<p>Ok - so my child is a senior still, but from these posts it looks like you all didn’t find out about your aid package until after decision time may have passed for other schools? How did you decide? Also, I am so encouraged to read posts from Christians going to Harvard. I’m reading “Finding God at Harvard” right now and it is very encouraging. I had practically given up on my child even applying there. Also, if anyone could speak to the stats they had to get in - my child: SAT 2330, National Merit SF (so far), 1st in class, normal ECs(president of one club). Any thoughts? Should I post this to another thread? Thanks and congratulations to you guys!</p>
<p>Frozen yogurt is an obsession with me - thanks for the tip coreur! And I adore blueberries. </p>
<p>Question here - do the dorms have dressers? Should we be including those storage crates for under the bed? Also, what is meant by “shower shoes”? D wears flip-flops every day. Is that what is meant? And finally, do the kids actually study in their rooms? My guess it’s mostly in libraries and corners of coffee shops. Not sure how elaborate to be as far as outfitting her desk.</p>
<p>Oh, and what is the scoop on rain gear for girls? D says no way will she ever wear a rain coat. Don’t know why that seems so nerdy to her. Do the kids carry umbrellas? I would think they are awkward when the sidewalks are crowded.</p>
<p>Berryline is, no joke, one of my favorite things in the entire world. If you’ve ever heard of Pinkberry, it’s the same idea, but for some reason it just tastes so much better and there are way more flavors at Berryline. I keep saying I just can’t wait to get back and have some Berryline :)</p>
<p>mammall, the dorms have dressers, but I personally filled mine so we also brought a set of those plastic drawers that you get at like Target. If you find that you don’t need the extra storage outside of what Harvard provides, you can always bring it back home (which is what we ended up doing with another crate we brought).</p>
<p>Bring flipflops to wear in the shower–I know some people shower barefoot in dorms, but it grosses me out, so I always wear flipflops in the shower (I have one specific pair I only wear in the shower).</p>
<p>I always study only in my room, but that’s because I get easily distracted by anything (being in a library even proves a distraction) so I need to be pretty much alone in my room to get any work done. Most of my friends can only study in the library. One of my roommates didn’t even really have a desk this year–she kept it in our common room, piled with lots of non-work-related junk, never to touch it. To each his own, whatever works for you.</p>
<p>I’m with your D, I would never wear a rain coat despite my mom’s many, frequent protests and attempts to buy me one haha. Go with an umbrella–you mostly only need it for the minute walk to class. Also a jacket with a hood, especially when it snows. I have a North face coat, one of those puffy ones, that’s good for rain or snow. And make sure she has some form of boots–I own rain boots, which I never touch because I think they’re ugly, but I do have other types of boots that come in handy.</p>
<p>Mammall, Ok so I finally posted and then it took me so long that by the time I went to post it I had been logged off. (I am technologically challenged!!) In the meantime it looks like harvard1636 answered your question.
The only thing I would add is that I bought my daughter bed risers (19.99 at Linens and Things) to raise her bed a bit in order to fit more stuff under the bed in those storage things. and depending on your daughters dorm she will have either a closet or a wardrobe if there is no closet in the room.</p>
<p>Also agree with harvard 1636, my kids buck the raincoat thing, oh well they are big kids and if they get wet enough they’ll figure out something. My daughter does have a tote umbrella though that fits in book bag.</p>
<p>Milton Mom… Financial Aide package came with acceptance letter on 1st of April (or there abouts depending on mail) And I will say very generous! We had some schools tell us we could afford the entire 52,000K a year and yet Harvard is only costing us a little over 10 percent of our income. Go figure! </p>
<p>There are some stats for kids accepted/denied etc. on 2012 class thread but I would caution you on dwelling on those. Your son has great stats and at the end of the day you will drive yourself crazy trying to second guess will he or won’t he, who knows what they are thinking when they make admissions decisions! My daughter was accepted to Harvard this year…had great stats and did her best but so did the majority of the 27,000 applicants most of whom did not get accepted. Have your son write a great essay, get great recommendations, apply to Harvard and then pick a few additional schools that he would also be happy with. I believe in the end God has a plan and our kids will end up where they are supposed to be. There are a lot of great schools out there. Have faith that he will get into the school that he is supposed to go to! Good luck, I too will be going thru the process all over again this year with my son who is also a senior. (and yes he wants to apply to Harvard as well so this advice is also to remind myself that it will all work out for the best!!!) No rest for the weary!</p>
