Congratulations. S1 graduated 2015 and S3 will graduate in 2019. Room/hotels and air B and B in Ithaca are all very expensive ($500 per night with 3 night minimum). If you don’t mind paying those rates and guarantee, you can start to reserve next week. Some hotels have a lottery. We did not do the dorms, but chose to stay in Cortland, NY at country inn suites. Rates were fine and did not have to book 3 nights, We are in NY city area so drove up Friday night and his fraternity had a family BBQ. Saturday morning was the senior speaker and in the afternoon his fraternity booked a winery for all the families. We booked John Thomas (New years day) for Saturday night dinner and graduation was Sunday morning. Lunch after ceremony at Boatyard grill and then loaded up all his stuff and headed home on Sunday.