What to Expect During Freshman Orientation and Enrollment: Part 2

Campus involvement opportunities - Orientation programs often invite a number of people to talk with your student about campus involvement. Sometimes these sessions take the form of an activities showcase where a broad range of campus groups set up tables or displays that allow current members of these groups to interact with you and your child or pass out information about their organization. Other times a few offices will talk specifically about the multitude of ways to get involved and then show students how to find clubs to join and what to expect from those clubs.  Either way the goal is the same. To let new students know that college is more than just class time, and being happy and healthy on campus means being involved outside of class.

Safety and emergency information -This is one of the sessions that is often held jointly with parents and students. We know that you are concerned about your child’s safety and even if your child doesn’t tell you, he is too, even if its just because he doesn’t want you to freak out. Campus Safety is vital to the academic mission of the university, because it is extremely difficult to learn in an environment in which you don’t feel safe.

Campus police or security will often give students details about how to stay safe on campus and what to do in an emergency. Advice like locking doors, being aware of one’s surroundings, and securing property are all common tips provided by campus police, and it’s important for students to realize that their actions can play a major role in their own safety. Having this session with parents and students together assures you that your child has received this information as well.

Enrollment - The vast majority of summer orientation programs also include the student’s enrollment in his first semester of classes. These enrollment sessions are usually held for the students alone so they can sit down with an adviser, counselor or peer mentor to select classes and plan a schedule. Keep in mind that a lot has changed since we were in college and had to stand in line for hours to get a schedule that was virtually etched in stone when we left the registrar’s office.  Today, students can easily change class schedules online. This freedom is both a blessing and a curse.

Having the flexibility to change one’s schedule almost daily until classes start is very convenient, but please remind your child that just because he can change his schedule, doesn’t mean that he should.  Students have been known to accidentally enroll in senior or graduate level classes because the names of the classes were similar to the ones in which they were enrolled.  When this happens it is not uncommon for the class to be automatically dropped from the schedule, leaving the student short on classes and credit hours.

Advisers usually recommend that students can change sections or times of classes as long as they enroll in the same classes they had enrolled in during orientation. So, a student may freely change from the 8:30am section of English Composition I into the 9:30am section of English Composition I, but should avoid changing from English Composition I into World Literature I even though they are both introductory level English classes.  Once he gets into the swing of college there will be plenty of time to explore classes and take more diverse coursework, but for now, it’s best to leave well enough alone. 

* Suggest that your child enroll in early classes at least three days per week, or at least wake up as early as possible. Taking classes from 9:00am or earlier each day means that students aren’t sleeping through half of their days.  They will still stay up late, but early risers tend to have better time management skills and more time during the day for classes, study, work and other activities.

If, at the end of orientation, you still have questions or if once you return home and have a chance to process all the information you received, you still have questions, don’t hesitate to call the appropriate office or the general number for the orientation or parent relations office. We are used to fielding calls and emails about just about anything and can find the appropriate person to answer your questions. 

What to Expect During Freshman Orientation and Enrollment: Part 1

Summers are some of the busiest times on college campuses. This is the season when we welcome thousands of new students to campus for orientation and enrollments session. Most colleges and universities hold parents' orientation sessions along with sessions for students. Of course orientation sessions will vary slightly from school to school, but here are some common things to expect from orientation. 

Information sessions - These are held by various offices or departments on campus and are meant to introduce you and your student to the resources and services that these departments offer. For example, the university health clinic representative may tell you that they offer pharmacy services for less that your current pharmacy co-pay or the parking enforcement office may offer ways for parents to get free on-campus parking in certain lots when you visit.  There are often so many services available that students and parents don’t utilize because they missed hearing about them in orientation, or didn’t read through the handbooks or online guides. Don’t let this happen to you. Attend all the session you can, keep the handbooks you receive, and become familiar with the college’s website search feature.

Tours - Even if you participated in campus tours when your child was choosing a college, they take on a new feel as you realize that this place will be your child’s new home within a month or two. Tours during orientation are usually more specific and highlight the day-to-day routine of a typical student.

