Family Weekend FAQ
General
When is Family Weekend 2022? Parent & Family Weekend 2022 is Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 23. Family Weekend is a wonderful time to see your student, visit campus and get to know your student's new home! You will have the opportunity to meet other Big Red families, faculty and administrators.
What events will be held during Family Weekend? We are working on the 2022 slate of events, but you can check out Schedule Overview for more information.
How do I sign up to attend Family Weekend events? Registered attendees will have an opportunity to build, save, email, or print their personalized itinerary with event times and locations. All events are first-come, first-served unless they require a ticket purchase. Attendees will be able to create their own itinerary for the weekend approximately two weeks before. Registered attendees will receive an email notifying them when they can build their itinerary. In the meantime, you can use the Schedule Overview to begin planning your visit.
Do I need to attend all of the events on the schedule? No, please feel free to pick and choose the events that you want to attend with or without your student. This weekend is yours to spend with your student and enjoy Cornell.
What events can my student attend? Do I need to buy a package for my student? Students are included in the registration packages and are encouraged to attend.
Registration
How do I register, and what is included with my registration package? Registration will open on Thursday, September 1, and closes on Monday, October 17, at 11:59 pm EST. Registration is available on the Family Weekend website. Each family member who wants to participate in Family Weekend MUST register.
Registration includes entrance into all Family Weekend events for one (1) person, including Family Weekend Welcome Reception on Friday evening, Family Reunion Lunch on Saturday, and giveaways such as Family Weekend materials and Cornell Family souvenir items. There are adult and youth packages available. You may purchase a Family Weekend t-shirt as an add-on when registering. T-shirts must be purchased by September 29 at 11:59 pm EDT.
Can I bring my younger children and siblings? Family Weekend is for the entire family and not just parents. Many families will bring siblings of all ages, grandparents, aunts, uncles... everyone! Please remember that unless under 5, all family members must be registered to participate in the scheduled events.
Can I register over the phone? Unfortunately, we are not able to take registrations over the phone. You may register online using the online registration link located on this website.
When will I get the confirmation of my registration? Your Family Weekend confirmation is immediate and sent to you via email following completion of the online registration form. If you purchased separate tickets for ticketed events, you would receive a separate email with your tickets.
We have another guest who would like to attend just one event, so can I buy a separate ticket for them to attend that one event? All of our events are exclusive to Family Weekend registration packages, and we do not sell tickets to individual events.
Why is there a registration fee? Cornell Family Weekend is a fee-based program that is completely self-supporting; the cost is not included in tuition.
Is financial support available to assist families in attending? We recognize the financial commitment required for families to attend Family Weekend. The Family Weekend Attendance Grant is a need-based award and provides financial assistance to defray the expense of attending Family Weekend. The grant provides funding for up to four family members to participate. The grant does not pay for travel, lodging, t-shirts or additional events such as the Twilight Concert or athletic events. Please submit a Family Weekend Attendance Grant application to apply. Applications must be submitted by Friday, September 30, 2022.
Are refunds available? Due to the nature of event planning, we cannot offer refunds for Family Weekend. Please consider this when registering.
During the Weekend
Can my student pick up my packet for me during check-in? Yes, if you cannot attend packet pickup for the weekend, your student can pick up your materials. Please ensure your student brings their student ID and a copy of your confirmation email.
When should we plan to arrive? Do families stay for the whole weekend? Parents and families are encouraged to arrive on Thursday evening or Friday morning so they can enjoy the many events planned for Friday. Events are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so plan to stay for the entire weekend!
What if I arrive after check-in ends on Friday? What if I can't come until Saturday? Please encourage your student to pick up your materials during check-in on Friday. If you cannot check in until Saturday, please check-in in at our Welcome Center before 12:00 pm.
Where do I park on campus? Beginning on Friday, October 21, Cornell will make certain lots available for Family Weekend parking at no cost. More information about parking and transportation will be available in October and will be emailed to registrants.
What if I want to take my student to dinner off campus? We encourage you to do so (and we're pretty sure your student will enjoy the treat). There are tons of great options near campus and in neighboring cities. If you do plan to take your student to dinner, we strongly advise you to make a reservation BEFORE you arrive for Family Weekend since restaurants are popular.
What can we do while in Ithaca? Ithaca and the surrounding area provide a wide array of experiences to enjoy! For more information on events and attractions in the area, visit the official website of Ithaca and Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau in the Finger Lakes. Here you will find a complete guide to Ithaca hotels, attractions, dining, shopping, and recreation with maps and driving directions.
What happens if it rains? The show must go on! Those events scheduled in outdoor locations have alternate indoor sites in the event of inclement weather. Since we never know what kind of weather autumn will bring, we encourage you to come prepared with a jacket or sweatshirt and an umbrella.
Special Accommodations and Accessibility
How do I request disability accommodations during my visit? Cornell University is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please email families@cornell.edu to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. Requests for interpreters must be made no later than Thursday, September 29, 2022. More information about campus accessibility can be found at accessibility.cornell.edu.
Is accessible parking available while on campus? Family members who require handicap-accessible parking may use their municipally issued accessible permit to park in the accessible spaces located in the parking areas. Please visit the Accessible Transportation Options page for more details.
My question isn't listed in the FAQ. If you can't find what you're looking for, contact Parent & Family Programs at families@cornell.edu.