Silly question, but does anyone know what we should wear to this? The person I E-mailed said business casual is what most people wear, but she was kind of vague.

Also... my parents are making me take them with me on the first day, because they're so proud of me and want to see the campus/law school apartments and check out restaurants at which they (mistakenly) think they will be taking me to brunch every Sunday for the next three years. Will anyone else be accompanied by their parents and help lessen the embarrassment they will inevitably cause me? Someone please say yes.

Columbis Law School? I'm not familiar with that one . . . where is Columbis???

oyyy. I'm hungover, give me a break. Columbia.

Your parents are making you? are you under the age of 18 or something?

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=61273&hilit=parents+asw

I think there was a thread about attire somewhere too

Edit: Here it is.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=55538&p=1247895&hilit=attire+for+asw#p1247895

I feel too bad to tell them not to come. They're all overly-excited and shit.

tell them to meet up with you after the events to talk about the location and stuff.

thanks russiangirl, at least I'll be well dressed while my parents ruin my life.

I'm not sure how to explain my parents to you, but this strategy isn't going to work. I'm trying to limit their presence to the apartment tours/law school tour. Is it really uncommon for parents to be at these events?

Visit the school with your parents at some time independent of the ASW if they're all dead set on checking out apartments and restaurants, etc.. There is no benefit whatsoever for them to attend the ASW -- it's not called Admitted Students and Family Weekend, after all.

Their presence at ASW will interfere with you getting to know potential fellow classmates and the school generally because you're going to be the only one (or at most one of a few out of hundreds) w/ your parents there and will thus be perpetually red-faced and anxious.

The ASW invitations I've received so far (Northwestern, Penn) go out of their way to make clear that partners/spouses are welcome. None say anything at all about parents -- which makes sense because this is professional school and not undergrad. Do your parents insist on chaperoning you on dates? Do they still take you to the doctor?

Granted, I personally wouldn't really even need to attend the ASW to determine whether *I'd* go to Columbia or not (I'm on hold and would jump at the chance), and I'm sure you won't be forever branded with shame b/c your parents tagged along, but it's just really not appropriate. I know lots of law and med students who formed friendships that ended up being the core of their social group at school during ASWs. Being the *kid* ushered around by his/her parents is not going to help with that.

You're an adult and your parents, while proud, really don't have any true role in the process. This is your decision and they should respect that and keep their distance. It's for the best.

I mean, I'm 99% sure I'm going to end up at Columbia. I'm attending the ASW because I've never seen the campus and want to look at the apartments before I fill out my housing application.

My parents usually aren't overly involved in my life, but they are with the law school thing. It's because I'm their first born and Columbia was my dream law school so they're all proud and stuff. I guess I'll try to explain this to them. Thanks for being honest (seriously).

...I think I might tell them I can't come home because it's supposed to snow and attend the other ASW at the end of March alone, because I really don't feel like being that kid.

snow = life/dignity saver.

i'm taking my parent with me and i have no qualms/shame

if i'm asking him to help me make it thru law school monetarily, he can at least check it out with me. i don't know why everyone is so stuffy about these things.

Who cares if someone brings their parents. I want my family to see the school. I'm not embarrassed to have them there ... I'm not 14 anymore.

Did either of you read what noquieromas actually wrote?

idk, but I did and he makes a bunch of good points (particularly that my parents will interfere with my ability to meet my future classmates at the admitted student events). my parents are going to see Columbia when we visit informally over spring break instead and I'm visiting alone on March 26th/27th. so, problem solved.

I read his comments, and I disagreed with them. Walking around with my parents would not make me red-faced and anxious. But maybe that's because I'm old enough to be someone's parent.

I also think it's absurd that I would form my core social group at ASW. That's certainly not what happened in college.

I'm bringing my mom. woo hoo see you there!
p.s. just got a reading assignment for the mock class thing! gah

Also, I think this going to the doctor analogy is the wrong one. A doctor's visit is not a $200,000 investment. I would take my parents to see a house before I bought it. These are major life decisions, people. And I am married!

Well, we are all old enough to be someone's parent, so I don't really see how that has any relevance here...haha.

How big was your college? I agree, at my UG the ASW was pretty worthless for making connections. Mainly because there are around 30,000 students there and the chance is low I was going to meet someone that was taking the same classes I was. I think law school ASW is a different situation. You are definitely going to meet someone in your section who you will be spending a lot of time with/around.

I don't think anyone is going to call you out for bringing your parents; it isn't that big of a deal. It is just a little weird, that's all.

I really wouldn't sweat it. The Columbia lit did specifically say that parents are welcome to attend all ASW events. Plus if your parents come just for a portion of the day (housing tours, etc.) hardly anybody will notice/care/remember. And I am sure your parents will leave you solo for the serious mingling bits like nighttime activities.

Either way, nothing you do at ASW will be a dealbreaker for your future social life at Columbia.

so anyone back and ready to share their days' experience?

As for me:

1. a lot more parents than I thought. wow.
2. Columbia Law reminded me once again that law school is a professional (where people have pre-professional mentality) school.
3. Penn Law Lib beats Columbia's ass.

current students were a lot cooler and nicer than i expected
admits were a lot less cool and nice than i expected

and yeah the law lib is not very nice

Well, for me, the people were one thing that CLS had going for them. Not nearly as cut-throat as people made it sound like, and everyone I'd talked to today (prof to admission officers to admitted students) was delightfully nice and interesting.

Any interesting stories?