Missing a week of college as a freshman?

Aloha,

I am thinking of surprising my daughter with a 7 day cruise for her 18th birthday. The problem is that she starts college as a freshman this August. The cruise would be at the end of October, so two months into the semester, and not yet near finals. I never got to go to college, and this is my first child going, so I am not sure how the teachers will react. Are they usually understanding? Will they let her make up missed work? Any suggestions? Thanks for your help!

Mahalo.

I would believe she will be fine.....I would also think most instructors would let the assaignments be made up but I am sure there are also those ones that can be a harda$$ about it and make things a little more difficult. I am one who is in favor of going and exploring other cultures b/c for that short time I feel you might learn more on the trip than in calss anyway. Just my opinion though:cool:

no big deal at all.

I would be careful with that. My DD is a Freshman this year. Some of her teachers only allow so many absences (for example 3). If she uses them up for a cruise then she may not be able to use them if she gets sick or there is an emergency and she needs them. They also may not allow her to make up any testing or quizzes and it could be close to mid terms. You just don't know until she gets into it Does she have a winter break that you could work around? If not then most colleges get out early in December; I would plan for it then. Sorry to be a downer but it would be awful if her grades were hurt because she took off for a cruise.

College is not like high school or grade school. The amount of work your daughter will have to catch up on may be very overwhelming. There is a good chance the professors will not allow her to make up tests or quizzes when she is missing class for a kind of frivolous reason. Besides that, think of all the class hours of lectures for many different classes that she will actually be missing. While she would certainly be able to do any reading for the classes on her own, she will be missing valuable lecture time for every class.

I would be extremely surprised if her instructors would even know she's gone. It will be up to her to make sure she turns any assignments/papers in ahead of time (should any be due while she is away) and also to make sure she doesn't miss any tests. I've never heard of attendance being taken in at a college level.

Edit: While it's been about 10 years since graduated this is even more of a concern now... have you thought about how much you or her will be paying for the week she's gone? I'm sure it's not a small amount of money. That was what kept me going to lectures... I paid my own way through school (and graduated with no debt btw...yeah I'm still proud of that) and by god they weren't getting my money for free!! I think academically she'd be fine, but like I said I'm sure that a week's worth of tuition would easily more than the cost of the cruise.

Is this a university or community college? How many credits is she taking? If she has a light workload it shouldn't be a big deal.

Honestly I'd wait for a break. As a college freshman myself (WAY OLDER college freshman, by hey!) I sceduled this last cruise during my Spring Break. It overlapped ONE day which one professor had assigned a multiple choice online quiz, luckily he was very accomodating about allowing my test to stay open until I returned (had to do the test on my way HOME :( ) But he also offered a friendly reminder that he didn't HAVE to allow me to makeup this test.

I am assuming she is fulltime? She could miss alot of assignments. Most professors would probally let her makeup material and some might even give her assignments ahead of time but that would be up to each individual.

Also some professors really stick to the "hours" in class rules and only allowed the acceptable amount of absenses. Again, this will vary depending on the individual, sadly.

I will say that I take my elementry school aged kids out for 7 days every year to go to Disneyworld. They are allowed to make up all work and are all very good students. I have never gotten any grief from our school system for doing so. So its entirely up to you as a parent. :)

I would love a break for a cruise about right now!!!

College is not like high school or grade school. The amount of work your daughter will have to catch up on may be very overwhelming. There is a good chance the professors will not allow her to make up tests or quizzes when she is missing class for a kind of frivolous reason. Besides that, think of all the class hours of lectures for many different classes that she will actually be missing. While she would certainly be able to do any reading for the classes on her own, she will be missing valuable lecture time for every class.

It's a lovely thought and a lovely gift, but I agree with Gizfish. I have four college professors in my immediate family including DW, so I have a pretty good idea how they would handle this situation. Any chance you could bump the cruise to another date?

I would be extremely surprised if her instructors would even know she's gone. It will be up to her to make sure she turns any assignments/papers in ahead of time (should any be due while she is away) and also to make sure she doesn't miss any tests. I've never heard of attendance being taken in at a college level.

I know, it kind of threw me too. I only had one class in college, way (way!) back when, that did. I guess it depends on the school and professor.

Thank you all for your opinions. The date is important because she would still be 17 until the last night of the cruise...and get to go to the Teen Club, which she loves. She will turn 18 on the last night of the cruise!

I would be extremely surprised if her instructors would even know she's gone. It will be up to her to make sure she turns any assignments/papers in ahead of time (should any be due while she is away) and also to make sure she doesn't miss any tests. I've never heard of attendance being taken in at a college level.

Most of my daughter's professors DO take attendance. I would not recommend taking her out for a week. Most assignments are turned in online but tests are taken in person, even for online courses.

At many institutions, the end of October = midterm exams.

