<p>3,000 posts and growing. Great idea for a thread. Thanks Guitars.</p>
<p>Itās making no difference, though, either way since H will reduce your aid package proportionally to the outside scholarship s/he will get. As soon as s/he enrolls in fall, however, s/he can look around on campus and will find lots of opportunities to earn via various scholarship, fellowship, and/or tutoring programs.</p>
<p>My son is responsible for his own personal expenses and, based on the fact that his savings are growing while in college, they are significantly less than that. The books at the beginning of each semester are a big expenseāmaybe $300-500. Then he tries to budget his weekly spending to the $40 he makes tutoring each week. Having him be responsible for his spending out of his earnings (he has a very good summer job) has worked really well for us. (Since heās local there is no travel cost for coming homeā¦ if there were, I would want to pony up for that.)</p>
<p>Son just took Louis Menandās Cold War class this spring. Now Menand has written a piece for The New Yorker about why students attend college, what they expect to get out of it, and, to some extent, what they are learning. Opinions vary.</p>
<p>[Debating</a> the Value of College in America : The New Yorker](<a href=āhttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2011/06/06/110606crat_atlarge_menand]Debatingā>Live And Learn | The New Yorker)</p>
<p>I should think this article would be an excellent starting point in a family discussion about the purpose of college, what type of school a student wants to attend, and post-college plans.</p>
<p>Isnāt there a way to search this thread? (I thought it was under āThread Toolsā.) Iām trying to remember a brunch rec in Harvard Square.</p>
<p>Apparently CC is rebuilding its āsearch engineā and expects it to be working within a few (?) days.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Henriettaās Table in the Charles Hotel is excellent for breakfast and has a very good (though not cheap) Sunday brunch.</p>
<p>Thatās it. Opensecret. Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi All: My S will be entering Harvard as a freshman this fall and I just wanted to let you know what a great resource this thread is. GaDad, Guitars, and everyone else, your posts have not only been a font of practical advice (where to stay, where to eat, etc.), but have also given me a great, firsthand introduction to the joys and occasional frustrations of being a Harvard parent. Thanks for sharing the your personal experiences, both the highs and the lows, and good luck to your children as they enter their final year. I, for one, intend to savor each moment of the next four years.</p>
<p>Hi Claudeturpin - my D will be entering as a freshman as well. I agree that this thread has been an incredible resource. My D is quite excited because she was accepted into FUP today - anyone else doing any pre-orientation programs?</p>
<p>^
FUP was the BEST thing that happened to my son. It got him involved in the Phillips Brooks House Association ([Phillips</a> Brooks House Association](<a href=āhttp://pbha.org/]Phillipsā>http://pbha.org/)), and he tutored every Saturday his entire time at Harvard (he graduated two weeks ago - sniff, sniff). When everyone else arrived on campus, he felt that he had already met a lot of wonderful people whom he could talk to about choosing classes or about anything else that he wanted to discuss or get advice about.</p>
<p>Chiming in with thanks for this threadā¦ my S is an entering freshman this fall. He applied for FUP but hasnāt heard back yetā¦ hope he still has a shot.</p>
<p>Claudeturpin, Meelos, and Crimson15mom - welcome and congratulations! Having you all join in at once sort of feels like welcoming a new freshman class! :)</p>
<p>Iāve really enjoyed this thread, and Iāve actually gotten to meet several of the participating parents during big campus weekends. Our older D was Class of '10 and our younger one will be a senior this fall. Even with the luxury of six years, I canāt believe that Iāll be entering my final year as a H parent. Very well put, Claude: āI, for one, intend to savor each moment of the next four years.ā</p>
<p>D1 did FAP and D2 did FOP. I agree - having that network of close friends when you get back to campus is a wonderful advantage. I think it may be moreso with FAP and FUP than with FOP, because the cohort groups are larger with those programs.</p>
<p>I can also second Enough Alreadyās enthusiasm about the Phillips Brooks House. To me, the most remarkable thing about Harvard is the extent to which students, with university backing, take autonomous control of daringly ambitious programs and make them happen. Phillips Brooks (community service center) sponsors incredible initiatives.</p>
<p>S found out last night heās āwaitlistedā for FUP. Kind of ironic that you can get in to Harvard and then not be accepted to a pre-orientation program! Anyone know what the chances are of clearing the waitlist? He had really been looking forward to this.</p>
<p>^^Is there any room left in FOP? My daughter was a FOP student leader for two years and she thought the program was great.</p>
<p>^^ He really wanted to do an on-campus program, and to be able to meet more people than he would in FOPā¦</p>
<p>Coureur: My S will be doing FOP. We live in a small town in Northern New England and heās been involved in outdoors activities his whole life. His main apprehension about H is the āurbanā setting, so Iām hoping FOP will reassure him that there are students who share his interests and values. However, I understand Crimson15Momās point about being able to meet as many students as possible. Iām just grateful that H has such a diversity of freshman orientation programs and, unlike many colleges, makes those programs available to all students, not just those who can pay full freight.</p>
<p>claudeturpin wrote:
āHis main apprehension about H is the āurbanā setting, so Iām hoping FOP will reassure him that there are students who share his interests and values.ā</p>
<p>Actually, thatās whatās great about FUP. Most (not all) Harvard kids have never had to deal with the problems of the inner-city. Through work, readings, and seminars, these kids learn to appreciate what theyāve got and to contribute to those who arenāt as fortunate. I think those are some pretty good values.</p>
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<p>He wonāt regret FOP. Iāve never met any kid who went on FOP who didnāt love it.</p>
<p>Crimson15mom-
My daughter got her FUP application in late last year and was waitlisted like your son. She did get in ultimately and go, so the waitlist definitely moves. I donāt really have an idea how many dropped out. I know in her case, we had already made plane reservations for us to go up for move in, and I had to get her a new ticket to go several days early for FUP. All the trouble was definitely worth it. She loved it, and some of her fellow FUPers are still her best friends.</p>