Just wondering, if a parent would pay money,would he or she be able to live with their son or daughter in a dorm?
No. Only enrolled students are allowed to live in the dorm, although a parent could stay for a short-term visit, the parameters for which would be set by school policy (most schools have something like a 3-day visitor limit) and permission from any roommates.
No. And even if they could, no.
This thread is my second bookmark.
What kind of question is this?
A parent can probably spend an overnight or two. Some of us have. But it’s a student dorm, for students, not a hostel for families. And nowadays, you can’t even get into a building without your own keycard. If the student “loses” his, they replace it and deactivate the old one.
Seriously? Why not just live at home with your parents? Dorms are for students and way for them to learn to be responsible for themselves. If it’s the parent wanting it, they need to realize their child is an adult and it’s time to let go.
And really, parents should not even stay overnight in the dorm during a visit. It would just be weird. Roommates would feel awkward hanging out in their own room. And using the communal bathroom/showers? Just no.
STUDENT dorms, self explanatory.
I would also hope that no parents think this could ever be a good idea.
Now, if the parent was also a student (which, idk, maybe this has happened in history before?), I guess this could technically be possible? Still, I would hope that no one tries this.
Anyone remember Arrested Development?
Well, there might be an exception. If a student were significantly disabled, and needed a full-time helper, it’s possible that this could be a parent, and it’s possible that some colleges might provide specialized housing for such cases. Beyond that, no. Although there are plenty of colleges where freshmen aren’t required to live in the dorms, so you could have your parents live with you off-campus. I can even imagine a situation where this would be sensible–i.e., if the parent is disabled and the child is the primary caregiver.
Not to mention the poor student of that parent would be avoided like the plague. Also, I for one am really better off not knowing everything that went on with my kids in the dorms.
There was a case where UCLA allowed a 12 year old junior transfer student and his parents to live in graduate student housing. But that, like the possibility that the parent is also a student*, is obviously a very unusual case and not applicable to the general answer, which is “no”.
*Probably does happen to some extent at community colleges and commuter-based universities, but less often where the student is attending a school away from where s/he lived while in high school.
Live at home, problem solved.
Dorm rooms are too small to hangar a helicopter.
Even private student housing (different than student oriented housing) typically requires that residents who live there be enrolled at least part time at some educational institution.
I have lived in a dorm with another student who was not living there according to housing. It was inconvenient to say the least. It was a single and we shared a twin bed (LOL). I could see that physically a parent could get a twin inflatable mattress and live in their child’s dorm room, if it is a single.
BUT - the same problems we were afraid of could happen:
- with a single, only one key is issued so one person is without a key and could get locked out if schedules aren’t coordinated
- we had one floor mate who was rather far away, and rarely saw anyone else - quite unusual and due to very old dorms (built around 1900)
- therefore, we were never reported - plus he was a fellow student, so there was no “age angst” or feeling he was reporting on anyone - we were worried people would report on us!
- he did have the meal plan as I did, so we ate together easily
What I suggest is that if the parent REALLY feels that they must live with their child on campus freshman year at least, they either request to be housed differently than other freshman, or request to live off campus with their child. When I was a junior, my partner and I REALLY felt that we needed to live together (having lived together end of sophomore year) and made the commitment to put up with the things noted above.
It would be very very rare for a college to accept money from a parent to let them live on campus, in their child’s room as a roommate, or in a separate room in the same dorm. That would point to not having their full capacity of students.
We ended up off-campus senior year - so if the parent and child are dedicated to this, find a college where they allow freshmen to live off-campus, and poof, problem solved - live with your kid when they go to college.
This thread might be of interest:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1731347-what-colleges-allow-freshmen-to-live-off-campus.html
and just looking into apartments off campus that are quite near campus might be the best option. That’s what General MacArthur mom did, she lived near West Point and did her son’s laundry.
http://lisawallerrogers.com/2009/11/23/general-macarthur-had-a-helicopter-mom/
As for the elephant in the room, is it a good idea for a parent to live with their child in a dorm or off-campus while starting college, I cannot say. I can think of circumstances (like mine, where my one son is special needs) where it might be appropriate to either get an apartment near campus or request special housing like noted above for UCLA.
Brings to mind the Rodney Dangerfield movie “Back to School.” Actually, I can think of a number of circumstances where a parent may need to live with the college student (disabled or much younger than the general population), but would think off campus, or campus family housing for those exceptions and not the dorm.
Yeah, probably off campus housing… Parents met some other single mom older than 40 years old that is moving the family to Berkeley because she somehow got a “full ride.”
Wow. First question: WHY?
I agree…Why?
If this is a normal student, then one of the reasons of living on campus is to gain some independence.
If this student needs support, then an off campus apt or a college with more support would be the answer.
Did you know that General MacArthur had a helicopter mom?
http://lisawallerrogers.com/2009/11/23/general-macarthur-had-a-helicopter-mom/