College Move in day - Public vs Private school or Big vs Small school

[Heather07438]

I guess my question is: How was your move in day for your college bound students? Do you think the fact that it is a private vs public or small vs. large school makes a difference

Just dropped DS off for second year at a big college (10k students). I was impressed actually. Since it's an old school the buildings aren't spaced/planned by modern standards. This year's dorm building has only a skinny one way path in front and a huge parking lot farrrr away and down about 50ft of elevation (campus is on a mountain). The path has just enough room for parking on one side to let cars squeeze past (normally no parking zone). Security held back the line of cars dropping off and only let one in once someone else left. We waited about 20 minutes on that line which was fine as that meant we got to pull up and park 20 ft from the door. 2 hour windows were assigned but we only parked for about 15 minutes to help bring his stuff inside.

 

[Colleen27]

Move in day at DD's small private urban university was really smooth. There's almost zero parking on campus so they assign move in times to ensure each family has an hour in the small staff parking lot to unload their car before having to brave on-street parking in San Francisco for the rest of the day's events. This year, they spread it out even more to avoid the lines for elevators and such that we ran into her freshman year and DD (who is an RA now and had to help organize the chaos) said it was even easier than our experience. On her move-in day, only the few dozen RAs were moving in so there was no real traffic to speak of, and the general student move-in was spread over a full week to spread out the crowds.

I'm not sure public v. private makes much difference, but I do think the size of the school matters. At least in places with limited parking. It is just easier, logistically, to accommodate hundreds of students on each move-in day rather than thousands.

 

[DisneyOma]

For my oldest, it was easy because she got to move in a few days early for orientation or something. She went to Boston University--there is no parking. When I moved her in, we were lucky to find a parking spot on her street--she lived in a Back Bay brownstone, NOT a standard dorm (dumb luck!). For the regular dorms, I think they had designated parking lots and those big laundry carts, but she never had to go that route.

For my younger DD, it went like clockwork. She was mailed a map of where she needed to go, and told what paperwork to have with her, all filled out. DH dropped her off, then drove to her dorm where students helped unload the vehicle. He parked and walked back--by the time he got back, she was done checking in. You would not BELIEVE how many students didn't bother doing their paperwork in advance, but she did, so she sailed right through. She also lived on the first floor, so getting the stuff into her room was easy--especially with her two brothers to help. The thing that took the longest was waiting for her roommate to show up--DH didn't want to leave her by herself, since she was nervous as it was. Of course, joke's on us--we barely see or speak to her, now that she's spent the 2 hours necessary to adjust and make friends. Her campus is ~3 miles from home.

I really think it depends on the college, as far as how easy it is. Another factor for my younger DD's school is, they evacuate if there's a hurricane approaching. Students are instructed to not bring more furnishings, etc. than they can get out in one vehicle (no U-Hauls or trucks). If they have to evacuate, they need an efficient plan, so they use move-in days as practice.

Move In weekend in Boston - shudder!!!! Did that for 7 years (well, some of it was over the river into Cambridge, but still crazy!) Those box trucks trying to make it under the overpasses on Storrow Drive? At least I know my way around that area enough to find an alternate route when necessary.

But why in the world would anyone evacuate for a hurricane and drag their furniture with them? For hurricanes you get enough clothing for a few days, some food, water, medicine, essential paperwork, sentimental items that are small, pets and their food, and you get the heck out. You leave the furniture. That's all they have to tell them - the furniture stays during an evacuation.

 

[yeahdisney]

Big college- but private dorm. Organized. U can sign up for a day time drop off. Groups of kids meet you at your car, unload your stuff onto carts, and take the student to their room, and unload the stuff. Then you do as you wish with your stuff.

They all clap to welcome you home- when you arrive.

They do ask you to move your car somewhere else when they have you unloaded.

If you pick -not a day time move in. U can park yourself out front, check out a hotel type cart and unload your car yourself.

 

[indimom]

Public university. Enrollment 28,000. DD was on the tenth floor of her building. There were two elevators. We ended up giving up waiting on the elevators after awhile. It was just easier to walk the ten flights. That was a long day.
When she moved into her first apartment as a sophomore we were thrilled. It was amazing parking right in front of the door and walking in, with just one flight up to her bedroom.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Move In weekend in Boston - shudder!!!! Did that for 7 years (well, some of it was over the river into Cambridge, but still crazy!) Those box trucks trying to make it under the overpasses on Storrow Drive? At least I know my way around that area enough to find an alternate route when necessary.

But why in the world would anyone evacuate for a hurricane and drag their furniture with them? For hurricanes you get enough clothing for a few days, some food, water, medicine, essential paperwork, sentimental items that are small, pets and their food, and you get the heck out. You leave the furniture. That's all they have to tell them - the furniture stays during an evacuation.

Oh, we definitely dodged a bullet on Boston Move-in weekend! BU has a program to get first-year students familiar with Boston--DD did it her first year, then was a leader the next two years, which allowed her to move in early.

