I appreciate the input on the linens - thx
@IxnayBob Thanks for putting my mind at rest!
I swear by the jersey knit sheets from the Company Store, but you can get sheets from anywhere.
We got the linens from Yale; it was one less thing to haul with us or run out to pick up. You pick them up from a truck on move-in day. I also liked that they are guaranteed to last the whole four years because my kids are very restless sleepers and have been known to rip their sheets. If you avoid the package deals on the website and go to the online store, the prices for just one sheet set (which is really all they need–wash the sheets, put them back on the bed that day, right?) isn’t bad. I bought the mid-range 100 percent cotton sheets–hate polyester blend sheets. We also bought a foam pad from them.
That said, I also bought him a queen sized quilted mattress pad cover to put over the foam pad to keep the foam pad securely in place. His roommate’s mom thought that was a good idea and did the same. He told me at some point that year that he and his roommate both noticed that their mattress pad stayed in place and their sheets were always coming off (of course they had no clue why!). So I’m considering getting a queen sized sheet set for my freshman this time around. Might not be as much as an issue if your kids are less restless sleepers, but the foam pad (which is really a must) does add some height to the mattress, making the twin fitted sheet fit less well.
My daughter’s suite mates all did the campus sheet delivery thing and they hated them. The sheets were thin with cheap elastic and they fell off the beds. The towels were very low quality and not very big. They were not happy with them and most of them threw it all away at the end of the semester.
We bought a nice set of sheets because she got a 3" mattress topper as a grad gift and I didn’t want the thickness to be an issue. We also bought one really nice set of towels for her and marked them so they were clearly hers. She is really into monograms so that made it easy. She will have this set for all 4 years. The delivery may be easy but it was a waste of money for a lot of kids as far as I could tell.
I agree with @Memmsmom about the quality of the sheets you’ll seen in the printed brochure–they do have better quality ones on the website. My son’s cotton sheets are equivalent to the all-cotton sheets I’ve bought elsewhere and have held up well. Not sure about the elastic–it seemed similar to others I’ve purchased and with my kids, I never know whether to blame the sheet or the restless sleeper…
Ultimately, it depends on how far you have to cart your kid’s stuff I think–if I lived closer to Yale, I’d just buy linens at home and wash them ahead of time. As one who has always had to do this from a distance, I’ve learned from experience that stores are often out of x-long sheets/mattress pads if you wait to buy at move-in, so if you prefer to not order from Yale I’d order ahead from BB&B and have them waiting for in-store pick-up. I just checked, and it looks like the prices for equivalent thread count sheets are less expensive than the equivalent all cotton sheets on the website. It does mean a trip out to a box store, though, on a busy and fun day.
My daughter’s suite mates all did the campus sheet delivery thing and they hated them. The sheets were thin with cheap elastic and they fell off the beds. The towels were very low quality and not very big. They were not happy with them and most of them threw it all away at the end of the semester.
We bought a nice set of sheets because she got a 3" mattress topper as a grad gift and I didn’t want the thickness to be an issue. We also bought one really nice set of towels for her and marked them so they were clearly hers. She is really into monograms so that made it easy. She will have this set for all 4 years. The delivery may be easy but it was a waste of money for a lot of disappointed kids as far as I could tell.
@Kelowna - we are African American so her decision to take Korean was a surprise to me. Inbox me and we can discuss details.
I know transporting a lot of items is a pain for parents coming from a long distance, but I personally would not use the Yale Linen Service. If you don’t want to transport sheets, comforters, linens, towels, etc on a plane, many parents do an Walmart, IKEA, Target run once they get there. Even though we went up with a Yukon full of stuff, we still made several runs freshman year at move in. Many of the trips were to take roommates who had come from far away and who wanted to buy things like area rugs, trash cans for their rooms, posters, etc. I’ve known moms to do a complete room makeover after one of these shopping trips!!
Fortunately Yale looks after its international students well. It sets up trips to relevant shopping malls so they can buy the necessary stuff during orientation week. It struck me that although DD had to travel a long way and we couldn’t help her settle in or buy sheets, etc. many US students must be in the same situation so I’m a bit surprised they don’t set up a similar system for them!
There is also Bed Bath and Beyond. You can pick your stuff out in hometown store and order and have it ready for pickup in New Haven (or wherever). And I don’t think you pay until you pick it up so you can not take items you decide you don’t need. Easy since it is reserved you can send Dad to pick it up 
Just another option but there is Walmart, IKEA, Target, Homegoods, etc.
And you will get a 20% off coupon form BBB ! I am planning on doing an IKEA run since it is so close by.
Those 20% off coupons are intended to expire on the printed date, but in practice, I’ve walked into a BB&B with a handful of expired coupons and had them all accepted.
Three years ago we forgot our coupon and they still gave us 20 % off, just for asking
I know for a fact that BB&B will take outdated coupons. It is great!! So keep those that come through the mail over the summer since they somehow know you have a kid on the way to college. D
And you can use multiple coupons, 1 per item…never without a few in my pocketbook!
Ok yet another transportation question…
Was back east to watch kiddo compete at a regatta and my NJ relatives suggested an alternative way to get from NY airports to New Haven…
Are you ready?..take LIRR to the ferry which then takes you to New Haven area. Seems crazy to me but I don’t recall seeing this option discussed here. Is this even an option? Totally expensive? Will kiddo get lost at sea?
From JFK I believe you’d have to take the AirTrain to Jamaica, connect to the LIRR there and ride to Port Jefferson, walk to the ferry, take the ferry to Bridgeport and then connect to MetroNorth or Amtrak to take you to New Haven. From LGA you’d probably cab it to Woodside and pick up the LIRR there. It would take several hours end to end if your connections worked perfectly. I don’t know what the costs of all the trains and the ferry would be, but I doubt the total cost would be much cheaper than taking the van straight from the airport to New Haven.
@DeepBlue86 thank you! I’m exhausted just listening to the steps…and knowing my kid he’d give up half way and just get a job as a waiter in the Hamptons 
I think we will stick to going the “longer route”.
Which my mom, who grew up in Queens, remembers her dad dropping her in Harlem to catch the train to Ct. She was in nursing school in New Haven. If grannie could do it so can my Cali kid.
Yep - I’d think he’d take the shuttle bus to Grand Central or Penn Station (from either LGA or JFK) and then MetroNorth or Amtrak to New Haven. I’m guessing that would be somewhat cheaper than the van, if less convenient.