Empty Nest 101: College orientation for parents
This undated photo provided by Northeastern University shows parent Landi Tang as she looks over a booklet during an orientation for families of incoming freshmen at the university in Boston. Some orientations for families of incoming freshman are packed with workshops, tours and speeches on subjects ranging from letting go to campus safety. (AP Photo/Northeastern University, Mary Knox Merrill)By Beth J. Harpaz
Associated Press Writer / July 6, 2010
Associated Press Writer / July 6, 2010
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NEW YORK—Call it Empty Nesting 101: Colleges around the country are holding orientations for families of incoming freshmen. But these are not simple "Meet the Dean" receptions held the day before school starts. These are elaborate two- and three-day events, often held on midsummer weekdays, requiring parents to take time off from work and pay $70 or $80 in addition to lodging, food and travel expenses.
They're packed with workshops, tours and speeches on subjects ranging from letting go to campus safety. Reed College in Portland, Ore., even invites parents to read "The Odyssey" and attend a lecture and discussion similar to what their kids will experience in a freshman humanities course.
You might think parents facing massive tuition bills would balk at more demands on their budget and time. But many colleges report that well over half their freshmen have family in attendance at
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