mellow

I just signed up for orientation and took a look at the schedule. Are they automatically providing us with a host so that we can do an overnight between the two days?

somebodynew

Yay, finally I can spring my OA knowledge on y'all. My eyes actually lit up when I saw this thread title.

You will be staying in North Hill community dorms for the night you're on campus.

dstark

What are the orientation dates?

lindz0722

dstark: orientation.umd.edu has everything you need to know....

dstark

thanks.............

ivanacuna_cpa

dates depend on your major and whether you are in a special program like honors or scholars. i wanted to schedule orientation the day after i got accepted (excited) but couldn't because only recently did i get confirmation into the scholars program. am i correct in assuming parents don't get overnight accomodations because their orientation is one day? regardless, my parents are booking a hotel room for the two days, so i think i should be good.

astrophysicsmom

Assuming D does decide on UMD (to be finalized after last college visit elsewhere next weekend), we're trying to figure out some scheduling nightmares for orientation....I know that she's got to get her official confirmation in before she can sign up. However, due to graduation practice on June 8, a family trip to Mexico on June 21, and a scholarship/award study abroad trip that she's going on during the month of July, this takes care of all the Honors orientation dates. I assume that she can go to one of the "regular" dates (later in the week of June 11). I'm also assuming that if she would wait until August, she'd be SOL in terms of course selection. Anybody got other suggestions? She's advocating blowing off the family trip to Mexico and spending the extra time with her boyfriend before/after orientation ....

worrywart

I was told by a current freshman that if you wait until the third of the three sessions offered for your group, the course selection will be slim to none.

lindz0722

astrophysicsmom-- yeah, she should go to orientation as soon as possible. i'd say going to one of the "regular" dates as early as possible (june 11 you mentioned) would be fine. i went to an honors orientation and we really didn't do anything pertaining just to honors (granted, this was 3 summers ago). she should be able to sign up for an honors seminar and HONR100 if she wants; just make sure she tells her advisor she is in the honors program. if for some reason the advisor won't let her sign up for an honors course, as soon as she gets home she can log into testudo and change her schedule around as much as she wants anyway, without any permission.

worrywart

lindz, you've mentioned something important. Does registration require your advisor's signature each semester? If you drop or add a course, does that require professor's signatures? The advisor's signature?

somebodynew

Mandatory advising depends on your major. That involves going to a meeting with your advisor before you can register for classes, and then the advisor will remove the block on your registration. After that, you can add/drop classes as you please (after your registration date). You can drop a class without a "W" on your transcript about 2 weeks into a semester, after that you get a W, signifying your withdrawal from a class. You don't need anyone's approval for this, though many students will seek advice from an advisor before dropping a class.

lindz0722

in addition to what somebodynew said-- the only other thing that requires an advisor's permission is taking a large number of credits in a semester. i think the "magic number" is 18. it's not a big deal, they typically just ask you why you need to take so many, you tell them, and they remove the online block for your registration.
again, though, you can do whatever you want. if your advisor "strongly recommends" that you take certain classes, you don't HAVE to take them (although you probably should!)

worrywart

Thanks, lindz. Another question about what goes on at freshman orientation. Do the students meet in groups with an advisor or one on one? If groups, what size? How much opportunity is there to get your individual questions answered? A question for someone in scholars: are you expected to take five 3-credit courses first semester plus the colloquium? What if you've already met some of the first semester requirements? Are you supposed to take something else instead or can you take fewer than 16 credits?

therascalking

There better be a good selection of classes on the June 21st date because June 2nd - 9th is SENIOR WEEK.

lindz0722

worrywart-- when i went (again, this info is a couple years old but i'd assume it's still the same process), everyone in a group (i'd say maybe 40 people) goes into a computer lab together. an advisor shows the group how to use testudo and look at classes, and then gives everyone a sheet with their "suggested 4-year plan" on it. (of course, anyone with AP/IB credits and/or a mind of their own strays completely from this plan.)

everyone gets some time to figure out a schedule (which some students have already done at home before orientation). then, the advisors go around and meet with each student individually to talk about how AP/IB credits work into their schedule, make sure the classes they're taking will work towards their major, etc. so there is definitely an opportunity to get individual questions answered.

you can definitely take fewer than 16 (12 is the minimum for a full-time student though). first-semester students also take UNIV100 (or HONR100 for honors program), which is a 1-credit course. i'd recommend taking 12, plus the scholars colloquium and UNIV100. taking less credits makes the transition a little easier, especially if you've already gotten credit for some classes.
keep in mind though, that if you want to graduate in 4 years and you're planning to double-major, minor, be involved in special programs with course requirements, etc. that it will take some careful planning to complete everything. it's doable, but make sure that you don't take too many semesters under 15 credits.