I don't know what the local U's policy is for kids in apartments (there are some on-campus), but for dorm-dwellers, you have to evacuate and take EVERYTHING with you. It may be a liability thing--during Hurricane Florence, flooding was a huge problem in the area (generally--I have no idea about on-campus). Again, I didn't have students there 3 years ago, but I know the public schools were closed for close to 4 weeks. One of the evacuation shelters also flooded, causing evacuees to move to DD's (then) HS--people were still in there until the day before school opened. I'm with you--why would they care if a student left behind a fridge or comfy chair? But, that's the policy.

 

[sheilafri]

I don’t know. Afraid of embarrassing myself and each child with a raging case of ugly crying, I made their father take them to college.

 

[mrs. magoo]

It is very interesting to see the different experiences. The college my husband works at had move in day today and a mom actually complained that the weather was just too hot. She was serious and not kidding. I mean we can not control the weather. My son has not been able to eat in the dining hall yet though since they need to make a reservation and there have been no times. I can't imagine what it will be like when the rest of the students move in. The football team is still providing meals they just have to go to the facilities to pick them up.

 

[Southernmiss]

We've moved 4 kids to 2 different public colleges since 2012.

The first college mid size about 13,000 students. Well organized. The parents drove through dropped the kid and their stuff off at the curb and went to park the car in the parking garage. I felt like we literally "kicked our kid to the curb". On a very emotional day, it was quite funny to think of it like that.

A team of students met our kid at the curb and hauled his stuff up to his dorm room. DH and I followed up. Busy and chaotic in the dorm building as never enough elevators and stairs were crowded (again 2012 before Covid). But nothing to complain about.

Next kid went to our state flagship of about 15,000 students in 2015. We were able to park near the building to unload the kid and stuff. By then, we knew to bring a dolly/handtruck and to pack in boxes. Again busy in the dorm building as one would expect.

Son #3 went to the same flagship school, different dorm building. The dorm building had large commercial like laundry bins on wheels. We were able to get one and used our trusty hand cart. This time, kid # 2 was there to help as he was still at that college. So there were 4 of us hauling his stuff in. Not too painful.

Our daughter moved in last year to same college as kid #2 and #3, again a different dorm building. Similar move in to kid #2 and #3, but with distancing and limited #s of people in the elevators which made the day longer than other move ins. But all in all not bad either.

I agree with the statement that it's not so much public vs private or flagship vs not (honestly, that sounds elitist--and our non-flagship school was a little more organized that the flagship overall) but the organization and management of move in by the college.

Definitely memorable experiences no matter how many kids or times you move them in.

 

[katie01]

That sounds so stressful! I have heard similar form other parents with kids at large universities. Our oldest just moved into his dorm this past weekend, small/medium sized college in a suburb. It was VERY smooth. We arrived 20 minutes before our scheduled move in time, but they let us pull right up in our van, only one other vehicle was there. They gave us a huge rolling cart and it only
Took three trips, it even fit the fridge/microwave/large items. No wait for elevator. It was so nice

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We moved our son into his dorm four years ago (he graduated in May!). He went to a mid-sized private university. The move-in process was flawless. Signage to enter campus was very clear. There were several check-points as we drove to his dorm and the route was marked with traffic cones. At the final check-point, we were given a small cardboard sign printed with his name, dorm name and room number. There were several drop-off lanes where we lined up. When we reached the front, a mover came to the car with a large laundry cart. He helped us unload, put everything in the cart and asked us to put our cardboard sign on top. The mover took the cart into the building. DS was directed to get his ID badge which would double as his key card, while were directed to a parking garage. All of the elevators in the dorm building were reserved for the movers, so we took the stairs up to the 9th floor (that was kind of brutal). When we got there, all of DS's stuff was in the room and we just had to help him unpack. It was an extremely organized and very easy process.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm not sure private vs public is the defining line. I'm sure there are some well run private and not so well run too.

Consider where the schools are and where the dorms are in relation to the surrounding area. Not every school will have ample parking for all, not every dorm is tall or short, some schools require freshman to live on campus while others do not, etc. Some the campus is well a campus and others the buildings are built into the city so there's a campus of sorts.

Size may be something but a small school doesn't mean they are the most efficient either nor does a large school mean they don't have things down.

Elevator issues seem pretty common, older buildings too may have slower elevators than others adding to the issue and size of the elevators probably most of them weren't designed for carts and a bunch of people. When I was a freshman I lived on the 3rd floor which was really the 2nd floor from the ground (the basement held the laundry area and the 1 person rooms) and there were 7 floors total. It was easier for two of us to take the cart up the stairs 1 floor than to wait for the elevator for 1 floor up, timing of getting that cart on the stairs became the issue but was better than waiting for the elevator that was frequently stopping on other floors. I seem to remember my sophomore year being better in that respects and I was on the top floor (which was the 10th) but boy being on the top floor sucked when the fire alarm went off..

