(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

(10-19-2016 10:52 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  I agree with your general point, but as the school grows and parking supply stays flat (or shrinks with new construction), prices are bound to rise. Rice parking is actually reasonable when compared with most city schools (especially those in the northeast).

But here are some tips:

-You can park in Greenbriar lot west of the stadium for $2/entry. You can then walk 15-20 minutes to the academic quad, or take the free bus.
-Or (and I never told you this), you can park illegally in South Lot, Lovett Lot, or North Colleges Lot, and Rice parking may or may not ticket you. Even if they do ticket you, since the rental isn't registered with Rice, just throw the ticket in the trash. They don't report the tickets to the state or anything, and don't tow unless you're in a fire lane. This is probably the route I'd go.

(10-20-2016 05:24 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Perhaps have your daughter send the admissions office a note to see if they validate parking somehow?

(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

(10-20-2016 10:41 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(10-20-2016 05:24 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Perhaps have your daughter send the admissions office a note to see if they validate parking somehow?

Making a polite, personal request instead of complaining on the Internet? Don't you know this is 2016?!?!?!

(10-20-2016 11:53 AM)I45owl Wrote:  BTW, while she was in class, I went by the tennis center. It looks very nice!

(10-19-2016 11:52 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

A visit to Harvard is similar:
http://college.harvard.edu/admissions/visit/directions-parking

(10-20-2016 05:59 PM)75src Wrote:  Harvard is bound to be much worse for parking. The answer for Harvard and MIT is take the Red Line train. It is best not to have to drive in Boston and Cambridge.

BTW, I do not think A&M, Texas and UH would have free close in parking.

(10-19-2016 11:52 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

A visit to Harvard is similar:
http://college.harvard.edu/admissions/visit/directions-parking

(10-20-2016 11:37 PM)mbrindley Wrote:  

(10-20-2016 05:59 PM)75src Wrote:  Harvard is bound to be much worse for parking. The answer for Harvard and MIT is take the Red Line train. It is best not to have to drive in Boston and Cambridge.

BTW, I do not think A&M, Texas and UH would have free close in parking.

(10-19-2016 11:52 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 10:40 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  My daughter, a single mom (widow) is taking my grandson, who is an academically high-achieving HS freshman, to visit Rice this weekend, flying in from South Carolina. They have a meeting with Admissions and he will be sitting in on two engineering classes. He is excited about Rice, but my daughter called me today and asked, "For a school where the annual cost is $60,500+ a year and has billions in endowment, why does a prospective student have to pay $12 in parking to visit Admissions and tour the campus?"

1. If anyone has some insight as to how I can get her free parking, please post it.

2. If this applies to all prospective students, what kind of a message does it send and is there anybody in the higher echelon of the administration who knows this is going on and would like to make free parking spaces for prospective students?

She is already paying for airfare, hotel, meals ,and a rental car, so an additional $12 is a nit, but certainly an annoyance.

A visit to Harvard is similar:
http://college.harvard.edu/admissions/visit/directions-parking

Texas does not even have free parking on the weekends on campus. All of the reserved/permit spots on campus are ticketed even during the summer, weekends included. Permit spots on the periphery of UT campus are free on the weekends as long as there is not an event going on, so you park there and walk to the center of campus. Parking garages are always for a charge.

(10-21-2016 03:24 PM)grOWLer Wrote:  I don't know where she parked, but my grandson absolutely has loved his visit. He sat in on two engineering classes and a Chinese class. He is now on his way to the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen. (Kenny Oshman was a friend - two years behind me). He made a comment to my daughter that he was amazed how cohesive and friendly the student body was. She was, too.

Good visit! And thanks to the Parliament members who gave helpful comments!

Hoot! Hoot!

(10-22-2016 10:28 PM)OWLmanz Wrote:   I parked in front of the RMC for several years when I lived off campus in the 70's and just threw away the parking tickets. They didn't do a thing. Maybe my car wasn't registered on campus, I don't even know. Park wherever you want and they won't bother you a bit. Don't be such a PUSSIE!!