<p>Hi all! My son got a message this morning offering him a spot off the waiting list for FCU (Dorm Crew). He has 48 hours to decide. Does anyone here have experience with FCU or advice? We would have to reconfigure our end of summer/drop-off plans, but it is definitely doable.</p>
<p>lhenkin: My son is going to FUP and he is really excited about it. When he visited Harvard, his host highly recommended Dorm Crew. I think the chance to make friends at a time when there is no pressure from school work is pretty appealing. We live in the Midwest and changing travel plans at the last minute would be hard, but if you have the flexibility, and your son wants to, it sounds like a great opportunity!</p>
<p>lhenkin: I second changing arrangements so your son can do Dorm Crew. We had to change plans last year so that my daughter could take a wait list spot for her number one program. She loved the program and made some of her best friends. You also have the advantage of getting back some of the expense of making the change since Dorm Crew gets paid!! Do it.</p>
<p>One of the nice things about dorm crew (aside from getting paid), is that kids can pick-up their dorm room keys the afternoon before move-in day. My daughter did dorm crew several years ago, made many new friends, and we were able to move her into Matthews by 7pm the night before move-in day, thereby avoiding the crowds in the yard the following morning. (BTW: Two years ago, they didnât tell the kids this was a possibility until half way through dorm crew, so we had to scramble to get everything together at the last minute.)</p>
<p>Thanks all.</p>
<p>Gibby, I have a question. I understand he could move in the night before move-in day, but do you know if he would he have access to the stuff we ship up ahead of time, probably not, right? Also, we understand they are not supposed to get settled in until everyone is there. How did that work out?</p>
<p>We brought everything up in our car, so I donât know about having access to your shipped stuff. Although my daughter did not unpack and get settled-in until after all her other roommates had arrived the next day, she did spend her last dorm crew night in her room.</p>
<p>Thanks. That is very helpful!</p>
<p>Gibby, were you able to actually drive your car into the Yard thurday night to drop your daughterâs belongings off? My daughter is doing dorm crew this fall and is actually living in Canaday.</p>
<p>No, we couldnât drive into the yard the night before. We parked on Quincy Street and brought stuff over on a flat wooden dolly that we had brought with us.</p>
<p>My son (whoâll live in Matthews) is doing FUP, too⊠he got in off the wait list a couple weeks back. Very excited, and he did hear similar things about how great ALL the pre-orientation programs are for meeting people and getting to know your way around ahead of the crowds. FUPpies, too, get their permanent dorm room key the night before move in⊠they can âcamp outâ there but have to wait for roommates to arrive the next day to make decisions about who gets what room/bed. My understanding is that shipped items wonât be available for pick-up til Thurs.</p>
<p>My daughterâs roommate did Dorm crew and spent the night before move-in in their dorm room. Unfortunately for her, we were eager to move in and arrived to find her still asleep, so be forewarned. No problems though.</p>
<p>Any advice on banking options?
Thx for info on dorm crew. D got picked off waitlist</p>
<p>My daughter uses Bank of America, but there are also branches of Citibank, TD Bank and Citizenâs bank in Harvard Square. See: [Harvard</a> Square - - Services](<a href=âhttp://www.harvardsquare.com/services.aspx]Harvardâ>http://www.harvardsquare.com/services.aspx)</p>
<p>My son opened an account with the Harvard University Employees Credit Union â <a href=âhttp://www.huecu.org%5B/url%5Dâ>www.huecu.org</a> â they have a good student package with checking/debit card, etc. â <a href=âhttps://www.huecu.org/student-banking/[/url]â>https://www.huecu.org/student-banking/</a> â
And an ATM just adjacent to campus. I personally object to Bank of Americaâs lending practices, so even though it would be more convenient to use a national bank, we feel better about using the credit union.</p>
<p>My S has has had a student banking package at HUECU for 2 years now and could not speak more highly of them. They also will issue a credit card to Harvard students if an application is made. Some parents also like to their have kids open an account with one of the Cambridge banks that has branches in their home market so they can easily get funds to their kid if need be.</p>
<p>ws59 - Iâm glad to see that your son is pleased with HUECU. We have been planning to bank with them and I was concerned by some negative reviews I read on the internet.</p>
<p>^ I canÂt speak to the veracity of any on-line reviews; but I can tell you several of my sonÂs friends at school have left other banks and moved to HEUCU since they were freshman. As I understand it, this is because they got hit with what they felt were unfair and exorbitant fees at the other banks. As you know, the credit union is restricted to and serves only Harvard faulty, students, employees and its affiliates, so I suppose that says something about the quality of the organization.</p>
<p>My daughterâs room assignment for her house came out yesterday, and three girls got a three room âsuiteâ with one of the three rooms being 53 square feet!!! Really? Have any upper class parents had children who had such tiny rooms in their house space? Just wondering how they might have set it up. I am assuming two girls will have to share the âcommon roomâ and one will get the other bedroom. Maybe the 53 square feet can be storage and a closet!!</p>
<p>For banking we were pleased with B of A. They had good service, plenty of convenient locations all over New England, and an introductory student credit card with a low credit limit. Plus, it was easy to move money into her accuunt from out here in CA.</p>
<p>csshsm- Welcome to Harvard house spaces- some of them are criminally small. And yes, they might decide to use that space for storage or one desk, or one bed. </p>
<p>Did you know Harvard has specially-made twin beds that are narrower than the standard sizes so they can actually fit two beds into tiny rooms? </p>
<p>It is amazing that students can function in some of the spaces they are assigned to. One wonders if the square footage even meets federal standards for prisoners.</p>
<p>Fortunately, students can apply to transfer houses after one year. But there is never any guarantee to actual room assignment.</p>