<p>Thanks so much for your welcome and your perspective. I feel so grateful that my S has this opportunity and perhaps it is true that some of the kids who get into top schools are used to being fussed over and are then let down when that doesn’t happen at Harvard or as you say Harvard doesn’t do the same kind of PR as other schools. My S is looking forward to 4 great years!</p>
<p>revbon-Congratulations to you and your son. I have been telling my freshman daughter about all this animosity on the Visitas thread, and she has been surprised too. She had several visitors on the floor of her common room and thought they had fun, although I don’t know if she has heard their “yield” yet. She does know that two of her closest friends chose Yale, which upset her greatly but those who came straight to Harvard from Yale seem to have found some feeling at Yale that was missing at Harvard. I don’t really understand what happened this year, but I can share our story. Last year, the plane ticket to Boston was a bit expensive so my daughter did not attend Visitas, and it made her decision to choose Harvard very, very difficult because she felt more familiar with other schools that she had been able to visit. Ultimately, admittedly with a little urging from her parents (and the local Harvard rep), she pushed the button for Harvard. By Parents’ Weekend in October, we were thrilled when she told us that she could not imagine being anywhere else but Harvard. The year has been wonderful. She has made incredible friends and enjoyed so many Harvard traditions. She has become a part of many organizations that we would have expected her to choose and taken up some activities that we would never have expected her to choose, but she loves them and the other people involved. She had several great paid internship opportunities to choose from for the summer. She hates the weather in Boston, but other than that I have heard few complaints this year. I know my daughter has many, many friends who feel as she does about Harvard, and I hope a year from now your son will love it as she does. The odds are in your favor.</p>
<p>My freshman S hosted three, one is a friend from his high school and who is heading to MIT (MIT is always his first choice, it was pretty much decided before the Visitas), the other two are all coming to H, one of them made decision on the way home from Visitas (and decided to skip the Stanford Preview). All three had wonderful time.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Same with my daughter several years ago. She didn’t go to Visitas (and it wasn’t called that then), so it was with some trepidation that I asked her at Freshman Parents Weekend if she was happy. Her answer was so emphatic and heartfelt that I knew she had made the right choice. And for her it had been a hard choice. She had to turn down MIT, which for years had previously been her No.1 wish. She also turned down Stanford, but it was never really in the running with her.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for taking the time to share your stories. This is very reassuring! I hope to meet some of you at Parent’s Weekend this year.</p>
<p>Thanks Gadad - Fortunately, we live in the Boston area so we will not need accommodations. Our daughter has warned us to stay away from Cambridge for the next 4 years!!</p>
<p>Revbon50 - My daughter had a wonderful time at Visitas - her hosts and other Harvard students were kind and welcoming. She felt that she bonded and “fit in” with the kids that she met. She did say that the Yalies at BDD were the more bubbly and “cheerleader” types. Ultimately, she chose Harvard and we are thrilled for her!</p>
<p>I apologized in advance if my comment offended anyone. 
D decided to attend harvard for the next 4 years. yay! Though her experience with her host wasn’t that thrilling, she did meet up with a lot of prefrosh that was also cross admit and had a blast. She did say that the other reason she decided on H was because now she has a goal. She wants to make sure that the 2016 incoming students will have an awesome time. D is the “big man on campus” at her hs and was always called out of class and stuff to show incoming/transfer students and d said that she always make sure that the student and parents always feel welcome and not like, “here is your floor and I’ll be back about 11pm, go have fun.” No matter how busy you are, d said that and I quote “if you volunteered to do something, do it with all your heart not halfheartedly”. I do not know whether any other prefrosh does it, but d did bring a hostess gift, something that’s from our state, to show her appreciation. But anyways, we are so excited and can’t wait to attend parents weekend. My question is, how soon should we book our hotel room?</p>
<p>****** HHAAPPYY AANNIIVVEERRSSAARRYY ****** 3 YEARS OF Harvard Parents thread!!! </p>
<p>A big thanks to those who have contibuted :)</p>
<p>Almostmt - I’d go ahead and book right now. Freshman Parents Weekend is scheduled for Oct. 14-15.</p>
<p>Almostmt- If you prefer the in-town hotels: The Charles, The Inn at Harvard , or Harvard Square Hotel, yes, make your reservations now. They book up quickly.</p>
<p>parents of juniors this year… what will you kids be doing this summer? internships? jobs? just relaxing during summer? thesis writing?</p>
<p>Guitars - Study abroad in Cannes, France.</p>
<p>Just poppin’ in to say hello and congratulations to the parents of the new Harvard admits. My daughter graduated one year ago. She had a great time at pre-frosh (I believe that’s what it was called in 2006) and made friends that she kept for the four years. And, yes, she also had a host who dumped her immediately.<br>
I do believe that Harvard has its plusses and minuses, but then again, so does every school. The four years go by quickly; encourage your kids to take advantage of all that Harvard offers!</p>
<p>My S is so excited he wishes that move-in day was tomorrow. </p>
<p>He had a blast at Visitas–we live in the Boston area and his Visitas host has called him up to come over to hang out and do stuff (as have people in the publication he wants to comp who he met at Visitas). He feels already part of the College. </p>
<p>He hasn’t taken off his Harvard sweatshirt (except to get it washed) since the weekend.</p>
<p>gadad - read your post with interest - what kind of program is your D/S studying with in Cannes? My D has been looking at various programs but she hasn’t mentioned finding anything in Cannes</p>
<p>Ydnar - She’s doing a 6-week program at the Coll</p>
<p>gadad, that sounds so awesome! my son is in his 3rd year of french at Harvard and loves it. </p>
<p>my son just received a grant which will help this summer for his thesis research. hopefully, he’ll be able to spend some time enjoying California weather while he’s home.</p>
<p>My daughter did not go to the admitted students weekend, but had spent the prior summer on the MIT campus and knew she was going to go to one or the other. (I wasn’t so sure, but she was!) She was gung-ho MIT (early admit), until she got her admission letter from Harvard, at which point she dropped MIT like a hot potato. Like other posters, she cannot imagine herself anywhere else, and when she is home, she talks about missing Cambridge. </p>
<p>Does anyone know if Harvard Junior Parents Weekend is traditionally held at a certain time- like 2nd weekend in March, or some other predictable time? I have to give tentative dates for vacation for next year and would like to block the right time so I don’t find out at the last minute that I cannot go. It’s a big deal for me, having to cross the Atlantic. Thanks!</p>
<p>R-m - Junior Parents Weekend for the Class of 2013 is Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3, 2012.</p>
<p>Ronsard-m’aimait, was your D at RSI?</p>