Instead of showing off the new labs or the remodeled residence hall, orientation tour guides may be able to show the student the exact buildings, dorm rooms, and classrooms they will be in on a regular basis. Chances are that your child, being a freshman, will not be able to live in the deluxe new residence halls or use the new labs that mostly juniors and seniors will access.

Some students are disappointed that they did not get their first choice residence hall or that they will be living farther away from the cafeteria than they originally thought. Remind him that he will be there for four years and by the end of his freshman year he will know where almost everything is and where he wants to live the following year.

Explanation of costs, bills and due dates - Even though the responsibility for paying tuition, fees and other expenses is technically your student’s we understand that it is virtually impossible for an 18-year-old pay for college entirely by himself. Even students who have multiple scholarships and part time jobs will need help from you once in a while, so while we may emphasize that the bills will be sent to your child, we will also tell you everything you need to know to make sure he or she doesn’t miss a deadline or end up without a meal plan due to an unpaid bill.

Questions to Ask During Orientation

·      Will students receive mid-term grades? If so, when and how?

·      Can parents have access to student’s grades by having the student sign a permission form? (I’ll talk more about this later)

·      Is there a campus wide attendance policy? What is it?

·      What kind of tutoring or other academic services are available?

·      If your child has not declared a major, when will he need to do so? How does one declare a major?

·      Is there a way for parents to receive copies of bills or grades directly from the college?

·      What are the methods of payment for bills?

·      If the bill is not paid in full, what are the penalties?

·      Is there a monthly payment plan available?

·      Where are residence hall rules and policies posted?

·      When will the student know his roommate’s information?

·      When is the residence hall bill due? The meal plan bill?

·      What are the residence hall options?

·      Where do most freshmen live?

·      Are single-sex or coed residence halls available?

·      Can freshmen bring cars to campus? Where do they park?

·      What are the most common safety issues on campus?

·      Where can I find the report on campus crime statistics?

·      What safety programs are available? (Self defense, safe rides etc.)

·      Are there property registration programs available?

·      Are there fraternities and sororities on campus? Do they have houses?

·      What services are offered for students with disabilities?

·      Are students required to have health insurance? If so, is a plan available from the college?

·      What religious services are on campus or nearby?

·      Does the campus have an emergency notification system? How do students sign up?

·      When is parents’ weekend, or are there other events specifically for parents or family members?

·      What is the best way to find more information?

What to Expect from Orientation

Information sessions - These are held by various offices or departments on campus and are meant to introduce you and your student to the resources and services that these departments offer. For example, the university health clinic representative may tell you that they offer pharmacy services for less that your current pharmacy co-pay or the parking enforcement office may offer ways for parents to get free on-campus parking in certain lots when you visit.  There are often so many services available that students and parents don’t utilize because they missed hearing about them in orientation, or didn’t read through the handbooks or online guides. Don’t let this happen to you. Attend all the session you can, keep the handbooks you receive, and become familiar with the college’s website search feature.

Tours - Even if you participated in campus tours when your child was choosing a college, they take on a new feel as you realize that this place will be your child’s new home within a month or two. Tours during orientation are usually more specific and highlight the day-to-day routine of a typical student.

Instead of showing off the new labs or the remodeled residence hall, orientation tour guides may be able to show the student the exact buildings, dorm rooms, and classrooms they will be in on a regular basis. Chances are that your child, being a freshman, will not be able to live in the deluxe new residence halls or use the new labs that mostly juniors and seniors will access.

Some students are disappointed that they did not get their first choice residence hall or that they will be living farther away from the cafeteria than they originally thought. Remind him that he will be there for four years and by the end of his freshman year he will know where almost everything is and where he wants to live the following year.

Explanation of costs, bills and due dates - Even though the responsibility for paying tuition, fees and other expenses is technically your student’s we understand that it is virtually impossible for an 18-year-old pay for college entirely by himself. Even students who have multiple scholarships and part time jobs will need help from you once in a while, so while we may emphasize that the bills will be sent to your child, we will also tell you everything you need to know to make sure he or she doesn’t miss a deadline or end up without a meal plan due to an unpaid bill.

