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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR
PARENTS
ORIENTATION
When is orientation?
What is the purpose of orientation?
What are Student Life Summer Programs?
What should
my daughter do when she arrives on campus for
orientation?
Should we attend
orientation with our daughter?
How long should
we plan to stay and where should we stay?
Can we help our daughter set up her room?
What will be the parking situation?
What are the directions to Converse College?
Where are there accommodations?
What should we do for meals?
RESIDENTIAL LIVING
What does my daughter need to
bring to campus with her?
What items are
prohibited in the residence halls?
Can my daughter bring belongings
to campus early?
Is there cable TV on
campus?
Do we need to bring a
vacuum cleaner?
Is there Internet
access in each room?
Are there kitchens in
the residence halls?
Do the residence halls
close during the academic year?
What meal plans are
offered to resident students?
Where are the laundry
facilities located?
Whom do we contact if my daughter is interested in a loft or carpet?
Does my daughter need to bring a
phone and an answering machine?
What does my daughter do about
roommate conflicts?
Where can she store
her belongings over the summer?
Can my daughter have pets in her room?
Where can my daughter get a
parking permit?
What furniture will
be in my daughter's room when we arrive?
How can my daughter change
rooms?
Are loft beds allowed in the rooms?
Does Converse provide
insurance for belongings?
How does my daughter get into the
residence hall?
Are males permitted
in the residence halls?
What are the
dimensions of the residence hall rooms?
Will my daughter have
her own
bathroom?
Is someone
available to clean her room?
How many students
live on the hall?
Are the residence
halls air-conditioned?
How are Community
Advisors chosen?
How are Resident
Counselors chosen?
ACADEMIC
Where do we get information about the classes offered?
When and how does my daughter schedule classes?
Does she need to take Placement Exams before fall term
begins?
Will she have an academic advisor?
When does she declare a major?
How does my daughter order books?
Where does she go if she needs academic assistance?
TECHNOLOGY
Does my daughter need a computer?
Are there any
discount computer purchase programs
associated with Converse?
Will my daughter have internet access in
her dorm room?
Should she bring a telephone and answering machine?
Should she bring
a television?
FINANCIAL
Where
should my daughter bank when attending Converse?
With whom should I talk about paying tuition and other
financial matters?
ATHLETIC
How does my daughter participate in a sport?
ORIENTATION
When is orientation?
Orientation is from August 21-25 for all new students. BACK
What is the purpose of orientation?
Orientation is designed to help answer questions, provide
the student with necessary information, and help her
meet other students on campus. BACK
What are Student Life Summer Programs?
Student Life Summer Programs are intentionally designed to foster community, develop leadership skills, and begin to connect incoming students to the Converse community. These programs are a wonderful opportunity for incoming students to meet fellow incoming students prior to orientation. This summer, Converse is offering the following three programs:
BACK
What should
my daughter do when she arrives on campus for
orientation?
Resident students should check in at their Residence Hall.
Day students will check in at the Day Student Lounge.
BACK
Should
we attend orientation with our daughter?
Yes. A special orientation program for parents will run concurrently with the student orientation program. You will receive more information about this program during the summer.
How long should
we plan to stay and where should we stay?
Parents are encouraged to depart after lunch on Friday. Students whose parents stay beyond this time have a more difficult time adjusting to college life because they are not free to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Please see
the list of local
accommodations. BACK
Can we help our daughter set up her room?
Yes. BACK
What will be the parking situation?
There will be a specific loading and unloading time limit at the Residence Hall
in which your student will be living. You may park in the
lot closest to the residence hall to unload your vehicle.
There will be assistance and guidance during the unloading
process. Faculty, staff, and students help families
carry heavy items to the incoming students'
rooms. Once you have unloaded the heavy items, you will be asked to move
the vehicle to another parking lot. BACK
What are the directions to Converse College?
Converse is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 30 miles northeast of Greenville and 70 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Visit
the directions and accommodations page. BACK
Where are there accommodations?
Visit the directions and accommodations page. BACK
What should we do for meals?
The tuition covers the meal costs for students during
orientation. Therefore, students have the option to eat in
the Converse dining hall. Families may pay for meals at
the dining hall door, or purchase a meal ticket for a
discounted price.
RESIDENTIAL LIVING
What does my daughter need to
bring to campus with her?
Although, rooms are adequate for the living experience at Converse, remember
there is not a lot of storage space for
unnecessary items. A suggested list of
items includes:
- Shower caddy
- Soap container
- Bathrobe
- Shower shoes
- Twin-size sheets
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Bath linens
- Mattress cover
- Egg crate mattress
- Husband bed rest
- Laundry basket or bag
- Detergent and fabric softener
- Drawer liner
- Power strips
- Small study lamp
- Trash can
- Drying rack
- Dry erase board to hang on front
door
- Crates for storage units under bed
- Telephone
- Iron/ironing board
- Throw rugs
- Window treatments
BACK
What items are
prohibited in the residence halls?