The make-up policy will of course vary from instructor to instructor. Cross your fingers that she does not have a professor that would require nothing less than a doctor's note for missing the test.

IMHO, Bad Idea! :eek: The profs may not know if she's there but to make up a week's worth of college is huge!!! Go in August before school starts or winter break in January. She won't know how stressful or challenging the semester will be until she's there. My son is a college freshman and I can't imagine him missing an entire week.

I've never heard of attendance being taken in at a college level.

Although I missed entire semesters while i was in college, I was able to pull it off. Freshman year is the time to get into the swing of things. The teacher may or may not miss her, depends on the teacher, but, remember they don't go over missed work. That's the student's responsibility. A week's worth of college courses is like a month of high school or more. You don't want to miss it. Although a cruise is fun, I'd pick another time.

yes, I graduated and even went back to college 2 x after that:eek:

Actually considering going backagain in September for another degree:p. The company is paying:D

I second going before college starts or on winter break. I am taking my son the first week of January. There is no way he could miss a week of college and catch up. Same for my DD who graduated two years ago.

Colleges have a lot more to cover now and a lot of degree plans are five years that students are trying to cover in four. Freshman year is a big enough adjustment w/o adding the additional stress of trying to play catch up.

Is DD going to community college or a university? If community college, maybe. If a major university, I would say no way. JMHO

Would you consider giving her an early birthday present and going just before school starts? The last couple of weeks in August actually have some pretty good prices. Our son will be going with us on the Valor on the week before his classes (sophomore) begin. The only bad part is that on disembarkation day I will have to drive him up to school immediately after getting home from the cruise.

It's college, not high school. A note from Mommy isn't going to cut it. Professors do not speak to parents about their kids either....your daughter is an adult, and needs to make the decision for herself. Keep in mind that most classes only allow for 3 absences....after that, they fail, or at minimum get their final grade lowered by one letter. Plus, she is going to miss a LOT of work!

She will most likely have group projects going on in more than one class (they are a constant reality for college students) and that will not go over well with her group partners if she is going to be absent...because then they're going to have to pick up her slack.

I cannot imagine missing an entire week of college for any reason, especially going on vacation. She's off for a few weeks at the end of December into January....take her after the new year.

The date is important because she would still be 17 until the last night of the cruise...and get to go to the Teen Club, which she loves. She will turn 18 on the last night of the cruise!

You can't be serious. :confused: You really think that's a legit reason for your COLLEGE STUDENT daughter to miss a week of class instead of taking her during a break? <insert facepalm here>

I wouldn't do it...

College coursework is more intense than grade school and that first semester is a huge time of adjustment... New study habits, time management, new social challenges... Freshman year can be a bit stressful...

Also, as mentioned, October is usually mid term exams... Often a grade for a class will depend on two things: mid term exams and finals... Frequently profs will also schedule major assignments due at this time also...

I would book for December... Usually college kids are done a bit earlier than grade school... And often there are some great deals on cruises in December before the holiday... How nice it would be for your daughter to wrap up her first semester and then get to spend a week on a relaxing cruise!!!

By the way, she may enjoy the teen club now, but after a semester in college, it may not be so exciting:)

Your idea is so sweet and the timing would be perfect in terms of the kids club and turning 18, but missing college at that time would be very difficult. I work at a University and the students, especially freshman are very stressed. Even if she was allowed to miss classes/tests, she would either spend her time doing work or feeling guilty about not doing work. Go in August.

Im currently a student in college.. i did two years at community and finishing a year at university.. i get sick alot and miss classes alot.. and im runnin with a A/B average. I rarely email my professors to let them know im gonna be out.. cause they dont care. she will be done with mid terms so thats good. honestly it depends on the type of student she is.. if she does the reading and finds out and turns in the assignments either before yall leave or the day she comes back. if she gets lecture notes from other students she will be fine.

im pretty sure most of the people that have replied arnt students. its not high school missing a few classes isnt that big of a deal. they do take attendance but thats for financial aid, and all professors have a "absent min" but 95% wont enforce it. Shes an adult now and shes responsible for her grades.

I think you should take her. (personally I just had the "week after finals" and I had one in class assignment! No biggy! have fun!!

Just have her complete her assignments while on the cruise. She could do some school work on a sea day. Have her get with her teachers and tell them that she has to go out of town on family business and would like a heads up on what she will be missing.

Although you've already heard it loud & clear, I have to throw in my 2-cents... :)

My oldest DS is a college sophomore. He's decided against 2 cruises with us because of the time he'd miss from school. In fact, we've made special arrangements to get him home early from a couple of family vacations so that he wouldn't miss more than a day & even then he worries. This is from a kid who coasted thru high school - it only took the first few weeks in college to hit home that this is his future he's working on. I think your DD might be happier to take that trip when she doesn't have to worry about what she may be missing.