@AboutTheSame or @“Magnum PI” would you be kind enough to let me know how you handled storage when the DPlan had your children on Leave term. We live much too far away for it to be practical to bring all of her things home and then schlep it back. If her DPlan is approved she will have a Leave term this summer and be back with a Residence term for the Fall.
Did you use Dartmouth controlled storage? Employ an outside company? Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated. 
We used Hanover Transfer & Storage: http://www.hanovertransferandstorage.com/ They would bring a container, load it up, take it away, and then return it. Never lost or broke anything, and were very good about meeting the reserved time (not to mention day). They charged by the item, so it’s worth it to buy large plastic tubs to dump stuff in.
The True Value store on South Street also offers student storage: http://ww3.truevalue.com/hanover/ Not sure what their rates are.
Never tried to use the on-campus storage, but that may be more of an option with the new housing clusters.
Once D moved off campus, there were more options – like, nice landlord who let renters leave stuff in the basement until they found a new place or while a room was sublet over the summer.
@AboutTheSame thank you for getting back to me so quickly and for pointing me towards options other than onsite storage. It’s good to know a business that has a positive record with former Dartmouth parents. Not being from the area it’s hard to discern reliability as everyone can look wonderful on a website and in a glossy brochure.
I recently looked into True Value for us to use for my son’s belongings this summer. They charge $5 to pick up and another $5 to drop off, and then $55 per month. They shrink wrap all your boxes together and store it on a pallet. It sounded reasonable to me and that is what we will probably use. The Controlled Storage on campus is only available in select dorms, and I noticed that there is no Gold Coast dorm that has it, which wouldn’t work for my son since as of next year he will be a member of the “Allen House” cluster. Check out this link to see what dorms comprise Controlled Storage: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~orl/res-ops/storage.html
S used both: on-site and TrueValue. Both worked great. The only issue with on-site is that is is space-available, and it goes quickly. And Son, being a what-ev type Frosh never got around to looking into onsite until finals week, by which time it was too late. So, TrueValue Frosh year, and on-site next two.
@bluebayou thank you for the reply. It looks like we’ve 3 viable options for summer storage then.
@b1ggreenca we are fortunate that where my daughter is now living and where she will be in the Fall both are storage locations. That convenience has us leaning towards the controlled storage, but if I hear that other families have run into problems with it the convenience isn’t worth it. I’m looking into True Value as well as @AboutTheSame’s recommendation of Hanover Transfer & Storage.
as an fyi – we shipped expensive items home by UPS Ground…that way they would not ‘disappear’.
I used true value with the $5 pick up and delivery. Never had a problem in fact I had them pick up her stuff when she graduated and had it all shipped to my house. I wish it was that clean and simple when she went to grad school
…just to keep the thread going. My son is entering Dartmouth this fall (class of 2020, and you know they’ll come up witha meme for that!). We’ve now met a bunch of accepted students and parents–a very talented bunch of kids!, and we’re all getting pretty excited. Lots of questions, but here are a couple that come to mind quickly.Should he have a sportcoat or suit up there? Are “formals” truly that, when we get to them? (That is, will he need a tux at some point down the road?)…Also, many colleges have independent laundry services. Not that we’re seriously considering it…but does Dartmouth offer this, too, and does anyone have comments? We are hoping that he won’t need to get a job right away, to let him get used to the place and the rigor…but I’m sure there are some parents out there who have experience with their kids working, or thoughts on the subject. Thanks!
@Mirmark there is a laundry service whose name escapes me. My daughter is a '19 and I recall getting information from the company in the mail over the summer. We opted not to use the service. My daughter does work-study on campus. She loves her job as she was able to get one in an area of one of her majors.
Dartmouth has a Student Employment Office that helps to co-ordinate both work-study and non work-study employment. The office holds job fairs and there is an employment link to Jobnet that lists available positions on campus on the Student Employment Office’s FAQ webpage. Many of your employment questions will probably be answered there as well.
Welcome to Dartmouth or as you’ll be told numerous times Welcome Home
I think it is always good for a young man to have the classic navy blazer, or something of that nature, on hand.
I can ask S what he wore to formals, but I can tell you that for certain it was never a tux! I think that those likely to be in need of tuxes or the equivalent are probably performers in musical ensembles.
years ago, a current D student posted that she used the laundry service until she started getting back ‘yuccky’ boys’ briefs back with her undies. 
There is a laundry service. Information will come this summer. D did not use it and did not know anyone who did. There are washing machines all over the place, and (unless things have changed) they accept the same card that carries the meal plan and pays for photocopies and so forth and so on.
@b1ggreenca D-Plans were released today. If you don’t mind my inquiring,did your son get his first choice?
@saffysmum Thanks for reminding me about the D-Plan! He did get his first choice! Is that unusual? How did your offspring fare?
@b1ggreenca my daughter did as well. For us that looks like her being off the next two Spring terms
My son will also be off next Spring, and then Summers after that. I would imagine the Spring before Sophomore Summer is a pretty common term to be off!
Any advice or words of wisdom from veteran parents on what to expect for First-Year Family Weekend and Pow Wow? Anything that a concentrated effort should be made not to miss?
@saffysmum prepare to meet her new friends, some will be dorm friends, some will be tripees, others will be teammates and classmates. They should be an interesting and impressive group of young adults. Explore the campus, visit the Rauner rare books collection, canoe on the Connecticut River, watch a baseball or softball game, eat gelato, sit on the Hanover Inn porch and watch everyone go by. Check out the BEMA, walk up Baker Tower, visit the Dartmouth Skiway. And please eat at Lou’s for me. I will be nostalgic in advance for you. It goes by quickly.
Have a Murph burger at Murphy’s on the Green. Morning coffee at Dirt Cowboy. Relaxing walk around Occom Pond. I heartily endorse Magnum’s recommendations as well – especially the gelato and sitting on the porch at the Inn. And if it’s hot, Rauner has great air conditioning.