The college son is attending has 3 options… all the same cost I guess…
21 Meals a Week Plan
220 Meals Block Plan
180 Meals Block Plan/150 Flex Purchase Points
How does this work… details are not on the website… just that the guy recommends the one with Flex, saying it is very popular… So the 21 meals a week. if he doesn’t use them… he looses them?
The 220 meals Block… those can carry over - and he can allow siblings to use them too -if we visit? This would be good since he lives close to home and won’t need meals every weekend… Someone said these average out to 14 meals a week…
The 180 meals plus Flex averages to 12 meals a week…
Pros & cons anyone ? Familiar with these Block plans ?? Thanks so much!
If your son is a three-meals-a-day, always gets up in time for breakfast at the traditional time kind of guy, the 21 meals per week might be best. If you can, find out when meal service is (i.e., what hours). Also find out how the points work. My daughters liked having points (“dining dollars” at their schools) but did notice that the individually priced foods were expensive and used a lot of “dollars.”
What are your son’s habits? Does he normally eat 3 meals a day or is he a two big meals kind of person? Does he tend to grab snacks on the run or does he limit his snacking and only eat when he’s at a sit down meal? Is he likely to eat meals out with friends?
I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t take the 21 meals a week. No one is ever going to go to the dining hall more than 21 times in a week, so the “flexibility” of being able to go more than that some weeks from the block plan doesn’t seem like anything.
There must be something more to this if they’re all the same price. Additional guest meals with the block plans or something maybe? Maybe something else too? The other options don’t make sense.
If he’s sure he’s not going to use more than 12 meals a week, the 3rd option is best, but otherwise the 1st option sounds like it should be best. However I think there’s something you’re missing about these plans, there’s no reason why anyone should take the 220 meal block.
this is what I am thinking… where he could take the meal ,going back as much as he wants during that time frame (x amounts cups coffee, a sandwich) … if he uses those somewhere else , that’s like deducting $10 a pop (just as an example)… it could be eaten up REALLY fast… not getting as much bang for the buck…
I am thinking the 220 Block (averaging `14 meals a week) where they carry over sounds the best - at this point.
Yeah… I really wish they would spell this out better… they have nothing on the College site to explain these… but incoming Freshmen have these 3 choices and they all cost the same … no matter what you choose…
I like the block only because he can then feed a brother or 2, or me & dad in the dining hall using his meals… where he wouldn’t be able to do this using the 21 meals a week plan… 2 meals a day is plenty… and since we are just 25 minutes from the college -he will spend some weekends home … where those 4 meals on SAT / SUN won’t be used… and would carry over…
Am I understanding this right… ALL BLOCK plans carry over ??
This is why I prefer the 220 the most at this point… I think the Flex dollars will be dwindled far too fast on little items (where he could have had bigger meals)
Could be something I am missing about the plans too! I imagine plenty of College have similar meal plans…
The meals get very repetitive over time. My kids both preferred the plans with the most flex points as that gave them the most options of where to eat.
I would not suggest purchasing a meal plan so that your other kids or you can eat in the dining hall when you visit. The meal plan should be chosen solely to meet the needs of the student, not the extended family.
Also, when we visited, our kids really wanted to eat OFF campus, not in the dining hall.
It really depends on the quality of the dining hall and the eating habits of the kid. For instance the school I go to, most people don’t eat three meals per day especially on weekends where most people just get up for brunch. Also depending on the kids schedule, it may be more convenient to combine breakfast and lunch into one meal instead of having two which is what many students end up doing. Again it depends on the habits of the individual students. For the students who don’t eat three meals per day, they may feel it is more convenient to have extra dollars saved in “flex” which can be used to eat out at locations which in some cases may have more variety or higher quality food than the dining halls. Because let’s face it, the dining hall food can get old pretty quickly. In this case I would investigate in which meals may carry over and what students are saying about the satisfaction with their food choices. Assuming they are the same price, realistically speaking, the 21 meal plan probably provides the most bang for your buck (when siblings visit you could simply pitch in or eat somewhere else). If the kid desires more freedom in meal choices or finds that he doesn’t come anywhere close to eating three meals per day then I would go with the third option. The second option doesn’t make that much sense to me unless you are planning to visit often or the kid plans to cook for himself
Have you tried emailing dining at your son’s college to ask for clarifications on the plans? That seems like the obvious answer to me since the website is unclear.
Boy, oh boy. This is one situation I have experience in (at least, I think I do).
Personally, I would take the block meal options, so cut out the first option. At my school, I had the unlimited entries per week plan- BIG waste of money. Despite what you might guess, most of the time you usually just end up with 2 meals per day. I was only using around 14 per week, with the closest plan being the 15 per week (and it was the second cheapest).
If you can get all the meals at once to distribute, he could use those extra block points to give to your family, or to other students that might need it. Lots of students don’t eat in the commons because they can’t afford the plans, so there are certainly others he could help out if he finds he didn’t use all of the block points.
On the other hand, you have the smaller block option with the flexible purchase points. These are best if your son doesn’t have much time to eat in the commons, depending on how his schedule changes. I had a similar option at school- really helpful. I don’t know if commons are open most of the day in your son’s school, but having options throughout the campus can save him A LOT of time in between classes.
My main advice: DON’T get the 21 per week option. It’s almost certain he won’t need that many meals per week.
Unless your son is a three meal a day person, the block plans are probably the better option. Most students don’t want to eat three meals a day seven days a week at the cafeteria. The places kids go to with the flex points are usually very popular.
Assuming Geneva College, which offers meal plans of this description, which all cost the same price. There are some other plans that cost $190 less per semester.
21 meals per week is at least 315 meals at Alexander Hall or the Brig, since there are 15 weeks of instruction in a semester (and there should be more to cover final exam week, etc.).