Space heaters, ceiling fans, candles,
incense, oil lamps, halogen lamps,
extension cords and items with open flames
are prohibited. All cooking equipment with
exposed heating elements may not be used
in student rooms and may be used in the
hall kitchen. Pets are not allowed in the
residence halls unless they are fish in an
aquarium no larger than 10 gallons.
Alcoholic beverages and smoking are
prohibited in the residence halls. BACK
Can my daughter bring belongings
to campus early?
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate
students who wish to arrive early or bring
items early. Due to staffing, storage
limitations, and the physical readiness of
the residence halls, we are not able to
make this an option. BACK
Is there cable TV on
campus?
Each room has cable television. A student needs to
provide her own television set if she wishes. BACK
Do we need to bring a
vacuum cleaner?
Each residence hall has a vacuum
cleaner. A student may check this out through
the Resident Counselor. A student may bring one
if she wishes to have her own. BACK
Is there Internet
access in each room?
Each room has data connections for each
resident to the college network. Various residence halls also have computer labs. These labs are accessible 24 hours a day. Computer
labs are also available for students to
use and schedules are posted in each lab.
For more information, contact
Converse's Campus Technology. BACK
Are there kitchens in
the residence halls?
Each floor has a hall kitchen equipped
with a refrigerator, sink, a convection oven, and counter space. BACK
Do the residence halls
close during the academic year?
The halls close for Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and Spring Breaks. The dates
can be found on the college calendar and
the Campus Life Office notifies students of
these closings. Students must leave the
residence halls when they are closed.
BACK
What meal plans are
offered to resident students?
Students who live on-campus are required to have a meal plan and are automatically enrolled in a 16-Value Meal Plan. Students may change to a different meal plan by coming to dining services office located in Gee Dining Hall.
For more
information, contact Dining
Services. BACK
Where are the laundry
facilities located?
Each building has a laundry room. The cost of using washers and dryers is incorporated
into room and board fees so the student
does not need to
collect quarters. BACK
Whom do we contact if my daughter is interested in a loft or carpet?
For a loft, contact Randy Sain at
Barewood Furniture (828-697-7038). Let him
know she is a Converse student. For
carpet, contact Hodge Carpet
(864-573-9288). Let them know she is a
Converse student. BACK
Does my daughter need to bring a
phone and an answering machine?
Students provide their own telephones. Each
room is assigned a phone number and local
service is included in the room and board
costs. For long distance calls, a student either uses
her cell phone or has a long distance calling card. A
student does not need to
bring an answering machine because each
room has voicemail. However, a
student is able to bring her answering machine and connect to the phone system...this
would allow her to screen calls. BACK
What does my daughter do about
roommate conflicts?
She and her roommate will complete a
Roommate Contract upon moving into the room in the fall.
The Community Advisor
will work with her and the roommate in
doing this. As conflict arises, the
roommates should work together to
reach a compromise. If a roommate desires the
assistance of the Community Advisor, she should schedule a time with her
for assistance in resolving a conflict. BACK
Where can she store
her belongings over the summer?
There is no on-campus storage for
belongings over the summer. The
Campus Life Office has
information on local storage facilities.
BACK
Can my daughter have pets in her room?
Only fish are allowed in a tank no
larger than 10 gallons. BACK
Where can my daughter get a
parking permit?
The Office of Campus
Safety has parking permits and will
share some of the guidelines
about driving on campus. BACK
What furniture will
be in my daughter's room when we arrive?
Each room is furnished with a bed,
desk, mirror, dresser and chair for each occupant
of the room. Each room also has a
micro-fridge. BACK
How can my daughter change
rooms?
Room Change Periods are designated by
the College. If a room change is
necessary, a student should schedule a meeting
with her Resident Counselor who will
review the process and give the student the
necessary paperwork. Also, the Student
Handbook
has a detailed description of
the process. After completing the
paperwork, the Director of Residential
Life and Judicial Programs must authorize
the room change. No changes should take
place without this authorization. BACK
Are loft beds allowed in the rooms?
Students may design their lofts provided they meet the following guidelines.
Does Converse provide
insurance for belongings?
No, Converse does not provide insurance
for belongings. BACK
How does my daughter get into the
residence hall?
Each student has an access card with a
code. This card allows students to get
onto the residence hall floors. This card
and code should not be shared with anyone
else. A student's access card will give
her access to all residence halls. BACK
Are males permitted
in the residence halls?
Male visitation hours are:
12 noon to 12am Sunday -
Thursday
12 noon - 2 AM Friday &
Saturday
All male guests must be signed in and out
and escorted at all times. Each Converse
student can only have two guests at the
same time. BACK
What are the
dimensions of the residence hall rooms?
Room dimensions for Morris and
Williams are 13'11" x 11'9".
The windows in Morris are
standard single windows with a height of
68". In Williams, the height is
63.5" and the width is 79.5".
The rooms in Cudd, Andrews, Pell and
Dexter vary due to the uniqueness of each
room. Bed dimensions are 36" x
76". BACK
Will
freshmen have their own
bathroom?
