The First Year Orientation Class

Jul 31, 2011
Ashley Anderson

Freshman Orientation for College Students - NazarethCollege

At many colleges and universities, first year students are required to take orientation classes that introduce students to the campus and to college life.

When stepping onto a college campus for the first time as an official student, learning everything there is to know about being a college student can be intimidating. Some things, such as learning the locations of buildings and offices on campus, can be learned relatively quickly. Other things, such as how to use the campus library's online database, registering for classes, or how to use campus resources may not be as easy to learn.

For many first year and transfer students, an orientation class, taken during a student's first semester of enrollment at a college or university, helps students to learn about their new school, its facilities, and encourages student engagement. These classes are often taught by a faculty or staff member and a student orientation leader, who is an upperclassman that has been selected by the orientation office to assist and guide first year students through the orientation process and a student's first semester on campus.

Why Is A First Year Orientation Class Necessary?

During the summer following high school graduation, new students, as well as those transferring from other colleges and universities, are often required to attend an orientation prior to arriving on campus. Orientation, which can last from a couple of hours to a week, allows students to become familiar with the campus and the locations of its facilities, meet professors in their programs, register for classes, and take care of other loose ends before moving into residence halls and beginning classes.

While it may seem like summer orientation teaches a new student everything they need to know, orientation does not end when students go home to family and friends. Because college and university administrators have so much information that students must know in order to be successful in college, orientation classes or seminars of some sort are a necessity. Not only does this give students a chance to have questions answered about college life, but it is also a way to distribute information and skills, such as registering for classes, using the library, or declaring majors, in a way that is accessible to all students.

First Year Orientation Classes: Structure and Curriculum

Depending on the college or university, first year orientation classes may only be held as a three or four week seminar, a standard course that students are required to attend on a regular basis throughout the semester, or as a seminar that meets only on specific dates throughout the academic term. The content of a first year orientation class also varies from campus to campus.

For example, first year students at St. Francis College are required to take the Freshman Seminar, which teaches students a vareity of skills necessary for success in college, such as stress and anxiety management, study skills, academic planning, and goal setting. St. Francis College's Freshman Seminar also helps students to become acquainted with the campus, make connections with other students, faculty, and staff, and allows students to explore potential careers in their area of study.

For students attending Boston College, however, freshman orientation is a different process than a summer session and classroom seminar. First year students enrolling at Boston College are required to attend a three day summer orientation that allows students to attend Mass on campus, register for classes, live in campus residence halls, and attend information sessions designed for students and parents. Throughout the first year, students are also required to attend various academic events, such as the annual First Year Academic Convocation, and are able to enroll in programs and seminars that help introduce them to the campus, college life, and to "reflect on their lives as students and work with the faculty member leading the course."

First year orientation programs vary greatly from school to school, but all serve the purpose of helping students succeed at their chosen college or university. While theses classes may seem boring or useless for some students, orientation classes are a necessity to succeed in college.