We’ve never bought the tuition insurance. If you are considering it, I’d advise looking carefully to see what is included. For example, will it still pay if the illness resulted from a preexisting condition?
@canoe2015, I don’t remember receiving that this year or last year. Can you send me the info please?
It came in the mail addressed only to our D. So parents may never see it. The website is www.collegerefund.com
That’s right, for some reason the letter is addressed to the student. It came in the mail a couple of days ago in a Yale envelope. There’s also some high level information on the Yale site.
Apparently, for the first year ever, the tuition insurance can be purchased online at http://www.collegerefund.com. Go to the site and scroll down for Yale.
just got it!
May I ask what is the ‘appropriate attire’ for the Freshmen & Family Assembly on the move-in weekend? Short khaki pants with collar shirts, OK? or need to be long pants with dress shirts? or something more formal? Thanks!!
^^ Although some parents and students will be in suits and ties, business casual is the appropriate attire: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-business-casual-really-means-2014-8
Good Lord, what is the Freshmen and Families Assembly? I swear, if I have to rely on my son for all the information. … (No smart Alec need tell me that it’s an assembly for freshmen and families. You can tell me about interesting details if you know some, but mostly I just wanted to gripe about my son. )
http://yalecollege.yale.edu/new-students/class-2019/calendar-opening-days-college-class-2019
All the details are in a pdf you can download. The assembly is streamed live. We did not stay so we watched from home.
Thanks for posting that link musicmerit. It looks like activities for parents are done by 2pm Saturday and it’s up to the students from that point on.
Some of the activities for parents might well have been fun, but I think that DS was happy to see my taillights. We live around 2 hours away, so we are spoiled in knowing that any weekend we can make the trip (and have, a few times). If I lived a flight away I might not be so blase about it.
If I had never seen it, the swarming upperclassmen unloading a fully packed SUV with energy and enthusiasm would be on my bucket list. Meeting the roommates was nice, but my, look at the time 
I think you’re right IxnayBob . . . we certainly don’t want to be hanging around to the point where our daughter’s roommates say, “your parents are still here?”
@IxnayBob and @canoe2015 What are you saying? That my son wont relish his last moments with his family? Hard to believe. I offered to make dinner plans for Friday night and my son acted as if I had suggested that we set up a cot in his room and stay the weekend. We are staying until Saturday but I think that our “past due” date will be early Friday morning.
Hi all, my son will be a freshman this year. Any advice on what kind of jacket and boots he’ll need for the winter? It’s been many years since I lived in the East (we are from California). I will need to buy them online, most likely, as he’s tall and has size 15 feet (too hard to buy in stores!). Thanks for any tips on cold weather gear.
We live on the coast in Maryland and ski in Pennsylvania. We like North Face and Cabellas coats with the zip out jackets for versatility. Though he has several thinsulate lined hunting boots I plan on buying unlined LLbean 8" tall boots to avoid sweaty feet in class so he can just layer wool socks. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Maybe I’m just a born and bread north-easterner, but New Haven isn’t Siberia. You want something reasonably waterproof (because those snow banks along the sidewalks can get messy) but it really isn’t THAT cold.
@donnaleighg , I agree, but last winter seemed to go on forever and it was cold. I’m a guy who frequently wears shorts to the hockey rink in December, but last year, brrrr.
One recommendation I have is quality wool socks: my first choice is Point 6 (as in 98.6) socks. They keep my feet dry and cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Pricy, but they last. Second choice, Smart Wool. It is amazing how warm your whole body can feel when your feet are dry and warm.
ETA: donnaleighg is right. Distances on campus aren’t far, so the trick is not to get wet. If you’re dry, you’ll barely have time to get cold. Layers!
Yes, good socks were essential last winter - and worth the investment. It took years for my California son to learn that lesson.
@donnaleighg,
We are from So Cal, so I beg to differ. It is so cold in New Haven. DD would wear her entire wardrobe and would still be freezing. Also had seasonal affective disorder. Finally got LLBean snow boots, hunter rainboots, wool socks, a calflength down jacket, and underarmor leggings. In CA, we find that shopping at ski stores like sports chalet or dicks sporting goods will give a good base layer of sockets and thermals.
Most seem to wear Northface jackets.