<p>I agree there is a contradiction for sure, Singersmom. However, since a school cannot be sure - on the surface - which kids depend on parents for payment and which kids are full rides (financial aid etc), I think it’s just a blanket policy. Most schools allow the kid to sign something so grades and other academic/financial info is sent to parents. S’s school will, as a matter of policy, let parents know of academic slides at a couple points during the semester if they apply. Same with social infractions, like drinking citations etc. From what I understand from S’s school, it’s pretty much no news is the best news.</p>
<p>Both D and S go to BIG universities - 13,000-20,000. D’s school sends the crime update as needed and there was a flurry of emails after a student died from H1N1 complications at the start of the year. From S’s school (very urban), all we get are invitations to lectures and cocktail parties in NYC. All good. I figure if I need to know, I can check the websites.</p>
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<p>Why, that’s <em>exactly</em> the experience that we had!</p>
<p>@ TD- Really? Shocked! Shocked I am! ;-)</p>
<p>We get the alumni magazine and an email that basically is just links to alumni magazine on line. We also get a magazine that the computer science department puts out separately. And of course we get bills!</p>
<p>Our experience is pretty much identical to Wis75’s in post #10. I do find it amusing that we receive the e-bill notification by e-mail, but also our daughter gets a reminder e-mail at the same time to make sure to tell her parents that they have gotten an e-bill notification.</p>
<p>I’m not surprised that both you and your daughter get notified. In my volunteer work with school, you’d probably be absolutely amazed at the number of parents who don’t open email from the school because (pick one):
- they changed email addresses without notifying school
- they don’t really use email very often and only check it every few weeks
- they used a work email and now work somewhere else
- they don’t open email from school on the theory that it might be bad news or must be about announcements they don’t care about</p>
<p>Kids, at least for now, mostly open their email.</p>
<p>I get a monthly reminder that the updated accounts for each kiddo is posted online. I get a few glossy mailings each year for each kid about their respective schools–Arts & Letters for D & Engineering for S. I also get some appeals for $ & a mailings about sending our kids care packages thru a service that the school makes a profit from (around exams & special occasions). I also get a mailing about parents’ weekend. S got mailed something about going for grad pictures & is supposed to be getting a mailing about renting grad gown & optional dinner @ $35/head the night prior to graduation, with space limited to 1st 1200 who pay.</p>
<p>We also get a few other things from time to time, asking for money of course as well. Our kids both attend the same large private U (34,000+ attending).</p>
<p>I get the college magazine, periodic emails about issues that come up on campus (like when a student died), and requests for money in mail and email when it’s that time of year. The bookstore also sends my son’s statements to this address, so I have to call him and tell him what they say. That’s about it it. :-)</p>
<p>PS: Oh, yeah, they also send the invoices for tuition/room/board here (addressed to son), but they’re credit balances, so I just let him know how much they’re giving him for spending money each semester. </p>
<p>PPS: We only see him once a year or so for the winter holidays, that’s why I call him and tell him what stuff says.</p>