My freshman year the dorm was located on the bottom of the hill at the edge of campus and the parking was just for that dorm (it wasn't a whole lot of spaces), my sophomore year my dorm was located on a hill with 5 other dorms IIRC with parking all sorta separated for each dorm but not separated out either and overflow parking across a bridge. They've torn down a rather large 3-winged dorm since I've been there and built a newer dorm, switched part of the parking lot area there for where that older dorm was but largely that hill is the same in which multiple dorms are located there. For the most part that makes it easier to move in, unless you had to park across the bridge of course.

 

[moniqueand2]

Just returned from move in to a Big Ten university in the midwest.

Very chill in fact, no drama at all. Lots of parking lots open and move in times very spread out and therefore parking for one hour in front of dormitory. Dorm room rather old and not super impressed though.

 

[mom2rtk]

My daughter's first move in day at her 30K student University was very peaceful. She got a job as a desk attendant and had to be there a week early. There were only about 5 residents in her 7 story dorm for that first week, so it was a lovely quiet move in day. She loved easing into college life, and met her best friend, the one she's sharing an apartment with now 2 years later.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I felt like we literally "kicked our kid to the curb". On a very emotional day, it was quite funny to think of it like that.

I joke that I have left my kid at the curb for every move in day. For my oldest his dorm was across campus and I wasn't going to walk all the way there and then cry all the way back so we said good bye at the curb. For my daughter an accident caused us to be late to our move in time and she needed to get to a meeting so we said good bye at the curb and there was no way I was going back up to my youngest room so I said good bye in the parking lot.

My oldest daughter who played volleyball got to move in early - easy peasy. I was hoping that the same would happen with my son. It could have been worse though talking with friends who moved their child in last Saturday sat in their car for 5 hours because so many people did not follow the move in time due to the hurricane.

 

[clori]

No Boston schools for my daughter but made the huge mistake of driving there once during Labor Day weekend and will never do that again.
My daughter's private univeristy (maybe 5000-6000 students) was excellent freshman year. Wait in line often for a long time but they had some entertainment to watch and constantly offered drinks, food etc. Room key was given out in the car as well. When it was your turn you drove near the building, popped open the trunk and all your labeled items were whisked away and carried up 3 flights of stairs for you within minutes (no ac/no elevator). Basically it took a while but it was well run. Upper classmen had move in all day with bins, perhaps a few minute walk if you didnt' want to wait for a closer spot but you carried everything yourself. Fortunately my daughter was on 2nd then first floor. This year I've read stories from the same school saying how awful it was that you had to wait in a car line and how much better state schools are run for move in. I think it is a bit about what your personality is.

 

[traviesojmt]

We recently moved our daughter for her freshman year~small private school in PA. Freshman arrive on campus a few days before the rest of the campus. I can only describe it as a well-oiled machine. We were assigned times according to floor. Campus security directed traffic.
The school has an orientation board made up of upper classmen who plan events for freshman during orientation week. The OB (orientation board) were waiting when our cars pulled up to carry everything into their room. We had been told to write name and room number on everything. Our car was unloaded within minutes and my husband was directed to go park. The OB students were friendly, energetic and working hard to help unload cars.
They had OB students in the car line taking info and putting a card with room number on our windshield. It was awesome! I dread sophomore year when we will have to unload ourselves. Lol
My son graduated from a private school in TN. They did something similar for freshman but it was athletes who unloaded cars.

 

[AussieFan8]

My daughter lived in the dorm at a very large public university last year. Move-in was great. We had a scheduled time due to COVID. No helpers because of COVID, but we could park right next to the building and use large carts that they provided. Hardly had to wait for an elevator. We were in and out in no time. Very impressive for such a large school.

I know the helpers were back this year, and I think move-in times were still scheduled in advance. I heard all went smoothly again.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It really depends upon how good auto access is, how much parking, whether they've got assistance to get people in, etc. It's not easy moving 5k-20k students into what amounts to very high density resident dorms all at once.

 

[design_mom]

My son is at a medium-size state school (~17,000 undergrads, college town atmosphere). Times were staggered, routes were well marked. (Last year/this year we had to stop by the basketball stadium parking lot for a drive-thru COVID test before proceeding to the dorms.) They had you pull up outside the dorm, unload your student and his stuff onto the sidewalk in front of the dorm, then they direct you where to park the car. Both years I thought "there are no spots left in this parking lot. We're going to have to park farther away." but both years we ended up finding a spot in the closest lot (yay!) We were told there'd be helpers and bins. There were some, but not enough for everyone, so we ended up carrying his stuff to his room by hand. (3rd floor one year, 2nd floor the other.) We didn't bother with the elevator because the stairs were faster. Overall, very smooth, but we were on our own.

I helped my niece move into a large state university (~45,000 undergrads, urban campus) for her freshman year. They usually move everyone in over the course of 2 days, but they spread it out over a week this year. You could sign up for your preferred time slot. I think that kept the craziness to a minimum. They did have helpers and bins. Unloading went smoothly but we had to park pretty far away from the dorm and walk back. She was on the 8th floor of her dorm so we kind of needed to wait for the elevators and that took a long time. (We ended up taking the elevators up and the stairs down, except for the trip to return the bins.) It was kind of "controlled chaos" but it worked out.