(Probably dumb) college open house question

[marbel]

My high school junior and I are going to a college open house later this month.  She invited a friend (also a junior) to accompany her/us and she accepted and expressed that her parents were fine with her going.  The girls will be in different student groups during part of the day because their majors will be different.

 

Anyway, now the friend is thinking it would be strange to go to the open house without one of her parents.  I honestly didn't think a thing about that - I wasn't really expecting to be involved in the activities and am not even sure they have anything for the parents to do.  I didn't go to any college open houses while in high school.  My husband did, and he said his parents went to one but not all of them.  But, he went to college in 198x so what does he know anyway. :-)   (I applied to one school, our local state U, and didn't set foot on campus till registration day.)

 

So, what is typical?  Would it be odd for a student to be at an open house without a parent? 

 

I think that the friend doesn't really want to go and is looking for a way out.  She was dismayed when she learned that she and my daughter would be split up during part of the day.  I assumed they would be: an art student and a biology student have different things to see, right?  And, this question didn't come up till after my daughter confirmed that the students would be grouped by major.  But, I could be wrong.  I am pretty clueless on this and admit I didn't do any research, other than reading the open house announcement that my daughter received.  And that did not say anything about parents.

 

What say those who have come before me?

 

Thanks!

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by marbel

[teachermom2834]

I am sure there will be something planned for parents but that it is not at all strange for a student to attend without a parent.i think the scenario you describe (multiple students accompanied by just one parent) would be pretty common.

[Pegasus]

It is not strange for a student to attend without a parent.  Usually, when the student registers for the event, it asks how many are coming.

 

If the friend doesn't want to be split up, she would still get something out of the event if she stayed with your daughter. She's only a junior, so she can attend again next year if interested in the major session.

 

[Kareni]

My daughter attended an Open House without a parent in attendance.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

[marbel]

Thanks for the responses!  That is a good idea about the friend just staying with my daughter.  I will have her present that option. It never occurred to me she would feel uncomfortable being separated for that time, so I was taken by surprise.  

 

I figure if she likes the school, she can set up a visit with her parents at some point. 

 

Thank you!

[daijobu]

Maybe her friend was more attracted to spending a nice day hanging with your dd, and seeing the college was secondary?  

[magic]

I took several of my son's friends with us on college tours.  Their parents were unable to attend but the kids wanted to go on tours.  I would say that maybe half were with parents and half were with extended family, friends, or alone.  The kids really enjoyed touring together and found that they all noticed different things while on the tours.  My son now gives tours for his college and many prospective students are not with their parents.