<p>It appears that people did not hear about FA packages until after the decision time because a number of us got off of the wait-list. FA packages are always given to families before you are made to decide.</p>
<p>I’m still laughing about your d not wanting to wear a raincoat. My s won’t even take an umbrella! My husband says that he thinks he’ll change his mind when the weather gets too much for him to handle. Being from Calif. he has no idea what cold means. He’ll soon learn. </p>
<p>We have stuff all over our family room floor. It’s getting down to the wire now :)</p>
<p>guitars - so glad others are in the same state of packing chaos. Why is this so difficult??? I think because none of us are still quite believing in the reality of her going.</p>
<p>I have an idea…pack a thick rubber band, and put it around your parent button Saturday morning…then we can identify one another as CC posters and go from there! Safe, smooth travels to everyone!</p>
<p>I’m a spy-parent from the Yale thread, and I’m laughing about the raincoat loathing.</p>
<p>Years ago when my sibs and I would try to leave the house without outerwear my mom would say, “I hope your vanity will keep you warm.”<br>
I’ve been known to quote this to my own children.</p>
<p>I realized that Boston was a different sort of beast from my Ohio upbringing when I discovered that I needed an umbrella for snow, and not just for rain. So I am sure the Harvard-bound kids will get over the umbrella/raincoat aversion. (…though a disturbing percentage of California kids at MIT wear shorts and sandals all through the winter, just to warn you.)</p>
<p>My son was thinking he could get away with wearing his flip flops and vans during the winter. Ha ha, we just laughed. He’s going to have to get a pair of winter shoes when he’s there. Are there shops locally where he can get a pair of good winter shoes and a winter coat? He’s not one to want to venture out too far into Boston so I was wondering about locally.</p>
<p>I wore those Chinese cloth Mary Janes all winter when I was young. But there are plenty of places to get shoes if he needs to. There’s a Payless Shoes in Central Square (one stop away on the T or a 1 mile walk) for example.</p>
<p>Well, D2 is off at FOP now, in the northern woods of Maine. That definitely makes it all seem real!</p>
<p>FOPpers don’t return until late afternoon Saturday, so after I finish with my beast of burden role by dropping off all her stuff in her room, I’ll be roaming the campus for several hours. Do any of you anticipate dropping by the Parents Association parent reception that day in Annenberg?</p>
<p>Gadad, my son is also at FOP, and we will also be dropping off all his stuff on Saturday, then be at a loose end till he gets back on campus. (We may, after getting a peek at his dorm set up, discover we need to head out to Target or some such place and pick up a few more things.) Certainly we plan on dropping in at the reception in Annenberg at some stage</p>
<p>It has occurred to me that when he returns from FOP late, filthy and wanting to meet his roommates and get on with settling in, he will have a week’s worth of dirty and possibly damp clothes that will need attention asap. Now believe me when I say I absolutely, positively, definitely plan to finally let go and quit doing things for him when we say goodbye on Sunday, but I would really really like to do this one last load of laundry for him. I am guessing he will have far more important fish to fry on Sunday and the week ahead, and the thought of his FOP clothes going unattended for a time (and they will!) fills me with dread! Does anyone out there know if there is a laundromat somewhere near Harvard Square?</p>
<p>good to know coureur about the heavy winter coat. Not much of a selection here where we live. </p>
<p>I just looked at the weather for Cambridge on Saturday (move in day) and it’s suppose to rain!! YIKES, not what we expected at all. So, bring your umbrellas.</p>
<p>Gadad, we plan on dropping in at the reception sometime as well. After, we’ve finished shopping at Target and CVS that morning.</p>
<p>Nikiwe, wouldn’t you be able to use the laundry machines in one of the dorms itself? I was planning on doing it in the basement of Weld, where D will reside. Although, when i suggested it, I got one hard glare.</p>
<p>Eastern Mountain Sports is right around the corner, and there’s always eBay. D is a senior and still doesn’t use an umbrella. She has a waterproof coat with hood that goes to her ankles, and rain boots. She puts it on, puts her head down, and goes. Attitudes about dress change a lot after those first cold torrential rains start.</p>
(…though a disturbing percentage of California kids at MIT wear shorts and sandals all through the winter, just to warn you.)</p>