<p>We booked Tuesday and Wednesday nights.</p>
<p>Thanks to all who responded. I am marking my calendar to make reservations in May of 2010 (DD will be graduating in 2011).</p>
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<p>If Commencement is Thursday then, if they follow the same schedule as ā08, Tuesday evening will be the class family dinner/Picnic. Wednesday will be Class Day followed by House Mastersā banquets and receptions at the Houses in the evening. And Thursday will be Commencement in the morning, followed by luncheon served at the Houses, followed by diploma ceremonies at the Houses. All except the Tuesday evening dinner picnic come with requisite speechifying, ceremony, and ritual. (Harvard puts on an especially good show at Commencement).</p>
<p>When did you guys plan to pack and clean up the dorm room and ship out all your kidsā stuff? It took us all day Friday to do that, and so we didnāt fly home until Saturday morning. Your kid will have acquired an astonishing amount of stuff over the past four years that needs to be sorted and either tossed or shipped back home.</p>
<p>^ ^ Since Iām coordinating attending two kidsā college graduations that week (which are thankfully not on the same days) ā¦ it will just have to work!</p>
<p>Itās making me sad reading the discussion of commencement plans. Iām dreading having my son leave Harvard. What a rite of passage. Yikes. Hopefully Iāll be ready for it when it gets here.</p>
<p>One of the posters, (EOA I think) noted that the scholarship money awarded to (N)ROTC scholarship recipients is substantial. Full tuition (approx $35K/year at Harvard), all mandatory students fees (approx $2K/year) and the students get a monthly stipend plus money for books (itās not much and Army gives more than Navy/Marines.)</p>
<p>All of that scholarship money comes from the government - I guess from the DoD - which means that those Harvard students bring in quite a bit of money that doesnāt come from Harvardās financial aid resources. </p>
<p>$40K (approximate value) per student - thatās a lot of hot breakfasts and campus security. Not to mention keeping campus libraries open. </p>
<p>Drew Faust said it herself at Commissioning, āI wish there were more of you.ā :)</p>
<p>In addition, students attending college on ROTC scholarships are up significantly everywhere but Harvard. Why is that? Admissions needs to address that.</p>
<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: ROTC Enrollment Up Nationwide](<a href=āhttp://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=529138]Theā>http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=529138)</p>
<p>āThe Crimsonā has a recent article addressing Harvardās ROTC representation.</p>
<p>The funding is not an issue. $40k is less than the full fare (now more than $50k).
ROTC students are not admitted because of the money they bring in. They are admitted because they are excellent candidates. If Harvard wanted students for the money they bring, it could admit more full fare students. Instead, one of the things that will not be affected by cost-cutting measures, it appears, is the expansion of financial aid.</p>
<p>Iāve never liked kicking ROTC off campus. The original reason for expelling ROTC was the Vietnam War. Itās been replaced by DADT. I really expect DADT to be repealed next year, which will leave Harvard without a reason not to reinstate ROTC. Right now, Harvard is being hypocritical about ROTC by admitting ROTC students but forcing them to go to MIT for training.</p>
<p>I donāt know about that. Harvard admits need blind so how do they know whoās full fare and who isnāt? I like your hopeful, purist perspective, though.</p>
<p>I think if Harvard should encourage and not discourage students to join ROTC if they want the military to become more progressive.</p>
<p>Shiloh:</p>
<p>Itās not all that hard to deduce who is going to be full fare. We did not check financial aid requested for instance. Our stated professions make us likely to be full fare. And so on.
Every year, Harvard rejects students who would be full fare in favor of students who will need financial aid. That policy is not even being changed despite the deficit.</p>
<p>Friends of ours asked my daughter to take them and their 9 & 11 year olds on a campus tour. Does anyone have recommendations for the kids? Fun or interesting places? I donāt think they will spend much more than an hour.</p>
<p>Kids like the Museum of Natural History. They may not care as much as adults for the glass flowers but the rocks and animals exhibits are very popular.</p>
<p>Show them Annenberg and tell them that itās Harvardās Hogwartsian āGreat Hall.ā The kids will be transfixed. Also, be sure to show them the tourists rubbing John Harvardās shiny foot and let them know that freshman guys like to christen the foot late at night when no oneās watching. Bathroom humorās a big crowd-pleaser for the 9-11 year-old demographic! And bubble tea at the Boston Tea Stop will be a big hit if the kids are from a community like ours where the dining options are non-trendy.</p>
<p>Also, I would try to find out if the kids are into any sports (or musical instruments and groups) and see if there is anything on campus going on that would match their interests the day and time they are coming.</p>
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<p>Yes, the Natural History Museum has dinosaurs in addition to many more modern specimens.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, No worries. Actually when I first read your comment I didnāt realize you were being sarcastic, then when I realized you were being sarcastic, Iād already posted! (then I just felt stupid for not getting it!) Although I think these boards are great -I think intentions can get misread because of lack of Nonverbal cues or other cues such as tones of voice, inflections etc. and we often can miss attempts at humor and irony as I did. No need to apologize! </p>
<p>As for ROTC at Harvard and other institutions of this caliber I think the only way around it would be to treat it like they do athletics. If the ROTC CO has 6 or 8 guys they have awarded scholarships to, they could let admissions know that theyād really like them to get a special look. I have heard that some Universities do this but I donāt know for sure. I also think that many of todayās youth could benefit from the leadership opportunities and overall experience that our young men and women gain from being in the military. My H has been an officer in the military over 20 years and it been a great experience. I hope that in the next few years the policy does change-we shall see!</p>
<p>Excited for Freshman Parents Weekend, hope everyone has a great time.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me if the upperclassmen houses are closed during winter recess like the freshman dorms are? Iām wondering how much flexibility we have on booking her flight home for the breakā¦thanks!</p>
<p>EAO - you are a breath of fresh air (and Marist, Fauve and Sewhappy)</p>
<p>People may not want to acknowledge it but Harvard Admissions is responsible for the chokehold on ROTC scholarship students.</p>
<p>Admissions knows which students have those scholarships when the students apply. And as Fitzsimmons has said (paraphrase) they could fill the class three or four times and still have the highest calibre class.</p>
<p>Beach02 - The Houses are closed for Winter Break except for certain students that need to be there, like athletes. Youāre biggest problem may be figuring when your student can leave, because that will depend on his/her exam schedule which likely wonāt be known until sometime in December. I believe that the last day for exams is December 21 and they have to be back January 24. Nice long vacation this year.</p>
<p>I was some what dismayed to see this on the FDO web page.
[Harvard</a> College Freshman Deanās Office FDO Home](<a href=āhttp://www.fdo.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do]Harvardā>http://www.fdo.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do)</p>
<p>āThose of us working with your class have noticed, and commented on, your concern for one another. I want to use this opportunity to encourage you to extend that same concern, and be more active interventionists, in social situations when your friends or acquaintances appear to be making questionable decisions. Excessive drinking this fall has landed a number of your classmates in area hospitals. It may be tempting to think ĀthatĀs none of my business,Ā or ĀI canĀt afford the time or energy to make an impact,Ā or ĀIĀm reluctant to risk a friendship;Ā but real caring demands your hanging in there and seeking (or providing) help before things get out of control. It may be as simple as separating your classmate from the trouble, or contacting your proctor, UHS (617-495-5711), or the Harvard University Police (617-495-1212).ā</p>
<p>āIf there are ways that your resident dean or I can be helpful, please donĀt hesitate to let us know. We, like you, value this community. Its strength, of course, derives from individuals taking responsibility, not just for themselves, but for one another. There is no grade given for that, but, when all is said and done, nothing matters more.ā</p>