per week) first semester. Beginning second semester of freshman year the student can select a lesser plan with more flex dollars. The student's course schedule usually determines how many meals a student eats at Cafe Mac. For instance, if your student's first class is at 11:00 A.M. chances are he or she will not be getting up for breakfast. My d eats cereal in her room for breakfast most days. IMO the lesser meal plans, 14 or 10 meals per week, aren't worth it. You don't save any money, the board charge is the same, the student is just given flex dollars in exchange for the meals. If the student moves to the 14 meals per week plan he or she is given $125 flex dollars. I personally think that is a rip off and would prefer no flex dollars and some savings on the board charge. When you consider the fact that if you eat in Cafe Mac and do not have a meal plan, you are charged in the area of $8 per meal. So, if you give up 5 meals a week the trade off is only $125 in flex dollars? The grill is fairly expensive so the flex dollars do not stretch too far. I really wish Mac would forget the flex dollars and just reduce the board charge with a reduced meal plan. Oh well, it is what it is. The best advice I can give is to see what your student does first semester and then re-evaluate second semester based on the student's habits and class schedule.

mom958

Thanks for all that info.
Btw, what year is your daughter in? What's her experience been like?
My daughter is about to make a final decision.

banditmag

My daughter is a first year student and I am an alum. I am probably not the best person to ask regarding feelings about Mac. I loved it until my daughter attended I think to truly enjoy Mac one must be extremely liberal, I do not mean the normal college student liberal, I mean really liberal. For those students who do not lean way to the left it can be a difficult road at Mac. Has your daughter attended a sampler or spent a weekend at Mac? Like all colleges there is good and bad it is really more about what your student wants out of the college experience.

My daughter loves her group of friends and has had a good time. I think she has experienced some disappointment in regards to academics. She loves the exposure to all of the international students. In all honesty if she was not having such a fantastic time socially I think she would transfer (well that and thinking about filling out applications again made her want to shoot herself in the head). Keep in mind my daughter is a conservative so she is attacked on a regular basis for her opinions. That's okay though since my daughter has never been one to back down from a fight.