Parents of Yale 2013 Chat and Seek Help from Current/Former Yale Parents - Page 3

BlueHouseMom · 02-26-2009, 05:03 PM

^^ How naive am I? Love it T26E4!

When we visited last spring they were filming the Indiana Jones movie and I thought...I bet the everyone will be glad when all the big production equipment is gone...it must have overshadowed the construction that was likely omnipresent! Althought, I must admit that it was pretty fun to be there for part of the filming as we had no idea this was happening until we arrived for our visit. (No Indy sightings however).

BlueHouseMom · 03-25-2009, 04:20 PM

I was surprised by this article in the Yale Daily News which says 20-30 percent of upperclassmen live off campus. I guess I was under the impression that 90+ percent of students live on campus all 4 years. As a parent, I thought this was a big plus for Yale.

(although I did live off campus myself (not New Haven) in the good old days...)

Yale Daily News - Choosing off campus

Any insight? Any current parents with students living off campus?

peresedu · 03-26-2009, 12:22 PM

If Yale is on your final short list, you should attend Bulldog Days. STRONG advice. It is a fantastic event.

Yalemom2 · 03-27-2009, 05:51 PM

My older son, a rising senior, only has one friend who has lived off-campus. My son considered living off-campus next year, but only because he took a year's leave of absence and most of his friends will be gone when he gets back. He decided it would be more expensive and way less convenient and has gone ahead and put his name in the housing lottery for next year.

Yalemom2 · 03-28-2009, 08:58 AM

I forgot to say - the one friend who lived off-campus had taken a year's leave of absence between his sophomore and junior year.

Dandemom · 03-31-2009, 08:37 PM

What a great idea for a thread!! As a parent of a current freshman, I had many of the same questions this time last year as some of you. So here's what we did:
BULLDOG DAYS: I went with D mostly because I was not sure I wanted her so far from home unless it felt right. I did not see my daughter at all during our 2 days there but I am really glad I went. There are some parent activities and lectures but I think they are mostly designed to keep parents busy and distract them from their kids. I sat in on classes, visited the museums and chatted with other parents.
ORIENTATION ACTIVITIES: D chose to do the 4-day FOOT program and loved every minute of it. We live on the west coast so she flew out first and we followed a few days later with her stuff. I highly recommend FOOT. D's group still does reunions once a semester or so and she says it is great to see how everyone has adjusted so well.
DORM STUFF: We went with the pack and hold service with Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a lot of fun. D got to go to our local store and choose everything (and more) that she thought she needed for her room. The stuff is all held at a store near Yale (Milford was the closest one) and you only pay for what you end up buying. What's great about this is we could check out D's room first to see what was already there in terms of storage. In case you hadn't already heard, the rooms at Yale vary considerably in terms of size and furnishings.

BlueHouseMom · 03-31-2009, 10:01 PM

Thanks Dandemom!
My daughter is so excited! With the RD decisions today it feels so much more real to her. She officially accepted, is wearing a Yale sweatshirt, is actually giddy. I think she may do the longer FOOT (6 days?) as it sounds so great.

Clarimom · 04-01-2009, 11:48 PM

Welcome, everybody! My S is currently a junior at Yale, so I'd be glad to answer any questions as well. BlueHouseMom, regarding XL sheets and comforters, we found them in Wisconsin at both Kohls and Target, as well as Bed Bath & Beyond. Ordering larger things like fold-up bookcases etc. at your local BB&B and then picking them up in the New Haven-area BB&B works great. We also bought furniture etc. at the IKEA in New Haven. Regarding Bulldog Days, we both went (also have gone to every Parents Weekend) and had a great time. Fortunately, S enjoys having us there :-) I would highly recommend both events. Congratulations to all of you! You're in for a great experience having an S or D at Yale--it's a wonderful place to be!

T26E4 · 04-02-2009, 12:21 AM

Parents: when you visit, I'm sure you'll be taking your kids to a nice/fun restaurant. Ask if any of his/her roomies don't have parents visiting much. Invite them (or all of them) out with you. Due to finances and work schedule, my parents only came out once, for my graduation. Boy, did I appreciate my friends' parents when they took us out to eat off campus!

travel family · 04-02-2009, 01:03 AM

Wonderful thread. I am so glad there is a forum to ask questions to crrent Yale students & parents....I do not see any link for class of 2013 on Yale website. S is leaning towards Yale but also wants to check one other schools student days too. How is the bioengineering program at Yale. Can any current student in the program comment? I saw some article in Yalenews that wasn't very comforting about lack of classes for Bioengineering students. Is that true?