So the 220 meal block plan is far fewer meals (probably averages 14 or slightly fewer meals per week). Based on the college’s web site, it looks like the student gives up the meals in exchange for being able to each a second meal at the other dining hall during the same meal period, and bring guests in for meals.
The 180 meal block plan’s 150 flex purchase points can be used at additional places besides the two dining halls. It looks like flex purchase points roll over from fall to spring semester, but expire after spring semester.
It looks from the campus map that the campus is not that big, and the Alexander Hall dining hall is closer to the academic buildings than the dorms, so that access to meals between classes is not really an issue.
However, the 220 meal block plan and 180 meal block plan plus 150 flex purchase points cost the same as the 21 meal plan, and some other plans cost only $190 less per semester. It does not look like there is much savings to go for the fewer meal plans, unless the student plans to bring guests.
It is rather likely that the cost difference is small because most students taking the 21 meal plan do not use all 21 meals per week, although they may use more than 14 meals per week.
I’d also do some research to your son’s school and where you can use each type of meal. (There is probably a phone number or email for the food service provider on the school website). Sometimes there are hidden pros/cons.
As an example, at my D’s school the block meals allow you to eat at some of the other (non-cafeteria) places on campus. They have some meals set up to count as one “block meal” (ex. a sandwich, chips, and drink at the sandwich shop would be one block meal). In contrast, the 21 meal/week plan limits students at her college to eating at the all you can eat buffet style cafeteria.
Another thing to find out in advance is if your S can change is plan once he arrives at school. Many schools give a two week or so grace period to change plans. I put my D on the 21 meal/week plan initially she asked me to change it her first week on campus and it was no problem to do so.
Lastly some schools have arrangements with off campus eateries where they take flex dollars. If that is the case, it is a big plus for getting some flex dollars (the kids feel like they eat out while still using meal plan money). I’d ask about that at your S’s school as well.
You are right Ucbalumus… there is a difference in price with these plans BUT freshman can only choose the top 3 … which is why I didn’t mention the others… next year he has a choice, to pay a little less…
I realize the 220 block sounds like the worst plan to many here… but I still think it sounds the best… reason being … son is used to eating 2 meals a day… we are a very frugal family… one has to be with 6 kids & the price of food eating out…
There is no way he is going to opt for a sandwich, a pop & chips at another place where he could FILL up smorgasbord style in that dining hall… which as another mentioned, is close to everything… (decently small campus there)…
Only 1 person here mentioned the high prices of these food places using Flex (rosered55)… is this not true??? I just feel the flex could be used up so very fast for so very little that he is better off with 2 extra “all you can eat” meals per week … since there will be weekends he will visit home…not needing 4 of them a week… (and yes, he could allow someone else to use these, if need be - and darn those are smorgasbord meals! -Nothing compares with that !@#$
We are the type of family who would never buy a pop out… only water , to keep the cost down. I would much rather him have extra spending money to chill with a coffee (or very low priced item) if he wants to hang with friends somewhere …but do his filling up at the dining hall.
Actually he agreed with this plan… the 220 Block. I guess that is why they have so many plans… for each individual’s lifestyle & spending habits… where they feel it’s more bang for their buck…
And thank you ucbalumnus - for those links… I will click on the rest. I did call the College to speak to someone, but I don’t know… she couldn’t really tell me much - It took another call to an Admissions counselor who explained the average meals per week … I guess I didn’t feel she was of much help -nor could she give me an example of how much that Sandwich eating somewhere else on flex could cost… I am assuming (1) sandwich outside of dining hall is ALMOST the same price as a Meal on these plans…
Am I wrong… doesn’t an average meal cost about $6.50… can someone here tell me the average price of a sanhwich on a college campus using FLEX dollars ???
Not getting this one…he won’t use this many meals…won’t be there on some weekends…and can’t treat a guest to one of his meals (that he didn’t need)…
VS…
obviously with this plan…we’d be keeping a mental note of what he didn’t use - where he could treat someone to a meal after a month or 2 …so he would never go without himself… of course!
VS…
I’m afraid he may run short with this one… and not get filled up… with those flex dollars being used way too fast for very small costly items… then we may be in the position to buy more meals by the end of the semester.
Good idea bjkmom! I am always looking for forums, should have thought of that !.. chances are, I will be the one posting though… not him. If I am not a student though… hmmm not sure they allow that… .
I think either your son will stay at school all the time, eat his 21 meals a week and prefer the first plan OR be the kind of student who comes home all the time on weekends and the third option would be the best.
I went to college about an hour away from home. I NEVER went home! College is fun. There is no need to go home. My nephew attends the same school, his home is even closer, and he only came home a few times during the school year, often to do something specific, eat (not that he hadn’t eaten at school, boys just eat whenever they are at home) and go back. Kids just like it at college. Nephew’s biggest complaint was that the dining hall didn’t open early on Sundays, so he had food in his dorm for that.
And they don’t want their younger siblings coming over for dinner. You can always pay for the meals you want to eat with your son at the school, usually about $10 each so no different than Golden Coral (and food quality is about the same!).
Yes, many of those 21 meals will be skipped. That’s figured into the equation too. My daughter had an unlimited plan M-F last year, so she could go to the dining hall at 7, 11, 2, 5 and 7 to eat a full meal, to grab a snack, to grab a drink. On weekends she had to use ‘dining dollars’ to go in the dining hall (or to another place or even to buy groceries), so each of those entries would ‘cost’ her $8, $10, $12 off her flex dollars. She ran out at the end of the year because she’d swiped in other kids who ‘forgot’ their IDs, she’d bought too many smoothies at the gym, etc. This year she has all flex dollars and she’ll have to watch what she spends or she’ll run out of funds again. That’s up to her to manage.