What to Bring and Start of Year Finances

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Is there anything else anyone could suggest to bring?

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<p>Something a lot of people haven’t had is formal clothes. Engineering especially requires formal wear in presentations. For some people it’s automatic to bring, some people not so much. Just in case.</p>

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Also, on the Financial Letters we are given out it states $800 goes towards books and supplies. When they say supplies, do they mean notebooks, binders, pencils, tape, paper, etc.? Or do they just mean school books plus say a lab book you need for the class? I just wanted to clarify… do I need to bring these things to school when I arrive?

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<p>I spent $300 altogether for textbooks and school supplies first semester. $200 second semester. But it will vary from person to person. Upperclassmen are a much better way to get textbooks than the bookstore. Additionally, while you don’t need to bring school supplies with you, the Huntley is expensive. Go to a Staples or something and pick up cheaper supplies. However, some classes (especially labs) require you to have a very specific notebook, so be careful of that. The Huntley website will post what books and supplies are needed for your classes (it already has materials for at least some frosh classes next year up). </p>

<p>The best strategy I can recommend is befriend upperclassmen. They’ll lend/give/sell you texts and possibly drive you to get supplies.</p>

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Also, on the admitted students site, it states that freshman are expected to bring $1,500 to campus. Does that go towards our tuition? I heard freshman have to pay a fee for orientation. I aslo heard some of it is for buying books when we get there? How does that work?

Your tuition will not be paid by any money you bring with you. Orientation is included in the tuition. The $1500 is money for you to spend on everything.</p>

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Lastly, I know it says there are $900 for personal expenses. Does this include toiletries, snacks, etc.? How is this dispersed? I know you get $16 a week for the 16 meal plan, but that only goes toward food products, correct? Does the $900 go into a Claremont cash account?

Not that I know of. It’s just estimated personal expenses. Going out for food, going to movies and concerts, buying stuff for your room or other people, etc.</p>

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I heard Claremont cash cards are easier for laundry and such. I also know you can not withdraw cash from the Claremont cash account, so I’m assuming students use debit cards as well? Like where would the money to pay for say a concert you want to go to come from?

I never use Claremont Cash and I don’t personally know of anyone at Mudd who does. The laundry machines operate on quarters, not cards. I know a couple vending machines that take Claremont Cash on campus and that’s it. Jay’s Place you’ll probably do fine for on flex. It’s much, much easier just to have cash or a debit card.</p>

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I know this question varies with each person, but how much do people spend/ use their debit card vs. their Claremont cash card? And is this card different than your student id? Is your student id different than the card you use to pay for meals?

As before, never use Claremont cash. Normally I get by on flex, and occasionally I use the ATM on Pomona to withdraw cash. Claremont Cash would be with your ID card. Your ID card gets you into suites, gets you into lounges and laundry rooms, allows you into parties, allows you into the academic complex, allows you into classrooms, gets you into meals, pays flex, and pays Claremont cash. It’s important.</p>

<p>As far as I can tell, Claremont cash is mostly just a convenience thing of only carrying around one card, but it’s not accepted everywhere, and cash is just much more flexible. Claremont Cash can also be regulated by parents, I believe, so parents that want to keep careful tabs on their student’s spending may find giving them Claremont cash appealing.</p>

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Oh! And if I’m going to the Summer Institute, how does bringing your stuff to move in to your dorm work between SI and Orientation? Will we have an opportunity to go home and pack? I mean, I can’t just have my parents come up with my stuff… they won’t know what to bring. Going home to pack would be less of a hassle for me since I live only an hour and a half away. Would I have an opportunity between SI and Orientation to go home? What about other SI students?

Summer Institute is getting to Mudd early. You’re moving in. You don’t go back or pack, you already packed and took everything with you if you’re at summer institute. If you live close enough, SI will end a day or two before Orientation starts. Or, if you live an hour and a half away, it’s possible you could do it all on move-on day. But the expectation is that you’ve arrived at Mudd early and brought everything with you, and the other SI students will likely be there to stay.</p>

<p>Plus I’m not really sure how going to SI without bringing anything would work…</p>

<p>Hope that covers things. Let me know if you come up with anything else :)</p>