Each residence hall has community baths
that are shared by the residents. BACK
Is someone
available to clean her room?
Each residence hall has a housekeeper who
is responsible for cleaning common areas,
hallways, bathrooms, and lobbies. She does
not clean individual student rooms. BACK
How many students
live on the hall?
Depending on where a student lives, there could
be 12-40 people sharing a hall.
In Belk, Williams, and Morris, an average
of 40 people live on each hall. BACK
Are the residence
halls air-conditioned?
Each residence hall has heat and air
conditioning. Belk, Dexter, Morris, Pell
and Williams operate through the
College's boiler system which means
these buildings are unable to easily
switch between heat and air conditioning.
Residents in Andrews and Cudd are able to
control whether they have heat or air
conditioning. BACK
How are Community
Advisors chosen?
Each spring, students submit an
application and go through an individual
and group interview for positions. The
qualifications are:
- a 2.5 GPA, have lived on-campus for
one year
- a genuine desire to help others
- excellent interpersonal and
communication skills.
Each fall, Community Advisors go
through training for a period of time
before the residence halls open. BACK
How are Resident
Counselors chosen?
Resident Counselors must be Converse II
or graduate level students and be in good
standing with the graduate school or
undergraduate college. They must possess
an interest in the growth and development
of college students and strong
interpersonal and communication skills.
Inquiries can be made in the Campus Life
Office or by calling 864-596-9016. Also
read more about the Resident Counselor
position by visiting the Residential
Life Staff page. BACK
ACADEMIC
Where do we get information about the classes offered?
A student can learn about the areas of study at Converse
by visiting the undergraduate
section of the web site. However, for specific course
descriptions, please visit the undergraduate
catalog. The registrar
section of the web site lists the class schedules for
every term and the academic calendar. BACK
When and how does my daughter schedule classes?
Incoming students are assigned an advisor during
orientation. The advisor assists the student in planning
and registering for classes during orientation and
thereafter. BACK
Does she need to take Placement Exams before fall term
begins?
Placement exams occur during orientation. BACK
Will she have an academic advisor?
Yes, an advisor is assigned during orientation week.
BACK
When does she declare a major?
It is recommended that students declare a major by end of
sophomore year. BACK
How does my daughter order books?
After the student meets with the advisor and registers for
classes, she may purchase books at the campus bookstore. BACK
Where does she go if she needs academic assistance?
An Academic Support Center is available to all students.
Dr. Kathleen Miller is the director and specific strategies to help students succeed academically. You may
contact Dr.
Kathleen Miller (864-596-2028, Mickel
Library, rm 310) to discuss learning and study
skill related concerns. BACK
TECHNOLOGY
Does my daughter need a computer?
It is recommended that a student have a personal computer,
but it is not required. The Converse College
Campus Technology will connect students to
the Converse network and will maintain the
connection. It supports the following:
- Operating systems Windows 2000 or higher
- Microsoft Office Professional that includes
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.
- Processor speed Intel 500 Pentium III processor (or higher)
The recommended specification for new PCs include:
- Intel 500 Pentium III processor (or higher)
- 128 MB or higher memory (RAM)
- 32-bit PCI graphics accelerator with 2 MB DRAM
- 4 GB or higher hard disk
- Zip drive (recommended for art students)
For compatibility, purchase zip100.
- CD-ROM drive
- CD burner
- Sound card and speakers
- RJ-45 network patch cable at least 25’ long
Download
the ITS brochure for more information.
BACK
Are there any
discount computer purchase programs
associated with Converse?
Yes. Students can purchase Compaq computers at
discounted rates through the Merrill Consulting Group,
Inc. Please see the contact information below.
Merrill Consulting Group, Inc.
145 N. Church St #13
Spartanburg, SC 29306
Phone 864-591-2308
contact name: Gretchen Baumann
BACK
Will my daughter have internet access in my dorm room?
Yes, there is a port for every student in the room. BACK
Please see the General Information section of the student
handbook to learn more details about technology
support at Converse College.
FINANCIAL
Where
should my daughter bank when attending Converse?
During orientation, there will be a bank fair on
campus with many of the local banks. At that time students
and parents receive information and forms to establish
bank accounts.
With whom should I talk about paying tuition and other
financial matters?
All billing and tuition questions should be directed to
the Converse Business Office at 864-596-9056.
Student tuition deposit and loans can be paid online.
Questions regarding loans, scholarships, and
financial aid should be directed to the Office of
Financial Aid (864-596-9019, email financial_aid@converse.edu).
Visit the Financial
Aid section of the Converse web site to learn
more. BACK
ATHLETIC
How does my daughter participate in a sport?
If the student is a high school athlete, she should contact
the coach directly. Visit the athletics
section of the web site to learn more about the
coaches and athletic teams at Converse College. BACK
If she is just interested in sports and enjoys sports,
she can take physical
education classes or become involved in intramural
sports.
How do I learn when and where the
athletic games are held?
Visit the athletic
section of the web site to learn the game schedule and
results. BACK
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