Campus involvement - Orientation programs often invite a number of people to talk with your student about campus involvement. Sometimes these sessions take the form of an activities showcase where a broad range of campus groups set up tables or displays that allow current members of these groups to interact with you and your child or pass out information about their organization. Other times a few offices will talk specifically about the multitude of ways to get involved and then show students how to find clubs to join and what to expect from those clubs.  Either way the goal is the same. To let new students know that college is more than just class time, and being happy and healthy on campus means being involved outside of class.

Safety and emergency information -This is one of the sessions that is often held jointly with parents and students. We know that you are concerned about your child’s safety and even if your child doesn’t tell you, he is too, even if its just because he doesn’t want you to freak out. Campus Safety is vital to the academic mission of the university, because it is extremely difficult to learn in an environment in which you don’t feel safe.

Campus police or security will often give students details about how to stay safe on campus and what to do in an emergency. Advice like locking doors, being aware of one’s surroundings, and securing property are all common tips provided by campus police, and it’s important for students to realize that their actions can play a major role in their own safety. Having this session with parents and students together assures you that your child has received this information as well.

Enrollment - The vast majority of summer orientation programs also include the student’s enrollment in his first semester of classes. These enrollment sessions are usually held for the students alone so they can sit down with an advisor, counselor or peer mentor to select classes and plan a schedule. Keep in mind that a lot has changed since we were in college and had to stand in line for hours to get a schedule that was virtually etched in stone when we left the registrar’s office.  Today, students can easily change class schedules online. This freedom is both a blessing and a curse.

Having the flexibility to change one’s schedule almost daily until classes start is very convenient, but please remind your child that just because he can change his schedule, doesn’t mean that he should.  Students have been known to accidentally enroll in senior or graduate level classes because the names of the classes were similar to the ones in which they were enrolled.  When this happens it is not uncommon for the class to be automatically dropped from the schedule, leaving the student short on classes and credit hours.

Advisors usually recommend that students can change sections or times of classes as long as they enroll in the same classes they had enrolled in during orientation. So, a student may freely change from the 8:30am section of English Composition I into the 9:30am section of English Composition I, but should avoid changing from English Composition I into World Literature I even though they are both introductory level English classes.  Once he gets into the swing of college there will be plenty of time to explore classes and take more diverse coursework, but for now, it’s best to leave well enough alone.

* Suggest that your child enroll in early classes at least three days per week, or at least wake up as early as possible. Taking classes from 9:00am or earlier each day means that students aren’t sleeping through half of their days.  They will still stay up late, but early risers tend to have better time management skills and more time during the day for classes, study, work and other activities.

If, at the end of orientation, you still have questions or if once you return home and have a chance to process all the information you received, you still have questions, don’t hesitate to call the appropriate office or the general number for the orientation or parent relations office. We are used to fielding calls and emails about just about anything and can find the appropriate person to answer your questions. 

Freshman Orientation

As someone who has taken part in new student orientation every summer for almost two decades, I know that some people can leave these events feeling more disoriented than oriented.  If you have this experience don’t worry. You and your child don’t have to remember everything you learned and there won’t be a quiz.  The main focus of orientation besides your child’s enrollment, is to let you both know that there are numerous services on campus to help you with problems or question that arise over the summer and throughout your child’s college career.

Almost every college offers some kind of orientation for students and parents. Depending on the size of the school, these can range from two or three day events complete with tours, receptions, and overnight programs, to an hour long program that simply covers the basics and enrolls the student in his first semester of classes. 

Whatever kind of orientation your child’s college holds I encourage you to attend the parent sessions and leave your child to attend the sessions meant especially for him. I know that this may very well be the first time you have ever been separated at such an event but there are a few things to remember before you insist on attending the student session with your child.

·               Trust that your child can and will manage on his own. If you are sincerely convinced that he cannot attend the residence hall session or enroll in his classes without your help, he will pick up on your hesitation and will assume that you don’t trust him to make good choices or think that he’s not bright enough to do it.

·               If, in fact, you don’t trust his judgment or don’t think he is ready to handle college, you need to have a serious discussion with him about why you feel that way as soon as possible. Before you have this discussion, ask yourself, “If I can’t let go of him now, how will I do it in 2 months?”

