# Parents On Campus Frosh Week For Mom & Dad By Trend Huntress | Published 2007-09-14 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parental-orientation References: [usatoday](http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2007-09-11-long-goodbye_N.htm) Colleges and universities now need to cater to more than just freshmen -- they have to provide multi-day orientations for those pesky parents who just can't bare parting with their kids. Surveys show 74% of institutions said that this year they were hosting parent receptions on move-in day, up from 7% in 2003. So, what's the deal with clingy parents? Some suspect it's the carnivalization of rites of passage. Weddings used to be a few hours long. Now they're week long events. The same goes for [sending kids to college](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eat-pray-cry). Others think parents are realizing how much they missed out on childhood years and are trying to make up for it in those last days. Colleges see parental interference as a detriment to new [students' assimilation on campus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/studeen). When the folks are around they can't gather students for meetings and events. They've had to adapt by providing [parent programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/expert-series) to ease their anxieties and get them out of the students' ways. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.5/10 - Activity: 8% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [World News](https://www.trendhunter.com/worldnews) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Parental Orientation Programs:** Colleges and universities are creating multi-day orientation programs for parents to ease their anxieties about their children's college experience. - **Rites of Passage Celebration Expansion:** The trend of making rites of passage celebrations longer and more elaborate, such as college move-in week for parents, is on the rise. - **Catering to Parental Needs:** Colleges and universities are finding it necessary to cater to parental needs in addition to those of their students in order to ensure a successful college experience for all. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Higher Education:** Colleges and universities must adapt to cater to both students and parents, which can provide opportunities for innovative orientation programs and services. - **Event Planning:** As weddings and other rites of passage become larger and more elaborate, there is a growing need for event planners who specialize in these types of celebrations. - **Family Psychology:** The trend of clingy parents may indicate a need for family psychologists who can help parents and children navigate the difficult transition to college life. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [College-Focused Social Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiktoks-campus-verification.md) - [Parent-Child Connection Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parentsider.md) - [Direct Gen-Z Campus Engagements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cnc-college.md) - [Collage-Themed Cookie Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/back-to-campus.md) - [Rested Parent Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sleep-ambassador-program.md) - [Savory College Student Packs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft-mac-cheese-college-care-pack.md) - [Parent-Honoring Olympic Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parents-of-team-canada-athletes.md) - [Dorm Concierge Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dorm-concierge.md) - [Parent-Rewarding Ice Cream Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baskinrobbins-parent-pass.md)