T26E4 · 04-02-2009, 12:20 PM

tf: maybe make this post on the general Yale forum? The 2013 forum deals w/entering freshmen specifically and not about Yale features in general. I'm sure you'll get more informed replies there. Congrats on your son's "problem" of having to decide on Y!

riverrunner · 04-03-2009, 11:33 PM

Bluehouse, my freshman daughter was quite relieved to hear they wouldn't be building new dorms during her time at Yale. She likes 12 houses, and thinks Yale is the perfect size. Silver lining, yes.

We also did the BB and B local purchase and picked up in Milford, which worked very well. Prepare to WORK during movein weekend. I'm from a dry climate, and was totally unprepared for the physical labor of getting this kid settled. I had pictured myself in fashionable linen late summer wear, strolling the ivied corridors, and instead was literally sweating myself into a lather, carrying furniture, boxes, rugs, etc. up multiple flights of stairs, assembling IKEA kits at midnight, etc.

If you are lucky, your child will coordinate furniture purchases/hand-me-downs in advance, with the future roommates. If you are average, much of this will happen during movein weekend, and whichever parents can make the trip will shoulder the work. It's fun and exciting, but I did not attend many events for parents that weekend, because we were just too busy making sure the internet connection worked, assembling the bookcase, and collecting the rented fridge.

Wouldn't trade this for the world....

T26E4 · 04-04-2009, 08:44 AM

Parents (especially of incoming male freshmen): warn your kids NOT to take the great deal on the used couch that the upperclassmen will be hawking come the first few days! And that ottoman by the residential college dumpster? It won't be nice in your freshman suite.

Just indicate to them what's probably taken place ON THOSE used items of furniture and what's IN THOSE cushions.

You're forewarned!!! LOL

(I speak from sad 1st hand experience!!!)

BlueHouseMom · 04-04-2009, 10:55 AM

Riverrunner,
Thanks for the insight (I am getting on the treadmill right after I log off! I am chubby and hate humidity!) Also based on your email, I just made a hotel reservation for the night of move in (Friday) "assembling IKEA kits at midnight" tipped me off that we would not be hugging her good bye at 5:00 on Friday.

I don't see anything on the website yet about parent activities during orientation. I guess I just assumed we would hit the road Saturday morning after a certain late-into-the-night move in. You mentioned "events planned for parents that weekend". Does anyone recall (or can direct me to the website) a schedule?

Also, I just looked at the housing info and could not find if is there a basic list of things that are in each room? Or is there "no such thing" as standard room supplies. I am thinking there is a bed, desk, chair and closet...anything else (dresser?). Again if there is a place to find this on the Yale website...please let me know. Maybe others have the same question. I am assuming the common rooms are empty?

T26E4...probably the BEST advice given on this thread to date...what is "in those cushions?" Although my husband still "clings" to the end table he pulled off the curb sophomore year of college. Yes, we still have it...story for another day.

Yalemom2 · 04-04-2009, 01:22 PM

They just haven't posted the information yet. When they do it will be here: Yale College | Class of 2013
There is always a bed, a desk, a chair, a dresser, and a closet. No lamps. Some colleges have overhead lights and some don't. My son in Morse had no overhead lights and no curtains, but the one in Silliman has both lights and curtains. The common rooms aren't furnished at all. Most people get together and get at least a futon and maybe a rug. You can also get a rug to put by the bed for cold feet! Depending on the size of the rooms, which vary, some students put their desks in the common room, so there may not be a whole lot of room for furniture. When my older son was a freshman there were vendors on the street selling futons, which was great, but they have since banned those vendors. There is an Ikea in New Haven where you can get lots of stuff inexpensively. Two things you may not think about bringing, but are really helpful, is a toolkit for putting together purchases and a small vacuum cleaner or rug sweeper if you bring a rug.