·               Parent sessions are developed specifically to meet the needs of parents of college students and to answer college specific question that will likely arise in the future. Missing these important sessions can put you behind the curve when it comes to helping your child in the future.  If you cannot attend, plan to at least collect the handouts or resources you would have received had you attended.

·               The students’ enrollment sessions often have limited seating space and are usually run on a tight schedule. Having one or two parents with each student in these sessions can overwhelm the rooms in which they are held and will slow down the enrollment process.

Orientation programs can be overwhelming to participants simply because there are a lot of topics to cover. Colleges try to touch briefly on a large number of subjects that may arise for you and your student. We know you can’t possibly retain all this information, so rest assured that any information can also be found in a handbook, online or by calling the college’s orientation office or parent and family affairs office.   

Senior Summer "Must-dos"

Colleges often send, or have online, checklists for new freshmen. These are usually on a timeline that you can use to plan these discussions and get organized. By tackling these on a weekly basis, you are also showing your child how to prioritize, break down a long list of responsibilities into easily accomplished tasks, and avoid procrastination by working steadily toward a goal. If the college did not provide a checklist or you can’t find one, the one below is similar what most colleges will send.

In addition to talking with your child about these important items, it is helpful to remind him that if he has not received some type of confirmation of completing the tasks on the checklist, he may not have completed them after all, and should confirm with the college.

Have your child keep all papers from the college in a folder and file emails in their own clearly marked file. Keep this information accessible and be sure to have it handy when calling the college or visiting for tours or orientation. If your child finds that he needs to call the college about a document he has received, directly calling the person or the office that sent the document is best, and it helps immensely to have the document on hand. Teach your child how to file documents and retrieve them whether they are on paper or electronic.

* It never hurts to scan or photograph a paper document for future reference. It doesn’t have to be perfectly filed, it just has to be accessible.

Senior summer checklist

·      Complete the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) – This is usually completed in January or February, but if your child has not already completed the FAFSA he can do so at any time. Fortunately, as a parent, you can keep track of whether or not this has been accomplished because you will need to provide information from your tax return in order for him to complete it.⁵

·      Receive a financial aid award letter and accept or reject awards - This is actually done online by the student when he logs onto his account at: http://fafsa.ed.gov, and after he receives word via email that his FAFSA has been processed.

·      Register for orientation and enrollment – Your child won’t be a college student at all without enrolling, which usually occurs during freshman orientation. Make sure he’s signed up for an orientation and/or enrollment program and has received a confirmation of the program’s date(s)

·      Take placement exams – These are often administered as part of orientation and enrollment, but your child should check to confirm this and sign up for testing if it is required. Some colleges will not let students enroll without placement exam scores.

·      Submit a final high school/college transcript – Some high schools will do this automatically if they also sent one after the student’s junior year; most require a written request. If your child has taken any classes at a different college, he will need to have an official transcript sent from that college as well.

·      Complete scholarship applications – This is an ongoing process that I will discuss at length in a later chapter, but many colleges use the student’s completed FAFSA in conjunction with a separate scholarship application to award scholarship. Scholarships are good!

·      Residence hall applications, contracts, and deposits – Unless your child is commuting, he will need a place to live on or near campus. Many colleges require students to live on campus during their first year. Make sure your child has completed the application for housing, a contract if necessary, and has paid the typical deposit to hold his spot in the residence halls. Receiving confirmation of these deposits is essential.

·      Submit proof of immunizations – I’ll talk more about what immunizations are usually required and recommended later in the book. Some colleges will not allow students to attend class, or will cancel enrollment without proof of immunizations or a written refusal form.

·      Meal plan selection and deposits – In addition to a place to live, your child will need to eat. Most meal plans require a deposit or partial payment. If you’re up in the air about which plan to choose, review the options to see if there is a reasonable incentive to purchase a larger meal plan over a smaller one. If not, start with the smallest one possible; he can always increase it later.

·      Greek letter organization registration – Is required of students who are interested in joining a social fraternity or sorority. The formal recruitment process usually has its own set of forms, fees, and deadlines to follow as well. More on this later in the book.